Kara Swisher at AllThingsD is reporting that Microsoft and Yahoo are close to a Web search deal.

Swisher reports that search execs at Microsoft have flownto Silicon Valley to work through details of a partnership, which could be announced within the next week.

Microsoft is scheduled to report fourth quarter and fiscal year earnings on Thursday.

Talks between the companies have been reported in fits and starts over the past few months. Here is the chatter on a potential deal that sprang up Thursday. Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer has said, repeatedly,he would be interested in a partnership with Yahoo.

Yahoo currently has 19 percent of the search market, while Microsoft is at 8.4 percent. Both trail far behind Google, which owns 65 percent of the market, according to June data from digital research firm comScore. Microsoft recently relaunched its search engine as Bing in an effort to attract more users.

Microsoft is not commenting on the report.