Method for providing graphical representations of search results in multiple related histograms

• US 7,395,260 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2004
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wattenberg, Martin M., Newbold, David L., Bolin, Michael, Oral, Tolga
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Wilson
• Application Number:
  US10/910,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20060041521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• 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 method is provided for enabling a user to search for documents that the user has previously viewed on its local machine. The documents with which the user interacts are monitored for predetermined events, and content data and metadata from the monitored documents is obtained. An index that includes parameters determined from the content data and metadata is created and a search of the index is performed to retrieve documents that the user has previously viewed.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of providing a histogram displaying one or more documents that a user has previously accessed comprising:

receiving a search query to perform a search of an index of one or more documents that a user has previously accessed, said search query including one or more keywords; and

presenting, to the user, a chronological histogram characterizing one or more documents matching said search query, wherein said chronological histogram includes;

a first axis providing a timeline for displaying a date when said one or more matching documents were accessed; and

a second axis providing more than one variable characterizing said one or more matching documents,

wherein presenting a histogram further comprises;

providing a first vertical bar indicating each document that user has accessed; and

providing a second vertical bar for each one or more document matching said search query,

wherein said second vertical bar has a graphically different representation than said first vertical bar.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said histogram displays a date and a time for each one or more documents said user has previously accessed and a duration for which each of said one or more documents was used by the user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said index includes parameters determined from metadata and content data extracted from documents being monitored for predetermined events while they are accessed by the user, thereby enabling the documents to be searched later.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said metadata includes at least one of:

date and time a document was created, opened, closed, modified, or accessed;

amount of time spent on a document;

number of times a document has been viewed or accessed;

or whether or not a document was printed or emailed.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said content data includes at least one of:

words found in a document;

keywords stored with a document;

title of a document;

author of a document;

document type;

or document size.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein said predetermined events include at least one of:

opening a document;

closing a document;

printing a document;

or emailing a document.

2. A computer implemented method of providing a histogram displaying one or more documents that a user has previously accessed comprising:

receiving a search query to perform a search of an index of one or more documents that a user has previously accessed, said search query including one or more keywords; and

presenting, to the user, a chronological histogram characterizing one or more documents matching said search Query, wherein said chronological histogram includes;

a first axis providing a timeline for displaying a date when said one or more matching documents were accessed; and

a second axis providing more than one variable characterizing said one or more matching documents,

wherein said second axis provides two variables characterizing said one or more matching documents, wherein said two variables are a relevance variable indicating relevance of said one or more matching documents, and a duration variable indicating a duration for which said one or more matching documents were used by the user.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the method further comprises:

calculating a relevance factor for each of said matching documents based on at least one of a number of said one or more keywords found in said matching documents, a number of times said matching documents were accessed, and a duration for which said matching documents were used by the user.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein said index includes parameters determined from metadata and content data extracted from documents being monitored for predetermined events while they are accessed by the user, thereby enabling the documents to be searched later.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said metadata includes at least one of:

date and time a document was created, opened, closed, modified, or accessed;

amount of time spent on a document;

number of times a document has been viewed or accessed;

or whether or not a document was printed or emailed.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said content data includes at least one of:

words found in a document;

keywords stored with a document;

title of a document;

author of a document;

document type;

or document size.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said predetermined events include at least one of:

opening a document;

closing a document;

printing a document;

or emailing a document.

13. The method of claim 2 wherein said histogram displays a date and a time for each one or more documents said user has previously accessed and a duration for which each of said one or more documents was used by the user.