Method for fast retrieval of phonetically similar words and search engine system therefor
First Claim
1. A method of phonetically retrieving words from a source file that is associated with an index file, the index file containing a record for each word to be tested for phonetic similarity, the record having a primary string of letters and secondary strings of letters from the word, the ith secondary string generated by omitting the ith letter from the primary string, the method comprising:
- receiving by a search system from a user device a word to be searched, the word becoming a search argument;
generating by the search system a primary string of letters and secondary strings of letters from the search argument, the argument'"'"'s ith secondary string generated by omitting the ith letter from the argument'"'"'s primary string;
searching the records'"'"' primary strings for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s primary string and marking records containing equivalent primary strings;
searching each record'"'"'s ith secondary string for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s ith secondary string and marking records containing equivalent ith secondary strings;
searching each secondary string of each record for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s primary string and marking records containing equivalent secondary strings;
searching the records'"'"' primary strings for equivalence with each of the argument'"'"'s secondary strings and marking records containing equivalent primary strings;
generating one or more tertiary strings of letters from the search argument, the argument'"'"'s ith tertiary string formed from the argument'"'"'s primary string by transposing the ith letter with the (i+1)th letter of the argument'"'"'s primary string;
searching the records'"'"' primary strings for equivalence with each of the argument'"'"'s tertiary strings and marking records containing equivalent primary strings; and
for each marked record, retrieving the word from the source file that is associated with the marked record in the index file.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Useful search results are obtained when the search logic retrieves, not only text strings, or “words,” that match exactly the search arguments but also when the search logic retrieves phonetically similar words, which are misspelled. The method and system disclosed herein provide both results faster than known conventional methods and systems, and in some embodiments such speed may be achieved using conventional resources as described.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method of phonetically retrieving words from a source file that is associated with an index file, the index file containing a record for each word to be tested for phonetic similarity, the record having a primary string of letters and secondary strings of letters from the word, the ith secondary string generated by omitting the ith letter from the primary string, the method comprising:
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receiving by a search system from a user device a word to be searched, the word becoming a search argument; generating by the search system a primary string of letters and secondary strings of letters from the search argument, the argument'"'"'s ith secondary string generated by omitting the ith letter from the argument'"'"'s primary string; searching the records'"'"' primary strings for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s primary string and marking records containing equivalent primary strings; searching each record'"'"'s ith secondary string for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s ith secondary string and marking records containing equivalent ith secondary strings; searching each secondary string of each record for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s primary string and marking records containing equivalent secondary strings; searching the records'"'"' primary strings for equivalence with each of the argument'"'"'s secondary strings and marking records containing equivalent primary strings; generating one or more tertiary strings of letters from the search argument, the argument'"'"'s ith tertiary string formed from the argument'"'"'s primary string by transposing the ith letter with the (i+1)th letter of the argument'"'"'s primary string; searching the records'"'"' primary strings for equivalence with each of the argument'"'"'s tertiary strings and marking records containing equivalent primary strings; and for each marked record, retrieving the word from the source file that is associated with the marked record in the index file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of phonetically retrieving words from a source file that is associated with an index file, the index file containing a record for each word to be tested for phonetic similarity, the record having a primary string of letters and secondary strings of letters from the word, the ith secondary string generated by omitting the ith letter from the primary string, the method comprising:
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receiving by a search system from a user device a word to be searched, the word becoming a search argument; generating by the search system a primary string of letters and secondary strings of letters from the search argument, the argument'"'"'s ith secondary string generated by omitting the ith letter from the argument'"'"'s primary string; searching the records'"'"' primary strings for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s primary string and marking records containing equivalent primary strings; searching each record'"'"'s ith secondary string for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s ith secondary string and marking records containing equivalent ith secondary strings; searching each secondary string of each record for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s primary string and marking records containing equivalent secondary strings; and for each marked record, retrieving the word from the source file that is associated with the marked record in the index file; generating one or more tertiary strings of letters from the search argument, the argument'"'"'s ith tertiary string formed from the argument'"'"'s primary string by transposing the ith letter with the (i+1)th letter of the argument'"'"'s primary string; searching the records'"'"' primary strings for equivalence with each of the argument'"'"'s tertiary strings and marking records containing equivalent primary strings; and for each marked record, retrieving the word from the source file that is associated with the marked record in the index file.
