Method of describing business and technology information for utilization

• US 7,103,591 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Shearer, R. Bruce, Long, John O. F., Donegan, Thomas E., Bomford, Anne E., Asobayire, Paul, Barman, Dilip K., Bello, Stephen E., Cheng, Ting D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Uyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): THAI, HANH B
• Application Number:
  US10/308,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20040107187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 707 3- 5, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90328 using search space presentation or visualization, e.g. category or range presentation and selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method for data processing can include associating at least one descriptor dimension with a data item. The descriptor dimension can represent a scale between a first subject and at least a second subject. A dimension value can be associated with the descriptor dimension to quantify a relationship between the data item and the first and second subjects.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for data processing, comprising the steps of:

associating at least one descriptor dimension to data items of a collection, wherein said descriptor dimension represents a scale between a descriptor of said data items and at least one other descriptor of said data items;

assigning a dimension value to said descriptor dimension; and

seaching said collection of data items to identify at least one of said data items based upon said dimension value;

wherein said descriptors each define at least one of a data topic, data usage, and data operational history, and wherein said dimension value provides a sequential ordering indicating relevancies on said scale of said data items relative to each of said descriptors.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining said at least one descriptor dimension and dimension value by querying a user with a set of questions wherein said questions correlate to said descriptor dimensions and dimension values associated with said data items.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said descriptors relate, respectively, to different potential uses of said data items.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said descriptors relate to different classifications of said data items.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step:

assigning a characteristic descriptor to at least one of said data items, wherein said characteristic descriptor specifies a function of said data items.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step:

assigning a history descriptor to at least one of said data items.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said history descriptor specifies a usage history.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said history descriptor specifies a sharing history.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said history descriptor specifies a replication history.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein said history descriptor specifies a modification history.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein said history descriptor specifies an owner of said data item.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein said descriptors are used by a search engine to select data items in response to a user query.

13. A computer-implemented method for searching a collection of data items, comprising the steps of:

querying a user with a set of questions wherein said questions correlate to descriptor dimensions and dimension values associated with said data items, said descriptor dimensions representing a scale between a descriptor of said data items and at least one other descriptor of said data items, said descriptors each defining at least one of a data topic, data usage, and data operational history, and said dimension values providing sequential orderings indicating relevancies on said scale of said data items relative to each of said data descriptors;

generating a query based upon user responses to said questions, said query specifying at least one descriptor dimension and associated dimension value for searching said collection of data items; and

searching said collection of data items for particular ones of said data items conforming to said query.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said generating step further comprises:

determining at least one of a history descriptor and a characteristic descriptor of said data items to be used in said query.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said searching step further comprises:

searching said collection of data items using at least one of said history descriptor and said characteristic descriptor.

16. A machine-readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

associating at least one descriptor dimension to data items of a collection, wherein said descriptor dimension represents a scale between a descriptor of said data items and at least one other descriptor of said data items;

assigning a dimension value to said descriptor dimension; and

searching said collection of data items to identify at least one of said data items based upon said dimension value;

wherein said descriptors each define at least one of a data topic, data usage, and data operational history, and wherein said dimension value provides a sequential ordering indicating relevancies on said scale of said data items relative to each of said descriptors.

17. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, further comprising:

determining said at least one descriptor dimension and dimension value by querying a user with a set of questions wherein said questions correlate to said descriptor dimensions and dimension values associated with said data items.

18. The machine readable storage of claim 16, wherein said descriptors relate, respectively, to different potential uses of said data items.

19. The machine readable storage of claim 16, wherein said descriptors relate to different classifications of said data items.

20. The machine readable storage of claim 16, further comprising the step:

assigning a characteristic descriptor to at least one of said data items, wherein said characteristic descriptor specifies a function of said data items.

21. The machine readable storage of claim 20, further comprising the step:

assigning a history descriptor to at least one of said data items.

22. The machine readable storage of claim 21, wherein said history descriptor specifies a usage history.

23. The machine readable storage of claim 21, wherein said history descriptor specifies a sharing history.

24. The machine readable storage of claim 21, wherein said history descriptor specifies a replication history.

25. The machine readable storage of claim 21, wherein said history descriptor specifies a modification history.

26. The machine readable storage of claim 21, wherein said history descriptor specifies an owner of said data item.

27. The machine readable storage of claim 21, wherein said descriptors are used by a search engine to select data items in response to a user query.

28. A machine-readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

querying a user with a set of questions wherein said questions correlate to descriptor dimensions and dimension values associated with said data items, said descriptor dimensions representing a scale between a descriptor of said data items and at least one other descriptor of said data items, said descriptors each defining at least one of a data topic, data usage, and data operational history, and said dimension values providing sequential orderings indicating relevancies on said scale of said data items relative to each of said data descriptors;

generating a query based upon user responses to said questions, said query specifying at least one descriptor dimension and associated dimension value for searching said collection of data items; and

searching said collection of data items for particular ones of said data items conforming to said query.

29. The machine readable storage of claim 28, wherein said generating step further comprises:

determining at least one of a history descriptor and a characteristic descriptor of said data items to be used in said query.

30. The machine readable storage of claim 29, wherein said searching step further comprises:

searching said collection of data items using at least one of said history descriptor and said characteristic descriptor.