Usage based strength between related help topics and context based mapping thereof in a help information retrieval system

• US 20060101077A1
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oracle OTC Subsidiary LLC (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: RightNow Technologies Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Warner, Douglas K., Myer, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US11/213,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20060101077A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

An information retrieval system allows a user to navigate through a plurality of informational items for a desired informational item, and upon selection of an information item, presents other informational items related to the selected informational item. The information retrieval system in accordance with principles of the present invention maintains a database that defines a relational association between a plurality of informational items in the system. The relational association is based on historical navigational behavior of users in the information retrieval system, and includes a relationship type, which is based on the characteristics similarities between the informational items, and relationship strength, which is based on the historical frequency of any related informational items being selected by a user within the same information retrieval session. When a navigation from one informational item to anther information item is detected, the relationship type and the relationship strength of the two informational items are determined and stored in the database. During a subsequent selection of an informational item, any related informational items related to the selected informational item are sorted based on the respective relationship types and relationship strengths, and are provided in a sorted list from which the user can select.

Claims

1. A method of providing a context sensitive mapping of a plurality of help informational items in an information system, comprising:

providing a database having one or more record entries, said one or more record entries defining relationships between originating locations which help requests are originated and corresponding ones of said plurality of help informational items, and said one or more record entries each including an associated relationship strength value based on historical frequency of selection of respective said corresponding ones of said plurality of help informational items during a help information retrieval session initiated from said originating locations;

upon detection of a user initiation of a help information retrieval session from an originating location, determining whether one or more matching record entries exist in said database for said originating location; and

providing, if said one or more matching record entries exist, an access to one or more associated help informational items corresponding to said originating location according to said one or more record entries.

2-33. -33. (canceled)