COMBINED WORD TREE TEXT VISUALIZATION SYSTEM

• US 20130204897A1
• Filed: 02/03/2012
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McDougall, Steven R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/780
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

An example method includes identifying instances of a search term in a source text, and identifying prefix strings and suffix strings comprising tokens preceding and subsequent to the search term in the source text. The method further includes displaying a visualization interface that includes the search term within a combined tree diagram that includes a prefix tree and a suffix tree extending to either side of the search term. The prefix tree displays the prefix strings and the suffix tree displays the suffix strings, and both have user-selectable branches. The method further includes providing, in response to a user input selecting a branch in the prefix tree or in the suffix tree, a visual indication of a prefix string and a suffix string in the visualization interface that form a matching sequence that originate together in the source text, for matching sequences that are connected through the selected branch.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a search term;

identifying instances of the search term in a source text;

for each of the instances of the search term identified in the source text, identifying a prefix string comprising a plurality of tokens preceding the search term in the source text, and identifying a suffix string comprising a plurality of tokens subsequent to the search term in the source text;

providing data to display a visualization interface that comprises the search term within a combined tree diagram comprising a prefix tree extending to a first side of the search term, and a suffix tree extending to a second side of the search term, such that the prefix tree displays, in a tree diagram format, the prefix strings for the instances of the search term identified in the source text, and the suffix tree displays, in a tree diagram format, the suffix strings for the instances of the search term identified in the source text, wherein the prefix tree comprises tokens that are shared in common among the prefix strings as nodes connected to adjacent tokens by branches, and the suffix tree comprises tokens that are shared in common among the suffix strings as nodes connected to adjacent tokens by branches, wherein the branches in the prefix tree and the suffix tree are user-selectable in the visualization interface; and

providing, in response to receiving a user input selecting one of the branches in the prefix tree or in the suffix tree, data to display a visual indication of a prefix string and a suffix string in the visualization interface that form a matching sequence of prefix string, search term, and suffix string that originate together in the source text, for each of one or more matching sequences that are connected through the selected branch.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual indication for a given matching sequence is provided with a distinguishing visual characteristic that distinguishes the visual indication for the given matching sequence from visual indications for other matching sequences.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the distinguishing visual characteristic that distinguishes the visual indication for the given matching sequence comprises a color that is different from a color provided for any of the other matching sequences.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising applying the color as one or more of:

a font color in which text for the given matching sequence is rendered;

a color in which branches in the given matching sequence are rendered; and

a highlighting color that is rendered surrounding or proximate to text or branches of the given matching sequence.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the nodes in the prefix tree and the suffix tree are also user-selectable in the visualization interface, the method further comprising:

receiving a user input selecting one of the nodes; and

combining a token in the selected node with the search term into a new search term, and providing data to display an updated visualization interface that comprises the new search term within a combined tree diagram, comprising a new prefix tree and a new suffix tree, such that the new prefix tree displays, in a tree diagram format, the prefix strings for instances of the new search term in the source text, and the new suffix tree displays, in a tree diagram format, the suffix strings for instances of the new search term in the source text.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected branch is a first selected branch, the method further comprising:

receiving a user input selecting another one of the branches in the prefix tree or in the suffix tree as a second selected branch; and

providing data to display visual indications of prefix strings and suffix strings in the visualization interface that form matching sequences of prefix string, search term, and suffix string that originate together in the source text, for each of one or more of the matching sequences that comprises the first selected branch and the second selected branch.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing user-selectable options for ordering of the prefix tree and the suffix tree in the visualization interface selectable from among two or more ordering options selected from among an occurrence order, a frequency order, and an alphabetical order.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the occurrence order, the frequency order, or the alphabetical order may each be selected for the prefix tree or the suffix tree.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing independent scrolling for the prefix tree and the suffix tree.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing navigation buttons for the visualization interface that enable user inputs for navigating backward or forward among a history of states of the visualization interface based on a history of user inputs entered to the visualization interface.

11. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

a display device;

a user input device;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to receive a search term;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to identify instances of the search term in a source text;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to identify, for each of the instances of the search term identified in the source text, a prefix string comprising a plurality of tokens preceding the search term in the source text, and to identify a suffix string comprising a plurality of tokens subsequent to the search term in the source text;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to provide data to display on the display device a visualization interface that comprises the search term within a combined tree diagram comprising a prefix tree extending to a first side of the search term, and a suffix tree extending to a second side of the search term, such that the prefix tree displays, in a tree diagram format, the prefix strings for the instances of the search term identified in the source text, and the suffix tree displays, in a tree diagram format, the suffix strings for the instances of the search term identified in the source text, wherein the prefix tree comprises tokens that are shared in common among the prefix strings as nodes connected to adjacent tokens by branches, and the suffix tree comprises tokens that are shared in common among the suffix strings as nodes connected to adjacent tokens by branches, wherein the branches in the prefix tree and the suffix tree are user-selectable in the visualization interface; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to provide, in response to receiving, through the user input device, a user input selecting one of the branches in the prefix tree or in the suffix tree, data to display a visual indication of a prefix string and a suffix string in the visualization interface that form a matching sequence of prefix string, search term, and suffix string that originate together in the source text, for each of one or more matching sequences that are connected through the selected branch.

12. The computing system of claim 11, wherein the visual indication for a given matching sequence is provided with a distinguishing visual characteristic that distinguishes the visual indication for the given matching sequence from visual indications for other matching sequences.

13. The computing system of claim 12, wherein the distinguishing visual characteristic that distinguishes the visual indication for the given matching sequence comprises a color that is different from a color provided for any of the other matching sequences.

14. The computing system of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to receive a user input selecting one of the nodes; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to combine a token in the selected node with the search term into a new search term, and to provide data to display an updated visualization interface that comprises the new search term within a combined tree diagram, comprising a new prefix tree and a new suffix tree, such that the new prefix tree displays, in a tree diagram format, the prefix strings for instances of the new search term in the source text, and the new suffix tree displays, in a tree diagram format, the suffix strings for instances of the new search term in the source text.

15. The computing system of claim 11, wherein the selected branch is a first selected branch, the method further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to receive a user input selecting another one of the branches in the prefix tree or in the suffix tree as a second selected branch; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to provide data to display visual indications of prefix strings and suffix strings in the visualization interface that form matching sequences of prefix string, search term, and suffix string that originate together in the source text, for each of one or more of the matching sequences that comprises the first selected branch and the second selected branch.

16. A computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to receive a search term;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to identify instances of the search term in a source text;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to identify, for each of the instances of the search term identified in the source text, a prefix string comprising a plurality of tokens preceding the search term in the source text, and to identify a suffix string comprising a plurality of tokens subsequent to the search term in the source text;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to provide data to display a visualization interface that comprises the search term within a combined tree diagram comprising a prefix tree extending to a first side of the search term, and a suffix tree extending to a second side of the search term, such that the prefix tree displays, in a tree diagram format, the prefix strings for the instances of the search term identified in the source text, and the suffix tree displays, in a tree diagram format, the suffix strings for the instances of the search term identified in the source text, wherein the prefix tree comprises tokens that are shared in common among the prefix strings as nodes connected to adjacent tokens by branches, and the suffix tree comprises tokens that are shared in common among the suffix strings as nodes connected to adjacent tokens by branches, wherein the branches in the prefix tree and the suffix tree are user-selectable in the visualization interface; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to provide, in response to receiving a user input selecting one of the branches in the prefix tree or in the suffix tree, data to display a visual indication of a prefix string and a suffix string in the visualization interface that form a matching sequence of prefix string, search term, and suffix string that originate together in the source text, for each of one or more matching sequences that are connected through the selected branch.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the visual indication for a given matching sequence is provided with a distinguishing visual characteristic that distinguishes the visual indication for the given matching sequence from visual indications for other matching sequences.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the distinguishing visual characteristic that distinguishes the visual indication for the given matching sequence comprises a color that is different from a color provided for any of the other matching sequences.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to receive a user input selecting one of the nodes; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to combine a token in the selected node with the search term into a new search term, and to provide data to display an updated visualization interface that comprises the new search term within a combined tree diagram, comprising a new prefix tree and a new suffix tree, such that the new prefix tree displays, in a tree diagram format, the prefix strings for instances of the new search term in the source text, and the new suffix tree displays, in a tree diagram format, the suffix strings for instances of the new search term in the source text.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the selected branch is a first selected branch, the method further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to receive a user input selecting another one of the branches in the prefix tree or in the suffix tree as a second selected branch; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to provide data to display visual indications of prefix strings and suffix strings in the visualization interface that form matching sequences of prefix string, search term, and suffix string that originate together in the source text, for each of one or more of the matching sequences that comprises the first selected branch and the second selected branch.