Technique for ranking records of a database
First Claim
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1. A method for ranking records of a database located during a search of an index to the database performed in response to a query, the index having a plurality of index entries, each index entry having a weight, the method comprising the steps of:
- scoring each located record according to the number of times portions of information corresponding to query terms occur in each record and the weight of each index entry corresponding to occurring query terms;
storing the score and an identifier of each located record in a respective entry of a ranking list; and
in response to having searched a portion of the index, determining if any records yet to be located may achieve a score that is higher than the score of any of the records already located and stored in the ranking list based upon query terms corresponding to index entries having a low weight, wherein the low weight corresponds to the weight of the index entry having the lowest weight of the portion of the index searched, and if not, searching the index using query terms corresponding to index entries having weights higher than the low weight.
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Abstract
A technique for ranking records of a database is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method for ranking records of a database located during a search of an index to the database performed in response to a query, wherein the index has a plurality of index entries, and wherein each index entry has a weight.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for ranking records of a database located during a search of an index to the database performed in response to a query, the index having a plurality of index entries, each index entry having a weight, the method comprising the steps of:
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scoring each located record according to the number of times portions of information corresponding to query terms occur in each record and the weight of each index entry corresponding to occurring query terms; storing the score and an identifier of each located record in a respective entry of a ranking list; and in response to having searched a portion of the index, determining if any records yet to be located may achieve a score that is higher than the score of any of the records already located and stored in the ranking list based upon query terms corresponding to index entries having a low weight, wherein the low weight corresponds to the weight of the index entry having the lowest weight of the portion of the index searched, and if not, searching the index using query terms corresponding to index entries having weights higher than the low weight. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for ranking records of a database located during a search of an index to the database performed in response to a query, the index having a plurality of index entries, each index entry having a weight, the system comprising:
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at least one processor configured to score each located record according to the number of times portions of information corresponding to query terms occur in each record and the weight of each index entry corresponding to occurring query terms; and at least one memory configured to store the score and an identifier of each located record in a respective entry of a ranking list; wherein, in response to having searched a portion of the index, the at least one processor is also configured to determine if any records yet to be located may achieve a score that is higher than the score of any of the records already located and stored in the ranking list based upon query terms corresponding to index entries having a low weight, wherein the low weight corresponds to the weight of the index entry having the lowest weight of the portion of the index searched, and if not, search the index using query terms corresponding to index entries having weights higher than the low weight. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for ranking records of a database located during a search of an index to the database performed in response to a query, the index having a plurality of index entries, each index entry having a weight, the system comprising:
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means for scoring each located record according to the number of times portions of information corresponding to query terms occur in each record and the weight of each index entry corresponding to occurring query terms; means for storing the score and an identifier of each located record in a respective entry of a ranking list; and means for determining, in response to having searched a portion of the index, if any records yet to be located may achieve a score that is higher than the score of any of the records already located and stored in the ranking list based upon query terms corresponding to index entries having a low weight, wherein the low weight is corresponds to the weight of the index entry having the lowest weight of the portion of the index searched; and means for searching the index using query terms corresponding to index entries having weights higher than the low weight if no records yet to be located may achieve a score that is higher than the score of any of the records already located and stored in the ranking list based upon query terms corresponding to index entries having the low weight. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer readable medium storing executable instructions thereon, the instructions when read by a processing device are operative to:
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a memory device having executable instructions stored therein; and a processing device coupled to and receiving the executable instructions therefrom, the processing device, in response to the executable instructions, is operative to; score each located record according to the number of times portions of information corresponding to query terms occur in each record and the weight of each index entry corresponding to occurring query terms; store the score and an identifier of each located record in a respective entry of a ranking list; and in response to having searched a portion of the index, determine if any records yet to be located may achieve a score that is higher than the score of any of the records already located and stored in the ranking list based upon query terms corresponding to index entries having a low weight, wherein the low weight corresponds to the weight of the index entry having the lowest weight of the portion of the index searched, and if not, search the index using query terms corresponding to index entries having weights higher than the low weight.
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Specification