Document search methods and systems

• US 20050210007A1
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First American Financial Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zenodata Corporation
• Inventors: Beres, Timothy E., Hayes, Bradford L., Diesch, Michael W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,324,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for retrieving records. In one embodiment, the method comprises obtaining a starting record from a data set, obtaining a value associated with a first attribute of the starting record and executing at least one search for additional records in the data set associated with the value. The additional records are added to a result set. One of the records in the result set is selected and a value associated with a second attribute of the record is obtained. A second search for second additional records in the data set associated with the second value is executed. The second additional records are added to the result set. The records in the result set are outputted.

Claims

1. A computerized method for retrieving records comprising:

obtaining a starting record from a data set;

obtaining a value associated with a first attribute of the starting record;

executing at least one search for additional records in the data set associated with the value;

adding the additional records to a result set;

selecting one of the records in the result set;

obtaining a value associated with a second attribute of the record;

executing a second search for second additional records in the data set associated with the second value; and

adding the second additional records to the result set; and

outputting the records in the result set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the starting record is included in a first subset of records in the data set and the first attribute is a reference to a record in a second subset of records in the data set and wherein obtaining a value associated with the first attribute comprises obtaining a value from the record in the second subset using the reference.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein executing the at least one search comprises:

executing a fuzzy logic search for matching records in the second subset including the value;

retrieving corresponding records in the first subset referring to the matching records.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein adding the additional records comprises adding the corresponding records in the first set.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a second attribute value associated with a second attribute of the starting record;

executing at least one search for third additional records in the data set associated with the second attribute value; and

adding the third additional records to the result set.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising marking the starting record with an indication that the starting document has been processed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein selecting one of the records comprises determining the selected record does not have an indication that the record has been processed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein executing at least one search comprises executing a search for an exact match of the value.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein executing at least one search comprises executing a fuzzy logic search for the value.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising before outputting the records,

performing a verification on one or more of the records in the result set using at least one criteria;

and

removing the records from the result set that do not satisfy the criteria.

11. A computerized method for retrieving documents for a title examination using a data set having a first subset of records associated with documents recorded with a government entity, the method comprising:

obtaining a starting record from the first subset, the starting record associated with a set of attribute values including one or more of one or more names, one or more location values, one or more referenced documents, a parcel identification, and an address;

executing a first search for additional records in the first subset associates with at least one of the attribute values;

adding the additional records to a result set;

selecting one of the records in the result set, the selected record associated with a second set of attribute values;

using a second attribute value from the second set to execute a second search for second additional records in the first subset associated with the second attribute value;

adding the second additional records to the result set; and

outputting the records in the result set.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein executing the first search comprises:

obtaining a parcel identification value associated with the starting record; and

executing a search for additional records in the first subset associated with the parcel identification.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

obtaining a referenced record from the first subset associated with a recorded document referenced by the starting record;

adding the referenced record to the result set.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

executing a third search for third additional records in the first subset referencing the starting record;

adding the third additional records to the result set.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein executing a first search comprises:

obtaining a name associated with the starting record;

executing a search for additional records in the first subset set associated with the name.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein obtaining a name comprises obtaining a name from a record in a second subset of data associated with the starting record.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein executing the search comprises executing a fuzzy logic search for records in the second subset approximately matching the name.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising before executing the search, determining that the name does not at least approximately match a name contained in an excluded name list.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein executing a first search comprises executing a fuzzy logic search.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein executing a first search comprises:

obtaining one or more location values associated with the starting record;

executing a search for additional records in the first subset associated with at least one of the location values.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the location values comprise a subdivision value, a lot value, a block value, and a tract value.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein executing the first search comprises executing a search for additional records in the first subset associated with the subdivision value, the lot value, the block value, and the tract value.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein executing the first search comprises executing a search for additional records in the first subset associated with the subdivision value and one of the block value and the track value.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the location values comprise a subdivision value and wherein executing the first search comprises executing a search for additional records in the first subset associated with the subdivision value.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein executing the search for additional records comprises executing a fuzzy logic search for the subdivision value.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the location value comprises a section value, a township value, and a range value and wherein executing the first search comprises executing a search for additional records in the first subset associated with the section value, the township value, and the range value.

