Information retrieval system

• US 5,978,803 A
• Filed: 11/05/1996
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ooe, Kazuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Choules, Jack M.
• Application Number:
  US08/743,669
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24532 of parallel queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented

Abstract

The invention provides an information retrieval system wherein, even when a plurality of data bases are retrieved simultaneously, information retrieval can be performed at a high speed without necessity for special hardware and without being influenced by the magnitudes of the data bases of a retrieval object. The information retrieval system includes a plurality of retrieval servers for performing retrieval processing, and a retrieval management server for managing operation of the plurality of retrieval servers. The retrieval management server is constructed so as to divide a data base of a retrieval object and relating information regarding the data base and allocate resulting divided parts of the data base and the relating information corresponding to the divided parts in sets to some or all of the plurality of retrieval servers. The plurality of retrieval servers are constructed so as to perform information retrieval for the divided parts of the data base allocated by the retrieval management server parallelly to and independently of each other.

Claims

1. An information retrieval system, comprising:

a plurality of retrieval servers for performing retrieval processing; and

a retrieval management server for managing operation of said plurality of retrieval servers;

wherein said retrieval management server divides a text base of a retrieval object and relating information regarding the text base into a number of parts based on a size of the text base and loads of the respective retrieval servers and selectively allocates the divided parts of the text base and the relating information corresponding to the divided parts in sets to some or all of said plurality of retrieval servers; and

said plurality of retrieval servers perform information retrieval for the divided parts of the text base allocated by said retrieval management server parallelly to and independently of each other.

2. An information retrieval system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a user management server for accepting a retrieval request from a user process, said user management server being constructed so as to inquire said retrieval management server for information of a group of those of said retrieval servers which are performing retrieval for the text base of a retrieval object in response to the retrieval request from the user process and directly request the retrieval servers in the group for actual retrieval based on a result of the inquiry.

3. An information retrieval system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said user management server includes:

a retrieval request acceptance section for accepting the retrieval request from the user process;

a retrieval server inquiry section for inquiring, in response to the retrieval request accepted by said retrieval request acceptance section, said retrieval management server for the information of the group of those of said retrieval servers to which retrieval processing for the text base of a retrieval object of the retrieval request is allocated;

a retrieval request section for sending out, based on the information of the group of those of said retrieval servers obtained from said retrieval management server by said retrieval server inquiry section, a retrieval request directly to those of said retrieval servers to which the retrieval processing for the text base of a retrieval object of the retrieval request is allocated; and

a retrieval result transfer section for merging responses to the retrieval request of said retrieval request section from the retrieval servers and transferring the merged responses as a result of retrieval to the user process of the source of the retrieval request.

4. An information retrieval system, comprising:

a plurality of retrieval servers for performing retrieval processing; and

a retrieval management server for managing operation of said plurality of retrieval servers;

said retrieval management server being constructed so as to divide a text base of a retrieval object and relating information regarding the text base and allocate resulting divided parts of the text base and the relating information corresponding to the divided parts in sets to some or all of said plurality of retrieval servers;

said plurality of retrieval servers being constructed so as to perform information retrieval for the divided parts of the text base allocated by said retrieval management server parallelly to and independently of each other;

wherein said retrieval management server includes,

a retrieval server management section for managing, for each of said retrieval servers, retrieval server information including a name of the text base for which the retrieval server takes charge of retrieval and an amount of data of one of the divided parts for which the retrieval server takes charge of retrieval of the text base;

a text base management section for managing, for each of text bases each of which may serve as the text base of a retrieval object, a name of the text base, a name of a data file for storing a substance of the text base, and a name of a relating information file for storing relating information regarding the text base;

a division number decision section for deciding, before retrieval of a text base is started, a division number of the text base based on size information of the text base and load situations of said retrieval servers obtained from the retrieval server information managed by said retrieval server management section;

a retrieval server allocation section for selectively allocating, in accordance with the division number decided by said division number decision section and the load situations of said retrieval servers, the text base and the relating information of the text base to said retrieval servers in the ascending order of the load; and

a loading instruction section for sending, based on a result of the allocation by said retrieval server allocation section, a loading instruction for loading one of the divided parts of the text base and the relating information into a designated one of said retrieval servers to those of said retrieval servers, to which retrieval is allocated by said retrieval server allocation section, together with the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file managed by said text base management section.

5. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 4, wherein each of said retrieval servers includes:

a file access section for reading in, when the loading instruction is received from said retrieval management server, one of the divided parts of the text base and the corresponding relating information designated by the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file included in the loading instruction;

a retrieval section for performing, when a retrieval request is received, information retrieval for the divided part of the text base read in by said file access section; and

a retrieval result send-out section for returning a result of the retrieval by said retrieval section to a source of the retrieval request.

6. An information retrieval system, comprising:

a plurality of retrieval servers for performing retrieval processing; and

a retrieval management server for managing operation of said plurality of retrieval servers;

said retrieval management server being constructed so as to divide a text base of a retrieval object and relating information regarding the text base and allocate resulting divided parts of the text base and the relating information corresponding to the divided parts in sets to some or all of said plurality of retrieval servers;

said plurality of retrieval servers being constructed so as to perform information retrieval for the divided parts of the text base allocated by said retrieval management server parallelly to and independently of each other,

wherein said retrieval management server includes,

a retrieval server management section for managing, for each of said retrieval servers, retrieval server information including a name of the text base for which the retrieval server takes charge of retrieval, an amount of data of one of the divided parts for which the retrieval server takes charge of retrieval of the text base, and an available memory amount;

a text base management section for managing, for each of text bases each of which may serve as the text base of a retrieval object, a name of the text base, a name of a data file for storing a substance of the text base, a name of a relating information file for storing relating information regarding the text base, and information of a retrieval algorithm to be used;

a division number decision section for deciding, before retrieval of a text base is started, a division number of the text base based on size information of the text base, the information of the retrieval algorithms managed by said text base management section and the available memory amounts of said retrieval servers managed by said retrieval server management section;

a retrieval server allocation section for selectively allocating, in accordance with the division number decided by said division number decision section and the available memory amounts of said retrieval servers, the text base and the relating information of the text base to said retrieval servers in the descending order of the available memory amount; and

a loading instruction section for sending, based on a result of the allocation by said retrieval server allocation section, a loading instruction for loading one of the divided parts of the text base and the relating information into a designated one of said retrieval servers to those of said retrieval servers, to which retrieval is allocated by said retrieval server allocation section, together with the name of the data file, the name of the relating information file and the retrieval algorithm information managed by said text base management section.

7. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 6, wherein each of said retrieval servers includes:

a file access section for reading in, when the loading instruction is received from said retrieval management server, one of the divided parts of the text base and the corresponding relating information designated by the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file included in the loading instruction;

a retrieval section including a plurality of different retrieval algorithms for performing, when a retrieval request is received, information retrieval for the divided part of the text base read in by said file access section using one of the retrieval algorithms designated by the retrieval algorithm information from said retrieval management server; and

a retrieval result send-out section for returning a result of the retrieval by said retrieval section to a source of the retrieval request.

8. An information retrieval system, comprising:

a plurality of retrieval servers for performing retrieval processing;

a retrieval management server for managing operation of said plurality of retrieval servers;

said retrieval management server being constructed so as to divide a text base of a retrieval object and relating information regarding the text base and allocate resulting divided parts of the text base and the relating information corresponding to the divided parts in sets to some or all of said plurality of retrieval servers, and

said plurality of retrieval servers being constructed so as to perform information retrieval for the divided parts of the text base allocated by said retrieval management server parallelly to and independently of each other;

a user management server for accepting a retrieval request from a user process, said user management server being constructed so as to inquire said retrieval management server for information of a group of those of said retrieval servers which are performing retrieval for the text base of a retrieval object in response to the retrieval request from the user process and directly request the retrieval servers in the group for actual retrieval based on a result of the inquiry,

