Method and apparatus for creating a category hierarchy for classification of documents

• US 6,055,540 A
• Filed: 06/13/1997
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Snow, William A., Mocker, Joseph D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RONES, CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/874,567
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/102, 707/103, 707/104, 707/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/30 of unstructured textual data document management systems G06F16/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3347 using vector based model
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/353 into predefined classes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/355 Class or cluster creation or modification
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A method for creating a class hierarchy containing categories for classification of documents. The class hierarchy is initialized to contain a root category node within a tree data structure. The root category node is defined by a user-defined category name. The class hierarchy is displayed to assist a user in entering a command for manipulating the class hierarchy. A user may select a category command, resulting in the class hierarchy containing a plurality of category nodes. In addition, a user may select a terms command to manipulate terms defining one of the plurality of category nodes.

Claims

1. A method for creating a class hierarchy for categorization of documents within a memory, the class hierarchy for use with a document classification system capable of classifying a document based on content within the class hierarchy, the method comprising:

initializing the class hierarchy, the class hierarchy having a root category node within a tree data structure, the root category node having a user-defined category name;

displaying the class hierarchy;

accepting a user-selected command for manipulating the class hierarchy;

processing a category command in response to the user-selected command having a first predefined state, causing the class hierarchy to contain a plurality of category nodes, said processing the category command further comprising;

storing a category name in one of the plurality of category nodes, wherein each of the plurality of category nodes corresponds to a unique directory;

storing a NodeID within one of the plurality of category nodes, the NodeID defining the unique directory;

storing a nodetype within one of the plurality of category nodes, the nodetype when having a predefined type allowing a new category node to be added to a selected one of the plurality of category nodes, and otherwise preventing the new category node from being added to the selected one of the plurality of category nodes;

storing a ParentID within one of the plurality of category nodes, the ParentID indicating a NodeID of a parent category node; and

storing a LinkID within a first one of the plurality of category nodes, the LinkID indicating a NodeID of a second one of the plurality of category nodes when the nodetype is of a predefined type; and

processing a terms command in response to the user-selected command having a second predefined state, the terms command manipulating terms defining one of the plurality of category nodes.

2. The method according to claim 1, said displaying further comprising displaying information corresponding to at least one of the plurality of category nodes within the class hierarchy, the information indicating a nodetype for the at least one of the plurality of category nodes.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said processing a category command comprises:

optionally adding a first one of the plurality of category nodes to a second one of the plurality of category nodes when the nodetype of the second one of the plurality of category nodes has a predefined type, the first one of the plurality of category nodes being a new category node, and the second one of the plurality of category nodes being an existing category node, said optionally adding a category further including;

accepting a user-defined category from an input device;

storing the user-defined category within the new category node;

storing a nodetype within the new category node;

storing a unique NodeID corresponding to the user-defined category within the new category node;

storing a ParentID corresponding to a NodeID of the existing category node within the new category node; and

storing a LinkID within the new category node, the LinkID indicating a NodeID of one of the plurality of category nodes when the nodetype is of a predefined type.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said optionally processing a category command comprises:

optionally creating a link from a first one of the plurality of category nodes to a second one of the plurality of category nodes when the first one of the plurality of category nodes is not a root node and when it has a nodetype of a predefined type, the LinkID of the first one of the plurality of category nodes referring to the NodeID of the second one of the plurality of category nodes.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said optionally processing a category command comprises:

optionally moving one of the plurality of category nodes within the class hierarchy, said optionally moving further including altering the ParentID of the one of the plurality of category nodes.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said optionally processing a category command comprises:

optionally editing one of the plurality of category nodes within the class hierarchy, said optionally editing further including altering the category name of the one of the plurality of category nodes.

7. A computer system for creating a class hierarchy for categorization of documents within a memory, the class hierarchy for use with a document classification system capable of classifying a document based on content within the class hierarchy, the computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having stored therein the following;

means for initializing the class hierarchy, the class hierarchy having a root category node within a tree data structure, the root category node having a user-defined category name;

means for displaying the class hierarchy;

means for accepting a user-selected command for manipulating the class hierarchy;

means for processing a category command in response to the user selected command having a first predefined state, causing the class hierarchy to contain a plurality of category nodes, said means for processing the category command further comprising;

means for storing a category name in one of the plurality of category nodes, wherein each of the plurality of category nodes corresponds to a unique directory;

means for storing a NodeID within one of the plurality of category nodes, the NodeID defining the unique directory;

means for storing a nodetype within one of the plurality of category nodes, the nodetype when having a predefined type allowing a new category node to be added to a selected one of the plurality of category nodes, and otherwise preventing the new category node from being added to the selected one of the plurality of category nodes;

means for storing a ParentID within one of the plurality of category nodes, the ParentID indicating a NodeID of a parent category node; and

means for storing a LinkID within a first one of the plurality of category nodes, the LinkID indicating a NodeID of a second one of the plurality of category nodes when the nodetype is of a predefined type; and

means for processing a terms command in response to the user selected command having a second predefined state, the terms command manipulating terms defining one of the plurality of category nodes.

8. The computer system according to claim 7, the means for displaying further comprising:

means for displaying information corresponding to at least one of the plurality of category nodes within the class hierarchy, the information indicating a nodetype for the at least one of the plurality of category nodes.

9. The computer system according to claim 7, wherein the means for optionally processing a category command comprises:

means for optionally adding a first one of the plurality of category nodes to a second one of the plurality of category nodes when the nodetype of the second one of the plurality of category nodes has a predefined type, the first one of the plurality of category nodes being a new category node, and the second one of the plurality of category nodes being an existing category node, the means for optionally adding a category further including

means for accepting a user-defined category from an input device;

means for storing the user-defined category within the new category node;

means for storing a nodetype within the new category node;

means for storing a unique NodeID corresponding to the user-defined category within the new category node;

means for storing a ParentID corresponding to a NodeID of the existing category node within the new category node; and

means for storing a LinkID within the new category node, the LinkID indicating a NodeID of one of the plurality of category nodes when the nodetype is of a predefined type.

10. The computer system according to claim 7, wherein the means for optionally processing a category command comprises:

means for optionally creating a link from a first one of the plurality of category nodes to a second one of the plurality of category nodes when the first one of the plurality of category nodes is not a root node and when it has a nodetype of a predefined type, the LinkID of the first one of the plurality of category nodes referring to the NodeID of the second one of the plurality of category nodes.

11. The computer system according to claim 7, wherein the means for optionally processing a category command comprises:

means for optionally moving one of the plurality of category nodes within the class hierarchy, said optionally moving further including altering the ParentID of the one of the plurality of category nodes.

12. The computer system according to claim 7, wherein the means for optionally processing a category command comprises:

means for optionally editing one of the plurality of category nodes within the class hierarchy, said optionally editing further including altering the category name of the one of the plurality of category nodes.

13. A computer-readable medium recording software, the software disposed on a computer to perform a method for creating a class hierarchy for categorization of documents within a memory, the class hierarchy for use with a document classification system capable of classifying a document based on content within the class hierarchy, the method comprising:

initializing the class hierarchy, the class hierarchy having a root category node within a tree data structure, the root category node having a user-defined category name;

displaying the class hierarchy;

accepting a user-selected command for manipulating the class hierarchy;

processing a category command in response to the user-selected command having a first predefined state, causing the class hierarchy to contain a plurality of category nodes, said processing the category command further comprising;

storing a category name in one of the plurality of category nodes, wherein each of the plurality of category nodes corresponds to a unique directory;

storing a NodeID within one of the plurality of category nodes, the NodeID defining the unique directory;

storing a nodetype within one of the plurality of category nodes, the nodetype when having a predefined type allowing a new category node to be added to a selected one of the plurality of category nodes, and otherwise preventing the new category node from being added to the selected one of the plurality of category nodes;

storing a ParentID within one of the plurality of category nodes, the ParentID indicating a NodeID of a parent category node; and

storing a LinkID within a first one of the plurality of category nodes, the LinkID indicating a NodeID of a second one of the plurality of category nodes when the nodetype is of a predefined type; and

processing a terms command in response to the user-selected command having a second predefined state, the terms command manipulating terms defining one of the plurality of category nodes.

14. The computer-readable medium according to claim 13, said displaying further comprising:

displaying information corresponding to at least one of the plurality of category nodes within the class hierarchy, the information indicating a nodetype for the at least one of the plurality of category nodes.

