Patent ID: 7574659

Claim:
A search engine apparatus, comprising: a first database containing records relating to a content of a plurality of information resources; a second database of records relating to commercial messages; a memory storing: a persistent identifier, instructions for execution by a search query input processor, and instructions for execution by an output processor; the search query input processor, configured to execute the instructions for execution by the search query input processor causing the search query input processor to receive a search query and automatically define in dependence thereon a query of said first database to retrieve hyperlinked identifiers of records of said first database corresponding to said search query, and a selection of records from said second database to define hyperlinked identifiers of records of said second database relating to commercial messages associated with at least one of said search query and said persistent identifier; the output processor, configured to execute the instructions for execution by the output processor causing the output processor to: automatically organize said hyperlinked identifiers of records from said first database together with said hyperlinked identifiers of records from said second database in a common output, in further dependence on said persistent identifier, define a hierarchy from the hyperlinked identifiers of records of said first database corresponding to said search query according to content of or linkage among the hyperlinked identifiers of records of said first database, insert the hyperlinked identifiers of records of said second database relating to commercial messages associated with at least one of said search query and said persistent identifier into the hierarchy according to content of or linkage between the hyperlinked identifiers of records of said second database and the hyperlinked identifiers of records of said first database; and an accounting database, for recording accounting information for at least one of a presentation and a selection of an identifier of a record from said second database with respect to an account maintained by an entity relating to a corresponding commercial message.