Information retrieval system for archiving multiple document versions
First Claim
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1. A method performed by at least one computer systems of providing an archival index of a plurality of documents, the method comprising:
- maintaining an index of a plurality of documents, the index relating phrases contained in at least some of the documents with documents containing the phrases;
accessing a document of the plurality of documents;
determining, using a processor of the at least one computer system, whether the document has changed since a previous date the document was indexed;
responsive to determining that the document has changed,indicating a first date range, including the previous date, for which the document is valid;
indexing the document to obtain current information-retrieval relevance data for the document, the current information-retrieval relevance data including phrases contained in a current version of the document;
storing the current information-retrieval relevance data in association with a current date range for the document; and
maintaining previous information-retrieval relevance data for the document in association with the first date range, the previous information-retrieval relevance data including phrases contained in a version of the document that was valid during the first date range.
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Abstract
An information retrieval system uses phrases to index, retrieve, organize and describe documents. Phrases are identified that predict the presence of other phrases in documents. Documents are the indexed according to their included phrases. Index data for multiple versions or instances of documents is also maintained. Each document instance is associated with a date range and relevance data derived from the document for the date range.
242 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method performed by at least one computer systems of providing an archival index of a plurality of documents, the method comprising:
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maintaining an index of a plurality of documents, the index relating phrases contained in at least some of the documents with documents containing the phrases; accessing a document of the plurality of documents; determining, using a processor of the at least one computer system, whether the document has changed since a previous date the document was indexed; responsive to determining that the document has changed, indicating a first date range, including the previous date, for which the document is valid; indexing the document to obtain current information-retrieval relevance data for the document, the current information-retrieval relevance data including phrases contained in a current version of the document; storing the current information-retrieval relevance data in association with a current date range for the document; and maintaining previous information-retrieval relevance data for the document in association with the first date range, the previous information-retrieval relevance data including phrases contained in a version of the document that was valid during the first date range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method performed by at least one computer system of providing an archival index, the method comprising:
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maintaining an index of a plurality of documents, the index relating phrases contained in at least some of the documents with documents containing the phrases, each document associated with a current date range for which the document is currently indexed and associated with current information-retrieval relevance data for the current date range, wherein the current date range includes a first date, and at least one document associated with a plurality of non-overlapping, contiguous date ranges prior to the current date range, each prior date range having information-retrieval relevance data for the document for that date range; accessing a document of the plurality of documents that has been previously indexed and having current information-retrieval relevance data; responsive to the accessed document having changed since the first date, updating, using a processor of the at least one computer system, the current date range for the changed document to be a new prior date range and to include a closed date; storing the current information-retrieval relevance data for the changed document as information-retrieval relevance data for the new prior date range; establishing, using a processor, a new current date range for the changed document, wherein the new current date range includes a current date as an open date; updating the current information-retrieval relevance data for the changed document, the updated current information-retrieval relevance data including phrases contained in the changed document; and storing the updated current information-retrieval relevance data in association with the new current date range. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A tangible computer readable storage medium storing a computer program executable by a processor for providing an archival index, the actions of the computer program comprising:
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maintaining an index of a plurality of documents, the index relating phrases contained in at least some of the documents with documents containing the phrases; accessing a document of the plurality of documents; determining whether the document has changed since a previous date the document was indexed; responsive to determining that the document has changed, indicating a first date range including the previous date and a recent date for which the document is valid; indexing the document to obtain current information-retrieval relevance data for the document, the current information-retrieval relevance data including phrases contained in a current version of the document; storing the current information-retrieval relevance data in association with a current date range for the document; and maintaining previous information-retrieval relevance data for the document in association with the first date range, the previous information-retrieval relevance data including phrases contained in a version of the document that was valid during the first date range. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A tangible computer readable storage medium storing a computer program executable by a processor for providing an archival index, the actions of the computer program comprising:
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maintaining an index of a plurality of documents, the index relating phrases contained in at least some of the documents with documents containing the phrases, each document associated with a current date range for which the document is currently indexed, and current information-retrieval relevance data for the current date range, wherein the current date range includes a first date, and at least one document associated with a plurality of non-overlapping, contiguous date ranges prior to the current date range, each prior date range having information-retrieval relevance data for the document for that date range; accessing a document of the plurality of documents that has been previously indexed and having current information-retrieval relevance data;
responsive to the accessed document having changed since the first date,updating, using a processor of the at least one computer system, the current date range for the changed document to be a new prior date range and to include a closed date; storing the current information-retrieval relevance data for the changed document as information-retrieval relevance data for the new prior date range; establishing, using a processor, a new current date range for the changed document, wherein the new current date range includes a current date as an open date; updating the current information-retrieval relevance data for the changed document, the updated current information-retrieval relevance data including phrases contained in the changed document; and storing the updated current information-retrieval relevance data in association with the new current date range. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A tangible computer-program product, stored on computer-readable storage medium, for archival indexing of a plurality of documents, the product comprising instructions executable to cause a processor to:
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receive a current version of a document previously indexed in an index under a previous version of the document, wherein the index relates phrases contained in at least some of the documents with documents containing the phrases; determine whether the document'"'"'s current version differs from the previous version; responsive to a determination that the current version differs from the previous version; index the document under its current version, in the index; specify a first date range during which the document was indexed under its previous version and associate any previous information-retrieval relevance data for the document with the first date range, wherein the previous information-retrieval relevance data includes phrases contained in the previous version of the document; specify a second date range during which the document is indexed under its current version and associate any current information-retrieval relevance data with the second date range, wherein the current information-retrieval relevance data includes phrases contained in the current version of the document; and store, for the indexed document, the first and second date ranges along with their respective information-retrieval relevance data.
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Specification