Interactive data analysis apparatus employing a knowledge base
First Claim
1. Apparatus for providing an organization for a body of information comprising:
- a knowledge base wherein the body of information includes descriptions of individuals and of concepts to which the individuals belong, the descriptions being classified into a generalization ordering;
means coupled to the knowledge base for responding to a query specifying a collection of the individuals by making a collection specification which is one of the descriptions and which specifies the collection of individuals; and
means coupled to the knowledge base for receiving the collection specification and classifying the collection specification into the generalization ordering.
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Abstract
An information retrieval system implemented as a virtual data base management system which uses a knowledge base management system to provide a problem-oriented conceptual schema for one or more standard data base management systems. In the conceptual schema, a hierarchy of concepts is used to organize individual objects. A classifier determines which concepts an individual object is a representative of and determines the relationship of new concepts to existing concepts. The use of a knowledge base with a classifier permits conversion of queries into concepts and detection of changes in the relationships between individual objects and the concepts. A window-based user interface permits flexible and experimental access to the information. Special features of the user interface permit the user to specify conversion of a query into a concept, to establish monitors to detect such changes, and to define a query by specifying a portion of a graph.
113 Citations
31 Claims
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1. Apparatus for providing an organization for a body of information comprising:
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a knowledge base wherein the body of information includes descriptions of individuals and of concepts to which the individuals belong, the descriptions being classified into a generalization ordering; means coupled to the knowledge base for responding to a query specifying a collection of the individuals by making a collection specification which is one of the descriptions and which specifies the collection of individuals; and means coupled to the knowledge base for receiving the collection specification and classifying the collection specification into the generalization ordering. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus for detecting a change in a body of information comprising:
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a knowledge base wherein the body of information includes descriptions of individuals and of concepts to which the individuals belong, the descriptions being classified into a generalization ordering; means for making an alteration with regard to one or more of the individuals; means responsive to the alteration for making a change in a relationship between the one or more individuals and the concepts as required by the alteration and the concepts; and means responsive to the change for indicating an effect of the change with regard to the one or more individuals. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A virtual data base management system comprising:
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one or more data base-management systems for receiving first queries and returning data in response thereto; a knowledge base management system for organizing the data into a knowledge base which includes descriptions of individuals and of concepts to which the individuals belong, the descriptions being classified into a generalization ordering, and operating on the data in response to expressions stated in a description language which employs the concepts; means for receiving the expressions from the knowledge base, translating the expressions into the first queries and providing the first queries to the data base management system, receiving the data from the data base management system, and returning the data together with the expressions to the knowledge base management system for incorporation into the knowledge base; and means for receiving second queries specifying certain of the data and responding thereto by translating the second queries into certain of the expressions which specify retrieval of the certain data from the knowledge base management system, providing the certain expressions to the knowledge base management system, receiving the certain data from the knowledge base management system, and providing the certain data. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification