Patent EA-001895-B1 (EA)
Title: Method for retrieving, processing and storing links to information sources, lists of links and complete copies of information sources
IPC: G06F17/30
Filed: 2001-02-15
Abstract: 1. A method for processing links and lists of links defining access to information sources stored on data storage devices, which consists in retrieving, storing, searching and synchronizing links to information sources and their lists, wherein links defining access to information sources are sequences of bytes defining the path and/or the method of access to information sources, lists contain links that represent paths and/or methods of access to information sources. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein a program module is created to define rules of access to information sources of a specific type. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein a sequence of bytes defining the method of access to information source of a specific type is processed by a program module that defines rules of access to information sources of a specific type. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein a search for links and lists of links stored on one or more data storage devices is conducted simultaneously. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein links and lists of links are connected with one or more classifiers created by a user. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein while displaying lists of links, they are sorted by one or more descriptive fields specified by a user; a list of descriptive fields, their order and attributes are specified for displaying. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein while displaying lists of links, the number of links displayed in a list is limited to one or more filters. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein a link is included in one or more lists of links. 9. The method of claim 8 wherein a determination is made what lists include a specific link. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein a determination is made whether a complete copy of information source can be retrieved using a corresponding link. 11. The method of claim 10 wherein a user specifies the periodicity of checks to determine whether one or more complete copies of information sources can be retrieved using corresponding links. 12. The method of claim 1 wherein links and lists of links defining the access to information sources stored simultaneously on several data storage devices are synchronized by transferring new and/or modified links and lists of links from one data storage device to the other one. 13. The method of claim 1 wherein while performing synchronization, it is determined whether there is any conflict situation and if there is any, a user is informed of it. 14. The method of claim 1 wherein while working in multi-user operating mode, a user obtains administrator rights for working with his or her links and/or lists of links. 15. The method of claim 1 wherein while working in multi-user operating mode, a user transfers rights of access and/or administrator rights for at least one link and/or list of links to at least one user. 16. The method of claim 1 wherein while working in multi-user operating mode, when a user transfers rights of access and/or administrator rights for at least one link and/or lists of link to at least one user, he or she specifies access parameters to said links and/or lists of links and types of operations available for working with said links and lists of links. 17. A method for creating and processing lists of links defining access to information sources stored on data storage device, which consists in  creating new lists of links defining access to information sources, storing and displaying said links, wherein  links defining access to information sources are sequences of bytes defining the path and/or the method of access to information sources, combining operations on lists of links defining access to information sources are performed and said combining operations consist in creating a new resulting list of links based on two or more lists of links. 18. The method of claim 17 wherein lists include links that represent paths and/or methods of access to information sources. 19. The method of claim 17 wherein a program module is created to define rules of access to information sources of a specific type. 20. The method of claim 17 wherein a sequence of bytes defining the method of access to information source of a specific type is processed by a program module that defines rules of access to information sources of a specific type. 21. The method of claim 17 wherein new lists of links are created by importing links to information sources. 22. The method of claim 21 wherein external information resources are used to import links. 23. The method of claim 17 wherein a search for links by descriptive fields of links is used to create new lists of links. 24. The method of claim 17 wherein new lists of links are created by combining lists. 25. The method of claim 17 wherein lists of links stored on one or more data storage devices are used while combining lists. 26. The method of claim 17 wherein in order to create a new list of links, an empty list of links is created. 27. The method of claim 17 wherein to modify lists of links, operations of adding and/or removing and/or moving links with the help of a storage bin are used. 28. The method of claim 27 wherein service list is used as a storage bin to simplify operations on lists of links to information sources. 29. A method of searching for links and lists of links defining access to information sources and stored on data storage devices lists, which consists in looking for necessary links and lists of links by distinctive features, wherein links defining access to information sources are sequences of bytes defining the path and/or the method of access to information sources, a user creates and modifies a set of descriptive fields of a link defining access to information source or lists of links, a search for said links and/or lists of links is conducted by a combination of descriptive fields. 30. The method of claim 29 wherein lists include links that represent paths and/or methods of access to information sources. 31. The method of claim 29 wherein new types of data are created for descriptive fields of a link or a list of links. 32. The method of claim 31 wherein a program module for processing data of a specific type is created to process a new type of data. 33. The method of claim 29 wherein while composing a search query for searching by descriptive fields of links and lists of links, said search is preprocessed, which consists in obtaining from at least one initial word of a query one or more words related to the initial word by a specified relations. 34. The method of claim 29 wherein while displaying lists of links retrieved after searching by any combination of descriptive fields of said links, the number of links displayed in retrieved lists is limited to one or more filters. 35. The method of claim 29 wherein one or more links are used to create sets of links which are characterized by descriptive fields. 36. The method of claim 35 wherein each set of links has a hierarchical structure and each subset of said set of links has at least descriptive fields pertaining to said set of links. 37. The method of claim 29 wherein each link included in a set of links has at least descriptive fields pertaining to said set of links. 38. A method for retrieving links defining access to information sources by means of meta-search comprising the operations of: selecting at least one search engine from the list of search engines for conducting meta-search, composing a search query by a user, converting said search query into search data appropriate to each of said at least one search engine, transferring said created search data to each of said at least one search engine to initiating a search, retrieving search results comprising at least one list of links defining access to information sources from each of said at least one search engine and combining search results to obtain a single list of links defining access to information sources, processing search results, wherein links defining access to information sources are sequences of bytes defining the path and/or the method of access to information sources, while converting a search query into search data appropriate to each search engine, all search parameters of said search engines are taken into account and/or search parameters appropriate to each of said search engines are extended by search query preprocessing. 39. The method of claim 38 wherein lists include links that represent path and/or methods of access to information sources. 40. The method of claim 38 wherein a program module is created to define rules of access to information sources of a specific type. 41. The method of claim 38 wherein a sequence of bytes defining the method of access to information source of a specific type is processed by a program module that defines rules of access to information sources of a specific type.] 42. The method of claim 38 wherein any searchable information resource or system is used as said search engine. 43. The method of claim 38 wherein a selection of at least one search engine is made with the help of a classifier. 44. The method of claim 38 wherein a selection of at least one search engine is made with the help of a classifier created by a user. 45. The method of claim 38 wherein a selection of at least one search engine is made by a specified combination of search parameters pertaining to search engines. 46. The method of claim 38 wherein the step of composing a search query by a user includes filling in the search form which contains a set of fields appropriate to all search parameters of  the selected search engines. 47. The method of claim 38 wherein a user selects at least on operation of search query preprocessing and specifies the order of execution of search query preprocessing operations. 48. The method of claim 38 wherein the operation of obtaining at least on the initial word of a search query one or more words related to said initial word by a specified relation is used in search query preprocessing. 49. The method of claim 48 wherein after perform