Non-linear database set searching apparatus and method

• US 6,070,160 A
• Filed: 01/29/1996
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Artnet Worldwide Corp. (artnet AG)
• Original Assignee: Artnet Worldwide Corp. (artnet AG)
• Inventors: Geary, Wade S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RONES, CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/593,487
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 395/603, 395/604, 395/605, 395/606, 707/3, 707/5, 382/149, 705/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2468 Fuzzy queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/048 Fuzzy inferencing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

A method and apparatus for creating, storing, identifying, transferring, managing and searching databases of information related to subjective works, such as art, music, film, dance, theater or other fields generally recognized as requiring subjective human judgment by an "expert" to make subjective, objective, or mixed decisions regarding value, interest, and relationships one to another. The invention may be embodied in a general purpose digital computer programmed to host routines operating by deterministic logic, fuzzy logic, or both. A user may input information related to the nature or type of item requested and receive identification of a subjective match for the item. The routines may utilize a thesaurus and processes for relaxing search requirements to assure a match. In one embodiment, an expert system resident in a computer may create, manage and rapidly search databases of subjectively characterized items, such as art works, music, or real estate, for example, by unique characteristics. The invention may include a method for securely transmitting data corresponding to a result, to prevent storage by a recipient computer. For example, an image may be represented in a self-executing, self-destructive, standard 7 bit ASCII text E-mailable packet without attachments.

Claims

1. An apparatus for searching a set of databases, the apparatus comprising:

a processor programmed to execute a search engine for conducting a search, the search engine being programmed to selectively control interaction and sequencing of sub-engines during the search, the sub-engines comprising;

a standard search sub-engine for performing a deterministic search,

a key-word search sub-engine for performing a textual search, and

a query search sub-engine for performing a fuzzy logic search, the sub-engines substantially simultaneously loaded to run in the processor to search the set of databases;

a storage device operably connected to the processor for storing a plurality of searchable databases from the set of databases, each of the searchable databases comprising a plurality of fields containing data;

a memory device having a plurality of blocks of memory, the memory device being operably connected to the processor to store selected data selected from the plurality of searchable databases; and

an input device operably connected to the processor for providing inputs to the processor in response to actuation of the input device by a user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a network interface device for communicating transferable data between the processor and a remote computer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the transferable data further corresponds to digital image data representing a visual image recognizable by a user.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor is further programmed to operate a security process effective to transfer the digital image data to the remote computer in a format effective to be displayed by the remote computer and effective to prohibit retention of a copy of the digital image data within the remote computer.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the digital image data is transferable as an ASCII text file directly executable by the remote computer as assembled source code.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the ASCII text file is self destructive during successful execution.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each searchable database of the plurality of searchable databases is not directly related to any other searchable database of the plurality of searchable databases.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each searchable database of the plurality of searchable databases is not directly relatable to any other searchable database of the plurality of searchable databases.

9. A memory device programmable by a programmer, and operable by a user to be operably connectable to a processor for storing and accessing information corresponding to articles sought by a user, the memory device comprising:

a first memory block programmed to store a first database comprising at least one first record comprising at least one first field containing first field data;

a second memory block programmed to store a second database, unrelated to the first database, and comprising at least one second record comprising at least one second field containing second field data;

a third memory block programmed to store at least one index comprising at least one index record linking the at least one first record to the at least one second record according to a fuzzy logic relationship identified by the processor and corresponding to a subjective observation programmed into the processor by the user; and

a fourth memory block containing a search engine for execution by the processor for conducting a search, the engine being programmed to selectively control interaction and sequencing of sub-engines during the search, the sub-engines comprising;

a standard search sub-engine for pefoming a deterministic search,

a key-word search sub-enginie for performing a textual search, and

a query search sub-engine for performing a fuzzy logic seach,

the sub-engines substantially simultaneously loaded to run in the processor to search the set of databases.

10. The memory device of claim 9, wherein the first database and second database are deterministically unrelatable to each other.

11. The memory device of claim 9, wherein the first database and second database are unrelatable to each other by objective criteria observable in the contents of the at least one first record and contents of the at least one second record.

12. The imemory device of claim 9, wherein the first memory block is programmed to store a plurality of databases, the second memory block is programmed to store a plurality of second databases, and the third memory block is programmmed to store a plurality of indices.

13. The memory device of claim 12, wherein each index record of the plurality of indices creates a correspondence between a record of the plurality of first records and a record of the plurality of second records, and wherein each index record relates exclusively by fuzzy logic the plurality of first databases to the plurality of second databases.

14. The memory device of claim 9 further comprising a fourth memory block programmed to store a pointer identifying a first location, in the memory device, of a first current record currently selected from the first database and a second location, in the memory device, corresponding to a second current record selected from the second database.

