Apparatus, method, and program for retrieving structured documents

• US 6,889,223 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Digital Solutions Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Niina, Hiroshi, Hattori, Masakazu, Nonomura, Katsuhiko, Kanawa, Takuya, Isobe, Shozo
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abel-Jalil, Neveen
• Application Number:
  US10/107,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20020147711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-102, 707/104.1, 725/116, 345/810
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/8373 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

When a retrieval condition including a first desired word and a first desired component including a value in which the first desired word is included, is inputted, a first detecting device detects second desired components each being similar to the first desired component, an acquiring device acquirers second desired words each being similar to the first desired word, a first retrieving device retrieves first structured documents each including a first component including a value in which one of the first desired word and the second desired words is included, a second retrieving device retrieves second structured documents each including a second component corresponding to one of the first desired component and the second desired components and including or corresponding to the first component.

Claims

1. A computer program stored on a computer readable medium, and instructing the computer to retrieve structured documents from a structured-documents-database having a hierarchical structure and storing a plurality of structured documents each having a document structure and a plurality of data items, each of the document structures being constructed by a plurality of components, each of the component constructing the hierarchical structure, and each of the data items being stored in the structured-documents-database as a value included in one of the components, the computer program comprising:

first program instruction means for instructing a computer processor to receive at least one retrieval condition including at least one first desired word, and at least one first desired component including a value in which the first desired word is included;

second program instruction means for instructing a computer processor to detect a plurality of second desired components each being similar to the first desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

third program instruction means for instructing a computer processor to acquire a plurality of second desired words each being similar to the first desired word;

fourth program instruction means for instructing a computer processor to retrieve a plurality of first structured documents each including at least one first component including a value in which at least one of the first desired word and the second desired words is included, from the structured-document-database; and

fifth program instruction means for instructing a computer processor to retrieve a plurality of second structured documents each including a second component corresponding to one of the first desired component and the second desired components and including or corresponding to the first component, from the first structured documents.

2. An apparatus for retrieving structured documents from a structured-documents-database having a hierarchical structure and storing a plurality of structured documents each having a document structure and a plurality of data items, each of the document structures being constructed by a plurality of components, each of the component constructing the hierarchical structure, and each of the data items being stored in the structured-documents-database as a value included in one of the components, the apparatus comprising:

an input device configured to input at least one retrieval condition including at least one first desired word, and at least one first desired component including a value in which the first desired word is included;

a first detecting device configured to detect a plurality of second desired components each being similar to the first desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

an acquiring device configured to acquire a plurality of second desired words each being similar to the first desired word;

a first retrieving device configured to retrieve a plurality of first structured documents each including at least one first component including a value in which at least one of the first desired word and the second desired words is included, from the structured-document-database; and

a second retrieving device configured to retrieve a plurality of second structured documents each including a second component corresponding to one of the first desired component and the second desired components and including or corresponding to the first component, from the first structured documents.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the input device inputs the retrieval condition and an output condition, the output condition including at least one third desired component which is to be outputted;

and further comprising;

a second detecting device configured to detecting a plurality of fourth desired components each being similar to the third desired component, in the second structured documents;

an extracting device configured to extract a plurality of third components each corresponding to one of the third desired component and the fourth desired components, from the second structured documents; and

an output device configured to output the third components.

13. A method according to claim 2, wherein inputting at least one retrieval condition includes inputting the retrieval condition and an output condition, the output condition including at least one fifth desired component which is to be outputted;

and

which includes detecting a plurality of sixth desired components each being similar to the fifth desired component, in the desired structured documents;

extracting a plurality of fourth components each corresponding to one of the fifth desired component and the sixth desired components, from the desired structured documents;

outputting the fourth components.

4. An apparatus for retrieving structured documents from a structured-documents-database having a hierarchical structure and storing a plurality of structured documents each having a document structure and a plurality of data items, each of the document structures being constructed by a plurality of components, each of the component constructing the hierarchical structure, and each of the data items being stored in the structured-documents-database as a value included in one of the components, the apparatus comprising:

an input device configured to input at least one retrieval condition including at least one first desired word, a first desired component, and a second desired component, each of the first and the second desired component including a value in which the first desired word is included;

a first detecting device configured to detect a plurality of third desired components each being similar to the first desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

a second detecting device configured to detect a plurality of fourth desired components each being similar to the second desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

an acquiring device configured to acquire a plurality of second desired words each being similar to the first desired word;

a third detecting device configured to detect a plurality of first components each including a value in which at least one of the first desired word and the second desired words is included, from the structured-document-database;

a fourth detecting device configured to detect a plurality of second components each corresponding to one of the first desired component and the second desired components and including or corresponding to one of the first components, from the structured-document-database;

a fifth detecting device configured to detect a plurality of third components each corresponding to one of the second desired component and the fourth desired components and including or corresponding to one of the first components, from the structured-document-database; and

a first extracting device configured to extract a plurality of desired structured documents each including one of the second components and one of the third components, from the structured-document-database.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the input device inputs the retrieval condition and an output condition, the output condition including at least one fifth desired component which is to be outputted;

and further comprising

a sixth detecting device configured to detect a plurality of sixth desired components each being similar to the fifth desired component, in the desired structured documents;

a second extracting device configured to extract a plurality of fourth components each corresponding to one of the fifth desired component and the sixth desired components, from the desired structured documents;

outputting the fourth components.

