Automatic web site registration with multiple search engines

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein the web site and the search engines are interconnected through the world wide web running on the Internet.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein the registration method data describes registering with each search engine of the plurality of search engines by at least one of: posting a completed HTML form containing the mapped set of web site data to said each search engine, transmitting a formatted email message containing the mapped set of web site data to said each search engine, and mailing an application form containing the mapped set of web site data to said each search engine.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: (f) storing the set of web site characterization data in the database; and (g) storing the mapped set of web site data for each of the plurality of search engines in the database.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: (f) providing, with a registration server, a web site characterization data HTML form to a registration client application; (g) entering data in the web site characterization data HTML form; and (h) transmitting the web site characterization data HTML form to provide the set of web site characterization data in step (a).

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the web site and the search engines are interconnected through the world wide web running on the Internet.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the registration method data describes registering with each search engine of the plurality of search engines by at least one of: posting a completed HTML form containing the mapped set of web site data to said each search engine, transmitting a formatted email message containing the mapped set of web site data to said each search engine, and mailing an application form containing the mapped set of web site data to said each search engine.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: (f) means for storing the set of web site characterization data in the database; and (g) means for storing the mapped set of web site data for each of the plurality of search engines in the database.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: (f) means for providing, with a registration server, a web site characterization data HTML form to a registration client application; (g) means for entering data in the web site characterization data HTML form; and (h) means for transmitting the web site characterization data HTML form to provide the set of web site characterization data.

Claim 13

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions for registering a web site with a plurality of search engines, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of: (a) providing a set of web site characterization data comprising a plurality of data fields and at least one web site description category of a plurality of web site description categories; (b) storing, in a database, map data describing how to map data in the plurality of data fields into a corresponding plurality of data fields for each of the plurality of search engines and how to map the plurality of web site description categories into a corresponding plurality of web site description categories for each of the plurality of search engines; (c) mapping, in accordance with the map data, the set of web site characterization data into a mapped set of web site data for each of the plurality of search engines; (d) storing, in the database, registration method data for describing a method of registering a web site for each of the plurality of search engines; and (e) registering the web site with each of the plurality of search engines by transmitting, in accordance with the registration method data for each search engine, respectively, the mapped set of web site data for said each search engine to each search engine, respectively.

Claim 14

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions for registering a web site with a plurality of search engines, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of: (a) providing a set of web site characterization data comprising a plurality of data fields and at least one web site description category of a plurality of web site description categories; (b) storing, in a database, map data describing how to map data in the plurality of data fields into a corresponding plurality of data fields for each of the plurality of search engines and how to map the plurality of web site description categories into a corresponding plurality of web site description categories for each of the plurality of search engines; (c) mapping, in accordance with the map data, the set of web site characterization data into a mapped set of web site data for each of the plurality of search engines; (d) storing, in the database, registration method data for describing a method of registering a web site for each of the plurality of search engines; and (e) registering the web site with each of the plurality of search engines by transmitting, in accordance with the registration method data for each search engine, respectively, the mapped set of web site data for said each search engine to each search engine, respectively.

Claim 15

The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the web site and the search engines are interconnected through the world wide web running on the Internet.

Claim 16

The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the registration method data describes registering with each search engine of the plurality of search engines by at least one of: posting a completed HTML form containing the mapped set of web site data to said each search engine, transmitting a formatted email message containing the mapped set of web site data to said each search engine, and mailing an application form containing the mapped set of web site data to said each search engine.

Claim 17

The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the plurality of instructions causes the processor to perform the further steps of: (f) storing the set of web site characterization data in the database; and (g) storing the mapped set of web site data for each of the plurality of search engines in the database.

Claim 18

The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the plurality of instructions causes the processor to perform the further steps of: (f) providing, with a registration server, a web site characterization data HTML form to a registration client application; (g) entering data in the web site characterization data HTML form; and (h) transmitting the web site characterization data HTML form to provide the set of web site characterization data in step (a).

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the web site and the search engines are interconnected through the world wide web running on the Internet.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the registration method data describes registering with each search engine of the plurality of search engines by at least one of: posting a completed HTML form containing the mapped set of web site data to said each search engine, transmitting a formatted email message containing the mapped set of web site data to said each search engine, and mailing an application form containing the mapped set of web site data to said each search engine.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein: the set of web site characterization data is stored in the database; and the mapped set of web site data is stored, for each of the plurality of search engines in the database.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein: a registration server provides a web site characterization data HTML form to a registration client application; data is entered in the web site characterization data HTML form; and the web site characterization data HTML form is transmitted to provide the set of web site characterization data.