Personalized indexing and searching for information in a distributed data processing system

1. A method of personalized searching for information in a distributed data processing system, the method implemented using a computer system having a processor and memory, the method comprising:

providing in a search portal a personal search term list;

receiving from a user a navigation identification message comprising a user identification for the search portal and a navigation location;

inserting index records in a personalized search index in dependence upon the user identification, the navigation location, and the personal search term list;

receiving in the search portal from the user a search query message comprising search criteria and a user identification for the search portal, the search criteria further comprising search keywords of interest to the user;

creating, in dependence upon the personalized search index, the search criteria, and the user identification, a response to the search query message; and

transmitting the response to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein inserting index records in a personalized search index further comprises:

retrieving a document from the navigation location; and

indexing, in the personalized search index, the navigation location and keywords from the personal search term list that occur in the retrieved document.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the navigation identification message further comprises a search keyword and inserting index records in a personalized search index further comprises indexing the search keyword with the navigation location in the personalized search index.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a personal search term list further comprises:

receiving in the search portal from the user a search query message comprising search criteria and the user identification; and

storing the search criteria in the personal search term list.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the navigation identification message further comprises a search keyword and providing a personal search term list further comprises storing the search keyword in the personal search term list.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a personal search term list further comprises receiving from the user and adding to the personal search term list a keyword selected by the user from within a document.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a personal search term list further comprises making the personal search term list available to the user for editing.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the search portal comprises a server further comprising a search engine operating in dependence upon the personalized search index.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the personal search term list comprises search keywords of interest to the user.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising assigning priority to index entries in the personalized search index.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein assigning priority comprises counting the number of times a navigation location is received in navigation identification messages.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein assigning priority comprises counting the number of times a keyword from the personal search term list occurs in a document.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein creating a response to the search query message comprises creating a response to the query in dependence upon only the personalized search index.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein creating a response to the search query message comprises creating a response to the search query message in dependence upon both the personalized search index and a non-personalized search index.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein creating a response to the search query message comprises asserting a search query against the personalized search index.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein creating a response to the search query message comprises generating, in dependence upon assigned indications of priority for the index entries in the personalized search index, measures of priority for entries in the response.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein creating a response to the search query message comprises sorting response entries according to a measure of priority for entries in the response.

18. A system for personalized searching for information in a distributed data processing system, the system having a processor and memory, the system comprising:

means for providing in a search portal a personal search term list;

means for receiving from a user a navigation identification message comprising a user identification for the search portal and a navigation location;

means for inserting index records in a personalized search index in dependence upon the user identification, the navigation location, and the personal search term list;

means for receiving in the search portal from the user a search query message comprising search criteria and a user identification for the search portal, the search criteria further comprising search keywords of interest to the user;

means for creating, in dependence upon the personalized search index, the search criteria, and the user identification, a response to the search query message; and

means for transmitting the response to the user.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein means for inserting index records in a personalized search index further comprises:

means for retrieving a document from the navigation location; and

means for indexing, in the personalized search index, the navigation location and keywords from the personal search term list that occur in the retrieved document.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the navigation identification message further comprises a search keyword and means for inserting index records in a personalized search index further comprises means for indexing the search keyword with the navigation location in the personalized search index.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein means for providing a personal search term list further comprises:

means for receiving in the search portal from the user a search query message comprising search criteria and the user identification; and

means for storing the search criteria in the personal search term list.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the navigation identification message further comprises a search keyword and means for providing a personal search term list further comprises means for storing the search keyword in the personal search term list.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein means for providing a personal search term list further comprises means for receiving from the user and means for adding to the personal search term list a keyword selected by the user from within a document.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein means for providing a personal search term list further comprises means for making the personal search term list available to the user for editing.

25. The system of claim 18 wherein the search portal comprises a server further comprising a search engine operating in dependence upon the personalized search index.

26. The system of claim 18 wherein the personal search term list comprises search keywords of interest to the user.

27. The system of claim 18 further comprising means for assigning priority to index entries in the personalized search index.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein means for assigning priority comprises means for counting the number of times a navigation location is received in navigation identification messages.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein means for assigning priority comprises means for counting the number of times a keyword from the personal search term list occurs in a document.

30. The system of claim 18 wherein means for creating a response to the search query message comprises means for creating a response to the query in dependence upon only the personalized search index.

31. The system of claim 18 wherein means for creating a response to the search query message comprises means for creating a response to the search query message in dependence upon both the personalized search index and a non-personalized search index.

32. The system of claim 18 wherein means for creating a response to the search query message comprises means for asserting a search query against the personalized search index.

33. The system of claim 18 wherein means for creating a response to the search query message comprises means for generating, in dependence upon assigned indications of priority for the index entries in the personalized search index, measures of priority for entries in the response.

34. The system of claim 18 wherein means for creating a response to the search query message comprises means for sorting response entries according to a measure of priority for entries in the response.

35. A computer program product for personalized searching for information in a distributed data processing system, the computer program product for execution by a computer system having a processor and memory, the computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for providing in a search portal a personal search term list;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving from a user a navigation identification message comprising a user identification for the search portal and a navigation location;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for inserting index records in a personalized search index in dependence upon the user identification, the navigation location, and the personal search term list;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving in the search portal from the user a search query message comprising search criteria and a user identification for the search portal, the search criteria further comprising search keywords of interest to the user;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for creating, in dependence upon the personalized search index, the search criteria, and the user identification, a response to the search query message; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for transmitting the response to the user.

36. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein means for inserting index records in a personalized search index further comprises:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving a document from the navigation location; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for indexing, in the personalized search index, the navigation location and keywords from the personal search term list that occur in the retrieved document.

37. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the navigation identification message further comprises a search keyword and means for inserting index records in a personalized search index further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for indexing the search keyword with the navigation location in the personalized search index.

38. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein means for providing a personal search term list further comprises:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving in the search portal from the user a search query message comprising search criteria and the user identification; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for storing the search criteria in the personal search term list.

39. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the navigation identification message further comprises a search keyword and means for providing a personal search term list further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for storing the search keyword in the personal search term list.

40. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein means for providing a personal search term list further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving from the user and means, recorded on the recording medium, for adding to the personal search term list a keyword selected by the user from within a document.

41. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein means for providing a personal search term list further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for making the personal search term list available to the user for editing.

42. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the search portal comprises a server further comprising a search engine operating in dependence upon the personalized search index.

43. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the personal search term list comprises search keywords of interest to the user.

44. The computer program product of claim 35 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for assigning priority to index entries in the personalized search index.

45. The computer program product of claim 44 wherein means for assigning priority comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for counting the number of times a navigation location is received in navigation identification messages.

46. The computer program product of claim 44 wherein means for assigning priority comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for counting the number of times a keyword from the personal search term list occurs in a document.

47. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein means for creating a response to the search query message comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for creating a response to the query in dependence upon only the personalized search index.

48. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein means for creating a response to the search query message comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for creating a response to the search query message in dependence upon both the personalized search index and a non-personalized search index.

49. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein means for creating a response to the search query message comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for asserting a search query against the personalized search index.

50. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein means for creating a response to the search query message comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for generating, in dependence upon assigned indications of priority for the index entries in the personalized search index, measures of priority for entries in the response.

51. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein means for creating a response to the search query message comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for sorting response entries according to a measure of priority for entries in the response.