ORGANIZING BOOKS BY SERIES

• US 20140236951A1
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Taycher, Leonid
• Granted Patent: US 9,244,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

Book information describing a plurality of books is analyzed to identify the plurality of books described in the book information and create book records for the respective ones of identified books. A given book record contains fields describing attributes of a respective one of the plurality of books derived from the book information. The book records are clustered into a plurality of clusters based on the values of the fields of the book records. One or more clusters are analyzed to identify a name of a book series based on the book records therein. The book records in a cluster may further be placed in buckets representing individual books in the series and, in turn, the buckets are described based on the book information therein and organized based their description. The identified series name, bucket descriptions and organization thereof may be stored in a repository and presented to users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of identifying a book series, comprising:

receiving book information describing one or more books from a book information server;

creating book records identifying the books described by the book information, a book record having fields with values describing attributes of a given book in the books derived from the book information;

clustering the book records into a plurality of clusters based on the values of the fields of the book records;

analyzing one or more of the plurality of clusters to identify a name of a book series for the books identified by the book records in the one or more clusters; and

storing information describing the identified name of the book series in a repository.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the book information is received from a plurality of book information servers and wherein creating the book records comprises:

creating a book record for each book identified in the book information from the plurality of book information servers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein clustering the book records into a plurality of clusters comprises clustering the book records using a subset of the fields of the book records and wherein analyzing one or more of the plurality of clusters comprises:

identifying a set containing a plurality of related clusters of book records, the related clusters of book records having similar values in fields other than the subset of fields on which the records were clustered;

identifying a series name candidate for each cluster in the set; and

selecting the name of the book series from among the series name candidates.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying a series name candidate for a cluster comprises:

examining one or more of a series name field, subseries name field and book title field of the book records in the cluster to identify a predominant series name; and

identifying the predominant series name as the series name candidate for the cluster.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a set of books in the named series by assigning the book records in the one or more of the plurality of clusters to a plurality of buckets, with each bucket representing a book in the named series, the assigning responsive at least in part to values of fields of the book records.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining an order of the books in the set of books responsive at least in part to values of fields of the book records.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing information describing the identified name of the book series responsive to a search query received from a client.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a set of books in the named series by assigning the book records in the one or more of the plurality of clusters to a plurality of buckets, with each bucket representing a book in the named series, the assigning responsive at least in part to values of fields of the book records.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising:

determining an order of the books in the set of books responsive at least in part to values of fields of the book records.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

providing information describing the identified name of the book series responsive to a search query received from a client.

19. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising instructions to perform steps comprising:

Identify a set of books in the named series by assigning the book records in the one or more of the plurality of clusters to a plurality of buckets, with each bucket representing a book in the named series, the assigning responsive at least in part to values of fields of the book records; and

determine an order of the books in the set of books responsive at least in part to values of fields of the book records

20. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

providing information describing the identified name of the book series responsive to a search query received from a client.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions for identifying a book series, the instructions performing steps comprising:

receiving book information describing one or more books from a book information server;

creating book records identifying the books described by the book information, a book record having fields with values describing attributes of a given book in the books derived from the book information;

clustering the book records into a plurality of clusters based on the values of the fields of the book records;

analyzing one or more of the plurality of clusters to identify a name of a book series for the books identified by the book records in the one or more clusters; and

storing information describing the identified name of the book series in a repository.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the book information is received from a plurality of book information servers and wherein creating the book records comprises:

creating a book record for each book identified in the book information from the plurality of book information servers.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein clustering the book records into a plurality of clusters comprises clustering the book records using a subset of the fields of the book records and wherein analyzing one or more of the plurality of clusters comprises:

identifying a set containing a plurality of related clusters of book records, the related clusters of book records having similar values in fields other than the subset of fields on which the records were clustered;

identifying a series name candidate for each cluster in the set; and

selecting the name of the book series from among the series name candidates.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein identifying a series name candidate for a cluster comprises:

examining one or more of a series name field, subseries name field and book title field of the book records in the cluster to identify a predominant series name; and

identifying the predominant series name as the series name candidate for the cluster.

15. A computer system for identifying a book series, the computer system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions to perform steps comprising;

receive book information describing one or more books from a book information server;

create book records identifying the books described by the book information, a book record having fields with values describing attributes of a given book in the books derived from the book information;

cluster the book records into a plurality of clusters based on the values of the fields of the book records;

analyze one or more of the plurality of clusters to identify a name of a book series for the books identified by the book records in the one or more clusters; and

store information describing the identified name of the book series in a repository; and

a processor for executing the computer program instructions.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the book information is received from a plurality of book information servers and wherein creating the book records comprises:

creating a book record for each book identified in the book information from the plurality of book information servers.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein clustering the book records into a plurality of clusters comprises clustering the book records using a subset of the fields of the book records and wherein analyzing one or more of the plurality of clusters comprises:

identifying a set containing a plurality of related clusters of book records, the related clusters of book records having similar values in fields other than the subset of fields on which the records were clustered;

identifying a series name candidate for each cluster in the set; and

selecting the name of the book series from among the series name candidates.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein identifying a series name candidate for a cluster comprises:

examining one or more of a series name field, subseries name field and book title field of the book records in the cluster to identify a predominant series name; and

identifying the predominant series name as the series name candidate for the cluster.