Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-01
2001-03-27
Homere, Jean R. (Department: 2777)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06208988
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to systems for identifying documents corresponding to a search topic or query, and for identifying themes such as persons, places or subjects corresponding to the search topic or query. In addition, the present invention is directed to an automated system for identifying and retrieving text and multi-media files related to a search topic from a database library, and for organizing the text and multi-media files related to the search topic for a user in accordance with the themes associated with the search topic.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Information retrieval systems are designed to store and retrieve information provided by publishers covering different subjects. Both static information, such as works of literature and reference books, and dynamic information, such as newspapers and periodicals, are stored in these systems. Information retrieval engines are provided within prior art information retrieval systems in order to receive search queries from users and perform searches through the stored information. It is an object of most information retrieval systems to provide the user with all stored information relevant to the query. However, many existing searching/retrieval systems are not adapted to identify the best or most relevant information yielded by the query search. Such systems typically return query results to the user in such a way that the user must retrieve and view every document returned by the query in order to determine which document(s) is/are most relevant. It is therefore desirable to have a document searching system which not only returns a list of relevant information to the user based on a query search, but also returns the information to the user in such a form that the user can readily identify which information returned from the search is most relevant to the query topic.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a method of identifying at least one query theme associated with a search query, wherein the query theme corresponds to a subject, person or place associated with the search query. A document record archive has a plurality of document records each of which is associated with a stored document. Each of the document records has a plurality of metadata fields each of which stores a numerical score representing a degree of correlation between the stored document associated with the document record and a document theme, wherein the document theme corresponds to a subject, person or place associated with the stored document. A results list is retrieved in response to the search query, the results list is formed of document records each of which is associated with the search query. A composite theme score is determined for each document theme represented by the metadata fields in the document records in the results list. Each of the plurality of composite theme scores is compared to a threshold. Each composite theme score that exceeds the threshold is identified as a major theme score, and the document theme associated with the major theme score is selected as a query theme associated with the search query.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5642502 (1997-06-01), Driscoll
patent: 5826260 (1998-10-01), Byrd, Jr. et al.
patent: 5870740 (1999-02-01), Rose et al.
patent: 5915249 (1999-06-01), Spencer
patent: 5983216 (1999-11-01), Kirsch et al.
patent: 6006225 (1999-12-01), Bowman et al.
patent: 6012053 (2000-01-01), Pant et al.
Mitchell, et al., “Case Study: fishing for information on the Internet”, Information Visualization, IEEE Comput, Soc. Press, 1995, abstract Only.*
Biswas, et al. “A knowledge based system approach to document retrieval”, 2nd Conf. on artificial Intelligence applications: The Engineering knowledge-Based Systems, 1985, Abstract Only.
Bigchalk.com, Inc.
Homere Jean R.
Kenyon & Kenyon
LandOfFree
Method for identifying themes associated with a search query... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for identifying themes associated with a search query..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for identifying themes associated with a search query... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2534506