Providing modifies protocol responses

A first search request is received. Keywords of the first search request is identified. A request in a protocol for the first search request is transmitted to a web service. A response in the protocol for the first search request is received from the web service. Whether the first search quest is similar to a previously submitted search request, is determined. Responsive to determining that the first search request is similar to the previously submitted search request, the protocol response is modified to include contact information of a user that previously submitted the similar search request. The modified protocol response is transmitted to the client computer system from which the first search request originated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of providing modified protocol responses to computer systems connected to an enterprise computing environment, and more particularly including additional information in a protocol response, based on similar search requests submitted by users of computer systems connected to the enterprise computing environment.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer program products for providing modified protocol responses. A first search request is received. Keywords of the first search request is identified. A request in a protocol for the first search request is transmitted to a web service. A response in the protocol for the first search request is received from the web service. Whether the first search request is similar to a previously submitted search request, is determined. Responsive to determining that the first search request is similar to the previously submitted search request, the protocol response is modified to include contact information of a user that previously submitted the similar search request. The modified protocol response is transmitted to the client computer system from which the first search request originated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An enterprise computing environment may involve a number of computer systems. A user of a computer system in the enterprise computing environment can perform searches via internet and/or intranet applications, such as a web search engine. For example, the user may experience a problem with a computer system and attempt to resolve the problem by searching for potential solutions. Each time the user searches for a potential solution, the user may receive and navigate through a plurality of search results. Each time the user performs a search, search session information may be recorded. The search session information may be stored in the enterprise computing environment, such that users connected to the enterprise computing environment can receive search session information for similar searches.

The user connected to the enterprise computing environment may take a long time to navigate the search results and identify a potential solution that can be used to assist the user in resolving their problem. The user may also navigate the search results and determine that the received search results do not provide sufficient detail to assist the user in resolving their problem. It may be advantageous to provide the user with additional information when search results are returned to the user, such that the user can receive search session information for similar searches. Accordingly, the user can use the received search session information to contact other users connected to the enterprise computing environment that performed similar searches, as well as access internet and/or intranet content that the other users accessed during their respective search session.

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for determining whether users connected to an enterprise computing environment perform similar searches. Embodiments of the present invention can modify a search response returned to a user, if it is determined that other users connected to the enterprise computing environment performed a similar search, such that the search response returned to the user includes search session information for the other users regarding the similar search.

FIG. 1is a functional block diagram of enterprise computing environment100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Enterprise computing environment100includes gateway computer system110, one or more client computer systems130, and one or more web services140connected via network120.

Network120can be, for example, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, or a combination of the two, and include wired, wireless, or fiber optic connections. In general, network120can be any combination of connections and protocols that will support communications between gateway computer system110, one or more client computer systems130, and one or more web services140, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Client computer systems130and gateway computer system110can be desktop computers, laptop computers, specialized computer servers, or any other computer systems known in the art. In certain embodiments, client computer systems130and gateway computer system110represent computer systems utilizing clustered computers and components to act as a single pool of seamless resources when accessed through network120. In certain embodiments, client computer systems130and gateway computer system110represent virtual machines. In general, client computer systems130and gateway computer system110are representative of any electronic devices, or combination of electronic devices, capable of executing machine-readable program instructions, as described in greater detail with regard toFIG. 3. In other embodiments, client computer systems130and gateway computer system110may be implemented in a cloud computing environment, as described in greater detail with regard toFIGS. 4 and 5.

Each one of client computer systems130represents a platform configured to exchange requests and responses in a protocol (e.g., Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests and HTTP responses). For example, each one of client computer systems130can be an HTTP client, such that each of client computer systems130can transmit an HTTP request and receive an HTTP response to exchange data (e.g., HTML files, image files, query results, etc.).

Each user of client computer systems130is connected to enterprise computing environment100and can perform a search using internet and/or intranet applications of client computer systems130. In one embodiment, a first user and a second user connected to enterprise computing environment100may perform a first and second search, respectively. It may be that the first and second search are similar searches, responsive to determining that the content of the search request for the first and second search are similar (e.g., similar keywords in the search request). A “similar search,” as used herein, refers to two or more searches performed by at least one user connected to enterprise computing environment100, where search content for each of the two searches (e.g., keywords) represent the same subject matter. In one embodiment, two search requests can be determined to be similar searches by comparing keywords of the two search requests.

