Google has acquired the rights to a new search technology that offers instant answers to queries without the need to go to another website.

The leading search engine is reported to have won against rival bids from Yahoo and Microsoft for the technology, developed at the University of New South Wales in Australia.

The Orion search engine is the work of Ori Allon, a 26-year-old PhD student, inspired by an idea a year ago from his supervisor Dr Eric Martin. Mr Allon is understood to have moved to Google’s headquarters in Silicon Valley to develop the algorithm further.

Google has made no formal announcement about the acquisition but the university, in a press release last year, said the technology could revolutionise search engines.

Mr Allon said results to queries were displayed in the form of expanded text extracts “giving you the relevant information without having to go to the web-site”.

The University of New South Wales will retain ownership of the technology as it was developed within its research facilities.