Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-16
2004-10-26
Coby, Frantz (Department: 2171)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000, C709S217000, C709S218000, C709S219000, C709S213000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06810394
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information system and to a method of retrieving information. In particular, the invention relates to an information system for retrieving and rating targeted electronic information.
The advent of networks, and particularly the Internet with its World Wide Web (“Web”) facility, has caused a huge increase in the amount of electronic information available to individual users and to organizations. This information is typically made available as documents on Web sites, electronic news feeds, subscription data feeds, and such like. Much of this electronic information is document based.
One problem associated with having a vast amount of available electronic information is how to locate relevant items in the mass of information.
Internet search engines are available which allow users to locate only those Web pages containing certain key words, or relating to certain topics or subjects. However, one problem with search engines is that the user must repeat the search regularly to locate new information. Another problem is that even if a user performs a search regularly, it is difficult to determine short or long term trends from such a search. If the searches are not performed frequently enough, then time-critical, information items may be missed. Yet another problem is that Internet search engines may not provide an adequate indication of how the volume of information items has changed since the last search was performed.
A large organization typically has a substantial number of people who are interested in a specific subject of importance to that organization. The specific subject may be, for example, a particular technology, a market segment, new legislation, or such like. To remain up to date with developments in the specific subject, the organization typically has one or more subject matter experts (SMEs). The SMEs are people who monitor developments in the specific subject and provide other members of the organization with synopsis information relating to the specific subject.
One problem with relying on SMEs is that the information they have is typically retained by the individuals rather than in electronic systems. This means that it is difficult to make the information available across a large organization that may span several countries.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is among the objects of an embodiment of the present invention to obviate or mitigate one or more of the above disadvantages or other disadvantages associated with information retrieval, classification, and retention.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an information system comprising: means for selecting subject matter of interest to a user; means for retrieving information items; means for classifying information items to identify information items relating to the selected subject matter; means for rating the identified information items; and means for notifying the user about identified information items meeting a predetermined criteria.
Preferably, the means for selecting subject matter of interest to a user includes means for allowing a user to select an interest value, so that only those information items rated above that interest value will be notified to the user.
Preferably, the means for selecting subject matter of interest to a user is implemented by an application presenting a user with an interface through which the user may select subject matter of interest.
Preferably, the means for retrieving information items retrieves items prior to the means for classifying items classifying the retrieved items. Thus, all new information items are retrieved, regardless of whether they relate to a selected subject matter or not; those new information items relating to a selected subject matter are then identified, and those new information items not relating to a selected subject matter are discarded.
Alternatively, the means for retrieving information items only retrieves those items that have been identified by the classifying means as relating to the selected subject matter. This is less preferable because it is more difficult to classify information items at a third party's Web site, as this may require some form of mobile intelligent agent infrastructure, both on the third party's Web page and in the information system.
Preferably, the means for retrieving information items is operable to retrieve information via a network, such as a TCP/IP network. Conveniently, the retrieving means is operable to retrieve information using conventional protocols, such as HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol), FTP (file transfer protocol), and such like. In a preferred embodiment, a retrieval intelligent agent is used to make HTTP requests to certain pre-defined Web sites to retrieve newly-updated information from those Web sites.
Preferably, the means for retrieving information items is activated at regular intervals so that data sources are checked for relevant information on a regular basis. The information retrieving means may be activated during a night period, or some other period of low network traffic.
Preferably, the means for retrieving information items includes an extraction routine for extracting text from the information items (that is, for removing any images, control characters, tags, document format data, or such like that may be contained in the information items).
Preferably, the means for classifying information items includes a filtering routine for filtering out any information items that do not relate to the selected subject matter. Conveniently, the filtering routine operates by keyword searching on the extracted text, and by weighting the keywords using a concept hierarchy.
Preferably, the means for rating the identified information items is implemented automatically by an intelligent agent. Conveniently, the rating intelligent agent includes a rating component for performing the rating function. The rating component may comprise: a rules based system, such as an Expert system; or an artificial neural network; or a fuzzy system; or such like.
Information items may be documents or parts of documents, for example text extracted from a document.
The interface may provide a user with a hierarchical list of subject matter. For example, the highest level may comprise a list including: ‘technology’ information, ‘legal’ information, ‘economic’ information, ‘financial’ information, and such like. If a user selects, for example, ‘technology’ information, the next level may comprise a list of different technology areas, such as: ‘displays’, ‘connectors’, ‘processors’, and such like. Each of these technology areas would include a list of technology types within that area, for example, the next level after the ‘displays’ area may include: ‘liquid crystal displays’, ‘plasma displays’, ‘cathode ray tubes’, and such like.
Preferably, the interface allows a user to add new subject matter categories, for example, by adding new concepts and keywords relating to the new concepts. This allows the system to be adaptable so that it can gather information relating to emerging concepts.
Conveniently, the interface may be implemented by a Web browser.
The predetermined criteria includes the information item relating to a subject matter selected by the user, and preferably also includes the information item having a rating above the interest value for that subject matter set by the user.
Preferably, the information system is implemented using an intelligent agent infrastructure. Suitable conventional intelligent agent infrastructures are available, such as the Infosleuth (trade mark) infrastructure, as described in more detail at “http://www.mcc.com/projects/infosleuth/”. Other agent systems, such as the Aglets (trade mark) infrastructure, or the Concordia (trade mark) infrastructure may be used. An Aglets Software Development Kit is available from IBM (trade mark). A Concordia infrastructure is available from Mitsibushi Electric Company at the Web URL http://www.meitca.com/HSL/Projects/Concordia/.
Software intelligent
Coutts Michael G.
Dove Lee G.
Sime Iain R. F.
Coby Frantz
NCR Corporation
Priest & Goldstein PLLC
LandOfFree
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