Hitmask for querying hierarchically related content entities
First Claim
1. In a data repository containing a plurality of hierarchically related content entities, a method for combining search results obtained for a plurality of queries, the queries being performed on entities of different hierarchical levels, comprising the steps of:
- associating each entity with an identifier containing information about the hierarchical relationship of that entity to others of the entities;
for each entity in a result set, generating a hit mask comprising n bits, where n equals the number of queries, each bit corresponding to one of the queries, and wherein a value of ‘
1’
for any bit indicates that the entity is a hit for the corresponding query; and
using the entity identifiers to determine if any entity of the result set is a container entity that contains other entities in the result, if so, logically OR-ing the hit mask of the container entity with the hit masks of those entities in the result sets contained within the container entity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A web-based system, method and program product are provided for searching a content object (e.g., a custom compilation or prepublished work) stored in a data repository as a group of hierarchically related content entities. Each noncontainer content object is stored as a separate entity in the data repository. Each content entity is also stored as a row in a digital library index class as a collection of attributes and references to related content entities and containers. Each noncontainer content object is preferably stored as a separate entity in the data repository. Each content entity is also stored as a row in a digital library index class as a collection of attributes and references to related content entities. Each container and noncontainer is associated with a unique identifier that includes hierarchical information about its position in the hierarchy. Queries are executed on the hierarchical containers and noncontainers through an application or user-interface. The results of the independent searches are merged using hit masks. A hit mask is a string of bits, each bit representing a query. For each container and noncontainer in the result set, a hit mask is generated and ones of the bits are set to indicate which of the queries the container or noncontainer satisfies. Container hit masks are OR-ed with their child containers and/or noncontainers to reflect inheritance. Containers and noncontainers with all bits set comprise the merged result set.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. In a data repository containing a plurality of hierarchically related content entities, a method for combining search results obtained for a plurality of queries, the queries being performed on entities of different hierarchical levels, comprising the steps of:
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associating each entity with an identifier containing information about the hierarchical relationship of that entity to others of the entities;
for each entity in a result set, generating a hit mask comprising n bits, where n equals the number of queries, each bit corresponding to one of the queries, and wherein a value of ‘
1’
for any bit indicates that the entity is a hit for the corresponding query; and
using the entity identifiers to determine if any entity of the result set is a container entity that contains other entities in the result, if so, logically OR-ing the hit mask of the container entity with the hit masks of those entities in the result sets contained within the container entity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for combining search results obtained for a plurality of queries performned on entities of different hierarchical levels, the entities being stored in a data repository, comprising the steps of:
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associating each entity with an identifier containing information about the hierarchical relationship of that entity to others of the entities;
for each entity in a result set, generating a hit mask comprising n bits, where n equals the number of queries, each bit corresponding to one of the queries, and wherein a value of ‘
1’
for any bit indicates that the entity is a hit for the corresponding query; and
using the entity identifiers to determine if any entity of the result set is a container entity that contains other entities in the result, if so, logically OR-ing the hit mask of the container entity with the hit masks of those entities in the result sets contained within the container entity. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for querying a plurality of hierarchically related content entities and combining search results obtained, comprising:
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a data repository for storing the plurality of hierarchically related content entities;
means for associating each entity with an identifier containing information about the hierarchical relationship of that entity to others of the entities;
means for generating a hit mask for each entity in a result set, the hit mask comprising n bits, where n equals the number of queries, each bit corresponding to one of the queries, and wherein a value of ‘
1’
for any bit indicates that the entity is a hit for the corresponding query; and
means for determining from the entity identifiers if any entity of the result set is a container entity that contains other entities in the result, if so, logically OR-ing the hit mask of the container entity with the hit masks of those entities in the result sets contained within the container entity. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification