Place name information extraction apparatus and extraction method thereof and storing medium stored extraction programs thereof and map information retrieval apparatus

• US 7,240,061 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2001
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Fukushima, Toshikazu, Kida, Koji, Ishiguro, Yoshihide
• Primary Examiner(s): Mofiz; Apu M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cindy
• Application Number:
  US09/983,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: 707/102, 707/100, 707/3, 707/4, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/30 of unstructured textual data document management systems G06F16/93
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A place name information extraction apparatus in which not only a place name expression appeared in a text is extracted but also the type of the extracted place name expression can be judged, and a place name information extraction method of the apparatus, and a storing medium stored place name information extraction programs of the method, and a map information retrieval apparatus used the place name information extraction apparatus are provided. The place name information extraction apparatus provides a place name expression detecting means that detects a place name expression appeared in a text and its position appeared the place name expression in the text, and a place name type judging means that judges a place name type, which signifies a meaning role of the place name expression appeared in the text, by analyzing before and after the position appeared the place name expression in the text.

Claims

1. A computer implemented place name information extraction apparatus including computer readable media storing programming code for performing processing comprising:

judging a place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to a place name expression appearing in a document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression; and

storing the place name type in a memory;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page.

2. A computer implemented place name information extraction apparatus including computer readable media storing programming code for performing processing comprising:

judging a first place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to a place name expression appearing in a document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression;

judging a second place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on a text type of a text in said document;

judging a final place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on said first place name type and said second place name type; and

storing the final place name type in a memory;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page.

3. A computer implemented place name information extraction apparatus including computer readable media storing programming code for performing processing comprising:

detecting a place name expression appearing in a document and a position of said place name expression in said document;

judging a place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression appearing in said document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression; and

storing the place name type in a memory;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page.

4. A computer implemented place name information extraction apparatus including computer readable media storing programming code for performing processing comprising:

detecting a place name expression appearing in a document and a position of said place name expression in said document;

judging a first place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression appearing in said document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression;

judging a second place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on a text type of a text of said document;

judging a final place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on said first place name type and said second place name type; and

storing the final place name type in a memory;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page.

5. A computer implemented place name information extraction apparatus including computer readable media storing programming code for performing processing, comprising:

judging a place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to a place name expression appearing in a document by detecting a clue expression in a link source page that links to the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression; and

storing the place name type in a memory.

6. A computer implemented place name information extraction method, comprising the computer processing step of:

judging a place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to a place name expression appearing in a document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression; and

storing the place name type in a memory;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page.

7. A computer implemented place name information extraction method, comprising the computer processing steps of:

judging a first place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to a place name expression appearing in a document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression;

judging a second place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on a text type of a text in said document;

judging a final place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on said first place name type and said second place name type; and

storing the final place name type in a memory;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page.

8. A computer implemented place name information extraction method, comprising the computer processing steps of:

detecting a place name expression appearing in a document and a position of said place name expression in said document;

judging a place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression appearing in said document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression; and

storing the place name type in a memory;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page; and

wherein said place name type is one of a location, an event site, a passing point, and a topic spot.

9. A computer implemented place name information extraction method, comprising the computer processing steps of:

detecting a place name expression appearing in a document and a position of said place name expression in said document;

judging a first place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression appearing in said document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression;

judging a second place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on a text type of a text of said document;

judging a final place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on said first place name type and said second place name type; and

storing the final place name type in a memory;

wherein said final place name type is one of a location, an event site, a passing point, and a topic spot.

10. A computer implemented place name information extraction method, comprising the computer processing steps of:

judging a place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to place name expression appearing in a document by detecting a clue expression in a link source page that links to the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression; and

storing the place name type in a memory.

11. A storing medium storing extraction programs for causing a computer to execute a place name information extraction process, the process comprising the step of:

judging a place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to a place name expression appearing in a document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression; and

storing the place name type in a memory;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page.

