Method of integrating text retrieval to enhance software stem searching
First Claim
1. A method implemented on a computer for allowing a user to search a list of entries for a desired entry, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a stem inputted by the user for said desired entry and storing the inputted stem;
searching said list of entries for the inputted stem using a stem search engine until at least a portion of the inputted stem is found;
forwarding at least a portion of the stored inputted stem to a database search engine;
triggering operation of said database search engine to search for at least said portion of the stored inputted stem;
searching said list of entries for said portion of the stored inputted stem using said database search engine until at least a portion of the stored inputted stem is found; and
displaying to the user the desired entry corresponding to at least said portion of the inputted stem found by at least one of said stem search engine and said database search engine whereby a position of said desired entry in said list of entries may be determined from the display by the user.
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Abstract
A technique for incorporating text retrieval into the logic associated with current stem search technologies. The software stem search system positions a highlight bar even if the entered text is not the first word of the highlighted item. The highlight bar is positioned without reducing the numbers of records in the stem search display. The invention utilizes a stem search engine and a database search engine to search a list of entries for a match to a stem inputted by the user for a desired entry. Since the stem search engine can only find a stem starting with the left-most characters, the database search engine is used to locate the stem in other portions of the entries in the list. The match found by the database search engine is then translated to the list of entries by highlighting the desired entry in the list such that the position of the desired entry in the list of entries may be determined from the display by the user.
40 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method implemented on a computer for allowing a user to search a list of entries for a desired entry, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a stem inputted by the user for said desired entry and storing the inputted stem;
searching said list of entries for the inputted stem using a stem search engine until at least a portion of the inputted stem is found;
forwarding at least a portion of the stored inputted stem to a database search engine;
triggering operation of said database search engine to search for at least said portion of the stored inputted stem;
searching said list of entries for said portion of the stored inputted stem using said database search engine until at least a portion of the stored inputted stem is found; and
displaying to the user the desired entry corresponding to at least said portion of the inputted stem found by at least one of said stem search engine and said database search engine whereby a position of said desired entry in said list of entries may be determined from the display by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer readable medium containing software which enables a user to search a list of entries for a desired entry, said software implementing the steps of:
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receiving a stem inputted by the user for said desired entry and storing the inputted stem;
searching said list of entries for the inputted stem using a stem search engine until at least a portion of the inputted stem is found;
forwarding at least a portion of the stored inputted stem to a database search engine;
triggering operation of said database search engine to search for at least said portion of the stored inputted stem;
searching said list of entries for said portion of the stored inputted stem using said database search engine until at least a portion of the stored inputted stem is found; and
displaying to the user the desired entry corresponding to at least said portion of the inputted stem found by at least one of said stem search engine and said database search engine whereby a position of said desired entry in said list of entries may be determined from the display by the user.
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16. A stem search system that enables a user to search a list of entries for a desired entry, comprising:
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means for receiving a stem inputted by the user for said desired entry and for storing the inputted stem;
a stem search engine which searches said list of entries for the inputted stem until at least a portion of the inputted stem is found and indicates to the user if the desired entry is found;
a database search engine which searches said list of entries for said inputted stem until at least a portion of the inputted stem is found and indicates to the user if the desired entry is found; and
means for forwarding the stored inputted stem to the database search engine and for indicating to the user the desired entry corresponding to at least a portion of the inputted stem found by said database search engine but not said stem search engine whereby a position of said desired entry in said list of entries may be determined by the user.
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Specification