15. The computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein said optionally processing a category command comprises:

optionally adding a first one of the plurality of category nodes to a second one of the plurality of category nodes when the nodetype of the second one of the plurality of category nodes has a predefined type, the first one of the plurality of category nodes being a new category node, and the second one of the plurality of category nodes being an existing category node, said optionally adding a category further including

accepting a user-defined category from an input device;

storing the user-defined category within the new category node;

storing a nodetype within the new category node;

storing a unique NodeID corresponding to the user-defined category within the new category node;

storing a ParentID corresponding to a NodeID of the existing category node within the new category node; and

storing a LinkID within the new category node, the LinkID indicating a NodeID of one of the plurality of category nodes when the nodetype is of a predefined type.

16. The computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein said optionally processing a category command comprises:

optionally creating a link from a first one of the plurality of category nodes to a second one of the plurality of category nodes when the first one of the plurality of category nodes is not a root node and when it has a nodetype of a predefined type, the LinkID of the first one of the plurality of category nodes referring to the NodeID of the second one of the plurality of category nodes.

17. The computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein said optionally processing a category command comprises:

optionally moving one of the plurality of category nodes within the class hierarchy, said optionally moving further including altering the ParentID of the one of the plurality of category nodes.

18. The computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein said optionally processing a category command comprises:

optionally editing one of the plurality of category nodes within the class hierarchy, said optionally editing further including altering the category name of the one of the plurality of category nodes.

19. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to create a class hierarchy for categorization of documents within a memory, the class hierarchy for use with a document classification system capable of classifying a document based on content within the class hierarchy, by performing the following:

initializing the class hierarchy, the class hierarchy having a root category node within a tree data structure, the root category node having a user-defined category name;

displaying the class hierarchy;

accepting a user-selected command for manipulating the class hierarchy;

processing a category command in response to the user-selected command having a first predefined state, causing the class hierarchy to contain a plurality of category nodes, said processing the category command further comprising;

storing a category name in one of the plurality of category nodes, wherein each of the plurality of category nodes corresponds to a unique directory;

storing a NodeID within one of the plurality of category nodes, the NodeID defining the unique directory;

storing a nodetype within one of the plurality of category nodes, the nodetype when having a predefined type allowing a new category node to be added to a selected one of the plurality of category nodes, and otherwise preventing the new category node from being added to the selected one of the plurality of category nodes;

storing a ParentID within one of the plurality of category nodes, the ParentID indicating a NodeID of a parent category node; and

storing a LinkID within a first one of the plurality of category nodes, the LinkID indicating a NodeID of a second one of the plurality of category nodes when the nodetype is of a predefined type; and

processing a terms command in response to the user-selected command having a second predefined state, the terms command manipulating terms defining one of the plurality of category nodes.

20. The computer data signal according to claim 19, said displaying further comprising:

displaying information corresponding to at least one of the plurality of category nodes within the class hierarchy, the information indicating a nodetype for the at least one of the plurality of category nodes.

21. The computer data signal according to claim 19, wherein said optionally processing a category command comprises:

optionally adding a first one of the plurality of category nodes to a second one of the plurality of category nodes when the nodetype of the second one of the plurality of category nodes has a predefined type, the first one of the plurality of category nodes being a new category node, and the second one of the plurality of category nodes being an existing category node, said optionally adding a category further including

accepting a user-defined category from an input device;

storing the user-defined category within the new category node;

storing a nodetype within the new category node;

storing a unique NodeID corresponding to the user-defined category within the new category node;

storing a ParentID corresponding to a NodeID of the existing category node within the new category node; and

storing a LinkID within the new category node, the LinkID indicating a NodeID of one of the plurality of category nodes when the nodetype is of a predefined type.

22. The computer data signal according to claim 19, wherein said optionally processing a category command comprises:

optionally creating a link from a first one of the plurality of category nodes to a second one of the plurality of category nodes when the first one of the plurality of category nodes is not a root node and when it has a nodetype of a predefined type, the LinkID of the first one of the plurality of category nodes referring to the NodeID of the second one of the plurality of category nodes.

23. The computer data signal according to claim 19, wherein said optionally processing a category command comprises:

optionally moving one of the plurality of category nodes within the class hierarchy, said optionally moving further including altering the ParentID of the one of the plurality of category nodes.

24. The computer data signal according to claim 19, wherein said optionally processing a category command comprises:

optionally editing one of the plurality of category nodes within the class hierarchy, said optionally editing further including altering the category name of the one of the plurality of category nodes.