12. A storing medium storing extraction programs for causing a computer to execute a place name information extraction process, the process comprising the steps of:

judging a first place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to a place name expression appearing in a document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression;

judging a second place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on a text type of a text in said document;

judging a final place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on said first place name type and said second place name type; and

storing the final place name type in a memory;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page.

13. A storing medium storing extraction programs for causing a computer to execute a place name information extraction process, the process comprising the steps of:

detecting a place name expression appearing in a document and a position of said place name expression in said document;

judging a place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression appearing in said document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression; and

storing the place name type in a memory;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page.

14. A storing medium storing extraction programs for causing a computer to execute a place name information extraction process, the process comprising the steps of:

detecting a place name expression appearing in a document and a position of said place name expression in said document;

judging a first place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression appearing in said document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression;

judging a second place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on a text type of a text of said document;

judging a final place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on said first place name type and said second place name type; and

storing the final place name type in a memory;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page.

15. A storing medium storing extraction programs for causing a computer to execute a place name information extraction process, the process comprising the steps of:

judging a place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to a place name expression appearing in a document by detecting a clue expression in a link source page that links to the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression; and

storing the place name type in a memory.

16. A computer implemented map information retrieval apparatus including computer readable media storing programming code for performing processing comprising:

extracting place name information by performing processing that comprises;

judging a place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to a place name expression appearing in a document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression;

storing place name expressions and corresponding place name types that are detected by said place name information extraction process;

receiving user input specifying an inputted place name expression and an inputted place name type from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types;

retrieving a map of a region from a map database using said inputted place name expression as a key;

retrieving place name expressions and corresponding place name types from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types using said inputted place name expression and said inputted place name type as a retrieval key; and

concurrently displaying said retrieved map and said retrieved place name expressions and corresponding place name types;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page.

17. A computer implemented map information retrieval apparatus including computer readable media storing programming code for performing processing comprising:

judging a place name type that corresponds to a place name expression appearing in a document based on a text type of a text of said document, said place name type being one of a location, an event site, a passing point, and a topic spot;

storing place name expressions and corresponding place name types that are detected by said place name information extraction process;

receiving user input specifying an inputted place name expression and an inputted place name type from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types;

retrieving a map of a region from a map database using said inputted place name expression as a key;

retrieving place name expressions and corresponding place name types from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types using said inputted place name expression and said inputted place name type as a retrieval key; and

concurrently displaying said retrieved map and said retrieved place name expressions and corresponding place name types.

18. A computer implemented map information retrieval apparatus including computer readable media storing programming code for performing processing comprising:

extracting place name information by performing processing comprised of;

judging a first place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to a place name expression appearing in a document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression;

judging a second place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on a text type of a text in said document; and

judging a final place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on said first place name type and said second place name type;

storing place name expressions and corresponding place name types that are detected by said place name information extraction process;

receiving user input specifying an inputted place name expression and an inputted place name type from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types;

retrieving a map of a region from a map database using said inputted place name expression as a key;

retrieving place name expressions and corresponding place name types from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types using said inputted place name expression and said inputted place name type as a retrieval key; and

concurrently displaying said retrieved map and said retrieved place name expressions and corresponding place name types;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page.

19. A computer implemented map information retrieval apparatus including computer readable media storing programming code for performing processing comprising:

extracting place name information by performing processing comprised of;

detecting a place name expression appearing in a document and a position of said place name expression in said document; and

judging a place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression appearing in said document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression;

storing place name expressions and corresponding place name types that are detected by said place name information extraction process;

receiving user input specifying an inputted place name expression and an inputted place name type from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types;

retrieving a map of a region from a map database using said inputted place name expression as a key;

retrieving place name expressions and corresponding place name types from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types using said inputted place name expression and said inputted place name type as a retrieval key; and

concurrently displaying said retrieved map and said retrieved place name expressions and corresponding place name types;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page.

