Usage based strength between related help topics and context based mapping thererof in a help information retrieval system

• US 6,985,893 B1
• Filed: 04/14/2000
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle OTC Subsidiary LLC (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: RightNow Technologies Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Warner, Douglas K., Myer, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Uyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, TE Y
• Application Number:
  US09/549,667
• Time in Patent Office: 2,097 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1-104, 707500-504, 704/1, 704/9, 704/10, 345745-748, 345/339, 715/501.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

An information retrieval system allows a user to navigate through a plurality of informational items for a desired informational item, and upon selection of an informational item, presents other informational items related to the selected informational item. The information retrieval system in accordance with the principles of the present invention maintains a database that defines a relational association between a plurality of informational items in the system. The relational association is based on historical navigational behavior of users of the information retrieval system, and includes a relationship type, which is based on the characteristic similarities between the informational items, and relationship strength, which is based on the historical frequency of any related informational items being selected by a user within the same information retrieval session. When a navigation from one informational item to another informational item is detected, the relationship type and the relationship strength of the two informational items are determined and stored in the database. During a subsequent selection of an informational item, any related informational items related to the selected informational item are sorted based on the respective relationship types and relationship strengths, and are provided in a sorted list from which the user can select.

Claims

1. A method of providing a context sensitive mapping of a plurality of help informational items in an information retrieval system, comprising the steps of:

establishing a database for maintaining at least one record entry, the at least one record entry defining a relationship between an originating location from which a help request originates and corresponding locations of the plurality of help informational items that are related to the originating location, wherein the originating location is one of the plurality of help informational items and the at least one record entry includes a relationship type which is based on characteristic similarities between the originating location and the help informational items that are related to the originating location, and a relationship strength value which is based on historical frequency of selection from the originating location by a user of the help informational items that are related to the originating location;

detecting a subsequent user'"'"'s selection of a help informational item from the originating location;

presenting to the subsequent user, if a relationship record for the help informational item exists in the database, a plurality of help informational items that are related to the help informational item selected by the subsequent user, which are sorted based on respective relationship types and relationship strength values; and

presenting to the subsequent user, if a relationship record for the help informational item does not exist in the database, a conventional help topic content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting the plurality of help informational items that are related to the help informational item selected by the subsequent user further includes a step of presenting a sorted list based on the respective relationship types and relationship strength values from which the subsequent user can select, thereby benefiting from a prior user'"'"'s navigation of the selected help informational item.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of updating the relationship strength value.

4. An apparatus for providing a context sensitive mapping of a plurality of help informational items in an information retrieval system, comprising:

a database for maintaining at least one record entry, the at least one record entry defining a relationship between an originating location from which a help request originates and corresponding locations of the plurality of help informational items that are related to the originating location, wherein the originating location is one of the plurality of help informational items and the at least one record entry includes a relationship type which is based on characteristic similarities between the originating location and the help informational items that are related to the originating location, and a relationship strength value which is based on historical frequency of selection from the originating location by a user of the help informational items that are related to the originating location; and

a navigation interface for detecting a subsequent user'"'"'s selection of a help informational item from the originating location, for presenting to the subsequent user, if a relationship record for the help informational item exists in the database, a plurality of help informational items that are related to the help informational item selected by the subsequent user, which are sorted based on respective relationship types and relationship strength values, and for presenting to the subsequent user, if a relationship record for the help informational item does not exist in the database, a conventional help topic content.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the navigation interface is adapted for presenting a sorted list based on the respective relationship types and relationship strength values from which the subsequent user can select, thereby benefiting from a prior user'"'"'s navigation of the selected help informational item.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the navigation interface is adapted for updating the relationship strength value.

7. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program for implementing a method of providing a context sensitive mapping of a plurality of help informational items in an information retrieval system, said computer program comprising a set of instructions for:

establishing a database for maintaining at least one record entry, the at least one record entry defining a relationship between an originating location from which a help request originates and corresponding locations of the plurality of help informational items that are related to the originating location, wherein the originating location is one of the plurality of help informational items and the at least one record entry includes a relationship type which is based on characteristic similarities between the originating location and the help informational items that are related to the originating location, and a relationship strength value which is based on historical frequency of selection from the originating location by a user of the help informational items that are related to the originating location;

detecting a subsequent user'"'"'s, selection of a help informational item from the originating location;

presenting to the subsequent user, if a relationship record for the help informational item exists in the database, a plurality of help informational items that are related to the help informational item selected by the subsequent user, which are sorted based on respective relationship types and relationship strength values; and

presenting to the subsequent user, if a relationship record for the help informational item does not exist in the database, a conventional help topic content.

8. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the step of presenting the plurality of help informational items that are related to the help informational item selected by the subsequent user further includes a step of presenting a sorted list based on the respective relationship types and relationship strengths from which the subsequent user can select, thereby benefiting from a prior user'"'"'s navigation of the selected help informational item.

9. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 7, further comprising an instruction for updating the relationship strength value.