Apparatus for classifying or disambiguating data

• US 6,847,972 B1
• Filed: 10/05/1999
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Groupm UK Digital Ltd. (WPP PLC)
• Original Assignee: Crystal Reference Systems Ltd. (Inuvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crystal, David, Vernau, Judi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pardo, Thuy N.
• Application Number:
  US09/412,754
• Time in Patent Office: 1,939 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/5, 707/6, 707/100, 707/101, 707/4, 707/102, 707/104, 707/514, 705/14
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/30 of unstructured textual data document management systems G06F16/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/353 into predefined classes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• 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 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99947 Object-oriented database structure reference

Abstract

A computing system has a data storage device for storing a database including a classified vocabulary of terms. A processor of the apparatus is arranged to associate each term with a number of different categories of data and to associate all terms falling within the same category with a common code identifying a collocation of terms that exemplify that category so that terms in different categories are associated with different codes and can be disambiguated. The processor is arranged to write, directly or indirectly, a classified vocabulary including the terms together with the associated code onto a computer-readable storage medium or to supply an electrical signal via, for example a MODEM or a LAN/WAN. The database may be used in classification of documents, spelling checking of documents and refining of keyword search results.

Claims

1. A computer processing apparatus for classifying a document, comprising:

a database having a database structure providing a classification scheme having a plurality of different subject matter categories, the database containing a classified vocabulary including a plurality of terms in each of the different subject matter categories with each term being classified in accordance with the classification scheme and the database also containing a classification data set comprising a plurality of groups of terms with each group being associated with a specific different one of the subject matter categories and each group including a plurality of terms exemplifying the associated category for facilitating disambiguation between different meanings of the same term;

means for receiving in computer-readable form a document to be classified;

processor means for comparing terms appearing in the text document with the terms in the database and for determining from the comparison the category for the document; and

means for supplying a signal carrying data representing the document and data associating the document with the determined category.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor means determines the category for the document by determining from the comparison the category or categories of terms in the document, assigns weightings to the determined categories for the terms, and assigns the document being classified to the category having the highest weighting.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor means shares, for each term in the classified vocabulary and in the text document, a predetermined weighting factor between each category associated with the term.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for storing the database.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the database provides said plurality of subject matter categories as a tree structure including a plurality of main subject matter areas each divided into two or more subject matter areas.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the database provides said plurality of subject matter categories such that each category is defined by a subject matter area and a species or genus.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the database provides said plurality of subject matter categories such that the species or geni are people, places, organisations, products and technology.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the database provides said plurality of subject matter categories such that the species or geni are the same for each subject matter area.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the database provides categories in each of the following subject matter areas:

the universe, the earth, the environment, natural history, humanity, recreation, society, the mind and human history.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the database is such that, for a given meaning, a term is associated with only one category and different meanings of the same term are associated with different categories.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supplying means comprises means for storing a signal supplied by the supplying means on a computer readable medium.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supplying means comprises means for forwarding a signal supplied by the supplying means to another processing apparatus.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supplying means comprises means for displaying the information to a user.

14. A database for use with an apparatus in accordance with claim 1, the database having a database structure providing a classification scheme having a plurality of different subject matter categories, the database containing a classified vocabulary including a plurality of terms in each of the different subject matter categories with each term being classified in accordance with the classification scheme and the database also containing a classification data set comprising a plurality of groups of terms with each group being associated with a specific different one of the subject matter categories and each group including a plurality of terms exemplifying the associated category whereby the classification data set facilitates disambiguation between different meanings of the same term.

15. A signal carrying a database in accordance with claim 14.

16. A storage medium carrying a database in accordance with claim 14.

17. A signal carrying processor implementable instructions for causing apparatus to become configured to form apparatus in accordance with claim 1.

18. A computer processing apparatus for classifying a document, comprising:

means for accessing a database having a database structure providing a plurality of different subject matter categories, the database containing a classified vocabulary including a plurality of terms in each of the different subject matter categories with each term being classified in accordance with the subject matter category structure of the database and the database also containing a plurality of collocations each collocation being associated with a specific different one of the subject matter categories and each collocation including a plurality of terms exemplifying the associated category for disambiguating a different meaning of the same term;

means for receiving in computer-readable form a text document to be classified;

processor means for comparing terms appearing in the text document with the collocations to determine the collocation having the most terms in common with the document, and for allocating the category of the determined collocation to the document; and

means for supplying a signal carrying data representing the text document and data associating the text document with the determined category.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the processor means disambiguates between different meanings of terms by using the collocations.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the accessing means accesses the collocations from store means separate from the remainder of the database.

21. A database for use with an apparatus in accordance with claim 18, the database having a database structure providing a classification scheme having a plurality of different subject matter categories, the database containing a classified vocabulary including a plurality of terms in each of the different subject matter categories with each term being classified in accordance with the classification scheme and the database also containing a classification data set comprising a plurality of collocations each collocation being associated with a specific different one of the subject matter categories and each collocation including a plurality of terms exemplifying the associated category whereby the classification data set facilitates disambiguation between different meanings of the same term.

