Method and apparatus for information mining and filtering

• US 20050223042A1
• Filed: 06/08/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Justsystems Evans Research Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Justsystems Evans Research Incorporated
• Inventors: Evans, David A., Lichti, Christopher C., Neuendorffer, Thomas P., Horowitz, Michael L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,464,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/903 Querying for retrieval from the web G06F16/953
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/913 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/922 Communications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

The present invention combines a data processing structure with a graphical user interface (GUI) to create an information analysis tool wherein multiple functions are combined in a network to extract information from multiple data sources. The functional network is created, and graphically represented to the user, by linking individual operations together. The combination of individual operations is not limited by the input or output characteristic of any single operation. The form of the input to or output from any individual operation, whether from a database or from another operation, is the same. That is, both the input to and the output from an analysis function is a list of document identifiers and corresponding document characteristics. Because the form of the input and output from each operation is the same, arbitrary combinations of operations may be created. Moreover, functional networks of individual operations can then be used for database retrieval as well as to filter data streams. Furthermore, the user is able to create a visual representation of the structure forming a functional network which may be dynamically updated as new data is added or functions switched in or out. Because, inter alia, the network structure dynamically responds to information as it is presented to the network, the visual representation of the network conveniently provides the user with information concerning the characteristics of the database or stream of data that are substantially unavailable through conventional search, filtering, or clustering techniques alone.

Claims

1. A computer assisted method for analyzing information from a data source, comprising:

selecting one or more data sources;

linking said selected source to an operator for analyzing information;

detecting whether said data source is a data stream or a database; and

evaluating said operator against a database when said data source includes one or more databases and evaluating a data unit against said operator when said data source includes one or more data streams.

2. A method, as in claim 1, further comprising:

linking a plurality of operators together in a network wherein said network analyzes information from said data source.

3. A method as in claim 2, further comprising:

compiling said network by combining one or more operators into a single composite operator when said data source includes one or more data streams; and

compiling said network by assigning a document identifier to one or more operators, combining said operators having a document identifier into an operator database and inverting that operator database when said data source includes one or more databases.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein:

each operator receives a listing of data context identifiers having one or more corresponding document features.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein:

said document features are chosen from a group consisting of terms, extracted entities, term relations, term counts, term distribution, discourse markers, feature distribution, reference data deriving from said data source.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein said data source contains at least one of the group consisting of a text file, audio file, video file, graphic file, and picture file.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein:

data from said data source is transmitted over a network to a computer which evaluates said data.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein said network comprises the Internet.

9. A computer assisted method for analyzing information from a data source, comprising:

selecting one or more data sources;

selecting one or more operators for analyzing information;

linking a plurality of operators together in a network;

creating a visual representation of said network;

linking said network to said data source in said visual representation; and

compiling said network and evaluating said data source using said network when said network is visually linked to said data source.

10. A method as in claim 9, further comprising:

compiling said network by combining one or more operators into a single composite operator when said data source includes one or more data streams; and

compiling said network by assigning a document identifier to one or more operators, combining said operators having a document identifier into an operator database and inverting that operator database when said data source includes one or more databases.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein:

each operator receives a listing of data context identifiers having one or more corresponding document features.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein:

said document features are chosen from a group consisting of terms, extracted entities, term relations, term counts, term distribution, discourse markers, feature distribution, reference data deriving from said data source.

13. A method as in claim 12, wherein said data source contains at least one of the group consisting of a text file, audio file, video file, graphic file, and picture file.

14. A method as in claim 13, wherein:

data from said data source is transmitted over a network to a computer which evaluates said data.

15. A method as in claim 14, wherein said network comprises the Internet.

16. A method as in claim 9, further comprising:

creating an output indicator at each mode of said network;

said output indicator visually represents a quantified input and a quantified output of said operator.

17. A method as in claim 16, wherein:

said output indicator displays the number of input documents and the number of output documents for each node of said network.

18. A method as in claim 17 wherein said display comprises a pie chart.

19. A method as in claim 17 wherein said display comprises a bar chart.

20. A method as in claim 17 wherein said display comprises a term map.

21. A method as in claim 9, further comprising:

creating an output indicator, said output indicator representing a response function initiated by one of said operators.

22. A method for automatically responding to information received from a data stream, comprising:

selecting a plurality of operators for detecting whether information satisfies a desired constraint;

linking said operators together in a network;

creating a visual representation of said network;

linking said data stream to said network in said visual representation;

evaluating said received information against said network; and

automatically generating a programmed response when a constraint from at least one network operator is satisfied.

23. A method, as in claim 22, wherein said programmed response comprises generating an email message.

24. A method, as in claim 22, wherein said programmed response comprises generating a telephone voice message.

25. A method, as in claim 22, wherein said programmed response comprises generating a text message.

26. A method, as in claim 22, further comprising:

creating an output indicator, said indicator representing a response function initiated by one of said operators.

27. A method, as in claim 26, wherein said output indicator represents an email message.

28. A method, as in claim 26, wherein said output indicator represents a telephone voice message.

29. A method, as in claim 26, wherein said output indicator represents a text message.

30. A method, as in claim 26, further comprising:

transmitting said output indicator over a computer network.

31. A method, as in claim 27, further comprising:

transmitting said output indicator over a computer network.

32. A method, as in claim 28, further comprising:

transmitting said output indicator over a computer network.

33. A method, as in claim 29, further comprising:

transmitting said output indicator over a computer network.