SEARCHING THROUGH CONTENT WHICH IS ACCESIBLE THROUGH WEB-BASED FORMS
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates searching through content which is accessible though web-based forms. During operation, the system receives a query containing keywords. Next, the system analyzes the query to create a structured query. The system then performs a lookup based on the structured query in a database containing entries describing the web-based forms. Next, the system ranks forms returned by the lookup, and uses the rankings and associated database entries to facilitate a search through content which is accessible through the forms.
1 . (canceled)
2 . A method of generating a computer-readable electronic form database containing a database entry for each of a plurality of web-based forms, the method comprising:
identifying a plurality of web-based forms;
obtaining information for each of the identified web-based forms, wherein the obtaining comprises:
inputting one or more constants into input fields on each of the identified web-based forms, and
obtaining the information from output fields on each of the identified web-based forms responsive to the inputted constants;
creating a database entry for each of the identified web-based forms, wherein creating the database entry comprises storing in the database entry the obtained information; and
generating a computer-readable electronic form database by storing the created database entries for the identified web-based forms in the computer-readable electronic form database.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein identifying the plurality of web-based forms comprises crawling web sites for web-based forms and identifying the plurality of web-based forms from the crawled web sites.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein identifying the plurality of web-based forms comprises receiving a list of web-based forms and identifying the plurality of web-based forms from the received list of web-based forms.
5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein inputting the one or more constants comprises:
generating the one or more constants from information stored for each of the identified web-based forms, and
inputting the generated one or more constants.
6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein inputting the one or more constants comprises:
obtaining the one or more constants from one or more drop-down menus associated with the input fields on the identified web-based forms; and
inputting the obtained one or more constants.
7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising storing the obtained one or more constants in the database entries for the identified web-based forms.
8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein obtaining information for each of the identified web-based forms comprises obtaining content from each of the identified web-based forms.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein obtaining content from each of the identified web-based forms comprises accessing the identified web-based forms through a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), wherein the URL contains a GET-string that extracts the content.
10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein obtaining information for each of the identified web-based forms comprises obtaining metadata for each of the identified web-based forms.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the obtained metadata describes the web-based form.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the obtained metadata comprises at least one of:
a classification of the web-based form;
a geographic location relevant to the information obtained from the web-based form;
the input fields of the web-based form;
input fields that are required by the web-based form; or
the output fields of the web-based form.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the obtained metadata describes a source of the web-based form.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the obtained metadata comprises at least one of:
a classification of the source;
a geographic location relevant to the source; or
a rank of the source.
15 . A system comprising:
one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to:
identify a plurality of web-based forms;
obtain information for each of the identified web-based forms, wherein, when obtaining the information, at least one of the one or more computers is to:
input one or more constants into input fields on each of the identified web-based forms, and
obtain the information from output fields on each of the identified web-based forms responsive to the inputted constants;
create a database entry for each of the identified web-based forms, wherein, when creating the database entry, at least one of the one or more computers is to store in the database entry the obtained information; and
generate a computer-readable electronic form database by storing the created database entries for the identified web-based forms in the computer-readable electronic form database.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein, when identifying the plurality of web-based forms, at least one of the one or more computers is to crawl web sites for web-based forms and identify the plurality of web-based forms from the crawled web sites.
17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein, when identifying the plurality of web-based forms, at least one of the one or more computers is to receive a list of web-based forms and identify the plurality of web-based forms from the received list of web-based forms.
18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein, when inputting the one or more constants, at least one of the one or more computers is to:
generate the one or more constants from information stored for each of the identified web-based forms, and
input the generated one or more constants.
19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein, when inputting the one or more constants, at least one of the one or more computers is to:
obtain the one or more constants from one or more drop-down menus associated with the input fields on the web-based forms; and
input the obtained one or more constants.
20 . The system of claim 19 , where at least one of the one or more computers is to store the obtained one or more constants in the database entries for the identified web-based forms.
21 . The system of claim 15 , wherein, when obtaining information for each of the identified web-based forms, at least one of the one or more computers is to obtain content from each of the identified web-based forms.
22 . The system of claim 21 , wherein, when obtaining content from each of the identified web-based forms, at least one of the one or more computers is to access the identified web-based forms through a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), wherein the URL contains a GET-string that extracts the content.
23 . The system of claim 15 , wherein, when obtaining information for each of the identified web-based forms, at least one of the one or more computers is to obtain metadata for each of the identified web-based forms.
24 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the obtained metadata describes the web-based form.
25 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the obtained metadata comprises at least one of:
a classification of the web-based form;
a geographic location relevant to the information obtained from the web-based form;
the input fields of the web-based form;
input fields that are required by the web-based form; or
the output fields of the web-based form.
26 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the obtained metadata describes a source of the web-based form.
27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein the obtained metadata comprises at least one of:
a classification of the source;
a geographic location relevant to the source; or
a rank of the source.
28 . An article of manufacture, comprising:
a computer-readable storage medium;
information stored in the computer-readable storage medium comprising:
a database entry for each of a plurality of web-based forms, wherein the database entry for a web-based form, of the plurality of web-based forms, comprises stored information, wherein the stored information comprises information obtained from output fields on the web-based form responsive to one or more constants inputted into input fields on the web-based form.
29 . The article of manufacture of claim 28 , wherein the stored information further comprises the one or more constants inputted into input fields on the web-based form.
30 . The article of manufacture of claim 28 , wherein the one or more constants are obtained from one or more drop-down menus associated with the input fields on the web-based form.
31 . The article of manufacture of claim 28 , wherein the stored information further comprises content obtained from the web-based form.
32 . The article of manufacture of claim 31 , wherein the obtained content is obtained by accessing the web-based form through a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), wherein the URL contains a GET-string that extracts the content.
33 . The article of manufacture of claim 28 , wherein the stored information further comprises metadata obtained from the web-based form.
34 . The article of manufacture of claim 33 , wherein the obtained metadata describes the web-based form.
35 . The article of manufacture of claim 34 , wherein the obtained metadata comprises at least one of:
a classification of the web-based form;
a geographic location relevant to the information obtained from the web-based form;
the input fields of the web-based form;
input fields that are required by the web-based form; or
the output fields of the web-based form.
36 . The article of manufacture of claim 33 , wherein the obtained metadata describes a source of the web-based form.
37 . The article of manufacture of claim 36 , wherein the obtained metadata comprises at least one of:
a classification of the source;
a geographic location relevant to the source; or
a rank of the source.