wherein the user management server includes

a retrieval request acceptance section for accepting the retrieval request from the user process;

a retrieval server inquiry section for inquiring, in response to the retrieval request accepted by said retrieval request acceptance section, said retrieval management server for the information of the group of those of said retrieval servers to which retrieval processing for the text base of a retrieval object of the retrieval request is allocated;

a retrieval request section for sending out, based on the information of the group of those of said retrieval servers obtained from said retrieval management server by said retrieval server inquiry section, a retrieval request directly to those of said retrieval servers to which the retrieval processing for the text base of a retrieval object of the retrieval request is allocated; and

a retrieval result transfer section for merging responses to the retrieval request of said retrieval request section from the retrieval servers and transferring the merged responses as a result of retrieval to the user process of the source of the retrieval request;

wherein the retrieval management includes,

a retrieval server management section for managing, for each of said retrieval servers, retrieval server information including a name of the text base for which the retrieval server takes charge of retrieval and an amount of data of one of the divided parts for which the retrieval server takes charge of retrieval of the text base;

a loading information management section for managing loading information regarding a group of those of said retrieval servers which are destinations of loading of the text base of a retrieval object;

a text base management section for managing, for each of text bases each of which may serve as the text base of a retrieval object, a name of the text base, a name of a data file for storing a substance of the text base, and a name of a relating information file for storing relating information regarding the text base;

a division number decision section for deciding, when the text base of a retrieval object of the inquiry request received from said user management server is not loaded as yet, a division number of the text base based on size information of the text base and load situations of said retrieval servers obtained from the retrieval server information managed by said retrieval server management section;

a retrieval server allocation section for selectively allocating, in accordance with the division number decided by said division number decision section and the load situations of said retrieval servers, the text base and the relating information of the text base to said retrieval servers in the ascending order of the load;

a loading instruction section for sending, based on a result of the allocation by said retrieval server allocation section, a loading instruction for loading one of the divided parts of the text base and the relating information into a designated one of said retrieval servers to those of said retrieval servers, to which retrieval is allocated by said retrieval server allocation section, together with the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file obtained from said text base management section; and

a loading information transfer section for transferring loading information regarding the group of those of said retrieval servers to which the text base of a retrieval object is allocated by said retrieval server allocation section as retrieval server group information to said user management server.

9. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 8 wherein, when a number of those of said retrieval servers equal to the division number determined by said division number decision section cannot be allocated by said retrieval server allocation section, the division number of the text base determined by said division number decision section is reconsidered, and processing by said retrieval server allocation section, said loading instruction section and said loading information transfer section is performed in accordance with the reconsidered division number.

10. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 9, wherein, when the text base of a retrieval object of the inquiry request received from said user management server is loaded already, said loading information transfer section transfers the loading information regarding the text base of a retrieval object managed by said loading information management section as retrieval server group information to said user management server.

11. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 10, wherein each of said retrieval servers includes:

a file access section for reading in, when the loading instruction is received from said retrieval management server, one of the divided parts of the text base and the corresponding relating information designated by the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file included in the loading instruction;

a retrieval section for performing, when a retrieval request is received from said user management server, information retrieval for the divided part of the text base read in by said file access section; and

a retrieval result send-out section for returning a result of the retrieval by said retrieval section to said user management server.

12. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 9, wherein, when the text base of a retrieval object of the inquiry request received from said user management server is loaded already, said division number decision section decides a division number of the text base based on size information of the text base and load situations of said retrieval servers obtained from the retrieval server information managed by said retrieval server management section, and when those of said retrieval servers whose load is lighter than a predetermined value can be allocated by a number equal to the division number decided by said division number decision section from among said plurality of retrieval servers, said retrieval server allocation section selects the division number of those of said retrieval servers whose load is lighter than the predetermined value and allocates the text base and the relating information to the selected retrieval servers, whereafter said loading instruction section sends, based on a result of the allocation by said retrieval server allocation section, a loading instruction for loading the divided parts of the text base and the relating information into the retrieval servers of the destinations of allocation to the retrieval servers of the destinations of allocation together with the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file obtained from said text base management section and said loading information transfer section transfers loading information regarding the group of those of said retrieval servers to which the text base is allocated by said retrieval server allocation section as retrieval server group information to said user management server, but when those of said retrieval servers whose load is lighter than the predetermined value cannot be allocated by a number equal to the division number determined by said division number decision section from among said plurality of retrieval servers, said loading information transfer section transfers the loading information of the text base of a retrieval object managed by said loading information management section as retrieval server group information to said user management server.

13. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 12, wherein each of said retrieval servers includes:

a file access section for reading in, when the loading instruction is received from said retrieval management server, one of the divided parts of the text base and the corresponding relating information designated by the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file included in the loading instruction;

a retrieval section for performing, when a retrieval request is received from said user management server, information retrieval for the divided part of the text base read in by said file access section; and

a retrieval result send-out section for returning a result of the retrieval by said retrieval section to said user management server.

14. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 9, wherein each of said retrieval servers includes:

a file access section for reading in, when the loading instruction is received from said retrieval management server, one of the divided parts of the text base and the corresponding relating information designated by the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file included in the loading instruction;

a retrieval section for performing, when a retrieval request is received from said user management server, information retrieval for the divided part of the text base read in by said file access section; and

a retrieval result send-out section for returning a result of the retrieval by said retrieval section to said user management server.

15. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 8, wherein, when the text base of a retrieval object of the inquiry request received from said user management server is loaded already, said loading information transfer section transfers the loading information regarding the text base of a retrieval object managed by said loading information management section as retrieval server group information to said user management server.

16. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 15, wherein each of said retrieval servers includes:

a file access section for reading in, when the loading instruction is received from said retrieval management server, one of the divided parts of the text base and the corresponding relating information designated by the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file included in the loading instruction;

a retrieval section for performing, when a retrieval request is received from said user management server, information retrieval for the divided part of the text base read in by said file access section; and

a retrieval result send-out section for returning a result of the retrieval by said retrieval section to said user management server.

17. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 8, wherein, when the text base of a retrieval object of the inquiry request received from said user management server is loaded already, said division number decision section decides a division number of the text base based on size information of the text base and load situations of said retrieval servers obtained from the retrieval server information managed by said retrieval server management section, and when those of said retrieval servers whose load is lighter than a predetermined value can be allocated by a number equal to the division number decided by said division number decision section from among said plurality of retrieval servers, said retrieval server allocation section selects the division number of those of said retrieval servers whose load is lighter than the predetermined value and allocates the text base and the relating information to the selected retrieval servers, whereafter said loading instruction section sends, based on a result of the allocation by said retrieval server allocation section, a loading instruction for loading the divided parts of the text base and the relating information into the retrieval servers of the destinations of allocation to the retrieval servers of the destinations of allocation together with the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file obtained from said text base management section and said loading information transfer section transfers loading information regarding the group of those of said retrieval servers to which the text base is allocated by said retrieval server allocation section as retrieval server group information to said user management server, but when those of said retrieval servers whose load is lighter than the predetermined value cannot be allocated by a number equal to the division number determined by said division number decision section from among said plurality of retrieval servers, said loading information transfer section transfers the loading information of the text base of a retrieval object managed by said loading information management section as retrieval server group information to said user management server.

18. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 17, wherein each of said retrieval servers includes:

a file access section for reading in, when the loading instruction is received from said retrieval management server, one of the divided parts of the text base and the corresponding relating information designated by the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file included in the loading instruction;

a retrieval section for performing, when a retrieval request is received from said user management server, information retrieval for the divided part of the text base read in by said file access section; and

a retrieval result send-out section for returning a result of the retrieval by said retrieval section to said user management server.

19. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 8, wherein each of said retrieval servers includes:

a file access section for reading in, when the loading instruction is received from said retrieval management server, one of the divided parts of the text base and the corresponding relating information designated by the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file included in the loading instruction;

a retrieval section for performing, when a retrieval request is received from said user management server, information retrieval for the divided part of the text base read in by said file access section; and

a retrieval result send-out section for returning a result of the retrieval by said retrieval section to said user management server.

