Search expression generation

• US 20200134087A1
• Filed: 10/31/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rapid7, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rapid7, Inc.
• Inventors: Holub, Viliam, Parsons, Trevor
• Granted Patent: US 11,487,796 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3323 using document space presentation or visualization, e.g. category, hierarchy or range presentation and selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3328 using graphical result space presentation or visualisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3338 Query expansion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/214 Generating training patterns; Bootstrap methods, e.g. bagging or boosting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/217 Validation; Performance evaluation; Active pattern learning techniques

Abstract

Methods and systems for generating a search expression. The system begins with an empty search expression, and iteratively expands the search expression until some terminating condition is reached.

Claims

1. A method for generating a search expression, the method comprising:

receiving, using an interface, a selection of at least one training set from a text string;

generating an initial search expression using a processor executing instructions stored on a memory; and

iteratively expanding, using the processor, the initial search expression by adding at least one of a positive character set, a negative character set, and a quantifier to a previous search expression until at least one terminating condition is reached.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one terminating condition includes at least one of a generated search expression matching all fields of the at least one training set and a maximum number of iterations.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising evaluating the expanded search expression after each iteration.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein evaluating the expanded search expression includes evaluating how well the expanded search expression matches the at least one training set.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising rejecting the expanded search expression upon the expanded search expression matching the at least one training set less accurately than the search expression prior to expansion.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein evaluating the expanded search expression includes evaluating the expanded search expression based on at least one of its length, complexity, generalization, and computational effectiveness.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the length of the expanded search expression is shorter than the length of the search expression prior to expansion.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, using a user interface, instructions regarding a desired search expression from a user.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting at least one expanded search expression using a user interface.

10. A system for generating a search expression, the system comprising:

an interface for receiving a selection of at least one training set from a text string;

a processor executing instructions stored on a memory to;

generate an initial search expression, and

iteratively expand the initial search expression by adding at least one of a positive character set, a negative character set, and a quantifier to a previous search expression until at least one terminating condition is reached.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the at least one terminating condition includes at least one of a generated search expression matching all fields of the at least one training set and a maximum number of iterations.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to evaluate the expanded search expression after each iteration.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the processor evaluates the expanded search expression by evaluating how well the expanded search expression matches the at least one training set.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the processor is further configured to reject the expanded search expression upon the expanded search expression matching the at least one training set less accurately than the search expression prior to expansion.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor evaluates the expanded search expression based on at least one of its length, complexity, generalization, and computational effectiveness.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the length of the expanded search expression is shorter than the length of the search expression prior to expansion.

17. The system of claim 10 further comprising a user interface configured to receive instructions regarding a desired search expression from a user.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to select at least one expanded search expression using a user interface.