6. An apparatus for retrieving structured documents from a structured-documents-database having a hierarchical structure and storing a plurality of structured documents each having a document structure and a plurality of data items, each of the document structures being constructed by a plurality of components, each of the component constructing the hierarchical structure, and each of the data items being stored in the structured-documents-database as a value included in one of the components, the method comprising:

an input device configured to input at least a retrieval condition including at least one first desired word, at least one first desired component including a value in which the first desired word is included, and at least one second desired component including the first desired component;

a first detecting device configured to detect a plurality of third desired components each being similar to the first desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

a second detecting device configured to detect a plurality of fourth desired components each being similar to the second desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

an acquiring device configured to acquire a plurality of second desired words each being similar to the first desired word;

a third detecting device configured to detect a plurality of first components each including a value in which at least one of the first desired word and the second desired words is included, from the structured-document-database;

a fourth detecting device configured to detect a plurality of second components each corresponding to one of the first desired component and the third desired components and including or corresponding to one of the first components, from the structured-document-database;

a fifth detecting device configured to detect a plurality of third components each corresponding to one of the second desired component and the fourth desired components and including or corresponding to one of the second components, from the structured-document-database; and

a first extracting device configured to extract a plurality of desired structured documents each including one of the third components, from the structured-document-database.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the input device inputs the retrieval condition and an output condition, the output condition including at least one fifth desired component which is to be outputted;

and further comprising;

a sixth detecting device configured to detect a plurality of sixth desired components each being similar to the fifth desired component, in the desired structured documents; and

,

a second extracting device configured to extract a plurality of fourth components each corresponding to one of the fifth desired component and the sixth desired components, from the desired structured documents; and

an output device configured to output the fourth components.

8. An apparatus for retrieving structured documents from a structured-documents-database having a hierarchical structure and storing a plurality of structured documents each having a document structure and a plurality of data items, each of the document structures being constructed by a plurality of components, each of the component constructing the hierarchical structure, and each of the data items being stored in the structured-documents-database as a value included in one of the components, the method comprising:

an input device configured to input at least one retrieval condition including at least one first desired word, a first desired component, a second desired component, and a third desired component, each of the first and second desired components including a value in which the first desired word is included, the third desired component including both the first and the second components;

a first detecting device configured to detect a plurality of fourth desired components each being similar to the first desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

a second detecting device configured to detect a plurality of fifth desired components each being similar to the second desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

a third detecting device configured to detect a plurality of sixth desired components each being similar to the third desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

an acquiring device configured to acquire a plurality of second desired words each being similar to the first desired word;

a fourth detecting device configured to detect a plurality of first components each including a value in which at least one of the first desired word and the second desired words is included, from the structured-document-database;

a fifth detecting device configured to detect a plurality of second components each corresponding to one of the first desired component and the fourth desired components, and including or corresponding to one of the first components, from the structured-document-database;

a sixth detecting device configured to detect a plurality of third components each corresponding to one of the second desired component and the fifth desired components, and including or corresponding to one of the first components, from the structured-document-database;

a seventh detecting device configured to detect a plurality of fourth components each corresponding to one of the third desired component and the sixth desired components, and including or corresponding to one of the second components and one of the third components, from the structured-document-database; and

a first extracting device configured to extract a plurality of desired structured documents each including one of the fourth components, from the structured-document-database.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the input device inputs the retrieval condition and an output condition, the output condition including at least one seventh desired component which is to be outputted;

and further comprising;

an eighth detecting device configured to detect a plurality of eighth desired components each being similar to the seventh desired component, in the desired structured documents; and

a second extracting device configured to detect a plurality of fifth components each corresponding to one of the seventh desired component and the eighth desired components, from the desired structured documents; and

an output device configured to output the fifth components.

10. A method for retrieving structured documents from a structured-documents-database having a hierarchical structure and storing a plurality of structured documents each having a document structure and a plurality of data items, each of the document structures being constructed by a plurality of components, each of the component constructing the hierarchical structure, and each of the data items being stored in the structured-documents-database as a value included in one of the components, the method comprising:

inputting at least a retrieval condition including at least one first desired word, and at least one first desired component including a value in which the first desired word is included;

detecting a plurality of second desired components each being similar to the first desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

acquiring a plurality of second desired words each being similar to the first desired word;

detecting a plurality of first components each including a value in which at least one of the first desired word and the second desired words is included, from the structured-document-database;

detecting a plurality of second components each corresponding to one of the first desired component and the second desired components and including or corresponding to one of the first components, from the structured-document-database; and

extracting a plurality of desired structured documents each including one of the second components, from the structured-document-database.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein inputting at least one retrieval condition includes inputting the retrieval condition and an output condition, the output condition including at least one third desired component which is to be outputted;

and

which includes detecting a plurality of fourth desired components each being similar to the third desired component, in the desired structured documents;

extracting a plurality of third components each corresponding to one of the third desired component and the fourth desired components, from the desired structured documents;

outputting the third components.