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6. A method of phonetically retrieving words from a source file that is associated with an index file, the index file containing a record for each word to be tested for phonetic similarity, the record having a primary string of letters and secondary strings of letters from the word, the ith secondary string generated by omitting the ith letter from the primary string, the method comprising:
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receiving by a search system from a user device a word to be searched, the word becoming a search argument; generating by the search system a primary string of letters and secondary strings of letters from the search argument, the argument'"'"'s ith secondary string generated by omitting the ith letter from the argument'"'"'s primary string; searching the records'"'"' primary strings for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s primary string and marking records containing equivalent primary strings; searching each record'"'"'s ith secondary string for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s ith secondary string and marking records containing equivalent ith secondary strings; searching each secondary string of each record for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s primary string and marking records containing equivalent secondary strings; and for each marked record, retrieving the word from the source file that is associated with the marked record in the index file; wherein the primary string of letters in the records of the index file and the primary string of letters from the search argument are generated by; omitting all vowels from the word to be tested for phonetic similarity and from the search argument, except the first letters, if the first letters are vowels; and if two adjacent letters are the same consonant, omitting one of the two adjacent letters.
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7. A phonetic search engine system for retrieving words from a source file that is associated with an index file, the index file containing a record for each word to be tested for phonetic similarity, the record having a primary string of letters and secondary strings of letters from the word, the ith secondary string generated by omitting the ith letter from the primary string, the search engine comprising:
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one or more interfaces operative;
(1) to receive from a user device a word to be searched, the word becoming a search argument, and (2) to send to the user device search results;a processor operatively connected to the one or more interfaces; and storage operatively connected to the processor and holding instructions that when executed activate the processor to; generate a primary string of letters and secondary strings of letters from the search argument, the argument'"'"'s ith secondary string generated by omitting the ith letter from the argument'"'"'s primary string; search the records'"'"' primary strings for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s primary string and marking records containing equivalent primary strings; search each record'"'"'s ith secondary string for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s ith secondary string and marking records containing equivalent ith secondary strings; search each secondary string of each record for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s primary string and marking records containing equivalent secondary strings; and for each marked record, retrieve the word from the source file that is associated with the marked record in the index file; wherein the retrieved words become the search results to send to the user device; and wherein the storage holds additional instructions that when executed activate the processor also to; generate one or more tertiary strings of letters from the search argument, the argument'"'"'s ith tertiary string formed from the argument'"'"'s primary string by transposing the ith letter with the (i+1)th letter of the argument'"'"'s primary string; search the records'"'"' primary strings for equivalence with each of the argument'"'"'s tertiary strings and marking records containing equivalent primary strings; and for each marked record, retrieve the word from the source file that is associated with the marked record in the index file.
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8. A phonetic search engine system for retrieving words from a source file that is associated with an index file, the index file containing a record for each word to be tested for phonetic similarity, the record having a primary string of letters and secondary strings of letters from the word, the ith secondary string generated by omitting the ith letter from the primary string, the search engine comprising:
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one or more interfaces operative;
(1) to receive from a user device a word to be searched, the word becoming a search argument, and (2) to send to the user device search results;a processor operatively connected to the one or more interfaces; and storage operatively connected to the processor and holding instructions that when executed activate the processor to; generate a primary string of letters and secondary strings of letters from the search argument, the argument'"'"'s ith secondary string generated by omitting the ith letter from the argument'"'"'s primary string; search the records'"'"' primary strings for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s primary string and marking records containing equivalent primary strings; search each record'"'"'s ith secondary string for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s ith secondary string and marking records containing equivalent ith secondary strings; search each secondary string of each record for equivalence with the argument'"'"'s primary string and marking records containing equivalent secondary strings; and for each marked record, retrieve the word from the source file that is associated with the marked record in the index file; wherein the retrieved words become the search results to send to the user device; wherein the primary string of letters in the records of the index file and the primary string of letters from the search argument are generated by; omitting all vowels from the word to be tested for phonetic similarity and from the search argument, except the first letters, if the first letters are vowels; and if two adjacent letters are the same consonant, omitting one of the two adjacent letters.
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Specification