Patent ID: 8843458

Claim:
A method for automatically searching at least one information source accessible through a data network, the method comprising acts of: selecting an information source supplying content from a plurality of information sources, wherein the content comprises useful information and metadata that characterizes the useful information; receiving a part of content supplied by the selected information source, wherein the part contains the metadata; analyzing the metadata in respect of predefined criteria; if the criteria are satisfied, processing the useful information; for as long as at least one of the predefined criteria is not satisfied: generating a control signal, transmitting the control signal to the selected information source to change the content supplied by the selected information source, receiving a part of the changed content supplied by the selected information source, wherein the part of the changed content contains changed metadata, and analyzing the changed metadata in respect of the predefined criteria; storing the useful information while the metadata associated with the useful information is still being analyzed, or while awaiting arrival of the associated metadata; discarding the stored useful information if the associated metadata indicates that the stored useful information does not satisfy the predefined criteria; repeating the generating and transmitting acts for as long as an abort criterion is not satisfied; repeatedly receiving a same metadata; determining that the same metadata is received from a same information source from among the plurality of information sources; and in response to the determining act, aborting the generating and transmitting acts, wherein the abort criterion is defined as repeated reception of the same metadata from the same information source, wherein after a last available information source has been selected and the abort criterion is met, discontinuing or suspending the searching for a predefined period of time, and then continuing with selection of another available information source other than the last available information source.