RESEARCH RAPIDITY AND EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT BY ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH ARTIFACT SIMILARITY

• US 20090063477A1
• Filed: 11/05/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel P. Kolz, James Adams, Richard D. Dettinger, Shannon E. Wenzel
• Original Assignee: Daniel P. Kolz, James Adams, Richard D. Dettinger, Shannon E. Wenzel
• Inventors: Kolz, Daniel P., Dettinger, Richard D., Wenzel, Shannon E., Adams, James C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,583,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Methods for comparing query-related objects are provided. In one embodiment, a first plurality of query-related objects for a first user is compared to a second plurality of query-related objects for a second user to determine a degree of similarity between the first and second plurality of query-related objects. A notification of the degree of similarity is issued.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for comparing query-related objects, comprising:

receiving a first plurality of query-related objects for a first user;

receiving a second plurality of query-related objects for a second user, wherein both the first and second plurality of query-related objects include objects of different object types;

comparing the first plurality of query-related objects of each type with the second plurality of query-related objects of the same object type to determine a degree of similarity between the first and second plurality of query-related objects of the same object type; and

issuing a notification of the degree of similarity to at least one of the first user and the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second plurality of query-related objects include abstract queries resolved against a logical model abstractly describing physical data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification of the degree of similarity is issued if the degree of similarity is above a threshold for similarity.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a value for a typical degree of similarity of a plurality of query-related objects; and

using the value for the typical degree of similarity to set the threshold of similarity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each received query-related object is one of a query object, a result object, and an analysis object.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a weight to each received query-related object; and

using the weight assigned to each received query-related object to adjust the degree of similarity between the first and second plurality of query-related objects.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a plurality of query-related objects which are typical of query-related objects found in a system; and

adjusting the degree of similarity downward because of a degree of similarity between the received plurality of query-related objects and the selected plurality of query-related objects typical of query-related objects found in the system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the first plurality of query-related objects with the second plurality of query-related objects to determine the degree of similarity comprises:

comparing a component of each of the query-related objects in the first plurality of query-related objects with a component of each of the query-related objects in the second plurality of query-related objects to determine a degree of similarity of the components; and

using the degree of similarity of the components to determine the degree of similarity of the first and second plurality of query-related objects.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification contains information that allows at least one of the first user and the second user to communicate with the other user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first user and the second user communicates with the other user by placing a phone call or sending an email message, a text message, or a voicemail message.

11. A computer-implemented method for comparing query-related objects, comprising:

receiving a first plurality of query-related objects for a first user;

receiving a second plurality of query-related objects for a second user, wherein both the first and second plurality of query-related objects include objects of different object types;

comparing the first plurality of query-related objects of each type with the second plurality of query-related objects of the same object type to determine a degree of similarity between the first and second plurality of query-related objects of the same object type;

assigning a weight to each received query-related object;

using the weight assigned to each received query-related object to adjust the degree of similarity between the first and second plurality of query-related objects; and

issuing a notification of the degree of similarity to at least one of the first user and the second user, wherein the notification contains information that allows at least one of the first user and the second user to communicate with the other user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the information allows at least one of the first user and the second user to communicate with the other user by placing a phone call or sending an email message, a text message, or a voicemail message.

13. A computer-implemented method for comparing query-related objects, comprising:

receiving a first plurality of query-related objects for a first user;

receiving a second plurality of query-related objects for a second user, wherein both the first and second plurality of query-related objects include objects of different object types;

comparing the first plurality of query-related objects of each type with the second plurality of query-related objects of the same object type to determine a degree of similarity between the first and second plurality of query-related objects of the same object type;

wherein comparing comprises;

comparing a component of each of the query-related objects in the first plurality of query-related objects with a component of each of the query-related objects in the second plurality of query-related objects to determine a degree of similarity of the components; and

using the degree of similarity of the components to determine the degree of similarity of the first and second plurality of query-related objects; and

issuing a notification of the degree of similarity to at least one of the first user and the second user, wherein the notification contains information that allows at least one of the first user and the second user to communicate with the other user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the information allows at least one of the first user and the second user to communicate with the other user by placing a phone call or sending an email message, a text message, or a voicemail message.