12. A method for retrieving structured documents from a structured-documents-database having a hierarchical structure and storing a plurality of structured documents each having a document structure and a plurality of data items, each of the document structures being constructed by a plurality of components, each of the component constructing the hierarchical structure, and each of the data items being stored in the structured-documents-database as a value included in one of the components, the method comprising:

inputting at least a retrieval condition including at least one first desired word, a first desired component, and a second desired component, each of the first and the second desired component including a value in which the first desired word is included;

detecting a plurality of third desired components each being similar to the first desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

detecting a plurality of fourth desired components each being similar to the second desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

acquiring a plurality of second desired words each being similar to the first desired word;

detecting a plurality of first components each including a value in which at least one of the first desired word and the second desired words is included, from the structured-document-database;

detecting a plurality of second components each corresponding to one of the first desired component and the second desired components and including or corresponding to one of the first components, from the structured-document-database;

detecting a plurality of third components each corresponding to one of the second desired component and the fourth desired components and including or corresponding to one of the first components, from the structured-document-database; and

extracting a plurality of desired structured documents each including one of the second components and one of the third components, from the structured-document-database.

14. A method for retrieving structured documents from a structured-documents-database having a hierarchical structure and storing a plurality of structured documents each having a document structure and a plurality of data items, each of the document structures being constructed by a plurality of components, each of the component constructing the hierarchical structure, and each of the data items being stored in the structured-documents-database as a value included in one of the components, the method comprising:

inputting at least a retrieval condition including at least one first desired word, at least one first desired component including a value in which the first desired word is included, and at least one second desired component including the first desired component;

detecting a plurality of third desired components each being similar to the first desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

detecting a plurality of fourth desired components each being similar to the second desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

acquiring a plurality of second desired words each being similar to the first desired word;

detecting a plurality of first components each including a value in which at least one of the first desired word and the second desired words is included, from the structured-document-database;

detecting a plurality of second components each corresponding to one of the first desired component and the third desired components and including or corresponding to one of the first components, from the structured-document-database;

detecting a plurality of third components each corresponding to one of the second desired component and the fourth desired components and including or corresponding to one of the second components, from the structured-document-database; and

extracting a plurality of desired structured documents each including one of the third components, from the structured-document-database.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein inputting at least one retrieval condition includes inputting the retrieval condition and an output condition, the output condition including at least one fifth desired component which is to be outputted;

and

which includes detecting a plurality of sixth desired components each being similar to the fifth desired component, in the desired structured documents;

extracting a plurality of fourth components each corresponding to one of the fifth desired component and the sixth desired components, from the desired structured documents;

outputting the fourth components.

16. A method for retrieving structured documents from a structured-documents-database having a hierarchical structure and storing a plurality of structured documents each having a document structure and a plurality of data items, each of the document structures being constructed by a plurality of components, each of the component constructing the hierarchical structure, and each of the data items being stored in the structured-documents-database as a value included in one of the components, the method comprising:

inputting at least one retrieval condition including at least one first desired word, a first desired component, a second desired component, and a third desired component, each of the first and second desired components including a value in which the first desired word is included, the third desired component including both the first and the second components;

detecting a plurality of fourth desired components each being similar to the first desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

detecting a plurality of fifth desired components each being similar to the second desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

detecting a plurality of sixth desired components each being similar to the third desired component, in the hierarchical structure;

acquiring a plurality of second desired words each being similar to the first desired word;

detecting a plurality of first components each including a value in which at least one of the first desired word and the second desired words is included, from the structured-document-database;

detecting a plurality of second components each corresponding to one of the first desired component and the fourth desired components and including or corresponding to one of the first components, from the structured-document-database;

detecting a plurality of third components each corresponding to one of the second desired component and the fifth desired components and including or corresponding to one of the second components, from the structured-document-database;

detecting a plurality of fourth components each corresponding to one of the third desired component and the sixth desired components and including or corresponding to one of the second components and one of the third components, from the structured-document-database; and

extracting a plurality of desired structured documents each including one of the fourth components, from the structured-document-database.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein inputting at least one retrieval condition includes inputting the retrieval condition and an output condition, the output condition including at least one seventh desired component which is to be outputted;

and

which includes detecting a plurality of eighth desired components each being similar to the seventh desired component, in the desired structured documents;

extracting a plurality of fifth components each corresponding to one of the seventh desired component and the eighth desired components, from the desired structured documents;

outputting the fifth components.