Patent ID: 6401118
Filing Date: 2002-06-04
Classification: G06F,G06Q,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for performing online monitoring of a computer network, comprising the steps of:(1) receiving search criteria from a user, wherein said search criteria reflects the intellectual property infringement or disparagement concerns of said user; (2) searching the computer network for addresses that specify sites which contain contents matching said search criteria, said searching step comprising the steps of: (a) selecting an existing search engine that is available on the computer network, wherein said search engine is configured to return only a subset of n hits of a total set of N hits actually found by said search engine; (b) translating said search criteria into a set of related keywords and a main topic keyword; (c) querying said search engine for said main topic keyword; and (d) when step (c) returns a number of hits greater than n, constructing two new queries in the forms of: (i) {said main topic keyword} AND {an unused related keyword from said set of related keywords}; and (ii) {said main topic keyword} AND NOT {said unused related keyword}; (3) obtaining a list of offending addresses that contain contents matching said search criteria; and (4) downloading said contents from each offending address within said list; whereby said downloaded contents represent unrealized hits said search engine would not otherwise return and may be utilized by said user to plan intellectual property infringement or disparagement enforcement activities.