Document searching tool and method
First Claim
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1. A method of automatically searching through a store of electronic documents, the method comprising:
- controlling a user interface to permit a user to enter a search term;
carrying out a search using the search term;
categorizing the documents returned by the search into a plurality of distinct categories; and
controlling the user interface to present the documents returned by the search, or references thereto, in a grouped manner such that documents of a particular category are grouped together, wherein the categories are selected in dependence upon the search term,wherein the categories are selected by identifying concepts within a personalized ontology which match words from the search term to use as the categories, and wherein the personalized ontology is formed by setting constraints on the allowable values of attributes of concepts within a common ontology.
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Abstract
A store of electronic documents is automatically searched by controlling a user interface to permit a user to enter a search term, carrying out a search using the search term, the documents returned by the search into a plurality of distinct categories, and controlling the user interface to present in a left-hand panel the plurality of distinct categories and in a right-hand panel the documents returned by the search, or references thereto, in a grouped manner such that documents, or references thereto, of a particular category are grouped together, wherein the categories are selected in dependence upon the search term.
29 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method of automatically searching through a store of electronic documents, the method comprising:
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controlling a user interface to permit a user to enter a search term; carrying out a search using the search term; categorizing the documents returned by the search into a plurality of distinct categories; and controlling the user interface to present the documents returned by the search, or references thereto, in a grouped manner such that documents of a particular category are grouped together, wherein the categories are selected in dependence upon the search term, wherein the categories are selected by identifying concepts within a personalized ontology which match words from the search term to use as the categories, and wherein the personalized ontology is formed by setting constraints on the allowable values of attributes of concepts within a common ontology. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8)
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7. A server computer for assisting a user, using a remote device, to search through a set of documents available to the user stored on devices connected to the same data network to which the server and the remote device are connected, the server including:
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means for receiving from the remote terminal a search term, means for carrying out a search using the search term, means for categorizing the documents returned by the search into a plurality of distinct categories, and means for returning output data to the remote terminal which permits the remote terminal to present to the user the documents returned by the search, or references thereto, in a grouped manner such that documents of a particular category are grouped together, wherein the categories are selected in dependence upon the search term, wherein the categories are selected by identifying concepts within a personalized ontology which match words from the search term to use as the categories, and wherein the personalized ontology is formed by setting constraints on the allowable values of attributes of concepts within a common ontology.
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9. A method of automatically searching through a store of electronic documents, the method comprising:
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controlling a user interface to permit a user to enter a search term; carrying out a search using the search term; categorizing the documents returned by the search into a plurality of distinct categories; and controlling the user interface to present the documents returned by the search, or references thereto, in a grouped manner such that documents of a particular category are grouped together, wherein the categories are selected in dependence upon the search term, wherein the categories are selected by identifying concepts within a personalized ontology which match words from the search term to use as the categories, wherein the personalized ontology is formed by setting constraints on the allowable values of attributes of concepts within a common ontology, and wherein the retrieved documents are only categorized into a category associated with a concept of the personalized ontology for which one or more constraints have been set if the documents satisfy the or each constraint set for that associated concept in the personalized ontology.
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Specification