Categorized document bases

• US 7,917,519 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James D. Thompson, John P. Ranieri
• Original Assignee: Sizatola LLC
• Inventors: Thompson, James D., Ranieri, John P., Kimbrough, Steven O., MacMillan, Ian C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vital; Pierre M
• Assistant Examiner(s): OBISESAN, AUGUSTINE KUNLE
• Application Number:
  US11/586,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/749
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/353 into predefined classes

Abstract

A method of managing information comprises generating a categorized document base. Generating the document base comprises providing a pre-existing classification of things other than documents, providing a source collection of documents, and automatically assessing the documents using Information Retrieval techniques to assign at least some of the documents to one or more taxa of the classification. For each taxon in the classification one or more numerical scores are assigned, based at least in part on a composition, makeup or constitution of the documents assigned to the taxon of the categorized document base.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for determining patterns of information in at least one categorized collection, the method comprising:

acquiring categorized information comprising at least one source collection consisting of documents, retrievable information other than documents, and combinations thereof, classified with at least a first taxa-based classification scheme;

acquiring an Information Retrieval (IR) engine and at least one IR query;

applying the at least one IR query and the IR retrieval engine for assigning numerical scores indicating relevance of each document, retrievable information other than documents, or combination thereof for each category or set of categories in the at least first taxa based classification scheme;

mapping the numerical scores with regard to the at least first taxa-based classification scheme, and creating therefrom a numerical mapping record, thereby associating the category or categories in the taxa-based classification scheme to the at least one IR query;

examining the numerical mapping record for presence of one or more patterns of numerical scores; and

displaying a report comprising the patterns of numerical scores.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating at least one human-readable image of an array of the numerical scores, or of information generated by analysis of the array.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing the generated at least one array image or the information generated by analysis of the array, to a customer in commerce.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least a second taxa-based classification scheme;

selecting one or more IR queries and applying same to the categorized information for each category or set of categories in the at least second taxa based classification scheme;

applying the one or more IR queries for assigning numerical scores indicating relevance for each document, retrievable information other than documents, or combination thereof, for the at least second category or second set of categories in the categorized information;

comparing or combining the numerical data from the applied first category or first set of categories to the at least second category or second set of categories defined with reference to the one or more second IR queries;

mapping same and generating at least one array of numerical data relating to documents, retrievable information other than documents, or combination thereof, wherein the at least first category or first set of categories and the at least second category or second set of categories provide axes of the array; and

examining the numerical mapping record for presence of one or more patterns of numerical scores.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the IR queries describe a property or combination(s) of properties of a commodity, and wherein querying comprises using IR methods and algorithms in conjunction with query terms and patterns of query terms and phrases used to describe the property or combinations of properties.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising comparing the numerical data relating to documents, retrievable information other than documents, or combination thereof in different taxa, and reviewing taxa having higher numerical scores.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein generating an array comprises generating a human-readable image of the array in which a cell displays the numerical scores associated with each taxon of the at least first or at least second taxa-based categorization scheme, and each category that intersect at the cell.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising providing at least one of the array image, or of information generated by analysis of the array, or combinations thereof, to a customer in commerce.

9. The method according to claim 7, comprising creating at least one categorized collection, wherein providing the documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, assigned to the at least second category or at least second set of categories, comprises automatically classifying the documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, in the source collection using the IR engine in conjunction with the taxa-based classification scheme(s) to assign one or more of the documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, to the at least one category or set of categories.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein assigning one or more of the documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof to at least a second category or at least a second set of categories further comprises selecting one or more queries;

selecting an IR system;

querying the documents using the IR system according to the one or more queries; and

assigning one or more of the documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, to a plurality of categories defined with reference to the one or more queries.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising generating a numerical array comprising a human-readable array image in which a cell displays the numerical scores associated with each taxon of the at least first or at least second taxa-based categorization schemes, or combination thereof, and each category that intersect at the cell.

12. The computer-based method for determining patterns of information in accordance with claim 1, further comprising providing additional taxa-based classification schemes numbering n;

selecting one or more IR queries and applying same to the categorized information for each category or set of categories in the n taxa based classification schemes;

assigning numerical scores indicating relevance for each document, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, for each category or sets of categories n in the categorized information;

assigning numerical scores indicating relevance for the categories or sets of categories defined with reference to the IR queries;

mapping same and generating at least one array of numerical data indicating relevance of each document, retrievable information other than documents, or combination thereof, wherein the categories provide axes of the array; and

examining the numerical mapping record for presence of one or more patterns of numerical scores.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the IR queries describe a property or combination(s) of properties of a commodity, and wherein querying comprises using IR methods and algorithms in conjunction with query terms and patterns of query terms and phrases used to describe the property or combinations of properties, and wherein generating the array comprises generating a human-readable image of the array in which a cell displays the numerical scores associated with each taxon of categories that intersect at the cell.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising comparing the numerical data relating to documents, retrievable information other than documents, or combination thereof in different taxa, and reviewing taxa having higher numerical scores.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising providing at least one of the array image, or of information generated by analysis of the array, or, combinations thereof, to a customer in commerce.

