Information retrieving method and apparatus

• US 6,055,535 A
• Filed: 03/03/1998
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamane, Tetsuya, Suzuoka, Takashi, Sawashima, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): AMSBURY, WAYNE P
• Application Number:
  US09/033,646
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/102
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90339 by using parallel associative memories or content-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Terms are extracted from a document as a retrieval subject, and weights of the respective terms in the document are set. In assigning data to a plurality of retrieving apparatuses in accordance with the weights thus set, weight ranges are determined so as to avoid overlap or omission in terms as subjects of the retrieving apparatuses, and evaluation value ranges are determined according to a given evaluation formula so as to correspond to the respective weight ranges. Searches are performed in descending order of evaluation values that are obtained according to the evaluation formula.

Claims

1. An information retrieving method for performing a prescribed search by using a plurality of retrieving apparatuses, comprising the steps of:

dividing a database, according to weight values given to respective prescribed terms of the database, into hierarchical search ranges in which the respective retrieving apparatuses are to perform searches on the database;

supplying a prescribed retrieval request as a first retrieval request including a first desired number of retrieval outputs to a first retrieving apparatus;

determining whether a number of first retrieval result output by the first retrieving apparatus satisfies the first retrieval request; and

supplying a second retrieving apparatus with a second retrieval request including a second desired number of retrieval outputs equal to the first desired number of retrieval outputs minus the number of the first retrieval results, when it is determined that the first retrieval results do not satisfy the first retrieval request.

2. An information retrieving apparatus for performing a prescribed search of a database using a plurality of retrieving apparatuses, wherein search ranges in which the respective retrieving apparatuses are to perform searches on the database are divided in order of weight values given to respective prescribed terms of the database, the information retrieving apparatus comprising:

means for supplying a prescribed retrieval request as a first retrieval request to a first one of the plurality of retrieving apparatuses;

means for determining whether a first retrieval result produced by the first one of the plurality of retrieving apparatuses satisfies the first retrieval request; and

means for supplying, if the determining means determines that the first retrieval result does not satisfy the first retrieval request, a second one of the plurality of retrieving apparatuses with a difference between the first retrieval request and the first retrieval result as a second retrieval request.

3. An information retrieving method for performing a prescribed search by using a plurality of retrieving apparatuses, wherein search ranges in which the respective retrieving apparatuses are to perform searches on a database are divided in order to weight values given to respective prescribed terms of the database, the information retrieving apparatus comprising:

first means for determining, from among the plurality of retrieving apparatuses, a first retrieving apparatus to which the prescribed retrieval request should be supplied as a first retrieval request upon reception of a prescribed retrieval request;

second means for determining whether a first retrieval result that is produced by the determined first retrieving apparatus in response to the first retrieval request satisfies the first retrieval request; and

third means for determining, if the second determining means determines that the first retrieval result does not satisfy the first retrieval request, a second retrieval request to be supplied to a second retrieving apparatus based on the first retrieval request and the first retrieval result, said second retrieval request being different from said first retrieval request.

4. An information retrieving apparatus for performing a prescribed search of a database, the information retrieving apparatus comprising:

a plurality of retrieving apparatuses, each retrieving apparatus being associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of hierarchical search ranges divided in order of weight values given to respective prescribed terms of the database; and

a controller coupled to the plurality of retrieving apparatuses for supplying a prescribed retrieval request as a first retrieval request to a first one of the plurality of retrieving apparatuses, for determining whether a first retrieval result produced by the first retrieving apparatus satisfies the first retrieval request, and for supplying a second one of the plurality of retrieving apparatuses with a difference between the first retrieval request and the first retrieval result as a second retrieval request when the first retrieval result does not satisfy the first retrieval request.

5. An information retrieving apparatus for performing a prescribed search of a database by using a plurality of retrieving apparatuses, wherein search ranges in which the respective retrieving apparatuses are to perform searches on a database are divided in order to weight values given to respective prescribed terms of the database, the information retrieving apparatus comprising:

a first controller coupled to the plurality of receiving apparatuses for determining a first retrieving apparatus to which the prescribed retrieval request is supplied as a first retrieval request in response to a prescribed retrieval request;

a second controller coupled to the plurality of receiving apparatuses for determining whether a first retrieval result received from the determined first retrieving apparatus in response to the first retrieval request satisfies the first retrieval request; and

a third controller coupled to the plurality of receiving apparatuses for determining, when the second controller determines that the first retrieval result does not satisfy the first retrieval request, a second retrieval request for application to a second retrieving apparatus based on the first retrieval request and the first retrieval result, said second retrieval request being different from said first retrieval request.

6. An information retrieving method for performing a prescribed search, comprising the steps of:

dividing a database into a plurality of hierarchical search ranges for searching the database;

searching the database using a first one of the plurality of hierarchical search ranges in response to a prescribed retrieval request as a first retrieval request, including a first desired number of retrieval outputs;

determining whether the searching of the database produces a first retrieval result that satisfies the first retrieval request; and

searching the database using a second one of the plurality of hierarchical search ranges in response to a second retrieval request including a second desired number of retrieval outputs equal to the first desired number of retrieval outputs minus the number of the first retrieval results when it is determined that the first result does not satisfy the first retrieval request.

7. The information retrieving method of claim 6 wherein the hierarchical search ranges are according to weight values given to respective terms of the database.

8. An information retrieving apparatus for performing a prescribed search by using a retrieving apparatus, wherein search ranges in which the retrieving apparatus is to perform searches on a database are divided into a plurality of hierarchical search ranges according to respective prescribed terms of the database, the information retrieving apparatus comprising:

a first controller coupled to the retrieving apparatus for supplying a prescribed retrieval request corresponding to a first one of the plurality of hierarchical search ranges as a first retrieval request to the retrieving apparatus for searching the database;

a second controller coupled to the retrieving apparatus for determining whether a first retrieval result produced by the retrieving apparatus satisfies the first retrieval request; and

a third controller coupled to the retrieving apparatus for supplying the retrieving apparatus with a second retrieval request corresponding to a second one of the plurality of hierarchical search ranges and to a difference between the first retrieval request and the first retrieval result when the second controller determines that the first retrieval result does not satisfy the first retrieval request.

9. An information retrieving apparatus for performing a prescribed search by using a retrieving apparatus, wherein search ranges in which the retrieving apparatus is to perform searches on a database are divided into a plurality of hierarchical search ranges according to weight values assigned to respective terms of the database, the information retrieving apparatus comprising:

means for supplying a first retrieval request to the retrieving apparatus, upon reception of a prescribed retrieval request, the first retrieval request being indicative of the prescribed retrieval request and one of the plurality of hierarchical search ranges;

first means for determining whether a first retrieval result received from the retrieving apparatus in response to the first retrieval request satisfies the first retrieval request; and

second means for determining a second retrieval request for application to the retrieving apparatus when the first retrieval result does not satisfy the first retrieval request, the second retrieval request being indicative of the first retrieval request and the first retrieval result and of a second one of the hierarchical search ranges, the second hierarchical search range including the first hierarchical search range.