22. A method of classifying documents in a computer processing apparatus, comprising:

providing a database having a database structure providing a classification scheme having a plurality of different subject matter categories, the database containing a classified vocabulary including a plurality of terms in each of the different subject matter categories with each term being classified in accordance with the classification scheme and the database also containing a classification data set comprising a plurality of groups of terms with each group being associated with a specific different one of the subject matter categories and each group including a plurality of terms exemplifying the associated category whereby the classification data set facilitates disambiguation between different meanings of the same term, and a receiver configured to receive in computer-readable form a text document to be classified;

comparing terms appearing in the text document with the terms in the database;

determining from the comparison the category for the text document; and

supplying a signal carrying data representing the text document and data associating the text document with the determined category.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising determining the category for the document by determining from the comparison the category or categories of the terms in the document, assigning weightings to the determined categories for the terms, and assigning the document being classified to the category having the highest weighting.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising assigning weighting by, for each term in the classified vocabulary and in the text document, sharing a predetermined weighting factor between each category associated with the term.

25. The method according to claim 22, further comprising carrying out the supplying by storing a signal on a computer-readable medium.

26. The method according to claim 22, further comprising carrying out the supplying by forwarding a signal to another processing apparatus.

27. The method according to claim 22, further comprising displaying the information to a user.

28. A method of classifying documents in a computer processing apparatus, comprising:

providing a database having a database structure providing a classification scheme having a plurality of different subject matter categories, the database containing a classified vocabulary including a plurality of terms in each of the different subject matter categories with each term being classified in accordance with the classification scheme and the database also containing a classification data set comprising a plurality of collocations of terms with each collocation being associated with a specific different one of the subject matter categories and each collocation including a plurality of terms exemplifying the associated category for disambiguating different meanings of the same term, and a receiver configured to receive in computer-readable form a text document to be classified;

comparing terms appearing in the text document with the collocations to determine the collocation having the most terms in common with the text document;

allocating the category of the determined collocation to the document; and

supplying a signal carrying data representing the text document and data associating the text document with the determined category.

29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising accessing the collocations from store means separate from the remainder of the database.

30. A processor readable medium storing processor readable instructions for causing a processor to:

access a database having a database structure providing a classification scheme having a plurality of different subject matter categories, the database containing a classified vocabulary including a plurality of terms in each of the different subject matter categories with each term being classified in accordance with the classification scheme and the database also containing a classification data set comprising a plurality of groups of terms with each group being associated with a specific different one of the subject matter categories and each group including a plurality of terms exemplifying the associated category for facilitating disambiguation of different meanings of the same term;

receive in computer-readable form a text document to be classified;

compare terms appearing in the text document with the terms in the database;

determine from the comparison the category for the document; and

supply a signal carrying data representing the text document and data associating the text document with the determined category.

31. A computer processing apparatus for classifying documents, the apparatus comprising:

a database having a database structure defining a classification scheme for terms;

the classification scheme having subject matter data defining main and subsidiary subject matter domains into which terms can be classified and genera data defining a predetermined number of genera to which terms can be allocated, the classification scheme being such that a term can be allocated to more than one subject matter domain but to only one genus so that each specific combination of subsidiary subject matter domain and genus defines a unique category;

the database also having classified vocabulary comprising a set of terms classified in accordance with the classification scheme such that each term is associated with category data identifying the corresponding category;

the database also including a classification scheme data set which includes a respective different classification scheme data set item associated with each category;

each classification scheme data set item comprising a collocation consisting of a list of terms that may be used to describe the function, appearance or relationship with other objects of classified terms in that category or that may be used in relation to terms in that category;

a receiver operable to receive in computer-readable form a text document to be classified;

a processor configured to compare terms in the text document with terms in at least one of the classified vocabulary and the collocations to determine a category for the text document; and

a signal supplier configured to supply a signal carrying data representing the text document and data associating the text document with the determined category data.

32. A method of classifying documents, the method comprising:

providing a classification scheme having subject matter data defining main and subsidiary subject matter domains into which terms can be classified and genera data defining a predetermined number of genera to which terms can be allocated, the classification scheme being such that a term can be allocated to more than one subject matter domain but to only one genus so that each specific combination of subsidiary subject matter domain and genus defines a unique category;

providing a classified vocabulary comprising a set of terms classified in accordance with the classification scheme such that each term in the classified vocabulary is associated with category data identifying the corresponding category;

providing a classification scheme data set which includes a respective different classification scheme data set item associated with each category with each classification scheme data set item comprising a collocation consisting of a list of terms that may be used to describe the function, appearance or relationship with other objects of classified terms in that category or that may be used in relation to terms in that category;

receiving data representing a text document to be classified; and

comparing terms in the text document with terms in at least one of the classified vocabulary and the collocations to determine a category for the text document.

33. A computer processing apparatus for classifying documents, the apparatus comprising:

a database having a database structure providing a classification scheme having a plurality of different subject matter categories, the database containing a classified vocabulary consisting of a plurality of terms in each of the different subject matter categories with each term being classified in accordance with the classification scheme and the database also containing a classification data set comprising a plurality of groups of terms with each group being associated with a specific different one of the subject matter categories and each group including terms that may be used to describe the function, appearance or relationship with other objects of classified terms in that category or that may be used in relation to terms in that category to facilitate disambiguation between different meanings of the same term;

a receiver configured to receive in computer-readable form a text document to be classified;

a processor configured to use the groups of terms in the classification data set to disambiguate different meanings of terms in the document and to determine a category for the text document using the database; and

a signal supplier configured to supply a signal carrying data representing the text document and data associating the text document with the determined category data.