Orbit MetaSearch
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Orbit Metasearch searches the web and ranks results from the leading search result sources. You’ll get the best combined results from major search engines like Google, Yahoo! Search, and MSN. Using more search engines means a better overall coverage of the Web
Orbit Metasearch allows you to see each search engine’s result in a simultaneous rankings. Further refining your ability to find the information you need, Orbit Metasearch allows you to individualize the results per engine, establish overlap, and determine search results that are unique Google, Yahoo! Search, or MSN.
Orbit Metasearch also uses instant search technology that takes the waiting out of searching the web. It is an AJAX-style web application that retrieves web results and suggestions as-you-type. Begin typing in search results and automatically you will receive suggestions based on the letters you have entered.
Orbit Metasearch will continue to use cutting edge technology to reach it’s goal of being the most innovation and effective metasearch engine in the world.
The retrieval process is displayed at Diagram 1.
Diagram 1.
Query Builder
The surfer forms the search term. To make it easier for user to compose search request the suggestion tool is designed. As the search term is entered by surfer, the suggestion tool sends requests to Google Suggestion and Google Web Search, receives 3 top suggestion and 3 top web search results and displays them to visitor. So the surfer is able to compose the search request more precisely and optimally.
Preparing Results for Metasearch
At this point the processing of received request and the preparing Metasearch module for starting are occurred.
Checking Cache
At this point system checks if the requested results are in cache already. Cache is designed to make the search faster. If results were received once, they are put into cache and stored here for the period of time set by admin. During this period results are obtained not from google, yahoo, etc:, but from local cache. Cached results are renewed according to the period set by admin.
Run Metasearch
Here the starting of Metasearch module is occurred.
Metasearch technology is used for simultaneous gathering of search results from several different resources. The working time of metasearch system directly depends on working time of the slowest of used resources. Let's take a closer look at principles of operating of metasearch systems. There are two basic schemes of working of metasearch systems:
- successive operating (Standard)
- parallel operating (Metasearch)
On Diagram 2 you can see how each type of search systems works. When Standard scheme is used, each of search resources are operated one after another. When Metasearch scheme is used, results are obtained simultaneously from all of resources.
Diagram 2.
The only case when Standard scheme works as fast as parallel scheme, is the case when we get results from a single resource.
Metasearch system consists of two distinct parts:
- The interface unit for receiving of incoming requests and forming of result responses
- Module, called Metasearch, which gathers search results in parallel mode
Here is the detailed description of working of Metasearch system step-by-step:
The interface unit receives the search request from user
- The interface unit processes the user's request and sends to Metasearch module the request which contains following parameters:
-- A Search term
-- A list of resources, where we'd like to make a search
-- Time Out - the major parameter which effects on whole system's speed. For example: the timeout is 1 second and we want to get results from 6 resources. The timeout guarantees that all users will get results in period not greater than 1 second. If some of search resources can't be processed in 1 second that means that their results will not be displayed. The bigger timeout increases the probability of processing all of the operating resources.
- Metasearch module launches several independent procedures, each of which receives search results from some of search resources.
- Each of launched procedures performs following operations:
-- Creating and sending of search request to certain search resource;
-- Obtaining of results;
-- The processing of obtained results;
-- Stopping if timeout exceeds.
- Metasearch module waits for the end of timeout;
- Metasearch module passes search results to the interface unit;
- Interface unit "pulls" the templates on search results and displays generated html code.
Processing and Ranking Results
Then Metasaerch hands the results off to the php script. This script makes the ranking of search results. Each result consists of following attributes:
- Url;
- Title;
- Description;
- Position in certain search engine.
The key attribute for ranking is the URL of result, that means that system groups results using their urls.
Displaying of the results
Here the system displays the results using predefined templates and style sheets.