Method and system for information storing and retrieval using word stems and derivative pattern codes representing familes of affixes

• US 4,775,956 A
• Filed: 01/29/1985
• Issued: 10/04/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nitta, Yoshihiko, Kaji, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Jr., Archie E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Application Number:
  US06/696,080
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/300, 364/419
• US Class Current: 704/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/902 using more than one table in sequence, i.e. systems with three or more layers

Abstract

An information storage/retrieval system stores information to be retrieved in a storage device having a first memory and a second memory. The first memory stores therein main records each containing an index word data, a derivative pattern code and information pieces while the second memory stores therein auxiliary records each containing a derivative pattern code and supplemental word data. Each derivative pattern code represents a group of words whose primary parts such as word stem parts are commonly combinable with the same remaining parts such as affix parts. Thus, each index word data is qualified by the accompanying derivative pattern code, and the supplemental word data includes data corresponding to the above-mentioned remaining parts. An information retrieval is made by searching in a first memory with respect the primary part of a keyword taken from, for example, its head and then in a second memory with respect to the remaining part of the keyword, thereby identifying the keyword. Relevant information to be outputted is found in at least one of the first and second memories on the basis of a supplmental word data in the second memory.

Claims

1. An information storage/retrieval system having an input means, a storage means including a first and second memory means and a processing means coupled to said input means and said storage means wherein:

said first memory means stores therein a plurality of main records, each main record containing first partial word data comprising a word stem, a derivative pattern code provided for each individual word stem which represents a family of affixes of the word stem with each derivative pattern code being usable with a plurality of possible word stems, and a number of information pieces;

said second memory stores therein a plurality of auxiliary records, each auxiliary record containing a single derivative pattern code and a plurality of second partial word data associated with said single derivative pattern code, each of said second partial word data in each of said auxiliary records including supplemental data which constitutes a word when combined with first parallel word data in any one of the main records in said first memory which contain a same derivative pattern code as the derivative pattern code contained in the associated auxiliary record; and

said information pieces in each of said main records including common data and a plurality of proper data, common data in any one of said main records being indicative of location of one of said plurality of second partial word data in that one of said auxiliary records which contains a same derivative pattern code as said one main record contains, the second partial word data indicated by said common data being usable with the first partial word data in said one main record to produce a normalized keyword contributing to representation of each of the proper data in said one main record.

2. A system according to claim 1, in which the system further comprises a third memory means for storing therein additional data concerning said proper data in said main records and said normalized keywords.

3. In an information storage/retrieval system having an input means, a storage means and a processing means coupled to said input means and said storage means wherein said storage means includes a first memory means for storing therein a plurality of main records, each main record containing first partial word data comprising a word stem, a derivative pattern code provided for each individual word stem which represents a family of affixes of the word stem with each derivative pattern code being usable with a plurality of possible word stems, and a number of information pieces, said information pieces in each of said main records including common data and a plurality of proper data, the common data in any one of said main records being indicative of a location of one of a plurality of second partial word data in that one of a plurality of auxiliary records which contains the same derivative pattern code as said one main record contains, the second partial word data indicated by said common data being combined with the first partial word data in said one main record to produce a normalized keyword contributing to representation of each of the proper data in said one main record, and a second memory for storing therein the plurality of auxiliary records, each of said auxiliary records containing a single derivative pattern code and a plurality of the second partial word data associated with said single derivative pattern, each of said second partial word data in each of said auxiliary records including supplemental data which constitutes a word when combined with the first partial word data in any one of the main records in said first memory which contain a same derivative pattern code as the derivative pattern code contained in the associated auxiliary record, a process comprising:

inputting at least one keyword from said input means;

searching said first memory means for one of said main records including that first partial word data which matches a primary part of said keyword;

determining a corresponding auxiliary record in said second memory means on the basis of the derivative pattern code in said searched one main record;

comparing a remaining part of said keyword with the plurality of second partial word data in said determined auxiliary record to find a second partial word data which, when combined with said first partial word data, matches said keyword;

determining, on the basis of said found second partial word data, relevant information in at least one of said first and second memory means;

determining, on the basis of the common data in said one main record, a normalized keyword in said determined auxiliary record in said second memory means;

storing said normalized word in a third memory means; and

storing an additional proper data concerning said inputted at least one keyword in each of those main records which contain first partial word data matching the primary part of said inputted at least one keyword, said third memory means having stored therein details of each of said proper data and of said additional proper data.