Methods and apparatus for searching for and identifying information of interest to users

• US 6,810,394 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Sime, Iain R. F., Coutts, Michael G., Dove, Lee G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US09/978,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20030069867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2-5, 707/10, 707/100, 707/102, 707/104.1, 709/213-219
• US Class Current: 707/713
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• 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 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

An information system. The system provides a user interface for selecting subject matter of interest to a user as well as various components for retrieving information items, for classifying information items to identify information items relating to the selected subject matter, for rating the identified information items, and for notifying the user about identified information items meeting a predetermined criteria. The system also includes components for requesting a subject mailer expert (SME) to apply a rating to the retrieved information items. The predetermined criteria typically include the information item having a rating exceeding an interest value set by the user.

Claims

1. An information system comprising:

means for selecting one or more subject matter areas of interest to one or more users;

means for searching for information items likely to relate to one or more of the selected subject mailer areas;

means for retrieving information items considered likely to relate to one or more of the selected subject matter areas;

means for classifying information items to identify information items relating to the selected subject matter;

means for rating the identified information items; and

means for notifying the user about identified information items meeting a predetermined criteria.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the means for selecting subject matter of interest to a user includes means for allowing a user to select an interest value, so that only those information items rated above that interest value will be notified to the user.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the means for retrieving information items retrieves items prior to the means for classifying items classifying the retrieved items.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the means for retrieving information items is activated at regular intervals so that data sources are checked for relevant information on a regular basis.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the means for retrieving information items includes an extraction routine for extracting text from the information items.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the means for rating the identified information items is implemented automatically by an artificial intelligence system.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the notifying means includes a comparing routine for determining whether a retrieved information item exceeds a predetermined threshold.

8. A system according to claim 1, further comprising feedback request means for requesting a subject matter expert to apply a rating to the retrieved information items.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the rating means includes a feedback routine whereby the rating means automatically applies an initial rating using artificial intelligence, receives a rating applied by a subject matter expert, and modifies the rating process to approximate closer to the rating of the expert.

10. A method of collecting selected information, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying one or more subject matter areas of interest to one or more users;

searching for information items likely to relate to one or more of the identified subject matter areas;

retrieving information items considered likely to relate to one or more of the identified subject matter areas;

rating the retrieved information items; and

notifying the user of retrieved information items meeting a predetermined criteria.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the step of retrieving information items relating to the identified subject matter includes the steps of:

identifying a plurality of sources of information;

accessing each of the plurality of sources of information; and

for each source of information, extracting any information items that are more recent than the information items retrieved on a previous visit to the information source.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the step of rating the retrieved information items includes the steps of:

automatically applying an initial rating using artificial intelligence; and

transmitting the retrieved information items to a subject matter expert for the expert to apply a rating.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the step of rating the retrieved information items includes the step of:

using the rating applied to the information item by the subject matter expert to modify the automatic rating step.

14. A method of disseminating targeted information to a plurality of users within an organization, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving from each of a plurality of users, a selection entry identifying one or more subject matter areas of interest to that user;

storing for each user an identification of the one or more subject matter areas selected by that user;

searching a plurality of information sources for information items likely to relate to the selected subject matter areas;

retrieving information items relating to any of the selected subject matter areas;

for each retrieved information item, applying an importance value to that item; and

notifying each user of any retrieved information items meeting a predetermined criteria.

15. A business intelligence system comprising:

subscribing means for allowing a user to select a subject matter area or areas of interest to that user;

searching means for accessing different information sources far identifying information items likely to relate to the selected area or areas of interest, for retrieving information items considered likely to relate to the selected area or areas of interest and for identifying any information items relating to the subject matter area or areas of interest;

evaluating means for applying an importance value to each information item relating to the subject matter areas of interest; and

notifying means for notifying the user about any information items meeting predetermined criteria.

16. A client-server information system, the system comprising:

a client having an interface for selecting a subject matter area or areas of interest to a user; and

a server for searching for information items likely to relate to the selected subject matter area or areas, retrieving information items considered likely to relate to the selected subject matter area or areas, identifying retrieved information items relating to the selected subject matter area or areas, rating the retrieved information items, and notifying the user of retrieved information items meeting a predetermined criteria.

17. A method of configuring an information system, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a one or more subject matter areas of interest;

identifying sources of information;

identifying infrastructures to be used; and

configuring the identified infrastructures to employ resources to access the sources of information to retrieve information items relating to the subject matter area or areas of interest by searching the sources of information to identify information items likely to relate to the subject matter area or areas of interest, to retrieve items considered likely to relate to the subject matter area or areas of interest and to examine the retrieved information items to identify items relating to the subject matter area or areas of interest.