Adaptive information-retrieval system

• US 20030167263A1
• Filed: 02/27/2003
• Published: 09/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Sasaki, Mikio, Murase, Fumihiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,249,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3347 using vector based model
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A vector retrieval/generation/correction unit of a user terminal generates, corrects, and optimizes an inquiry vector on the basis of a vector profile, an inquiry history, a user model, and a user profile. On the other hand, a vector retrieval/generation/correction unit in an information center generates/corrects/optimizes a feature vector on the basis of a vector table, a search history, and a contents description database. In the information center, when an inquiry profile including an inquiry vector is transmitted from the user terminal, an adaptive searching process is executed. According to evaluation made by a contents evaluating unit, proper contents are retrieved from a contents database.

Claims

1. An adaptive information-retrieval system enabling a high-speed search to be performed by using inquiry information corresponding to an inquiry and feature information added to contents to be retrieved, at least a part of the information being information defined as a vector, the adaptive information-retrieval system comprising:

evaluating means for evaluating the contents by using the inquiry information and the feature information; and

inquiry information generating means for generating the inquiry information in accordance with a state of a user.

2. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 1,

wherein the inquiry information includes an inquiry vector indicative of features of the inquiry and at least one search keyword for the search.

3. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 2,

wherein the inquiry information generating means determines an initial value of the inquiry vector to generate the inquiry information.

4. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 3,

wherein the initial value of the inquiry vector is determined based on the search keyword.

5. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 4,

wherein the initial value of the inquiry vector is determined in preventing overlap of the inquiry vector based on the same search keyword.

6. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 4,

wherein the search keyword is obtained in an interactive process.

7. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 6,

wherein the search keyword is obtained on the basis of utterance of a user in the interactive process.

8. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 6,

wherein the search keyword is obtained on the basis of an interactive scenario used in the interactive process.

9. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 3,

wherein the initial value of the inquiry vector is determined based on a plurality of the search keywords.

10. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 3,

wherein the inquiry information generating means corrects the initial value of the inquiry vector to generate the inquiry information.

11. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 10,

wherein the inquiry information generating means corrects the initial value of the inquiry vector by referring to an inquiry history.

12. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 10,

wherein the inquiry information generating means corrects the initial value of the inquiry vector by referring to a user model obtained by modeling user information.

13. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 10,

wherein the inquiry information generating means corrects the initial value of the inquiry vector by referring to a user profile in which private information of the user is described.

14. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 13,

wherein the inquiry information generating means corrects the initial value of the inquiry vector by referring to taste information of the user described in the user profile.

15. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 2,

wherein the inquiry information generating means determines attribute bases for the inquiry vector to generate the inquiry information, and

wherein the attribute bases are a set of attributes selected as vector dimensions.

16. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 15,

wherein the inquiry information generating means determines the attribute bases as predetermined representative attributes.

17. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 15,

wherein the inquiry information generating means determines the attribute bases by referring to correspondence relation between predetermined information and the attributes.

18. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 15,

wherein the inquiry information generating means adds a new attribute base as necessary.

19. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 2,

wherein the inquiry information is stored in a format of an inquiry profile constructed by a pair of the inquiry vector and the search keyword.

20. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 19,

wherein storing the inquiry vector in the format of the inquiry profile enables subsequent estimation of the inquiry vector from a vague inquiry.

21. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 19,

wherein at the time of describing the inquiry vector in the format of the inquiry profile, attribute bases are described as a vector type, and

wherein the attribute bases are a set of attributes selected as vector dimensions for the inquiry vector.

22. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 2,

wherein the inquiry information is stored so as to be associated with a user locus indicative of behavior of the user.

23. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 22,

wherein the inquiry information is stored so as to be associated with the user locus, as an inquiry matrix made by a plurality of inquiry vectors assumed according to the user locus.

24. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 2,

wherein the inquiry information generating means optimizes the inquiry vector.

25. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 1, further comprising:

feature information generating means for generating the feature information in correspondence with the contents.

26. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 1, further comprising

searching means for adaptively evaluating the contents.

27. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 1, further comprising:

updating means for updating stored information on the basis of a search result.

28. An adaptive information-retrieval system enabling a high-speed search to be performed by using inquiry information corresponding to an inquiry and feature information added to contents to be retrieved, at least a part of the information being information defined as a vector, the adaptive information-retrieval system comprising:

evaluating means for evaluating the contents by using the inquiry information and the feature information; and

feature information generating means for generating the feature information in correspondence with the contents.

29. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 28,

wherein the feature information includes a feature vector indicative of features of the contents and at least one feature keyword.

30. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 29,

wherein the feature information generating means determines an initial value of the feature vector to generate the feature information.

31. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 30,

wherein the initial value of the feature vector is determined based on the feature keyword.

32. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 31,

wherein the initial value of the feature vector is determined in preventing overlap of the feature vector based on the same feature keyword.

33. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 31,

wherein the feature keyword is obtained in an interactive process.

34. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 33,

wherein the feature keyword is obtained on the basis of utterance of the user in the interactive process.

35. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 33,

wherein the feature keyword is obtained on the basis of an interactive scenario used in the interactive process.

36. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 31,

wherein the feature keyword is obtained on the basis of metadata indicative of the contents.

37. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 30,

wherein the initial value of the feature vector is determined based on a plurality of the feature keywords.

38. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 30,

wherein the feature information generating means corrects the initial value of the feature vector to generate the feature information.

39. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 38,

wherein the feature information generating means corrects the initial value of the feature vector by changing scale of the feature vector.

40. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 38,

wherein the feature information generating means corrects the initial value of the feature vector by diffusing the feature vector.

41. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 38,

wherein the feature information generating means determines attribute bases for the feature vector to generate the feature information, wherein the attribute bases are a set of attributes selected as vector dimensions, and

wherein the feature information generating means corrects the initial value of the feature vector by adding an attribute base to the feature vector.

42. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 29,

wherein the feature information generating means determines attribute bases for the feature vector to generate the feature information, wherein the attribute bases are a set of attributes selected as vector dimensions.

43. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 42,

wherein the feature information generating means determines the attribute bases as predetermined representative attributes.

44. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 42,

wherein the feature information generating means determines the attribute bases by referring to correspondence relation between predetermined information and the attributes.

45. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 42,

wherein the feature information generating means adds a new attribute base as necessary.

46. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 29,

wherein the feature vector is layered and stored.

47. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 46,

wherein the layering is based on division of the contents in accordance with metadata corresponding to the contents.

48. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 46,

wherein the feature information generating means determines attribute bases for the feature vector to generate the feature information, wherein the attribute bases are a set of attributes selected as vector dimensions, and

wherein the layering is based on division of the attribute bases of the feature vector.

49. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 46,

wherein the layering is based on division of a feature space formed by the feature vector.

50. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 28, further comprising

searching means for adaptively evaluating the contents.

51. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 28, further comprising:

updating means for updating stored information on the basis of a search result.

52. An adaptive information-retrieval system enabling a high-speed search to be performed by using inquiry information corresponding to an inquiry and feature information added to contents to be retrieved, at least a part of the information being information defined as a vector, the adaptive information-retrieval system comprising:

evaluating means for evaluating the contents by using the inquiry information and the feature information; and

searching means for adaptively evaluating the contents.

53. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 52,

wherein the searching means selects a search method by calculating a speedup ratio as an index of search time.

54. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 52,

wherein the searching means evaluates the contents on the basis of an inquiry vector included in the inquiry information and a feature vector included in the feature information.

55. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 54,

wherein the searching means evaluates the contents on the basis of a search keyword included in the inquiry information and a feature keyword included in the feature information.

56. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 55,

wherein the searching means generates at least one of the search keyword and the feature keyword on the basis of a search history.

57. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 55,

wherein the searching means expands a keyword by associating at least one of the search keyword and the feature keyword.

58. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 55,

wherein the searching means evaluates the contents by digitizing the search keyword and the feature keyword.

59. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 54,

wherein the searching means changes contents evaluations by the inquiry vector and the feature vector on the basis of the search keyword and the feature keyword.

60. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 54,

wherein the searching means changes contents evaluations on the basis of private information of the user.

61. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 54,

wherein the searching means preferentially evaluates the contents with respect to a specific attribute of the inquiry vector and the feature vector, wherein the specific attribute is included in attribute bases that are a set of attributes selected as vector dimensions.

62. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 54,

wherein the searching means evaluates the contents on the basis of classification of a feature space formed by the feature vector.

63. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 54,

wherein the searching means expands the inquiry vector and the feature vector as necessary.

64. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 54,

wherein the searching means modifies, by at least one of structuring and dividing, a feature space formed by the feature vector on the basis of the inquiry information.

65. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 54,

wherein the searching means modifies, by at least one of re-locating and moving, the feature vector on the basis of the inquiry information.

66. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 54,

wherein when a value of an attribute of the feature vector is an undefined value, the searching means evaluates the contents by using at least one of an average value and zero.

67. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 54,

wherein the searching means makes description of contents adaptive.

68. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 54,

wherein the searching means realizes a change in a viewpoint by changing a coordinate system at the time of mapping the inquiry vector into a feature space formed by the feature vector.

69. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 68,

wherein the coordinate system is changed on the basis of private information of the user.

70. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 68,

wherein the coordinate system is changed on the basis of a user model obtained by modeling user information.

71. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 52, further comprising:

updating means for updating stored information on the basis of a search result.

72. An adaptive information-retrieval system enabling a high-speed search to be performed by using inquiry information corresponding to an inquiry and feature information added to contents to be retrieved, at least a part of the information being information defined as a vector, the adaptive information-retrieval system comprising:

evaluating means for evaluating the contents by using the inquiry information and the feature information; and

updating means for updating stored information on the basis of a search result.

73. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 72,

wherein the updating means updates the stored information by evaluating the search result.

74. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 72,

wherein the updating means corrects the inquiry information.

75. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 72,

wherein the updating means corrects the feature information.

76. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 72,

wherein the updating means adjusts a search method.

77. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 72,

wherein the updating means corrects a search object to be retrieved.

78. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 72,

wherein the updating means corrects an internal relation of a user model obtained by modeling user information and a correspondence relation with an outside.

79. An adaptive information-retrieval system according to claim 72,

wherein the updating means adds, to a rewritable recording medium, contents description stored in a read-only recording medium.

80. An adaptive information-retrieval method enabling a high-speed search to be performed by using inquiry information corresponding to an inquiry and feature information added to contents to be retrieved, at least a part of the information being information defined as a vector, the adaptive information-retrieval method comprising steps of:

evaluating the contents by using the inquiry information and the feature information; and

generating the inquiry information in accordance with a state of a user.

81. An adaptive information-retrieval method according to claim 80, further comprising a step of:

generating the feature information in correspondence with the contents.

82. An adaptive information-retrieval method according to claim 80, further comprising a step of:

adaptively evaluating the contents.

83. An adaptive information-retrieval method according to claim 80, further comprising a step of:

updating stored information on the basis of a search result.