20. An information retrieval system, comprising:

a plurality of retrieval servers for performing retrieval processing;

a retrieval management server for managing operation of said plurality of retrieval servers;

said retrieval management server being constructed so as to divide a text base of a retrieval object and relating information regarding the text base and allocate resulting divided parts of the text base and the relating information corresponding to the divided parts in sets to some or all of said plurality of retrieval servers;

said plurality of retrieval servers being constructed so as to perform information retrieval for the divided parts of the text base allocated by said retrieval management server parallelly to and independently of each other;

a user management server for accepting a retrieval request from a user process, said user management server being constructed so as to inquire said retrieval management server for information of a group of those of said retrieval servers which are performing retrieval for the text base of a retrieval object in response to the retrieval request from the user process and directly request the retrieval servers in the group for actual retrieval based on a result of the inquiry,

wherein said user management server includes

a retrieval request acceptance section for accepting the retrieval request from the user process;

a retrieval server inquiry section for inquiring, in response to the retrieval request accepted by said retrieval request acceptance section, said retrieval management server for the information of the group of those of said retrieval servers to which retrieval processing for the text base of a retrieval object of the retrieval request is allocated;

a retrieval request section for sending out, based on the information of the group of those of said retrieval servers obtained from said retrieval management server by said retrieval server inquiry section, a retrieval request directly to those of said retrieval servers to which the retrieval processing for the text base of a retrieval object of the retrieval request is allocated; and

a retrieval result transfer section for merging responses to the retrieval request of said retrieval request section from the retrieval servers and transferring the merged responses as a result of retrieval to the user process of the source of the retrieval request; and

wherein said retrieval management server includes,

a retrieval server management section for managing, for each of said retrieval servers, retrieval server information including a name of the text base for which the retrieval server takes charge of retrieval, an amount of data of one of the divided parts for which the retrieval server takes charge of retrieval of the text base, and an available memory amount;

a loading information management section for managing loading information regarding a group of those of said retrieval servers which are destinations of loading of the text base of a retrieval object;

a text base management section for managing, for each of text bases each of which may serve as the text base of a retrieval object, a name of the text base, a name of a data file for storing a substance of the text base, a name of a relating information file for storing relating information regarding the text base, and information of a retrieval algorithm to be used;

a division number decision section for deciding, when the text base of a retrieval object of the inquiry request received from said user management server is not loaded as yet, a division number of the text base based on size information of the text base, the information of the retrieval algorithms managed by said text base management section and the available memory amounts of said retrieval servers managed by said retrieval server management section;

a retrieval server allocation section for selectively allocating, in accordance with the division number decided by said division number decision section and the available memory amounts of said retrieval servers, the text base and the relating information of the text base to said retrieval servers in the descending order of the available memory amount;

a loading instruction section for sending, based on a result of the allocation by said retrieval server allocation section, a loading instruction for loading one of the divided parts of the text base and the relating information into a designated one of said retrieval servers to those of said retrieval servers, to which retrieval is allocated by said retrieval server allocation section, together with the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file obtained from said text base management section; and

a loading information transfer section for transferring loading information regarding the group of those of said retrieval servers to which the text base is allocated by said retrieval server allocation section as retrieval server group information to said user management server.

21. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 20, wherein, when a number of those of said retrieval servers equal to the division number determined by said division number decision section cannot be allocated by said retrieval server allocation section, the division number of the text base determined by said division number decision section is reconsidered, and processing by said retrieval server allocation section, said loading instruction section and said loading information transfer section is performed in accordance with the reconsidered division number.

22. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 20, wherein, when the text base of a retrieval object of the inquiry request received from said user management server is loaded already, said loading information transfer section transfers the loading information regarding the text base of a retrieval object managed by said loading information management section as retrieval server group information to said user management server.

23. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 22, wherein each of said retrieval servers includes:

a file access section for reading in, when the loading instruction is received from said retrieval management server, one of the divided parts of the text base and the corresponding relating information designated by the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file included in the loading instruction;

a retrieval section including a plurality of different retrieval algorithms for performing, when a retrieval request is received from said user management server, information retrieval for the divided part of the text base read in by said file access section using one of the retrieval algorithms designated by the retrieval algorithm information from said retrieval management server; and

a retrieval result send-out section for returning a result of the retrieval by said retrieval section to said user management server.

24. An information retrieval system as claimed in claim 21, wherein, when the text base of a retrieval object of the inquiry request received from said user management server is loaded already, said loading information transfer section transfers the loading information regarding the text base of a retrieval object managed by said loading information management section as retrieval server group information to said user management server.

25. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 24, wherein each of said retrieval servers includes:

a file access section for reading in, when the loading instruction is received from said retrieval management server, one of the divided parts of the text base and the corresponding relating information designated by the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file included in the loading instruction;

a retrieval section including a plurality of different retrieval algorithms for performing, when a retrieval request is received from said user management server, information retrieval for the divided part of the text base read in by said file access section using one of the retrieval algorithms designated by the retrieval algorithm information from said retrieval management server; and

a retrieval result send-out section for returning a result of the retrieval by said retrieval section to said user management server.

26. An information retrieval system as claimed in claim 21, wherein, when the text base of a retrieval object of the inquiry request received from said user management server is loaded already, said division number decision section decides a division number of the text base based on size information of the text base, the retrieval algorithm information managed by said text base management section and the available memory amounts of said retrieval servers managed by said retrieval server management section, and when those of said retrieval servers whose available memory amount is larger than a predetermined value can be allocated by a number equal to the division number decided by said division number decision section from among said plurality of retrieval servers, said retrieval server allocation section selects the division number of those of said retrieval servers whose available memory amount is larger than the predetermined value and allocates the text base and the relating information to the selected retrieval servers, whereafter said loading instruction section sends, based on a result of the allocation by said retrieval server allocation section, a loading instruction for loading the divided parts of the text base and the relating information into the retrieval servers of the destinations of allocation to the retrieval servers of the destinations of allocation together with the name of the data file, the name of the relating information file and the retrieval algorithm information obtained from said text base management section and said loading information transfer section transfers loading information regarding the group of those of said retrieval servers to which the text base is allocated by said retrieval server allocation section as retrieval server group information to said user management server, but when those of said retrieval servers whose available memory amount is larger than the predetermined value cannot be allocated by a number equal to the division number determined by said division number decision section from among said plurality of retrieval servers, said loading information transfer section transfers the loading information of the text base of a retrieval object managed by said loading information management section as retrieval server group information to said user management server.

27. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 26, wherein each of said retrieval servers includes:

a file access section for reading in, when the loading instruction is received from said retrieval management server, one of the divided parts of the text base and the corresponding relating information designated by the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file included in the loading instruction;

a retrieval section including a plurality of different retrieval algorithms for performing, when a retrieval request is received from said user management server, information retrieval for the divided part of the text base read in by said file access section using one of the retrieval algorithms designated by the retrieval algorithm information from said retrieval management server; and

a retrieval result send-out section for returning a result of the retrieval by said retrieval section to said user management server.

28. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 21, wherein each of said retrieval servers includes:

a file access section for reading in, when the loading instruction is received from said retrieval management server, one of the divided parts of the text base and the corresponding relating information designated by the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file included in the loading instruction;

a retrieval section including a plurality of different retrieval algorithms for performing, when a retrieval request is received from said user management server, information retrieval for the divided part of the text base read in by said file access section using one of the retrieval algorithms designated by the retrieval algorithm information from said retrieval management server; and

a retrieval result send-out section for returning a result of the retrieval by said retrieval section to said user management server.

29. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 20, wherein, when the text base of a retrieval object of the inquiry request received from said user management server is loaded already, said division number decision section decides a division number of the text base based on size information of the text base, the retrieval algorithm information managed by said text base management section and the available memory amounts of said retrieval servers managed by said retrieval server management section, and when those of said retrieval servers whose available memory amount is larger than a predetermined value can be allocated by a number equal to the division number decided by said division number decision section from among said plurality of retrieval servers, said retrieval server allocation section selects the division number of those of said retrieval servers whose available memory amount is larger than the predetermined value and allocates the text base and the relating information to the selected retrieval servers, whereafter said loading instruction section sends, based on a result of the allocation by said retrieval server allocation section, a loading instruction for loading the divided parts of the text base and the relating information into the retrieval servers of the destinations of allocation to the retrieval servers of the destinations of allocation together with the name of the data file, the name of the relating information file and the retrieval algorithm information obtained from said text base management section and said loading information transfer section transfers loading information regarding the group of those of said retrieval servers to which the text base is allocated by said retrieval server allocation section as retrieval server group information to said user management server, but when those of said retrieval servers whose available memory amount is larger than the predetermined value cannot be allocated by a number equal to the division number determined by said division number decision section from among said plurality of retrieval servers, said loading information transfer section transfers the loading information of the text base of a retrieval object managed by said loading information management section as retrieval server group information to said user management server.

30. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 29, wherein each of said retrieval servers includes:

a file access section for reading in, when the loading instruction is received from said retrieval management server, one of the divided parts of the text base and the corresponding relating information designated by the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file included in the loading instruction;

a retrieval section including a plurality of different retrieval algorithms for performing, when a retrieval request is received from said user management server, information retrieval for the divided part of the text base read in by said file access section using one of the retrieval algorithms designated by the retrieval algorithm information from said retrieval management server; and

a retrieval result send-out section for returning a result of the retrieval by said retrieval section to said user management server.

31. An information retrieval system as recited in claim 20, wherein each of said retrieval servers includes:

a file access section for reading in, when the loading instruction is received from said retrieval management server, one of the divided parts of the text base and the corresponding relating information designated by the name of the data file and the name of the relating information file included in the loading instruction;

a retrieval section including a plurality of different retrieval algorithms for performing, when a retrieval request is received from said user management server, information retrieval for the divided part of the text base read in by said file access section using one of the retrieval algorithms designated by the retrieval algorithm information from said retrieval management server; and

a retrieval result send-out section for returning a result of the retrieval by said retrieval section to said user management server.

32. An information retrieval system, comprising:

a plurality of retrieval servers for performing retrieval processing; and

a retrieval management server for managing operation of said plurality of retrieval servers;

said retrieval management server being constructed so as to divide a text base of a retrieval object and relating information regarding the text base and allocate resulting divided parts of the text base and the relating information corresponding to the divided parts in sets to some or all of said plurality of retrieval servers;

said plurality of retrieval servers being constructed so as to perform information retrieval for the divided parts of the text base allocated by said retrieval management server parallelly to and independently of each other, and

wherein said retrieval system further comprises,

a user management server for accepting a retrieval request from a user process, said user management server being constructed so as to inquire said retrieval management server for information of a group of those of said retrieval servers which are performing retrieval for the text base of a retrieval object in response to the retrieval request from the user process and directly request the retrieval servers in the group for actual retrieval based on a result of the inquiry.

33. An information retrieval system as claimed in claim 32, wherein said user management server includes:

a retrieval request acceptance section for accepting the retrieval request from the user process;

a retrieval server inquiry section for inquiring, in response to the retrieval request accepted by said retrieval request acceptance section, said retrieval management server for the information of the group of those of said retrieval servers to which retrieval processing for the text base of a retrieval object of the retrieval request is allocated;

a retrieval request section for sending out, based on the information of the group of those of said retrieval servers obtained from said retrieval management server by said retrieval server inquiry section, a retrieval request directly to those of said retrieval servers to which the retrieval processing for the text base of a retrieval object of the retrieval request is allocated; and

a retrieval result transfer section for merging responses to the retrieval request of said retrieval request section from the retrieval servers and transferring the merged responses as a result of retrieval to the user process of the source of the retrieval request.