Management of query result complexity using weighted criteria for hierarchical data structuring

• US 6,567,812 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2000
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Garrecht, Thomas, Loritz, Axel, Weiss, Anton
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cindy
• Application Number:
  US09/669,892
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/102
• US Class Current: 707/708
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/956 Hierarchical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Collected user parameters include category 210, category weight 230, and value 240 information. A search support application creates 300 a query based on the user parameters. The query is sent to structured 450 and unstructured 470 databases, and heterogeneous query results are stored 630. Stored query results are ordered in a tree-shaped hierarchy (FIG. 8). The tree-shaped hierarchy has ordered levels of nodes 710-750 with levels corresponding to categories, and nodes 1.0-3.9 corresponding to values for categories. Leaf nodes 4.0-4.15 correspond to actual results 900-915, but the intermediate nodes 1.0-4.15 correspond to conceptual or meta relationships. Display of the results is restricted using the tree-shaped hierarchy to help manage result complexity.

Claims

1. A search support method, comprising:

displaying on a user terminal a user interface with a plurality of user activatable regions including category entry regions, weighting regions, and value entry regions;

receiving at a search application server a set of user parameters from said plurality of user activatable regions including a plurality of categories, each having one or more respective values, wherein at least one of said categories has at least two said respective values, and wherein each of said plurality of categories has a respective weight, and wherein said set of user parameters is received by a user agent object of a search support application on said search application server;

providing said set of user parameters from said user agent object to a content agent object of said search support application;

building a query at said content agent object based on said set of user parameters, wherein said query includes a logical OR operation for each of said respective values within one of said plurality of categories to produce a respective first logical term, and a logical AND operation with each said first logical term for all of said plurality of categories;

providing said query from said content agent object to a network agent object of said search support application;

sending said query, using said network agent object, to one or more search engines;

receiving query results at said network agent object from said one or more search engines or databases;

providing said query results from said network agent object to said content agent object;

storing said query results in a data storage of said search application server;

creating a tree-shaped hierarchy, using said content agent object, wherein;

said tree-shaped hierarchy has a root node representing said query;

said tree-shaped hierarchy has a plurality of ordered levels of intermediate nodes, each of said ordered levels corresponding to one of said plurality of categories, wherein the order of said levels of intermediate nodes in proximity to said root node is determined based on said respective weight of said corresponding one of said plurality of categories, and wherein said intermediate nodes for a heaviest weighted one of said plurality of categories are connected to said root node;

said intermediate nodes at each given one of said plurality of ordered levels corresponding to said respective values for said one of said plurality of categories to which said given one of said ordered levels corresponds;

said tree-shaped hierarchy having leaf nodes connected to said intermediate nodes, each of said leaf nodes corresponding to one of said query results, each of said leaf nodes having an upward path through an upward set of said intermediate nodes to said root node, wherein said one of said query results pertains to all of the respective values in each of said intermediate nodes of said upward set of intermediate nodes; and

presenting at said user terminal a user interface based on said tree-shaped hierarchy, including;

displaying a navigation path indicator representing a position with respect to a present node of said tree-shaped hierarchy;

displaying a plurality of navigation branch indicators for selecting corresponding ones of said nodes in said tree-shaped hierarchy connected to said present node, each being displayed using ones of said corresponding values; and

when said present node is one of said plurality of intermediate nodes corresponding to a lowest level of said plurality of ordered levels, displaying one or more activatable display regions corresponding to ones of said leaf nodes connected to said present node.

2. The search support method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

after creating said tree-shaped hierarchy, determining an uptree of intermediate nodes for ones of said leaf nodes having an identical one of said query results;

when said present node is one of said leaf nodes having said uptree of intermediate nodes, displaying a corresponding uptree indicator for each of said intermediate nodes of said uptree; and

displaying, for each said uptree indicator, said values for said corresponding upward set of intermediate nodes.

