INFORMATION RETRIEVAL FROM A COLLECTION OF INFORMATION OBJECTS TAGGED WITH HIERARCHICAL KEYWORDS

• US 20130013629A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: Vignette Corporation (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Kommers, Jefferson M., Freed, David, Kennedy, Damien Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,303,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/766
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/956 Hierarchical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

As a user navigates a web site, a system can formulate or allow the user to formulate a query. The system can automatically expand the query to include additional keywords that were not present in the original query. The system can search a database using the expanded query to identify a set of information objects, each having at least one keyword that is present in the expanded query. The database may include a plurality of database tables, each describing a keyword hierarchy. A hierarchy may correspond to a subject matter category addressed by the information object. Another hierarchy may correspond to a project phase addressed by the information object. Still another hierarchy may correspond to the role or intended audience of the information object. The set of information objects thus identified can be displayed on a client computer where the user can see the results.

Claims

1. A system for information retrieval, comprising:

at least one processor;

one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions translatable by the at least one processor to perform;

automatically expanding an original query to produce an expanded query, the original query being generated by end-user activity at a client computer communicatively connected to a server computer over a network connection, the expanded query being generated by the server computer, the original query comprising a first keyword, the expanded query comprising the first keyword and a second keyword, the second keyword being associated with the first keyword from the original query in a keyword-friend pair according to a keyword hierarchy, the keyword-friend pair having an association score that meets or exceeds a predetermined value, wherein the second keyword is not in the original query; and

searching a database using the expanded query, the searching being performed by the server computer, wherein the searching produces a set of information objects, each information object in the set of information objects having at least one keyword that is present in the expanded query, wherein the set of information objects is sent from the server computer to the client computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:

automatically formulating the original query as a user navigates a web site.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:

tracking actions of the user at the web site.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:

allowing a user at the client computer to formulate the original query by selecting one or more keywords from a plurality of keyword hierarchies.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the keyword hierarchy is one of a plurality of keyword hierarchies.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of keyword hierarchies comprises a subject matter category hierarchy, a project phase hierarchy, and a role hierarchy.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein a keyword-type weight is assigned to each keyword hierarchy of the plurality of keyword hierarchies such that an identical keyword-type weight value is given to every keyword in the keyword hierarchy.

8. A computer program product comprising one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions translatable by at least one processor to perform:

automatically expanding an original query to produce an expanded query, the original query being generated by end-user activity at a client computer communicatively connected to a server computer over a network connection, the expanded query being generated by the server computer, the original query comprising a first keyword, the expanded query comprising the first keyword and a second keyword, the second keyword being associated with the first keyword from the original query in a keyword-friend pair according to a keyword hierarchy, the keyword-friend pair having an association score that meets or exceeds a predetermined value, wherein the second keyword is not in the original query; and

searching a database using the expanded query, the searching being performed by the server computer, wherein the searching produces a set of information objects, each information object in the set of information objects having at least one keyword that is present in the expanded query, wherein the set of information objects is sent from the server computer to the client computer.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:

automatically formulating the original query as a user navigates a web site.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:

tracking actions of the user at the web site.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:

allowing a user at the client computer to formulate the original query by selecting one or more keywords from a plurality of keyword hierarchies.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the keyword hierarchy is one of a plurality of keyword hierarchies.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the plurality of keyword hierarchies comprises a subject matter category hierarchy, a project phase hierarchy, and a role hierarchy.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein a keyword-type weight is assigned to each keyword hierarchy of the plurality of keyword hierarchies such that an identical keyword-type weight value is given to every keyword in the keyword hierarchy.

15. A method for information retrieval, comprising:

automatically expanding an original query to produce an expanded query, the original query being generated by end-user activity at a client computer communicatively connected to a server computer over a network connection, the expanded query being generated by the server computer, the original query comprising a first keyword, the expanded query comprising the first keyword and a second keyword, the second keyword being associated with the first keyword from the original query in a keyword-friend pair according to a keyword hierarchy, the keyword-friend pair having an association score that meets or exceeds a predetermined value, wherein the second keyword is not in the original query; and

searching a database using the expanded query, the searching being performed by the server computer, wherein the searching produces a set of information objects, each information object in the set of information objects having at least one keyword that is present in the expanded query, wherein the set of information objects is sent from the server computer to the client computer.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

automatically formulating the original query as a user navigates a web site.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

tracking actions of the user at the web site.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

allowing a user at the client computer to formulate the original query by selecting one or more keywords from a plurality of keyword hierarchies.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the keyword hierarchy is one of a plurality of keyword hierarchies, including a subject matter category hierarchy, a project phase hierarchy, and a role hierarchy.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a keyword-type weight is assigned to each keyword hierarchy of the plurality of keyword hierarchies such that an identical keyword-type weight value is given to every keyword in the keyword hierarchy.