RETRIEVING AND DISPLAYING INFORMATION FROM AN UNSTRUCTURED ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT COLLECTION
First Claim
1. A machine-implemented method comprising:
- receiving a machine-readable search query from a user; and
responding to the search query with instructions for presenting the user with a structured presentation of instances relevant to the search query, wherein a visual presentation of the structured presentation denotes associations between the instances and values that characterize attributes of the instances by virtue of an arrangement of identifiers of the instances and the values, wherein the identifiers of the instances and the values are drawn from two or more documents in an unstructured collection of electronic documents, the electronic document collection being unstructured in that the format of the electronic documents in the electronic document collection is neither restrictive nor permanent.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs stored on computer storage media, for retrieval and display of information from an unstructured electronic document collection. One aspect can be embodied in machine-implemented methods that include the actions of receiving a machine-readable search query from a user and responding to the search query with instructions for presenting the user with a structured presentation of instances relevant to the search query. A visual presentation of the structured presentation denotes associations between the instances and values that characterize attributes of the instances by virtue of an arrangement of identifiers of the instances and the values.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A machine-implemented method comprising:
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receiving a machine-readable search query from a user; and responding to the search query with instructions for presenting the user with a structured presentation of instances relevant to the search query, wherein a visual presentation of the structured presentation denotes associations between the instances and values that characterize attributes of the instances by virtue of an arrangement of identifiers of the instances and the values, wherein the identifiers of the instances and the values are drawn from two or more documents in an unstructured collection of electronic documents, the electronic document collection being unstructured in that the format of the electronic documents in the electronic document collection is neither restrictive nor permanent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus comprising one or more machine-readable data storage media storing instructions operable to cause one or more data processing machines to perform operations, the operations comprising:
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receiving description data describing a preexisting structured presentation, a visual presentation of the preexisting structured presentation visually presenting information in a systematic arrangement that conforms with a structured design, the structured presentation including a collection of records, each of which denotes associations between an instance and values that characterize attributes of the instance by virtue of an arrangement of an identifier of the instance and the values in a visual presentation of the structured presentation; drawing an identifier of a first instance from a first web site; drawing a first value of a first attribute of the first instance from a second web site; adding the identifier of a first instance and the new value to the preexisting structured presentation to form a new record in a new structured presentation; and outputting instructions for visually presenting the new structured presentation. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system comprising:
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a client device; and one or more computers programmed to interact with the client device and to perform operations comprising; receiving description data describing a preexisting structured presentation, a visual presentation of the preexisting structured presentation visually presenting information in a systematic arrangement that conforms with a structured design, the structured presentation including a collection of records, each of which denotes associations between an instance and values that characterize attributes of the instance by virtue of an arrangement of an identifier of the instance and the values in a visual presentation of the structured presentation; drawing an identifier of a first instance from a first web site; drawing a first value of a first attribute of the first instance from a second web site; adding the identifier of a first instance and the new value to the preexisting structured presentation to form a new record in a new structured presentation; and outputting to the client device instructions for visually presenting the new structured presentation. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A system comprising:
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a client device; and one or more computers programmed to interact with the client device and to perform operations comprising; receiving a machine-readable search query from the client device; and responding to the search query by sending to the client device instructions for presenting a structured presentation of instances relevant to the search query, wherein a visual presentation of the structured presentation denotes associations between the instances and values that characterize attributes of the instances by virtue of an arrangement of identifiers of the instances and the values, wherein the identifiers of the instances and the values are drawn from two or more documents in an unstructured collection of electronic documents, the electronic document collection being unstructured in that the format of the electronic documents in the electronic document collection is neither restrictive nor permanent. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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Specification