Method and apparatus for multi-threaded based search of documents

A data processing system for processing search requests comprising:

• receiving means for receiving a search request;
• first initiating means for initiating a second thread, wherein the first thread provides an interface with a user to manipulate the results returned by the second thread and wherein the first thread and the second thread execute in parallel in the data processing system;
• and
• second initiating means for initiating a second thread, wherein second thread performs a search using the search request and stores the results of the search in a data structure, wherein the second thread sends a signal to the first thread each time a result is obtained from the search and wherein the interface thread examines the data structure each time the signal is received from the search head and updates the presentation of the results, and wherein the results returned by the second thread may be manipulated, using the interface provided by the first thread, while the second thread is executing.

A search application for use in a data processing system, the search system comprising:

• a search thread, wherein the search thread, responsive to receiving a search request, executes a search of a selected site using a search request and then stores results of the search in a data structure;
• an interface thread, wherein the interface thread provides a presentation of the results of the search stored in the data structure on a display to a user, provides an interface to receive the search request from a user, and responsive to receiving the request from the user, initiates the search thread;
• and
• wherein the interface thread and the search thread execute in parallel in the data processing system, wherein the search thread sends a signal to the interface thread each time a result is obtained from the search, wherein the interface thread examines the data structure each time the signal is received from the search thread and updates the presentation of the results, and wherein the results returned by the search thread may be manipulated, using the interface provided by the interface thread, while the search thread is executing.

A computer program product in a computer readable medium for processing search requests comprising:

• first instructions for receiving a search request;
• second instructions for initiating a first thread, wherein the first thread provides an interface with a user to manipulate the results returned by the first thread;
• and
• third instructions for initiating a second thread, wherein the second thread performs a search using the search request and stores the results of the search in a data structure and wherein the first thread and the second thread execute in parallel in the data processing system, wherein the second thread sends a signal to the first thread each time a result is obtained from the search and wherein the interface thread examines the data structure each time the signal is received from the search thread and updates the presentation of the results, and wherein the results returned by the second thread may be manipulated, using the interface provided by the first thread, while the second thread is executing.