3. A search support method, comprising:

sending to a search engine a query based on user parameters including categories, category weights, and values corresponding to said categories;

receiving query results;

creating a tree-shaped hierarchy having a root node and leaf nodes, each said leaf node having a corresponding one of said query results, said tree-shaped hierarchy having ordered layers of intermediate nodes between said root node and said leaf nodes, said ordered layers including at least a first and a last layer, wherein;

said first layer of said intermediate nodes is immediately downward of said root node and represents said values corresponding to the one of said categories having a heaviest one of said category weights;

said last layer of said intermediate nodes is immediately upward of said leaf nodes, and represents said values corresponding to the one of said categories having a lightest one of said category weights; and

each of said leaf nodes having an upward path through an upward set of said intermediate nodes to said root node, wherein said corresponding one of said query results for said each leaf node pertains to all of the respective values in each of said intermediate nodes of said upward set of intermediate nodes; and

providing an interface for navigating said nodes of said tree-shaped hierarchy including a representation of a position with respect to a present node of said tree-shaped hierarchy and, when said present node is one of said intermediate nodes, displaying said value represented by said intermediate node.

4. The search support method as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

after creating said tree-shaped hierarchy, determining for said leaf nodes having an identical one of said query results an uptree of intermediate nodes;

when said present node is one of said leaf nodes having said uptree of intermediate nodes, displaying a corresponding uptree indicator for each of said intermediate nodes of said uptree.

5. A search support method, comprising:

receiving user parameters including categories with weights, and values corresponding to said categories;

receiving query results based on said user parameters;

creating a tree-shaped hierarchy by;

creating a root node,

in a category order based on said weights, providing for each said category a layer of intermediate nodes relating to said corresponding values, and

for each query result in said query results, providing at least one leaf node having a path through an upward set of said intermediate nodes to said root node, wherein said query result for said at least one leaf node pertains to said corresponding value for each of said intermediate nodes of said upward set; and

providing said tree-shaped hierarchy to a user interface.

6. A search support method, comprising:

receiving user parameters including categories with weights, and values corresponding to said categories;

receiving query results based on said user parameters;

creating a tree-shaped hierarchy of nodes based on said query results with levels of intermediate nodes corresponding to said categories in order of said weights;

providing node information from said tree-shaped hierarchy;

displaying said query results in a restricted presentation using said node information.

7. The search support method as set forth in claim 6, wherein said node information further comprises:

a node type indicator;

an upward node indicator;

at least one downward indicator; and

a category/value indicator.

8. The search support method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said node information further comprises uptree information.

9. A search interface, comprising:

a parameter input interface, including;

a plurality of first regions for accepting categories;

a plurality of second regions for accepting category weights corresponding to said categories; and

a plurality of third regions for accepting, for each of said categories, one or more corresponding values; and

a search result output interface, including;

first navigation indicators indicating a position with respect to an upward direction in a tree-shaped hierarchy; and

second navigation indicators showing a position with respect to a downward direction in said tree-shaped hierarchy;

wherein said tree-shaped hierarchy is structured with a root node, intermediate nodes in layers corresponding to said categories, said layers being ordered according to said category weights, said intermediate nodes each representing one of said one or more corresponding values, and leaf nodes each representing a query result from at least one of;

a structured database, and

a non-structured database.

10. The search interface as set forth in claim 9, wherein said search result output interface further comprises an upward region and a downward region, said upward region including the first navigation indicators, and said downward region including said second navigation indicators.

11. The search interface as set forth in claim 10, wherein said upward region further comprises, for points of isolated semantic identity, supplemental navigation indicators for upward traverse of said tree-shaped hierarchy to a plurality of nodes.

