Method and apparatus for utilizing annotations to facilitate computer retrieval of database material
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for facilitating computer retrieval of database material comprising the steps of:
- selecting subdivisions for the material;
generating for each of said subdivisions which is to be recovered at least one annotation containing words having a selected annotator determined relationship and being in a language selected from the group of a natural language and an artificial language;
storing the annotations in a predetermined structured form which retains said selected relationship, the, stored annotations being readable by a computer to search for desired annotations; and
adding to the stored annotations a connection to corresponding material subdivisions.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for computer retrieval of database material which may be text, computer programs, graphics, audio, object classes, action specifications or other material which may be machine stored. Annotations are provided for at least selected database subdivisions, preferably with natural language questions, assertions or noun phrases or some combination/collection thereof. However, the annotations may also initially be generated in a structured form. Annotations are, if required, converted to a structured form and are stored in that form along with connections to corresponding subdivisions. Searching for relevant subdivisions involves entering a query in natural language or structured form, converting natural language queries to structured form, matching the structured form query against stored annotations and retrieving database subdivisions connected to matched annotations. The annotation process may be aided by utilizing various techniques for automatically or semiautomatically generating the annotations.
584 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating computer retrieval of database material comprising the steps of:
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selecting subdivisions for the material; generating for each of said subdivisions which is to be recovered at least one annotation containing words having a selected annotator determined relationship and being in a language selected from the group of a natural language and an artificial language; storing the annotations in a predetermined structured form which retains said selected relationship, the, stored annotations being readable by a computer to search for desired annotations; and adding to the stored annotations a connection to corresponding material subdivisions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for facilitating computer retrieval of database material comprising:
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means for selecting subdivisions for the database material means for generating for each of said subdivisions which is to be recovered at least one annotation containing words having a selected annotator determined relationship and being in a language selected from the group of a natural language and an artificial language; means for storing the annotations in a predetermined structured form which retains said selected relationship, the stored annotations being readable by a computer to search for desired annotations and means for adding to stored annotations a connection to corresponding material subdivisions. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification