Retrieval of relevant information categories

• US 6,704,729 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Michel, Theodore L., Klein, Adrian C., Kyne, Fajen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAYYAN, SUSAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/575,481
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/5, 345/700
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/358 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9532 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

Large stores of information are often organized in a hierarchical taxonomy to aid a search and retrieval of the information. The hierarchical taxonomy generally consists of related categories of information, called “nodes,” that each may contain information relevant to the search. Each node is addressable according to its path in the hierarchical taxonomy. In information stores where the number of nodes having relevant information is extremely large, such as the Internet, providing a cohesive, intelligent, and organized display of the search results becomes extremely important to the success of a user traversing the store to find relevant information. The invention provides such search results by ranking each node of the taxonomy to determine which nodes are most likely to be relevant to the search request. The invention then creates a conceptually-related “cluster” of nodes by selecting a relevant “seed” node and relevant nodes related to the “seed” node.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium for creating a result set for a database query, the result set including selected nodes in a hierarchical taxonomy having computer-executable instructions for performing steps, comprising:

receiving a query;

comparing characteristics of one or more nodes with said query;

ranking said nodes based on a predetermined criteria;

selecting a first node based on said ranking;

selecting one or more related nodes based on said ranking, wherein said related nodes are hierarchically related to said first node; and

displaying said first node and said one or more related nodes when said first node and said one or more related nodes satisfy a predetermined threshold based on said ranking.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said displaying further comprises organizing said one or more related nodes around said first node such that a hierarchical relation of said related nodes to said first node is apparent.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, having further computer-executable instructions comprising ignoring said first node and repeating said steps of selecting.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said characteristics of said node include node designation, said related nodes, and files associated with said node.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein said files associated with said node include Internet web sites.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said query includes words, numbers, and/or images.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said first node has a higher ranking than said related nodes.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said one or more related nodes have a higher ranking than other nodes related to said first node.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said predetermined criteria is based on common structures between said characteristics of said nodes and said query.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said nodes are categories of an information database.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying further comprises organizing said one or more related nodes around said first node such that a hierarchical relation of said related nodes to said first node is apparent.

11. A method creating a result set for a database query, the result set including selected nodes in a hierarchical taxonomy, the method comprising:

receiving said query;

comparing characteristics of one or more nodes with said query;

ranking said nodes based on a predetermined criteria;

selecting a first node based on said ranking;

selecting one or more related nodes based on said ranking, wherein said related nodes are hierarchically related to said first node; and

displaying said first node and said one or more related nodes when said first node and said one or more related nodes satisfy a predetermined threshold based on said ranking.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising ignoring said first node and repeating said steps of selecting.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said characteristics of said node include node designation, said related nodes, and files associated with said node.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said files associated with said node include Internet web sites.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said query includes words, numbers, and/or images.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said first node has a higher ranking than said related nodes in said hierarchical taxonomy.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said one or more related nodes have a higher ranking than other nodes related to said first node.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said predetermined criteria is based on common structures between said characteristics of said nodes and said query.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein said nodes are categories of an information database.

21. A data retrieval system, comprising;

a user input for receiving a query;

a database coupled to said user input, wherein said database comprises data files

indexed in hierarchical categories;

a data server coupled to said database, wherein said data server selects a first category and one or more related categories based on a comparison of characteristics of said categories to said query, wherein said one or more related categories are hierarchically related to said first category; and

a display device for displaying said first category and said one or more related categories when said first category and said one or more related categories satisfy a predetermined threshold based on a ranking.

22. The data retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said data server further comprises a predetermined criteria for selecting said first category and said one or more related categories.

23. The data retrieval system of claim 22, wherein said predetermined criteria is a function of common structures between said characteristics of said category and said query.

24. The data retrieval system of claim 22, wherein said first category satisfies more of said predetermined criteria than other hierarchical categories, and wherein said one or more related categories satisfy more of said predetermined criteria than other categories related to said first category.

25. The data retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said data server further comprises a removal component that ignores said first category and repeats said selections.

26. The data retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said characteristics of said categories include category designation, said related categories, and said data files indexed in said hierarchical categories.

27. The data retrieval system of claim 21, wherein said query includes words, numbers, and/or images.

28. The data retrieval system of claim 21, further comprising one or more data entry terminals coupled to said user input for allowing a user to enter said query.

29. A data retrieval device, comprising:

a search component for selecting a first category and selecting one or more related categories based on a comparison of characteristics of said categories to a query;

wherein said search component further comprises a predetermined criteria for selecting said first category and said one or more related categories; and

a user interface component for receiving said query and outputting said fast category and said one or more related categories, wherein said first category satisfies more of said predetermined criteria than other hierarchical categories, and wherein said one or more related categories satisfy more of said predetermined criteria than other categories related to said first category.

30. The data retrieval device of claim 29, further comprising an output component for displaying said first category and said one or more related categories when said first category satisfies a predetermined threshold.

31. A search result obtained from an Internet search engine database based on a user query, wherein said database is organized as nodes in a hierarchical taxonomy, and displaying said information to said user in accordance with the following acts:

providing a server computer in communication with said Internet;

receiving said query from said user by way of said Internet;

ranking said nodes by comparing characteristics of said nodes with said query, wherein said ranking is determined by a predetermined threshold;

retrieving a first node from said database as a function of said query provided by said user;

retrieving one or more nodes related to said first node, based on said ranking, wherein said one or more related nodes have a higher ranking that other nodes related to said first node;

generating said search result as a function of said query; and

displaying said search result on a display of said user by organizing said one or more related nodes around said first node such that a hierarchical relation of said related nodes to said first node is apparent.

32. The search result of claim 31, wherein further comprising ignoring said first node and repeating said steps of retrieving.

33. The search result of claim 31, wherein said nodes represent categories of Internet web sites.

34. The search result of claim 31, wherein said first node has a higher ranking than said related nodes.

35. A method of retrieving data on an information network, wherein said data is indexed in categories of a hierarchical taxonomy on a database, comprising the steps of:

receiving a query to said database via said information network, wherein said query includes words, numbers, and/or images;

comparing characteristics of said categories with said query, wherein said characteristics of said categories include category designation, said related categories, and data files associated with said categories;

ranking said categories based on a predetermined criteria, wherein said predetermined criteria is based on common structures between said characteristics of said categories and said query;

selecting a first category based on said ranking, wherein said first category has a higher ranking than other categories in said hierarchical taxonomy;

selecting one or more related categories based on said ranking, wherein said related categories are hierarchically related to said first category, and wherein said one or more related categories have a higher ranking than other categories related to said first category;

when said first category satisfies a predetermined threshold, displaying said one or more related categories around said first category such that a relation of said related categories to said first category is apparent, wherein said predetermined threshold is based on said ranking; and

ignoring said first category and repeating said steps of selecting.