APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RETRIEVAL OF DOCUMENTS

• US 20060031221A1
• Filed: 06/18/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Infobit Ltd.
• Inventors: Melman, Haim Zvi
• Granted Patent: US 9,965,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3341 using boolean model
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

A system for support and management of search for documents is presented. The system includes a knowledge-database, query interface and communication to a database of documents to be searched. Information generated during a search session is collected by the system and is added to the knowledge-database. The information is ranked automatically according to the usage of that information by the user. During successive search session or during a search made by another user, the system uses the knowledge-database to support the users with keywords, queries and reference documents.

Claims

1. A method of sorting reference to documents for displaying a list of said references in a search process, comprising the steps of:

selecting, by a first user, to display one of;

a. references to documents displayed in the past to at least one second user, but not displayed in the past to said first user; and

b. references to documents that were never displayed to either one of said first user and said at least one second user;

for each reference, checking whether said document of said reference had been displayed before to said first user or to said at least one second user; and

determining whether to display said reference in the displayed reference list according to said selection of the first user.

2. A method of using stored queries and queries usage information for finding an expert, comprising the steps of:

submitting a first query by a first user;

indicating that a search for expert is required;

searching second queries containing at least one keyword from said first query;

retrieving references to at least one second user who had used at least one of said second queries; and

displaying at least one reference to at least one second user reference to said first user.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the expert reference list is displayed according to a ranking method.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein said expert reference list contains at least two references;

and

said second queries retrieving provided a single second query; and

the expert reference list is displayed in an order according to the number of times said second query has been used by said experts.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein said expert reference list contains at least two references;

and

said second queries retrieving provided at least two second queries; and

said retrieved second queries list is arranged in order according to their ranging; and

the expert reference list is sorted to groups in an order according to said order of said second queries; and

within each of said groups, the order of experts is arranged according to the number of times said second query has been used by said experts; and

the expert reference list is displayed in an order according to said groups order and said order within each group.

6. A method of using stored information of documents usage for finding an expert, comprising the steps of:

storing a reference to a document;

storing at least one of the following usage data executed by at least one second user;

a. said document is opened;

b. said document is printed;

c. said document is stored in a storage device; and

d. said document is sent, through computerized means, to another user;

submitting a first query by a first user; and

indicating that a search for expert is required; and

searching documents relating to said first query; and

retrieving references to at least one second user who had used at least one of said documents; and

displaying at least one reference to at least one second user reference to said first user.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the expert reference list is displayed according to a ranking method.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein said expert reference list contains at least two references;

and

the expert reference list is displayed in an order according to the usage level of said document by each of the experts.