Automated classification of items using cascade searches
First Claim
1. A method for classifying an item, the item having a plurality of attributes, each attribute having a value, the method comprising:
- selecting a first attribute of the item;
designating a fist search strategy comprising the value of the first attribute applied to operate upon data records in a first database;
selecting a second attribute of the item;
designating a second search strategy comprising the value of the second attribute applied to operate upon a second subset of data records in a second database;
forming a search hierarchy comprised of the first search strategy followed by the second search strategy;
executing the search hierarchy;
selecting at least one classification for the item based on the search.
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Abstract
The present invention allows an item to automatically be classified using its attributes based on a classification schema and a knowledge base. The invention can include selecting a first attribute of the item, designating a first search strategy comprising the value of the first attribute applied to operate upon data records in a first database, selecting a second attribute of the item; designating a second search strategy comprising the value of the second attribute applied to operate upon a second subset of data records in a second database, forming a search hierarchy comprised of the first search strategy followed by the second search strategy, executing the search hierarchy, and selecting at least one classification for the item based on the search.
165 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for classifying an item, the item having a plurality of attributes, each attribute having a value, the method comprising:
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selecting a first attribute of the item;
designating a fist search strategy comprising the value of the first attribute applied to operate upon data records in a first database;
selecting a second attribute of the item;
designating a second search strategy comprising the value of the second attribute applied to operate upon a second subset of data records in a second database;
forming a search hierarchy comprised of the first search strategy followed by the second search strategy;
executing the search hierarchy;
selecting at least one classification for the item based on the search. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
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selecting a first attribute of an item to be classified, the item having a plurality of attributes, each attribute having a value;
designating a first search strategy comprising the value of the first attribute applied to operate upon data records in a first database;
selecting a second attribute of the item to be classified;
designating a second search strategy comprising the value of the second attribute applied to operate upon a second subset of data records in a second database;
forming a search hierarchy comprised of the first search strategy followed by the second search strategy;
executing the search hierarchy;
selecting at least one item classification for the item based on the executing the search. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An apparatus for classifying an item, the item having a plurality of attributes, each attribute having a value, the apparatus comprising:
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a first classification knowledge database containing a plurality of values, each associated with at least one category;
a search engine to select a first attribute and a second attribute of the item, to execute a search hierarchy including a first search strategy comprising the value of the first attribute applied to operate upon a first subset of data records in the first classification knowledge database, the search hierarchy further including a second search strategy comprising the value of the second attribute applied to operate upon a second subset of data records in the first classification knowledge database, the search engine to select at least one classification for the item based on the search. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification