US Patent 7930287 Systems and methods for compound searching

A search service includes a network-connected server, a data repository coupled to the first server, and software resident in the data repository and executing on the first server. The service, through the software, presents an interactive interface to a user, determines, through iterative interaction with the user a purpose for a search, develops search criteria for the search, enters the criteria to one or more standard search engines accessible through the network, and collects results of the search on behalf of the user.