15. The memory device of claim 14, wherein changing the pointer to indicate a new first record in the at least one first database automatically changes the pointer to indicate a new second record in the at least one second database according to a correspondence of the new first record to the new second record in the at least one index.

16. The memory device of claim 9 further comprising a fourth memory block programmed to store a plurality of pointers, each pointer of the plurality of pointers identifying a location, in the memory device, of a currently selected record of the at least one record, and wherein the memory device is controlled by the processor to adjust every pointer of the plurality of pointers in response to a change of any pointer of the plurality of pointers.

17. A method for searching a set of non-linear databases, each non-linear database containing a plurality of records retrievable by the method, using a plurality of search processes relying on deterministic logic and fuzzy logic, the search processes operating on at least one processor simultaneously, and the method comprising:

providing at least one processor operable to receive digital data and programming instructions;

programming the at least one processor to operate a deterministic search sub-engine;

programming the at least one processor to operate a key-word search sub-engine;

programming the at least one processor to operate a query search sub-engine operable according to a fuzzy logic search methods; and

programming the at least one processor to operate a search engine for performing a search and selectively controling interaction and sequencing of the sub-engines during the search.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the key-word search is operable according to a simplified fuzzy logic search method.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the fuzzy logic search method contains a first series of steps, and wherein the simplified fuzzy logic search method comprises a second series of steps selected from the first series of steps.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the fuzzy search comprises a degradation process effective to selectively increase the number of records retrievable by the fuzzy search.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the degradation process comprises a process selected from a swapping process, truncation process, ignoring process, and a synonym process.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the degradation process includes a plurality of search criteria, and comprises an optimization process effective to eliminate from consideration a search criterion of the plurality of search criteria according to a priority associated with the search criterion.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein each record of the plurality of records corresponds to an article of a plurality of articles, and wherein the degradation process further comprises a linking routine effective to identify a record corresponding to a substitute article of the plurality of articles when no record is found corresponding to the article.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising a findlinks routine effective to provide additional information to a user when the degradation process fails to identify a substitute article.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising a training routine comprising an index, a monitoring routine, and a modifying routine, the index relating a pair of non-linear databases of the set of non-linear databases, and the monitoring routine effective to monitor search results provided by the fuzzy logic search method and to provide a monitor output to the modifying routine, and the modifying routine providing a modifying output to the processor effective to limit the search results according to a limiting criterion.

26. The method of claim 17 further comprising an input process operable by a user to input at least one fuzzy relational operator for use by the fuzzy logic search method.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein a fuzzy relational operator of the at least one fuzzy relational operator is selected from the group consisting of phonetic, lexical, morphological, and syntactical operators.

28. The method of claim 17 further comprising an input process operable by a user to input search criteria into the fuzzy logic search method using natural language.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the input process further comprises presenting an interactive display operable by a user to communicate data to the fuzzy logic search method.

30. The method of claim 17 further comprising an expert selection process for providing to the fuzzy logic search method a selection criterion in response to an input provided by a user.

31. An apparatus for searching a set of databases, the apparatus comprising:

a processor programmed to operate sub-engines controlled by a search engine, the sub-engine comprising;

a standard search sub-engine for performing a deterministic search integrated with an integrated sub-engine selected from a key-word search sub-engine for performing a textual search, and

a query search sub-engine for performing a fuzzy logic search, the standard sub-engine and integrated engine executing substantially simultaneously in the processor to search the set of databases, the search engine invokes a first sub-engine according to criteria reflecting the results of the search of a second sub-engine;

a storage device operably connected to the processor for storing a plurality of searchable databases from the set of databases, each of the searchable databases comprising a plurality of fields containing data;

a memory device having a plurality of blocks of memory, the memory device being operably connected to the processor to store selected data selected from the plurality of searchable databases; and

an input device operably connected to the processor for providing inputs to the processor in resonse to actuation of the input device by a user.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the memory device further stores at least one index comprising at least one index record linking at least one first record to at least one second record according to a fuzzy logic relationship identified by the processor and corresponding to a subjective observation programmed into the processor, and wherein the integrated process is programmed to use an index.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the memory device further stores data structures comprising:

a first memory block programmed to store a first database comprising at least one first record comprising at least one first field containing first field data;

a second memory block programmed to store a second database, unrelated to the first database, and comprising at least one second record comprising at least one second field containing second field data;

a third memory block programmed to store at least one index comprising at least one index record linking the at least one first record to the at least one second record according to a fuzzy logic relationship identified by the processor and corresponding to a subjective observation programmed into the processor by the user.