System and method for linguistic filter and interactive display

• US 6,411,924 B1
• Filed: 01/23/1998
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: van den Akker, David, de Hita, Carolina Rubio, Vemula, Venu, Forest, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): EDOUARD, PATRICK NESTOR
• Application Number:
  US09/012,849
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/9-10, 707/1-4, 707/530, 707/531, 707/536, 707/100
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/355 Class or cluster creation or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/211 Syntactic parsing, e.g. based on context-free grammar [CFG] or unification grammars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/268 Morphological analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/35 Discourse or dialogue representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/56 Natural language generation

Abstract

A computer-implemented information analysis and display system, called a linguistic filter, and method is provided to dynamically generate and display topics representing the linguistic content of documents in a file system. The documents may be user-selected. Also, the user operates a user computer to select one or more of such dynamically generated and displayed topics, preferably using a graphical user interface. The linguistic filter displays document identifiers corresponding to those documents that are described by one or more of the topics selected by the user. The file system may be local, or remote, or both. A user may select for display only those topics representing the linguistic content of documents that are written in one or more user-selected natural languages. Also, topics of documents written in a natural language may be displayed in relation to such natural language. The linguistic filter displays a graphical user interface including a document window and a topic tree window. In some implementations, the document window includes document identifiers and associated lists of topics representing the linguistic content of the documents represented by the document identifiers. In some implementations, the topic tree window includes a hierarchical representation including a collapsible and expandible, tree-like graphical structure of topics. Such hierarchical representation is typically a single merged representation of topics that represents the linguistic content of the user-selected documents taken as a whole. Alternatively, such hierarchical representation is a single merged representation of topics that represents the linguistic content of the associated lists of topics as a whole. A user may display the text of one or more documents by selecting one or more document identifiers in the document window, or one or more topics in the topic tree window. If the user selects one or more topics from the list of topics in a document entry in the document window, or from the topics in the topic tree window, the texts of the document or documents corresponding to such selected topic or topics are displayed, and the grammatical units corresponding to the selected topic or topics are highlighted.

Claims

1. A computer system having at least one central processing unit (CPU), an operating system, and at least one memory unit, and being coupled to at least one file system including at least one file having a plurality of documents, said at least one memory unit having stored therein a set of linguistic filter instructions for execution by said at least one CPU in cooperation with said operating system, said computer systems comprising:

at least one graphical user interface configured to enable a user to select for analysis the at least one file having a plurality of documents;

said set of linguistic filter instructions comprising;

a linguistic topic analyzer configured to dynamically analyze at least one of said plurality of documents and dynamically to generate at least one topic representing a linguistic content of said at least one of said plurality of documents; and

a display manager configured to display said at least one topic generated by said linguistic topic analyzer.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein:

said analysis by said linguistic topic analyzer comprises morphological and syntactic analysis of said at least one of said plurality of documents.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein:

said set of linguistic filter instructions further comprises an interface manager configured to identify for each of said at least one of said plurality of documents a document identifier; and

said display manager is further configured to display said document identifier.

4. The computer system of claim 3, wherein:

said at least one topic displayed by said display manager is a plurality of topics;

at least one of said plurality of topics is user-selected; and

said display manager is further configured selectively to display said document identifier identifying at least one of said plurality of documents having a linguistic content represented by said at least one user-selected topic.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein:

said at least one of said plurality of user-selected topics are at least two user-selected topics;

said at least two user-selected topics are user-combined in a boolean combination; and

said at least one of said plurality of document identifiers displayed by said display manager identifies at least one of said plurality of documents, if present, having a linguistic content represented by said boolean combination of said at least two user-selected topics.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein:

said boolean combination is a non-exclusive OR combination.

7. The computer system of claim 3, wherein said interface manager is further configured to:

retrieve said at least one file and provide said plurality of documents of said at least one file to said linguistic topic analyzer; and

generate, in cooperation with said display manager, said at least one graphical user interface comprising (a) said at least one topic generated by said linguistic topic analyzer, and (b) said document identifier of said at least one of said plurality of documents having a linguistic content represented by said at least one topic, wherein said at least one graphical user interface is configured to receive user selections of said at least one topic.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said set of linguistic filter instructions further comprises:

a language identifier configured to identify at least one natural language in which said at least one of said plurality of documents is written.

