Method and apparatus for responding to end-user request for information-collecting

A machine readable memory including program instructions adapted to:

• receiving, from behavior watching modules operating on a multiplicity of users' computers, information regarding the user' search engine usage across one or more search engines, including at least
• keywords (including phrases) submitted by particular users to the search engines,
• links selected by the particular users from results returned by the search engines, and
• at least one of dwell time or documents viewed by the particular users when following the selected links;
• using the search engine usage information, choosing keywords of interest and the links selected by the users corresponding to the keywords of interest;
• following the chosen links to collect at least part of the content of documents addressed by the chosen links;
• and
• associating the collected content with the corresponding keyword of interest.

A device including one or more servers having logic and resources adapted to:

• receiving, from behavior watching modules operating on a multiplicity of users' computers, information regarding the user' search engine usage across one or more search engines, including at least
• keywords (including phrases) submitted by particular users to the search engines,
• links selected by the particular users from results returned by the search engines, and
• at least one of dwell time or documents viewed by the particular users when following the selected links;
• using the search engine usage information choosing keywords of interest and the links selected by the users corresponding to the keywords of interest;
• following the chosen links to collect at least part of the content of documents addressed by the chosen links;
• and
• associating the collected content with the corresponding keyword of interest.

A method of generating data using a network of behavior watching modules that transmit data to an affiliated system of servers, the method including:

• using a multiplicity of behavior watching modules operating on a multiplicity of user' computers, the behavior watching modules collecting information regarding the user' search engine usage across one or more search engines, including at least
• keywords (including phrases) submitted by particular users to the search engines,
• links selected by the particular users from results returned by the search engines, and
• at least one of dwell time or documents viewed by the particular users when following the selected links;
• and
• the behavior watching modules electronically reporting the search engine usage information to one or more affiliated servers.

A device including a personal computer having logic and resources adapted to:

• receiving, from behavior watching modules operating on a multiplicity of users' computers, information regarding the user' search engine usage across one or more search engines, including at least
• keywords (including phrases) submitted by particular users to the search engines,
• links selected by the particular users from results returned by the search engines, and
• at least one of dwell time or documents viewed by the particular users when following the selected links;
• using the search engine usage information, choosing keywords of interest and the links selected by the users corresponding to the keywords of interest;
• following the chosen links to collect at least part of the content of documents addressed by the chosen links;
• and
• associating the collected content with the corresponding keyword of interest.

A computer-implemented system that selectively collects web pages that may be returned to users in response to search requests, the system including:

• at least one listener module with a network interface that receives from behavior watching modules operating on a multiplicity of user' computers connected by a network, information regarding the user' search engine usage across one or more search engines, including at least
• keywords (including phrases) submitted by particular users to the search engines,
• links selected by the particular users from results returned by the search engines, and
• at least one of dwell time or documents viewed by the particular users when following the selected links;
• and
• at least one computer or cluster of computers operating one or more modules in communication with the listener module that includes logic and resources adapted to
• process the search engine usage information and choose keywords of interest and the links selected by the users corresponding to the keywords of interest,
• follow the chosen links to collect at least part of the content of documents addressed by the chosen links, and
• associate the collected content with the corresponding keyword of interest.