APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEARCH AND RETRIEVAL OF DOCUMENTS

• US 20070016578A1
• Filed: 08/26/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Haim Melman
• Inventors: Melman, Haim
• Granted Patent: US 9,229,973 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 the support and management of search for documents is presents. The system includes 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 search made by other users, the system uses the knowledge-database to support the users with keywords, queries and reference to documents.

Claims

1. A method of linking documents to queries, comprising the steps of:

submitting a query for a search process;

displaying a list of references to documents in response to said submission of said query;

tracing at least one activity of the user in reference to said displayed list of references;

creating a link between said query and at least one reference to a document that is interacted by the user; and

storing the link between said query and said at least one reference.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising the step of registering at least one of said links to the specific user.

3. A method according to claim 1, additionally comprising the step of ranking at least one item of:

a. a link to a documents; and

b. a document;

said ranking comprising the steps of;

displaying the submitted query;

displaying at least one linked references to documents; and

increasing the rank of said at least one item if any of the following is executed by the user;

a. said document is opened;

b. said document is printed;

c. said document is stored in a storage device;

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

e. the user has clicked a button indicating his wish to increase the ranking of said at least one item.

4. The method according to claim 3, additionally comprising the step of registering at least one of said items to the specific user.

5. A method according to claim 3, additionally comprising the step of weighing said ranking according to the chronological order of execution, providing higher weight to recently executed steps.

6. A method according to claim 3, additionally comprising the step of decreasing the ranking of said at least one item, by any of the following steps:

a. opening and closing the document without additional action on the document; and

b. clicking a button indicating the user'"'"'s wish to decrease that ranking of said at least one item.

7. The method according to claim 6, additionally comprising the step of registering at least one of said items to the specific user.

8. A method of retrieving documents in a document search process, comprising the steps of:

submitting a first query for a search process;

using said first query to search a query storage for second queries containing at least one keyword of said first query;

retrieving a list of links from said second queries to linked references; and

displaying a list of said references.

9. A method according to claim 8, additionally comprising the steps of:

sorting said references in groups according to the ranking of said second queries;

sorting the references in each group according to the ranking of the said linked references; and

displaying a list of said references in the sorted order.

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

selecting, by the user, to display one of;

a. references to documents displayed in the past to the user; and

b. references to documents that were never displayed to the user;

for each reference suggested by the search process, checking whether the document of said reference has been displayed before to the user; and

determining the handling of said reference, in conjunction to said displayed reference list according to said user selection.

11. The method according to claim 10, additionally comprising the steps of:

displaying a first group of references to documents that have been displayed in the past to the user, said documents'"'"' rankings being above a pre-determined value;

displaying a second group of references to documents that have not been displayed to the user; and

displaying a third group of references to documents that have been displayed in the past to the user, said documents'"'"' rankings being below a pre-determined value.