Information retrieval apparatus and method using regional information

• US 20020002600A1
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Maeda, Atsushi, Yamada, Teruhiro, Ikeda, Mutsumi, Matsuoka, Tsugufumi
• Application Number:
  US09/823,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20020002600A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

An information retrieval apparatus that enables users to search information with regionality is provided. When a user inputs search terms for searching, a place-name is extracted from the search terms. Furthermore, the apparatus extracts another place-name of a region that is judged to be within a reachable area from the region indicated by the extracted place-name. Regional information is searched using the extracted place-name and the selected place-name. The user may search life-related information with regionality at his/her residence. The user registers the items of the life-related information beforehand. When the user moves to a new address, the apparatus searches life-related information of the new address based on the registered items and presents the updated information to the user.

Claims

1. An information retrieval apparatus comprising:

an inputting unit which receives an input of a key word straightforwardly describing information to be searched by a user, and a place-name to apply a regional restriction to searching;

a selecting unit which selects a place-name of a region that is judged to be within a reachable area from a region indicated by the inputted place-name on the basis of a predefined judgment criterion;

a setting unit which sets a logical multiplication of a logical addition of the inputted place-name and the selected place-name, and the key word, as a query expression; and

a searching unit which searches the information by using the query expression.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said selecting unit selects a place-name of a region within the reachable area by using a transfer means of the user as a determining factor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a table which stores a place-name associated with absolute location information of a region indicated by the place-name, and wherein said selecting unit chooses from said table a place-name of a region from which the region indicated by the inputted place-name is far within a predefined distance, by using the absolute location information.

2. An information retrieval apparatus comprising:

an inputting unit which receives a search term inputted by a user for searching information;

an extracting unit which extracts a place-name from the inputted search term;

a selecting unit which selects a place-name of a region that is judged to be within a reachable area from a region indicated by the extracted place-name on the basis of a predefined judgment criterion;

a setting unit which sets a query expression including a logical addition of the extracted place-name and the selected place-name; and

a searching unit which searches the information by using the query expression.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said selecting unit selects a place-name of a region within the reachable area by using a transfer means of the user as a determining factor.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a table which stores a place-name associated with absolute location information of a region indicated by the place-name, and wherein said selecting unit chooses from said table a place-name of a region from which the region indicated by the inputted place-name is far within a predefined distance, by using the absolute location information.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a table which stores a proximity relation between regions indicated by place-names, and wherein said selecting unit chooses from said table a place name of a region that is in a high proximity to the region indicated by the inputted place-name, by using the proximity relation.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a table which stores a inclusion relation between regions indicated by place-names, and wherein said selecting unit chooses from said table a place-name of a region that is included in the region indicated by the inputted place-name, by using the inclusion relation.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said inputting unit receives personal information of the user, and said selecting unit selects the place-name after modifying the reachable area using the personal information.

10. An information retrieval method comprising:

providing an interface for a user to input a search term for searching information;

obtaining the search term inputted via the interface;

extracting a place-name from the search term;

selecting a place-name of a region that is judged to be within a reachable area from a region indicated by the place-name on the basis of a predefined judgment criterion;

setting a query expression including a logical addition of the extracted place-name and the selected place-name; and

searching the information by using the query expression.

11. An information retrieval method comprising:

obtaining information related to a location of a user;

extracting an item of life-related information with regionality at the location from information retrieved by the user;

obtaining information related to a destination of the user; and

searching life-related information with regionality at the destination by using the extracted item.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising inquiring of the user about a generic name corresponding to the item when the item of the life-related information is given as a specific name and the life-related information with regionality at the destination corresponding to the specific name is not found.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing the user with recommendable information chosen from the searched information when the item of the life-related information is given as a generic name.

12. An information retrieval method comprising:

storing an item of life-related information with regionality;

obtaining information related to a destination of a user; and

searching life-related information with regionality at the destination by using the stored item without receiving an input of the item from the user.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising inquiring of the user about a generic name corresponding to the item when the item of the life-related information is given as a specific name and the life-related information with regionality at the destination corresponding to the specific name is not found.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing the user with recommendable information chosen from the searched information when the item of the life-related information is given as a generic name.

17. An information retrieval method comprising:

storing a personal attribute of a user;

obtaining information related to a destination of the user; and

searching life-related information with regionality at the destination by using the personal attribute without receiving a search item from the user.

18. An information retrieval apparatus comprising:

a life-related information storing unit which stores an item of life-related information with regionality for each user;

a destination obtaining unit which obtains information related to a destination of a user;

a searching unit which searches life-related information with regionality at the destination by using the stored item; and

a transmitting unit which transmits the searched life-related information to a terminal of the user.

19. The information retrieval apparatus, further comprising:

a search history storing unit which stores a history about information searched by the user;

a location obtaining unit which obtains information related to a location of the user; and

an extracting unit which extracts an item of life-related information with regionality at the location based on the history, and

wherein said life-related information storing unit stores the extracted item of the life-related information.

20. A terminal comprising:

a search history storing unit which stores a history about information searched by a user;

a location obtaining unit which obtains information related to a location of the user;

an extracting unit which extracts an item of life-related information with regionality at the location based on the history; and

a communication unit which transmits information related to a destination of the user and the extracted item to a server, and receives life-related information with regionality at the destination that is searched by the server.