9. The computer system of claim 3, wherein:

said set of linguistic filter instructions further comprises a language identifier configured to identify at least one user-selected natural language in which said at least one of said plurality of documents, when present, is written; and

said display manager is further configured selectively to display said document identifier identifying at least one of said plurality of documents, when present, having a linguistic content represented by said at least one topic displayed by said display manager and written in said at least one user-selected natural language.

10. The computer system of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one file system is a local file system.

11. The computer system of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one of said plurality of documents is user-selected.

12. The computer system of claim 1, wherein:

said linguistic topic analyzer is further configured to identify at least one location in said at least one of said plurality of documents at which said linguistic content is located.

13. The computer system of claim 1, wherein:

said linguistic topic analyzer is further configured to dynamically assign a weight to said at least one topic.

14. The computer system of claim 1, wherein:

said linguistic topic analyzer is further configured to generate at least one predefined special topic representing said linguistic content, when present, of said at least one of said plurality of documents.

15. The computer system of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one topic displayed by said display manager is user-selected; and

said display manager is further configured to display said at least one of said plurality of documents having a linguistic content represented by said at least one user-selected topic.

16. The computer system of claim 12 wherein:

said at least one topic displayed by said display manager is user-selected; and

said display manager is further configured to selectively highlight said at least one location in said at least one of said plurality of documents at which is located said linguistic content represented by said at least one user-selected topic.

17. The computer system of claim 3, wherein:

at least one said document identifier displayed by said display manager is user-selected; and

said display manager is further configured to display said at least one of said plurality of documents identified by said at least one user-selected document identifier.

18. A computer system having at least one central processing unit (CPU), an operating system, at least one memory unit, and a linguistic filter configured to cooperate with said at least one CPU and said operating system, said computer system being coupled to at least one file system including at least one file having a plurality of documents, said computer system comprising:

at least one graphical user interface configured to enable a user to select for analysis the at least one file having a plurality of documents;

said linguistic filter comprising;

a linguistic topic analyzer configured to dynamically morphologically and syntactically analyze at least one of said plurality of documents and dynamically to generate at least one topic representing a linguistic content of said at least one of said plurality of documents; and

a display manager configured to display said at least one topic generated by said linguistic topic analyzer.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein:

said linguistic filter further comprises an interface manager configured to identify for each of said at least one of said plurality of documents a document identifier; and

said display manager is farther configured to display said document identifier.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein:

said at least one topic displayed by said display manager is a plurality of topics;

at least one of said plurality of topics is user-selected; and

said display manager is further configured selectively to display said document identifier identifying at least one of said plurality of documents having a linguistic content represented by said at least one user-selected topic.

21. The computer system of claim 19, wherein said interface manager is further configured to:

retrieve said at least one file and provide said plurality of documents of said at least one file to said linguistic topic analyzer; and

generate, in cooperation with said display manager, said at least one graphical user interface comprising (a) said at least one topic generated by said linguistic topic analyzer, and (b) said document identifier of said at least one of said plurality of documents having a linguistic content represented by said at least one topic, wherein said at least one graphical user interface is configured to receive user selections of said at least one topic.

22. The computer system of claim 19, wherein:

said linguistic filter further comprises a language identifier configured to identify at least one user-selected natural language in which said at least one of said plurality of documents, if present, is written; and

said display manager is further configured selectively to display said document identifier identifying at least one of said plurality of documents, if present, having a linguistic content represented by said at least one topic displayed by said display manager and written in said at least one user-selected natural language.

23. A computer-implemented method for displaying at least one topic representing a linguistic content of at least one of a plurality of documents, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a user selection of said at least one of a plurality of documents to be analyzed;

(b) dynamically, morphologically, and syntactically analyzing said at least one of said plurality of documents and dynamically generating said at least one topic; and

(c) displaying said at least one topic.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

(d) mutually ranking each of said at least one topic in order of descending linguistic importance;

(e) receiving a user selection of a maximum topic number; and

(f) excluding from displaying said at least one topic when it is ranked lower than said maximum topic number with respect to the highest ranked of said at least one topic.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

(d) identifying for each of said at least one of said plurality of documents a document identifier; and

(e) displaying said document identifier.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein said at least one displayed topic is a plurality of topics, and further comprising the steps of:

(d) receiving a user selection of at least one of said plurality of topics; and

(e) displaying said document identifier identifying at least one of said at least one of said plurality of documents having a linguistic content represented by said at least one user-selected topic.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

(d) generating at least one graphical user interface comprising said at least one topic and said document identifier of said at least one of said plurality of documents having a linguistic content represented by said at least one topic; and

(e) receiving a user selection of said at least one topic of said graphical user interface.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

(f) receiving a user selection of at least one natural language;

(g) identifying at least one of said at least one user-selected natural language in which said at least one of said plurality of documents, when present, is written; and

(h) selectively displaying said document identifier identifying at least one of said plurality of documents, when present, having a linguistic content represented by said at least one displayed topic and written in said at least one user-selected natural language.

