Object-oriented representation of technical content and management, filtering, and synthesis of technical content using object-oriented representations

• US 6,405,211 B1
• Filed: 07/08/1999
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Waypoint Global II Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cohesia Corp. (Powerway, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sokol, Dan Z., Dashevsky, Oleg V., Berkovich, Igor K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M.
• Application Number:
  US09/349,753
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 707/103, 707/3, 707/6, 707/10, 707/100, 707/102, 345/837, 709/226, 709/220, 709/224, 709/225, 717/11
• US Class Current: 707/754
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/258 Heading extraction; Automatic titling; Numbering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/289 Phrasal analysis, e.g. finite state techniques or chunking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/35 Discourse or dialogue representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/56 Natural language generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/962 Entity-attribute-value
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/967 Peer-to-peer
• 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

An object-based, semantic representation for documents as information containers, using a controlled taxonomy, facilitates the extraction of meaning from such information containers to provide high-level, automated document interpretation. The high-level functions that are enabled include automated filtering of an information container in accordance with the controlled taxonomy and a set of conditions, to produce a result having only those information objects that are applicable under the specified set of conditions. These functions further include automated combination of information objects which comprise the information containers, to build a composite information container that reflects combined meaning of the associated documents, and automated handling of references from one information container to another.

Claims

1. A method of generating a peer information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, by a process of assimilating a plurality of information containers each dealing with such attributes, comprising:

providing a plurality of information containers each comprising a plurality of information objects having potentially different structures, at least one of said information objects identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description of said attribute,

parsing information objects of said information containers,

selecting a pair of information objects identifying a common attribute, and, without regard to the structure of the objects, combining values, value ranges and/or descriptions of said common attribute identified by said pair of information objects, to produce a new information object for the attribute identified by said selected pair of information objects, and

generating a new peer information container comprising at least said new information object.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising repeating said selecting step for further pairs of information objects identifying common attributes, to produce additional new information objects for said common attributes, wherein said new information container comprises said additional new information objects.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said new information container is utilized in generation of additional new information containers, further comprising

repeating said parsing and selecting steps on information objects of said new peer information container, and information objects of another information container,

generating an additional new peer information container comprising at least a combined information object produced by the repetition of said selecting step.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said generated new peer information container comprises information objects parsed from said information containers dealing with unique attributes which have not been combined with other information objects.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each of said objects include properties characterizing the object and/or an attribute represented by the object.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein each of said objects are a member of an object class, objects in a common class having common properties.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein

said objects comprise a parent object and a plurality of child objects, properties of said parent object including pointers to said child objects, and

said parsing step comprises determining whether two or more of said child objects identify a common attribute, and if so, said combining step comprises combining values, value ranges and/or descriptions of said common attribute identified by said child objects, to produce a new information object for the attribute identified by the child objects, and

said generated new peer information container includes said parent object and said new information object, said new information container being a child of said parent object.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein

said parent object has a child logic property indicating a logical relationship between said plurality of child objects,

said parsing step comprises evaluating said child logic property to determine an appropriate combination, if any, of said child objects, and

said combining step comprises combining child objects consistently with said child logic property to generate said new peer information container.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising an additional information object comprising a meaning object defining a meaning for one or more other objects, said selecting step comprising selecting a pair of information objects identifying compatible meaning objects.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with a computer based markup language.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with Extensible Markup Language and incorporate an XML document type definition (DTD).

12. A method of evaluating an information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, by a process of filtering an input information container based on one or more applicability conditions, comprising:

providing an input information container comprising a plurality of information objects, at least a first of said information objects identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description of said attribute, and at least a second of said information objects identifying an applicability condition identifying circumstances under which said first information object provides relevant information about said attribute,

evaluating said applicability condition against circumstances of interest to determine applicability of one or more information objects of said information container, and filtering out information objects evaluated to be inapplicable, and

generating a peer information container comprising only information objects determined to be applicable.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein at least one of said information objects comprises a parent object and at least one of said information objects comprises a child object, said parent object stored separately from said child object and not independently providing information for attributes of said child object.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein each of said objects include properties characterizing the object and/or an attribute represented by the object.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein each of said objects are a member of an object class, objects in a common class having common properties.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein properties of said parent object include a pointer to said child object.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising a third information object comprising an implication object, said first object being a child of said implication object identifying characterizations of one or more properties, and said second object being a child of said implication object, defining an applicability condition for said characterizations of said first object.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising a fourth information object comprising a THEN child of said implication object, said THEN child providing characterizations of one or more properties when said applicability condition is met.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising a fourth information object comprising an ELSE child of said implication object, said ELSE child providing characterizations of one or more properties when said applicability condition is not met.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said second object defines a range, and further comprising fourth and fifth information objects comprising endpoint objects defining endpoints of said range.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said second child object defines a value for an attribute.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the value defined by said second object is a numeric value.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the value defined by said second object is a predefined text value.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein said second object has an object operator property defining an operator to be applied to said value.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said object operator is one of:

equal (=),

not equal (≠

),

greater than (>

),

greater than or equal (≧

),

less than (<

), or

less than or equal (≦

).

26. The method of claim 17 wherein said second object defines a group of conditions, and further comprising objects defining each of said conditions.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said second object has a child logic property indicating a logical relationship between said conditions that must be met for the applicability condition to be met.

28. The method of claim 12 further comprising a third information object comprising a meaning object defining a meaning for one or more other objects, said first or second object including a pointer to said meaning object.