Each one of web services140represents a platform configured to exchange protocol requests and responses (e.g., HTTP requests and HTTP responses). For example, each one of web services140can be an HTTP server, such that data can be exchanged with enterprise computing environment100. Web services140can respond to an HTTP request (e.g., a protocol request originating from client computer system130) by providing an HTTP response. For example, an HTTP response can include: status information, server information, entity metadata information, and body content.

Gateway computer system110represents a platform configured to exchange protocol requests and responses. For example, gateway computer system110can be a proxy server that retrieves protocol requests from client computer systems130, transmits retrieved protocol requests to web services140, and retrieves protocol responses from web services140. In this embodiment, gateway computer system110includes application program112that, stores in storage114information regarding searches performed by each user connected to enterprise computing environment100, determines whether similar searches are performed by users connected to enterprise computing environment100, and modifies a protocol response originating from web services140to include additional information, as described in greater detail below.

Application program112represents program functionality for storing search session information in storage114for each user connected to enterprise computing environment100. A “search session,” as used herein, refers to a time period for which a user connected to enterprise computing environment100performs one or more related searches. In one embodiment, application program112can determine that a search session for a user connected to enterprise computing environment100is complete, if the user is idle for longer than a specified threshold, or performs subsequent searches that are not similar from previously performed searches in the previous search session. For example, a first search session and a second search session for a first user connected to enterprise computing environment100may involve searches related to a malfunctioning display device and a malfunctioning keyboard, respectively. Search session information for each search session can include: content of search requests for each respective search session (e.g., keywords in a search request), contact information of a user conducting each respective search session (e.g., the first user connected to enterprise computing environment100), and a navigational history for each respective search session (e.g., one or more accessed web pages). Accordingly, once a search session for a user connected to enterprise computing environment100is complete, application program112stores the user's search session information for subsequent use, as described in greater detail below.

Application program112also represents program functionality for identifying content of search requests and determining whether a similar search was previously performed by users connected to enterprise computing environment100. In one embodiment, application program112can parse a search request to obtain keywords (i.e., content) of the search request. Application program112can access search session information stored in storage114to determine whether to classify searches performed by users connected to enterprise computing environment100as similar searches.

For example, a search performed by a user connected to enterprise computing environment100may involve an error code received by the user while operating a word processing application on one of client computer systems130. Application program112identify keywords in a search request of the search (e.g., “received,” “Error Code: 1452B12,” “word processing application”). Application program112can subsequently access search session information in storage114to determine whether keywords from previous search sessions represent the same subject matter as the identified keywords from the search performed by the user.

Application program112also represents program functionality for modifying protocol responses that are retrieved from web services140. Application program112can receive a protocol response from web services140for a search request performed by a user of a first of client computer systems130connected to enterprise computing environment100, and modifies the received protocol before sending the modified protocol to the first of client computer systems130, responsive to determining that a similar search was previously performed by users connected to enterprise computing environment100. Application program112can modify a received protocol response by including a portion of information from the similar search. For example, application program112can include Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) in the body content of a received protocol response (e.g., HTTP response) to include contact information of another user that performed a similar search and/or one or more webpages that the other user referenced during their respective search session.

Storage114represents a storage repository that contains search session information for each user connected to enterprise computing environment100. Storage114can include a data table for each search session of a user connected to enterprise computing environment100, wherein the table can contain content for a user's search session (e.g., keywords of a search request), a user's contact information, and a navigational history for a user's search session. For example, stored search session information for a first search session of a user connected to enterprise computing environment100can include: keywords of search requests from searches performed during the first search session (e.g., “spacebar”, “not working, “not responding,” “model number: 12345,” “frozen,” etc.), a name of the user, an e-mail address of the user, etc., and the webpages (e.g., blogs and forums) visited by the user during the first search session.

In one embodiment, an intranet network (e.g., a network120) is provided to enable internal enterprise network connectivity between client computer systems130and gateway computer system110. Furthermore, an internet network (e.g., another network120) can be provided to enable exchange of protocol requests and responses with web services140.