29. A computer-implemented method for displaying on a graphical user interface at least one topic representing a linguistic content of at least one of a plurality of documents, and displaying at least one document identifier identifying at least one of said plurality of documents, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a user selection of said at least one of said plurality of documents to be displayed;

(c) displaying a topic window comprising said at least one topic; and

(d) displaying a document window comprising at least one document identifier identifying at least one of said plurality of documents having a linguistic content represented by said at least one topic displayed in said topic window.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the steps of:

(d) moving a cursor on the graphical user interface to a position in said topic window proximate to a desired one or more of said at least one topic;

(e) selecting said one or more of said at least one desired topic; and

(f) selectively displaying in said document window said document identifier identifying at least one of said plurality of documents having a linguistic content represented by said selected one or more of said at least one topic.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said topic window comprises a hierarchical arrangement of said at least one topic.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said hierarchical arrangement is a collapsible and expandable tree-like structure.

33. A computer system having at least one central processing unit (CPU), an operating system, at least one memory unit, and a linguistic filter configured to cooperate with said at least one CPU and said operating system, said computer system being coupled to at least one file system having at least one file, said at least one file having a plurality of documents, said computer system comprising:

means for receiving a user selection of said at least one file having a plurality of documents to be analyzed;

said linguistic filter comprising;

means for identifying for each of at least one of said plurality of documents a document identifier;

means for dynamically, morphologically, and syntactically analyzing said at least one of said plurality of documents and dynamically generating at least one topic representing a linguistic content of said at least one of said plurality of documents;

means for displaying said at least one topic; and

means for displaying said document identifier.

34. The computer system of claim 33, wherein:

said at least one displayed topic is a plurality of topics;

at least one of said plurality of topics is user-selected; and

said linguistic filter further comprises means for selectively displaying said document identifier identifying at least one of said plurality of documents having a linguistic content represented by said at least one user-selected topic.

35. The computer system of claim 33, further comprising:

means for identifying at least one user-selected natural language in which said at least one of said plurality of documents, if present, is written; and

means for selectively displaying said document identifier identifying at least one of said plurality of documents, if present, having a linguistic content represented by said at least one topic displayed by said display manager and written in said at least one user-selected natural language.

36. Storage media that contains software that, when executed on an appropriate computing system, performs a method for displaying at least one topic representing a linguistic content of at least one of a plurality of documents, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a user selection of said at least one of said plurality of documents to be analyzed;

(b) dynamically analyzing said at least one of said plurality of documents and dynamically generating said at least one topic; and

(c) displaying said at least one topic.

37. The storage media of claim 36, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

(d) identifying for each of said at least one of said plurality of documents a document identifier; and

(e) displaying said document identifier.

38. The storage media of claim 36, wherein said at least one displayed topic is a plurality of topics, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

(d) receiving a user selection of at least one of said plurality of topics; and

(e) displaying said document identifier identifying at least one of said plurality of documents having a linguistic content represented by said at least one user-selected topic.

39. A computer program product for use with a windows environment, said computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having embodied therein computer readable program code method steps for displaying at least one topic representing a linguistic content of at least one of a plurality of documents, the method steps comprising;

(a) receiving a user selection of said at least one of a plurality of documents to be analyzed;

(b) dynamically analyzing said at least one of said plurality of documents and dynamically generating said at least one topic; and

(c) displaying said at least one topic.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein said method steps further comprise:

(d) identifying for each of said at least one of said plurality of documents a document identifier; and

(e) displaying said document identifier.

41. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein said at least one displayed topic is a plurality of topics, and wherein said method steps further comprise:

(d) receiving a user selection of at least one of said plurality of topics; and

(e) displaying said document identifier identifying at least one of said plurality of documents having a linguistic content represented by said at least one user-selected topic.