29. The method of claim 12 wherein

said information container further comprises a reference object referencing a second information container, and

generating a peer information container includes obtaining information objects of said second information container and including said information objects in said peer information container.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein

said information container further comprises context objects associated with said reference object to provide a context for the reference to said second information container, and

generating said peer information container includes obtaining only those information objects of said second information container within the context provided by said context objects.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein

said context objects include a reference object referencing a third information container, and

generating said peer information container includes obtaining only those information objects of said third information container referenced by said second information container.

32. The method of claim 12 wherein at least one of said information objects comprises a parent object and at least one of said information objects comprises a child object, said parent object stored separately from said child object and not independently providing information for attributes of said child object.

33. The method of claim 12 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with a computer based markup language.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with Extensible Markup Language and incorporate an XML document type definition (DTD).

35. A method of evaluating a first information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical 1 properties, a system or a methodology, and including a reference to a second information container identifying further attributes of a thing that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, comprising:

providing first and second input information containers each comprising a plurality of information objects, said information objects identifying attributes and values, value ranges or description of said attributes, at least said first information container including a reference object referencing said second information container, and

generating a peer information container from said first information container by obtaining information objects of said second information container and including said information objects from said second information container in said peer information container.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein

said first information container further comprises context objects associated with said reference object to provide a context for the reference to said second information container, and

generating said peer information container includes obtaining only those information objects of said second information container within the context provided by said context objects.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein

said context objects include a reference object referencing a third information container, and

generating said peer information container includes obtaining only those information objects of said third information container referenced by said second information container.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein at least one of said information objects comprises a parent object and at least one of said information objects comprises a child object, said parent object stored separately from said child object and not independently providing information for attributes of said child object.

39. The method of claim 35 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with a computer based markup language.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with Extensible Markup Language and incorporate an XML document type definition (DTD).

41. A method of storing a semantic representation of a document identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, using a controlled taxonomy, comprising

storing in a memory, a plurality of information objects,

at least a first one of said information objects being a child object identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description for said attribute,

at least a second one of said information objects being a parent object, said parent object stored separately from said child object and providing a context for an attribute identified by said child object, said parent object not independently providing information for attributes of said child object.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein each of said objects include properties characterizing the object and/or an attribute represented by the object.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein each of said objects are a member of an object class, objects in a common class having common properties.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein properties of said parent object include a pointer to said child object.

45. The method of claim 41 further comprising a third information object comprising an implication object identifying conditional characterizations of one or more properties, said parent object being a child of said implication object defining an applicability condition for said conditional characterizations identifying circumstances under which said implication object provides relevant information about said properties based upon attribute values of said child object.

46. The method of claim 45 further comprising a fourth information object comprising a THEN child of said implication object, said THEN child providing characterizations of one or more properties when said applicability condition is met.

47. The method of claim 45 further comprising a fourth information object comprising an ELSE child of said implication object, said ELSE child providing characterizations of one or more properties when said applicability condition is not met.

48. The method of claim 45 wherein said child object defines a range, and further comprising fourth and fifth information objects comprising endpoint objects defining endpoints of said range.

49. The method of claim 45 wherein said child object defines a value for an attribute.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the value defined by said child object is a numeric value.

51. The method of claim 49 wherein the value defined by said child object is a predefined text value.

52. The method of claim 45 wherein said child object has an object operator property defining an operator to be applied to said value.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein said object operator is one of:

equal (=),

not equal (≠

),

greater than (>

),

greater than or equal (≧

),

less than (<

), or

less than or equal (≦

).

54. The method of claim 45 wherein said child object defines a group of conditions, and further comprising grandchild objects defining each of said conditions.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein said child object has a child logic property indicating a logical relationship between said conditions that must be met for the applicability condition to be met.

56. The method of claim 41 further comprising a third information object comprising a meaning object defining a meaning for one or more other objects, said child or parent object including a pointer to said meaning object.

57. The method of claim 41 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with a computer based markup language.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with Extensible Markup Language and incorporate an XML document type definition (DTD).

59. Apparatus for generating a peer information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, by a process of assimilating a plurality of information containers each dealing with such attributes, comprising:

storage containing a plurality of information containers each comprising a plurality of information objects, at least one of said information objects identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description of said attribute, and

processing circuitry programmed to;

parse information objects of said information containers,

select a pair of information objects identifying a common attribute, and combine values, value ranges and/or descriptions of said common attribute identified by said pair of information objects, to produce a new information object for the attribute identified by said selected pair of information objects, and

generate a new peer information container comprising at least said new information object.

60. Apparatus for evaluating an information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, by a process of filtering an input information container based on one or more applicability conditions, comprising:

storage containing an input information container comprising a plurality of information objects, at least a first of said information objects identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description of said attribute, and at least a second of said information objects identifying an applicability condition identifying circumstances under which said first information object provides relevant information about said attribute, and

processing circuitry programmed to;

evaluate said applicability condition against circumstances of interest to determine applicability of one or more information objects of said information container, and filter out information objects evaluated to be inapplicable, and

generate a peer information container comprising only information objects determined to be applicable.

61. Apparatus for evaluating a first information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, which includes a reference to a second information container identifying further attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, comprising:

storage containing said first and second input information containers each comprising a plurality of information objects, said information objects identifying attributes and values, value ranges or description of said attributes, at least said first information container including a reference object referencing said second information container, and

processing circuitry programmed to generate a peer information container from said first information container by obtaining information objects of said second information container and including said information objects from said second information container in said peer information container.

62. Apparatus for storing a semantic representation of a document identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, using a controlled taxonomy, comprising

storage containing a plurality of information objects,

at least a first one of said information objects being a child object identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description for said attribute,

at least a second one of said information objects being a parent object, said parent object stored separately from said child object and providing a context for an attribute identified by said child object, said parent object not independently providing information for attributes of said child object.