27. The method of claim 11, further comprising, before outputting the records:

performing a verification on one or more of the records in the result set using at least one criteria; and

removing the records from the result set that do not satisfy the criteria.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein performing the verification for one of the records comprises:

comparing an address associated with the record to an input address; and

removing the record from the result set if the address differs from the input address.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein performing the verification for one of the records comprises:

comparing a parcel identification associated with the record to an input parcel identification; and

removing the record from the result set if the parcel identification differs from the input parcel identification.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein performing the verification for one of the records comprises:

obtaining a reference record associated with a document referenced by the record;

comparing one or more values associated with the reference record to one or more input values; and

removing the record from the result set if the values associated with the reference record differ from the input values.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein executing the first search comprises executing a search for additional records in the first subset associated with the subdivision value, the lot value, the block value, and the tract value.

35. The method of claim 20, wherein executing the first search comprises executing a search for additional records in the first subset associated with the subdivision value and one of the block value and the track value.

36. The method of claim 11, wherein the location values comprise a subdivision value and wherein executing the first search comprises executing a search for additional records in the first subset associated with the subdivision value.

37. The method of claim 24, wherein executing a search comprises executing a fuzzy logic search.

38. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting one of the records in the result set, the selected record associated with a set of attribute values including one or more of one or more names, one or more location values, one or more referenced documents, a parcel identification, and an address;

using at least one of the attribute values to execute a third search for third additional records associated with the attribute value;

adding the third additional records to the result set.

39. The method of claim 11, further comprising, before outputting the records:

performing a verification on one or more of the records in the result set using at least one criteria; and

removing the records from the result set that do not satisfy the criteria.

31. A computerized method for retrieving documents for a title examination using a data set having a first subset of records associated with documents recorded with a government entity, the method comprising:

obtaining a starting record from the first subset, the starting record associated with a name and one or more location values indicating a location of a property;

executing a first search for additional records in the first subset associated with at least one of the location values;

adding the additional records to a result set;

executing a second search for second additional records in the first subset associated with the name;

adding the second additional records to the result set; and

outputting the records in the result set.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

obtaining a second name associated with the starting record;

executing a third search for third additional records in the data set associated with the second name.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising before executing the third search, determining that the second name is not contained in an excluded name list.

40. A system comprising:

a data set having a first subset of records associated with documents recorded with a government entity;

logic, communicatively coupled to the data set, the logic to;

obtain a starting record from the first subset, the starting record associated with a set of attribute values including one or more of one or more names, one or more location values, one or more referenced documents, a parcel identification, and an address;

execute a first search for additional records in the first subset associated with at least one of the attribute values;

add the additional records to a result set;

select one of the records in the result set, the selected record associated with a second set of attribute values;

use a second attribute value from the second set to execute a second search for second additional records in the first subset associated with the second attribute value; and

add the second additional records to the result set.

41. The system of claim 40, further comprising:

a user interface, communicatively coupled to the logic, to obtain the starting record from a user.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the user interface is further to obtain one or more input values from the user.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the logic is further to use the one or more input values to perform a verification on at least one record in the result set.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein the user interface is further to display the result set to the user.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the logic is further to perform a verification on one or more records in the result set using at least one criteria and remove the records from the result set that do not satisfy the criteria.

46. A system comprising:

a data set having a first subset of records associated with documents recorded with a government entity;

logic, communicatively coupled to the data set, the logic to;

obtain a starting record from the first subset, the starting record associated with one or more location values indicating a location of a property and a name;

execute a first search for additional records in the first subset associated with at least one of the location values;

add the additional records to a result set;

execute a second search for second additional records in the first subset associated with the name; and

add the second additional records to the result set.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the logic is further to:

select one of the records in the result set;

use an attribute value associated with the selected record to execute a third search for third additional records associated with the attribute value; and

add the third additional records to the result set.