Abstract: Computer method and apparatus determines content type of contents of a subject Web page. A predefined set of potential content types is first provided. For each potential content type, there are one or more tests having test results that enable quantitative evaluation of the contents of the subject Web page. A respective probability of each potential content type being detected in some contents of the subject Web page is determined. A Bayesian network combines the test results to provide indications of the types of contents detected on the subject Web page. A confidence level per detected content type is also provided. A database stores the determined probabilities and confidence levels, and thus provides a cross reference between Web pages and respective content types of contents found on the Web pages.

Abstract: Computer method and apparatus for extracting information from a Web page is disclosed. The invention apparatus is formed of an extractor coupled to receive Web pages from a source. The extractor uses natural language processing to extract desired information from the Web page. A storage subsystem receives from the extractor the extracted desired information and stores the extracted desired information in a database. The invention method for extracting data from a Web page includes the computer implemented steps of (i) using natural language processing, finding possible formal names on a given Web page, (ii) using pattern matching, searching the given Web page for formal names not found by the natural language processing, and (iii) refining a combined set of the found formal names to produce a working set of people and organization names extracted from the given Web page. The refining includes determining aliases of respective people and organization names, so as to effectively reduce duplicate names.

Abstract: A database is formed and maintained by computer-automated means extracting information from a global computer network. The database contains information about people and organizations. The present invention method provides continual updates to the information stored in the database by the people named in the database and by the automated means. Integrity of the automatically extracted information is maintained. A link from the invention database to a third party data system provides updates in the information in the database to be communicated to the third party data system for updating and maintaining data of the third party data system. The database may serve as an email communication clearinghouse where senders do not need to know the email address of a person named in the database but rather leaves messages through that person's record in the database. Targeted advertising to a named person is provided during his accessing the database.

Abstract: Computer processing method and apparatus for searching and retrieving Web pages to collect people and organization information are disclosed. A Web site of potential interest is accessed. A subset of Web pages from the accessed site are determined for processing. According to types of contents found on a subject Web page, extraction of people and organization information is enabled. Internal links of a Web site are collected and recorded in a links-to-visit table. To avoid duplicate processing of Web sites, unique identifiers or Web site signatures are utilized. Respective time thresholds (time-outs) for processing a Web site and for processing a Web page are employed.