System and Method for Retrieving Information and a System and Method for Storing Information

• US 20070233660A1
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Rogers
• Original Assignee: Robert Rogers
• Inventors: Rogers, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,752,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/205 Parsing

Abstract

A system for retrieving information, the system comprising: an input means arranged to obtain a statement; and a processing means arranged to: select a first record based on an element of the statement; select a second record that references the first record; examine the second record to identify a third record; and retrieve the information by using the third record.

Claims

1-26. -26. (canceled)

27. A system for retrieving information, said system comprising:

an input means arranged to obtain a statement; and

a processing means arranged to;

select a first record based on an element of said statement;

select a second record that references said first record;

examine said second record to identify a third record; and

retrieve said information by using said third record.

28. The system as set forth in claim 27, wherein said processing means is arranged to select said first record by:

locating a fourth record that comprises information corresponding to said element;

obtaining an identifier of said fourth record; and

determining whether said first record comprises said identifier, wherein said first record is selected if it is determined that it comprises said identifier.

29. The system as set forth in claim 28, wherein said processing means is arranged to retrieve said information by:

examining said third record to identify at least one fifth record; and

obtaining said information from said fifth record.

30. The system as set forth in claim 29, wherein said third record is associated with said first record.

31. The system as set forth in claim 30, wherein said input means comprises:

an interface arranged to receive a natural language statement; and

a parser arranged to create an intermediate language statement based on a parsing of said natural language statement, wherein said processing means is arranged to use said intermediate language statement as said statement.

32. The system as set forth in claim 31, wherein said first, said second, said third, said fourth and said fifth record are contained in a single table.

33. A method of retrieving information, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a statement;

selecting a first record based on an element of said statement;

selecting a second record that references said first record;

examining said second record to identify a third record; and

retrieving said information by using said third record.

34. The method as set forth in claim 33, wherein said step of selecting said first record further comprises the steps of:

locating a fourth record that comprises information corresponding to said element;

obtaining an identifier of said fourth record; and

determining whether said first record comprises said identifier, wherein said first record is selected if it is determined that it comprises said identifier.

35. The method as set forth in claim 34, wherein said step of retrieving said information further comprises the steps of:

examining said third record to identify at least one fifth record; and

obtaining said information from said fifth record.

36. The method as set forth in claim 35, wherein said step of obtaining said statement further comprises the steps of:

receiving a natural language statement;

creating an intermediate language statement based on a parsing of said natural language statement; and

using said intermediate language statement as said statement.

37. The method as set forth in claim 36, wherein said third record is associated with said first record.

38. The method as set forth in claim 37, wherein said first, said second, said third, said fourth and said fifth record are contained in a single table.

39. A computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions, which when executed, causes the computer to perform the steps of:

obtaining a statement;

selecting a first record based on an element of said statement;

selecting a second record that references said first record;

examining said second record to identify a third record; and

retrieving said information by using said third record.

40. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 39, wherein said step of selecting said first record further comprises the steps of:

locating a fourth record that comprises information corresponding to said element;

obtaining an identifier of said fourth record; and

determining whether said first record comprises said identifier, wherein said first record is selected if it is determined that it comprises said identifier.

41. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 40, wherein said step of retrieving said information further comprises the steps of:

examining said third record to identify at least one fifth record; and

obtaining said information from said fifth record.

42. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 41, wherein said step of obtaining said statement further comprises the steps of:

receiving a natural language statement;

creating an intermediate language statement based on a parsing of said natural language statement; and

using said intermediate language statement as said statement.

43. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 42, wherein said third record is associated with said first record.

44. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 43, wherein said first, said second, said third, said fourth and said fifth record are contained in a single table.

45. A system for storing information, said system comprising:

an input means arranged to obtain a statement;

a processing means arranged to;

create a first record that can be identified based on an element of said statement;

create a second record that references said first record and which can be examined to identify a third record; and

arranging said third record such that it can be used to retrieve said information.

46. The system as set forth in claim 45, wherein said processing means is arranged to create said first record by:

creating a fourth record that comprises information corresponding to said element;

obtaining an identifier of said fourth record; and

setting said first record such that it comprises said identifier.

47. The system as set forth in claim 46, wherein said processing means is arranged to arrange said third record such that it can be examined to identify at least one fifth record, said processing means operable to create said fifth record such that it comprises said information.

48. The system as set forth in claim 47, wherein said input means comprises:

an interface arranged to receive a natural language statement; and

a parser arranged to create an intermediate language statement based on a parsing of said natural language statement, wherein said processing means is arranged to use said intermediate language statement as said statement.

49. The system as set forth in claim 48, wherein said third record is associated with said first record.

50. The system as set forth in claim 49, wherein said first, said second, said third, said fourth and said fifth record are contained in a single table.

51. A method of storing information, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a statement;

creating a first record that can be identified based on an element of said statement;

creating a second record that references said first record and which can be examined to identify a third record; and

arranging said third record such that it can be used to retrieve said information.

52. The system as set forth in claim 51, wherein said step of creating said first record further comprises the steps of:

creating a fourth record that comprises information corresponding to said element;

obtaining an identifier of said fourth record; and

setting said first record such that it comprises said identifier.

53. The system as set forth in claim 52, wherein said step of arranging said third record further comprises the steps of:

arranging said third record such that it identifies at least one fifth record; and

arranging said fifth record such that it comprises said information.

54. The system as set forth in claim 53, wherein said step of obtaining the statement further comprises the steps of:

receiving a natural language statement;

creating an intermediate language statement based on a parsing of said natural language statement; and

using said intermediate language statement as said statement.

55. The system as set forth in claim 54, wherein said third record is associated with said first record.

56. The system as set forth in claim 55, wherein said first, said second, said third, said fourth and said fifth record are contained in a single table.