12. A search application server, comprising:

a memory;

a search application, defining predetermined steps, in said memory; and

a processor accessing said memory and performing said predetermined steps defined by said search application;

wherein said predetermined steps comprise;

receiving user parameters including categories with weights, and values corresponding to said categories;

receiving query results based on said user parameters;

creating a tree-shaped hierarchy by;

creating a root node,

in a category order based on said weights, providing for each said category a layer of intermediate nodes relating to said corresponding values, and

for each query result in said query results, providing at least one leaf node having a path through an upward set of said intermediate nodes to said root node, wherein said query result for said at least one leaf node pertains to said corresponding value for each of said intermediate nodes of said upward set; and

outputting node information relating to said tree-shaped hierarchy.

13. The search application server as set forth in claim 12, wherein said node information further comprises:

a node type indicator;

an upward node indicator;

at least one downward indicator; and

a category/value indicator.

14. The search application server as set forth in claim 13, wherein said node information further comprises uptree information for points of isolated semantic identity.

15. A computer program product, comprising:

a class library, and

a computer-readable medium bearing said class library;

said class library including;

a first class for constructing user agent objects,

a second class for constructing content agent objects, and

a third class for constructing network agent objects;

said first class providing said user agent objects respective member functions for;

receiving user parameters including categories with respective weights, and values corresponding to said categories, and

providing said user parameters as an output;

said second class providing said content agent objects respective member functions for;

receiving said user parameters;

creating a query from said user parameters;

providing said query to one of said network agent objects;

receiving from one of said network agent objects one or more query results; and

creating, from said one or more query results, a tree-shaped hierarchy; and

said third class providing said network agent objects respective member functions for;

sending said query to a query search universe comprising one or more search engines and database management systems;

receiving from said query search universe one or more query results; and

providing to one of said content agent objects said one or more query results.

16. The computer program product as set forth in claim 15, wherein said tree-shaped hierarchy is created so as to comprise:

a root node representing said query;

a plurality of ordered levels of intermediate nodes, each of said ordered levels corresponding to one of said categories, wherein the order of said levels of intermediate nodes in proximity to said root node is determined based on said respective weight of said corresponding one of said categories, and wherein s aid intermediate nodes for a heaviest weighted one of said categories are connected to said root node;

said intermediate nodes at each given one of said plurality of ordered levels corresponding to said respective values for said one of said categories to which said given one of said ordered levels corresponds; and

said tree-shaped hierarchy having leaf nodes connected to said intermediate nodes, each of said leaf nodes corresponding to one of said query results, each of said leaf nodes having an upward path through an upward set of said intermediate nodes to said root node, wherein said one of said query results pertains to all of the respective values in each of said intermediate nodes of said upward set of intermediate nodes.

17. The computer program product as set forth in claim 16, wherein said second class further provides said content agent objects with respective member functions for determining uptree information for points of isolated semantic identity.

18. A computer program product for enabling a computer to support a user search, comprising:

software instructions for enabling the computer to perform predetermined operations, and

a computer readable medium bearing the software instructions;

the predetermined operations including the steps of;

receiving user parameters including categories with weights, and values corresponding to said categories;

receiving query results based on said user parameters;

creating a tree-shaped hierarchy by;

creating a root node,

in a category order based on said weights, providing for each said category a layer of intermediate nodes relating to said corresponding values, and

for each query result in said query results, providing at least one leaf node having a path through an upward set of said intermediate nodes to said root node, wherein said query result for said at least one leaf node pertains to said corresponding value for each of said intermediate nodes of said upward set; and

outputting node information relating to said tree-shaped hierarchy.

19. The computer program product as set forth in claim 18, wherein said node information further comprises:

a node type indicator;

an upward node indicator;

at least one downward indicator; and

a category/value indicator.

20. The computer program product as set forth in claim 19, wherein said node information further comprises uptree information for points of isolated semantic identity.

21. A search support method, comprising:

outputting user parameters representing a search request;

receiving, after said outputting step, a carrier wave with signal components representing node information, said node information including;

a node type indicator,

an upward node indicator,

at least one downward indicator,

a category/value indicator, and

an uptree indicator relating to a point of isolated semantic identity; and

displaying query results in a restricted presentation using said node information.