20. A computer implemented map information retrieval apparatus including computer readable media storing programming code for performing processing comprising:

extracting place name information by performing processing comprised of;

detecting a place name expression appearing in a document and a position of said place name expression in said document; and

judging a place name type that corresponds to said place name expression appearing in said document from a text type of a text of said document, said place name type being one of a location, an event site, a passing point, and a topic spot;

storing place name expressions and corresponding place name types that are detected by said place name information extraction process;

receiving user input specifying an inputted place name expression and an inputted place name type from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types;

retrieving a map of a region from a map database using said inputted place name expression as a key;

retrieving place name expressions and corresponding place name types from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types using said inputted place name expression and said inputted place name type as a retrieval key; and

concurrently displaying said retrieved map and said retrieved place name expressions and corresponding place name types.

21. A computer implemented map information retrieval apparatus including computer readable media storing programming code for performing processing comprising:

extracting place name information by performing processing comprised of;

detecting a place name expression appearing in a document and a position of said place name expression in said document;

judging a first place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression appearing in said document by detecting a clue expression in one or both of (i) a link source page, which is a page that links to the document and (ii) a link destination page, which is a page that is linked to from the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression;

judging a second place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on a text type of a text of said document; and

judging a final place name type from among said plurality of place name types that corresponds to said place name expression based on said first place name type and said second place name type;

storing place name expressions and corresponding place name types that are detected by said place name information extraction process;

receiving user input specifying an inputted place name expression and an inputted place name type from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types;

retrieving a map of a region from a map database using said inputted place name expression as a key;

retrieving place name expressions and corresponding place name types from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types using said inputted place name expression and said inputted place name type as a retrieval key; and

concurrently displaying said retrieved map and said retrieved place name expressions and corresponding place name types;

wherein said clue expression is defined by a link itself or text within said one or both of the link source page and the link destination page.

22. A computer implemented map information retrieval apparatus including computer readable media storing programming code for performing processing comprising:

extracting place name information by performing processing comprised of;

judging a place name type among a plurality of place name types that corresponds to a place name expression appearing in a document by detecting a clue expression in a link source page that links to the document, said clue expression being different from said place name expression and serving to permit judgment of which of said plurality of place name types corresponds to said place name expression;

storing place name expressions and corresponding place name types that are detected by said place name information extraction process;

receiving user input specifying an inputted place name expression and an inputted place name type from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types;

retrieving a map of a region from a map database using said inputted place name expression as a key;

retrieving place name expressions and corresponding place name types from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types using said inputted place name expression and said inputted place name type as a retrieval key; and

concurrently displaying said retrieved map and said retrieved place name expressions and corresponding place name types.

23. A computer implemented map information retrieval apparatus including computer readable media storing programming code for performing processing comprising:

extracting place name information by performing processing comprised of;

judging a place name type of a place name expression appearing in a document based on a text type of a text of said document, said place name type being one of a location, an event site, a passing point, and a topic spot; and

detecting said place name expression in said document;

storing place name expressions and corresponding place name types that are detected by said place name information extraction process;

receiving user input specifying an inputted place name expression and an inputted place name type from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types;

retrieving a map of a region from a map database using said inputted place name expression as a key;

retrieving place name expressions and corresponding place name types from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types using said inputted place name expression and said inputted place name type as a retrieval key; and

concurrently displaying said retrieved map and said retrieved place name expressions and corresponding place name types.

24. A computer implemented map information retrieval apparatus including computer readable media storing programming code for performing processing comprising:

extracting place name information by performing processing comprised of;

detecting a place name expression in a text of a document;

determining whether a group of documents neighboring and including said document in which said place name expression is detected satisfies a specific text structure; and

determining a place name type that corresponds to said place name expression appearing in said document when said group of documents satisfies said specific text structure;

storing place name expressions and corresponding place name types that are detected by said place name information extraction process;

receiving user input specifying an inputted place name expression and an inputted place name type from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types;

retrieving a map of a region from a map database using said inputted place name expression as a key;

retrieving place name expressions and corresponding place name types from among said stored place name expressions and corresponding place name types using said inputted place name expression and said inputted place name type as a retrieval key; and

concurrently displaying said retrieved map and said retrieved place name expressions and corresponding place name types.