Method and system for improving performance of counting hits in a search

• US 20090094218A1
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhang, David Chen, Chung, Jack Vinh
• Granted Patent: US 8,180,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3338 Query expansion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3341 using boolean model

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention includes a method for automatically enabling a search system or application to quickly and accurately count hits corresponding to a search expression. For example, a search expression is received or retrieved that may include redundant and/or overlapping search expression components. Each narrow search expression component is removed from the search expression if joined by an “OR” operator to a broader or equivalent search expression component. Additionally, each broad search expression component is removed from the search expression if joined by an “AND” operator to a narrower or equivalent search expression component. By modifying the received search expression in this fashion, a performance gain is typically achieved for calculating the hit count while maintaining its accuracy.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a search expression generated by a search application;

before any search is performed corresponding to said search expression, if a first component of said search expression and a second component of said search expression are joined by an “

OR”

operator and if said first component is a narrower search expression component than said second component, removing said first component from said search expression to modify said search expression;

before any search is performed corresponding to said search expression, if a first component of said search expression and a second component of said search expression are joined by an “

AND”

operator and if said second component is a broader search expression component than said first component, removing said second component from said search expression to modify said search expression, wherein said removing said second component further comprises maintaining said first component in said search expression;

before any search is performed corresponding to said search expression, determining whether to repeat said removing said first component or to repeat said removing said second component; and

executing a search with said modified search expression to calculate a hit count, said hit count corresponds to said search expression generated by said search application.

2. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, further comprising:

before any search is performed corresponding to said search expression, removing a ranking operator from said search expression.

3. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein said search expression is based on an input query string.

4. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein said search expression comprises an operator that returns a document count that includes a phrase.

5. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein said search expression comprises an operator that returns a document count that includes either a first word or a second word.

6. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein said search expression comprises an operator that returns a document count that includes a first word and a second word.

7. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 6, wherein said search expression further comprises an operator that returns a document count that includes a phrase.

8. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein said executing a search with said modified search expression to calculate a hit count is executed by a second search application.

9. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to said processor; and

a memory device coupled to communicate with said processor for performing a method comprising;

receiving a search expression generated by a search application;

before any search is performed corresponding to said search expression, if a first component of said search expression and a second component of said search expression are joined by an “

OR”

operator and if said first component is a narrower search expression component than said second component, deleting said first component from said search expression to modify said search expression;

before any search is performed corresponding to said search expression, if a first component of said search expression and a second component of said search expression are joined by an “

AND”

operator and if said second component is a broader search expression component than said first component, deleting said second component from said search expression to modify said search expression, wherein said deleting said second component further comprises maintaining said first component in said search expression;

before any search is performed corresponding to said search expression, determining whether to repeat said deleting said first component or to repeat said deleting said second component; and

executing a search with said modified search expression to calculate a hit count, said hit count corresponds to said search expression generated by said search application.

10. The computer system of claim 9, further comprising:

before any search is performed corresponding to said search expression, removing a ranking operator from said search expression.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein said search expression is based on an input query string.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein said search expression comprises an operator that returns a document count that includes a phrase.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein said search expression comprises an operator that returns a document count that includes either a first word or a second word.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein said search expression comprises an operator that returns a document count that includes a first word and a second word.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein said input query string was submitted to said computer system by a second computer.

16. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said computer system is a server coupled to a network.

17. A computer readable storage medium having computer readable code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method comprising:

receiving an expanded search query generated by a search application, said expanded search is based on an input query string;

before any search is performed corresponding to said expanded search query, if a first component of said expanded search query and a second component of said expanded search query are joined by an “

OR”

operator and if said first component is a narrower search expression component than said second component, deleting said first component from said expanded search query to modify said expanded search query;

before any search is performed corresponding to said expanded search query, if a first component of said expanded search query and a second component of said expanded search query are joined by an “

AND”

operator and if said second component is a broader search expression component than said first component, deleting said second component from said expanded search query to modify said expanded search query, wherein said deleting said second component further comprises maintaining said first component in said expanded search query;

before any search is performed corresponding to said expanded search query, determining whether to repeat said deleting said first component or to repeat said deleting said second component; and

executing a search with said modified expanded search query to calculate a hit count, said hit count corresponds to said expanded search query generated by said search application.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein said method further comprising:

before any search is performed corresponding to said expanded search query, removing a ranking operator from said expanded search query thereby modifying said expanded search query.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein said expanded query string comprises an operator that returns a document count that includes a phrase.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein said expanded query string comprises an operator that returns a document count that includes either a first word or a second word.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein said expanded query string comprises an operator that returns a document count that includes a first word and a second word.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein said expanded query string further comprises an operator that returns a document count that includes either a first word or a second word.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein said expanded query string comprises an operator that returns a document count that includes a phrase.