Evaluation support method for retrieved data

• US 5,459,861 A
• Filed: 03/22/1993
• Issued: 10/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ATR Auditory and Visual Perception Research Laboratories
• Original Assignee: ATR Auditory and Visual Perception Research Laboratories
• Inventors: Oda, Masaomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMSBURY, WAYNE P
• Application Number:
  US08/039,782
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 364/419.19
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9032 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A plurality of data stored in a data base memory are displayed on a display portion at random, and when a retriever designates a desired data among the displayed data by a keyboard or a pointing device, a CPU stores the data in an auxiliary memory, estimates data which seems to be desirable for the retriever based on the stored data, and selects estimated data from the data base memory as well as data which are not determined to be desirable, and these are displayed simultaneously. Therefore, the scope of desirable data can be narrowed, well reflecting the intention of the retriever.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating evaluation of retrieved data in a data base system by facilitating the retrieval of the retrieved data, comprising the step of:

displaying a plurality of first data for retrieval to the retriever responsive to a first request by the retriever and in accordance with subjective preference criteria and subjective habit criteria of the retriever, and simultaneously displaying a plurality of second data to the retriever which do not satisfy the subjective preference and habit criteria of the retriever,

wherein the retriever retrieves the retrieved data responsive to a second request based on the plurality of first and second data displayed without using any predetermined objective criteria with respect to the retrieved data.

2. A method of facilitating evaluation of retrieved data in a data base system including a data base memory storing data and an auxiliary memory for storing auxiliary data by facilitating the retrieval of the retrieved data, comprising:

a first step of displaying first selected data selected at random from the data stored in said data base memory;

a second step for storing, in response to a selection by the retriever of second selected data from the first selected data displayed, the second selected data in said auxiliary memory; and

a third step of determining estimated data responsive to the second selected data, the estimated data divided into estimated desirable and undesirable data which are simultaneously and separately displayed to the retriever, and selecting third selected data from said data base memory from the estimated desirable and undesirable data when the retriever determines the estimated data includes desired data to be retrieved from the data base memory.

3. The method of facilitating evaluation of retrieved data accordingly to claim 2, further comprising:

a fourth step for storing the estimated data displayed in said third step in said auxiliary memory; and

a fifth step for reading and displaying, in response to a request by said retriever of re-display of requested data from the second and third selected data, said requested data from said auxiliary memory.

4. The method of facilitating evaluation of retrieved data according to claim 3, further comprising:

a sixth step for erasing, in response to a designation of undesired data among the requested data displayed in said fifth step by said retriever, erase data from the requested data stored in said auxiliary memory.

5. A method of reducing the amount of data retrieved from a database for acceptance and evaluation by facilitating user cooperation with a computer in retrieving the data from the database, comprising the steps of:

(a) randomly selecting and displaying, implemented by the computer, first random data from the data stored in the database to a user;

(b) selecting, performed by the user, first selected data from the first random data displayed;

(c) randomly selecting and displaying, implemented by the computer, second random data responsive to the first selected data, the second random data divided into estimated desirable and undesirable data, the estimated desirable and undesirable data simultaneously and separately displayed to the user; and

(d) selecting, performed by the user, second selected data from the second random data when the user determines the second selected data includes desired data to be retrieved from the database.

6. A method of reducing the amount of data retrieved from a database according to claim 5, further comprising the step of returning to step (c) when the user determines the second random data is not desirable and is not to be selected.

7. A method of reducing the amount of data retrieved from a database according to claim 5, wherein said selecting step (d) further comprises the step of selecting, performed by the user, second selected data including desirable and undesirable data from the second random data when the user determines the second selected data includes the desirable data to be retrieved from the database.

8. A method of reducing the amount of data retrieved from a database according to claim 5,

wherein the second random data includes dispersion characteristics, and

wherein the estimated desirable and undesirable data is determined responsive to the dispersion characteristics of the second random data.

9. A method of reducing the amount of data retrieved from a database according to claim 5,

wherein the second random data includes an evaluation function error, and

wherein the estimated desirable and undesirable data is determined responsive to the evaluation function error of the second random data.

10. A method of reducing the amount of data retrieved from a database according to claim 9,

wherein the first selected data includes first values and the second selected data includes second values, and

wherein the evaluation function error is determined by calculating a square error between a mean value of the first values of the first selected data and the second values of the data stored in the database, and by calculating a linear sum of the first and second values.