FIG. 2is a flowchart illustrating operational steps for modifying a protocol response, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, application program112receives a search request submitted by a user connected to enterprise computing environment100(step202). Application program112identifies the content of the received search request (e.g., keywords of the search request) (step204). Application program112accesses search session information stored in storage114(step206). Application program112determines whether a similar search was previously performed by users connected to enterprise computing environment100(decision208). If, application program112determines that a similar search was previously performed (“yes” branch, decision208), then application program112modifies a protocol response that is received from web services140(step210). In one embodiment, after application program112determines that a similar search was previously performed (“yes” branch, decision208), then application program112can store search session information in storage114(step212). If, application program112determines no similar search was previously performed by users connected to enterprise computing environment100(“no” branch, decision208), then application program112stores search session information for the received search request in storage114(step212). Search session information is stored, such that the search session information can be referenced to determine whether a future search request is similar to search requests previously performed by users connected to enterprise computing environment100.

FIG. 3is a block diagram of internal and external components of the computer systems ofFIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated thatFIG. 3provides only an illustration of one implementation and does not imply any limitations with regard to the environments in which different embodiments may be implemented. In general, the components illustrated inFIG. 3are representative of any electronic device capable of executing machine-readable program instructions. Examples of computer systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be represented by the components illustrated inFIG. 3include, but are not limited to, personal computer systems, server computer systems, thin clients, thick clients, laptop computer systems, tablet computer systems, cellular telephones (e.g., smart phones), multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, network PCs, minicomputer systems, mainframe computer systems, and distributed cloud computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices.

Computer system300includes communications fabric302, which provides for communications between one or more processors304, memory306, persistent storage308, communications unit312, and one or more input/output (I/O) interfaces314. Communications fabric302can be implemented with any architecture designed for passing data and/or control information between processors (such as microprocessors, communications and network processors, etc.), system memory, peripheral devices, and any other hardware components within a system. For example, communications fabric302can be implemented with one or more buses.

Memory306and persistent storage308are computer-readable storage media. In this embodiment, memory306includes random access memory (RAM)316and cache memory318. In general, memory306can include any suitable volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage media. Software is stored in persistent storage308for execution and/or access by one or more of the respective processors304via one or more memories of memory306.

Persistent storage308may include, for example, a plurality of magnetic hard disk drives. Alternatively, or in addition to magnetic hard disk drives, persistent storage308can include one or more solid state hard drives, semiconductor storage devices, read-only memories (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROM), flash memories, or any other computer-readable storage media that is capable of storing program instructions or digital information.

The media used by persistent storage308can also be removable. For example, a removable hard drive can be used for persistent storage308. Other examples include optical and magnetic disks, thumb drives, and smart cards that are inserted into a drive for transfer onto another computer-readable storage medium that is also part of persistent storage308.

Communications unit312provides for communications with other computer systems or devices via a network (e.g., network120). In this exemplary embodiment, communications unit312includes network adapters or interfaces such as a TCP/IP adapter cards, wireless Wi-Fi interface cards, or 3G or 4G wireless interface cards or other wired or wireless communication links. The network can comprise, for example, copper wires, optical fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. Software and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention can be downloaded through communications unit312(e.g., via the Internet, a local area network or other wide area network). From communications unit312, the software and data can be loaded onto persistent storage308.

One or more I/O interfaces314allow for input and output of data with other devices that may be connected to computer system300. For example, I/O interface314can provide a connection to one or more external devices320, such as a keyboard, computer mouse, touch screen, virtual keyboard, touch pad, pointing device, or other human interface devices. External devices320can also include portable computer-readable storage media such as, for example, thumb drives, portable optical or magnetic disks, and memory cards. I/O interface314also connects to display322.

Display322provides a mechanism to display data to a user and can be, for example, a computer monitor. Display322can also be an incorporated display and may function as a touch screen, such as a built-in display of a tablet computer.

Referring now toFIG. 5, a set of functional abstraction layers provided by cloud computing environment50(FIG. 4) is shown. The components, layers, and functions shown inFIG. 5are intended to be illustrative only and embodiments of the invention are not limited thereto. As depicted, the following layers and corresponding functions are provided:

Characteristics are as follows:

Service Models are as follows:

Deployment Models are as follows:

Hybrid cloud: the cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or more clouds (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities but are bound together by standardized or proprietary technology that enables data and application portability (e.g., cloud bursting for load-balancing between clouds). A cloud computing environment is service oriented with a focus on statelessness, low coupling, modularity, and semantic interoperability. At the heart of cloud computing is an infrastructure comprising a network of interconnected nodes.