16. The method according to claim 1, comprising creating at least one categorized collection, wherein providing the documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, assigned to the at least a one category or at least one set of categories, comprises automatically classifying the documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, in the source collection using the IR engine in conjunction with the taxa-based classification scheme(s) to assign one or more of the documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, to the at least one category or set of categories.

17. The method according to claim 16, comprising creating at least n categorized collections, wherein providing the documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, assigned to the at least n categories or sets of categories, comprises automatically classifying the documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, in the source collection using the IR engine in conjunction with the taxa-based classification scheme(s) to assign one or more of the documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, to the at least n category or categories within the set.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein assigning one or more of the documents, things other than documents, or a combination thereof to n number of categories or set of categories further comprises selecting one or more queries;

selecting an IR system;

querying the documents using the IR system according to the one or more queries; and

assigning one or more of the documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, to a plurality of categories defined with reference to the one or more queries.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising generating a numerical array comprising a human-readable array image in which a cell displays the numerical scores associated with each taxon of the first or at least second taxa-based categorization scheme, or combinations thereof, and each category that intersect at the cell.

20. A computer-based, information management system for determining patterns of information in at least one categorized collection, the system operably comprising:

memory processing receiver for acquiring categorized information comprising at least one source collection of documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, classified with at least one taxa-based classification scheme;

memory processing receiver for acquiring an Information Retrieval (IR) engine and at least one IR query into the computerized system, for assigning numerical scores to indicate relevance of the categorized information and map the numerical scores, creating;

a numerical mapping record, thereby associating the category or categories in the taxa-based classification scheme to the at least one IR query;

processor for examining the numerical mapping record for presence of one or more patterns of numerical scores; and

reporter component for reporting patterns of numerical scores.

21. The system according to claim 20, comprising a computing device causing a program to run, thereby causing the computing device to carry out the receiving, assessing, and assigning steps.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising a device to identify and report documents corresponding to the patterns of numerical scores in the report.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising a device to receive at least a second category or second set of categories.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein a computing device comprises causing a program to run, thereby causing the computing device to carry out the receiving, assessing, and assigning steps.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising a device to identify and report documents corresponding to the patterns of numerical scores in the report.

26. The system of claim 20, further comprising a device to receive at least n number of categories or set of categories.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein a computing device comprises causing a program to run, thereby causing the computing device to carry out the receiving, assessing, and assigning steps.

28. The system of claim 26, further comprising a device to identify and report documents corresponding to the patterns of numerical scores in the report.

29. A computer-operated software program for determining patterns of information in at least one categorized collection of documents, the program embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable medium which, when running on a computer causes the computer to:

receive an acquired categorized information comprising at least one source collection of documents, retrievable information other than documents, or combinations thereof, classified with at least one taxa-based classification scheme;

acquire an Information Retrieval (IR) engine and at least one IR query;

apply the at least one IR query and the IR retrieval engine to assign numerical scores indicating relevance of each document, retrievable information other than documents, or combinations thereof, for each category in the at least one taxa based classification scheme, or for at least one set of categories in the categorized information;

map the numerical scores with regard to the at least one taxa-based classification scheme for the at least one category or set of categories, and creating therefrom a numerical mapping record, thereby associating the category or categories in the taxa-based classification scheme to the at least one IR query;

examine the numerical mapping record for presence of one or more patterns of numerical scores; and

display a report comprising the patterns of numerical scores.

30. The computer-based software program of claim 29, further comprising causing the computer to identify and report documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, corresponding to the patterns of numerical scores in the report.

31. The computer-based software program embodied in a machine-readable medium which, when running on a computing system in accordance with claim 29, further causes the computing system to:

receive at least one second category or second set of categories, one or more of the documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, being assigned to one or more category or categories within each set;

apply the IR system;

generate at least one array of numerical data relating to documents, retrievable information other than documents, or combination thereof, wherein the categories provide axes of the array; and

create therefrom a numerical mapping record from which patterns are determined.

32. The computer-based software program embodied in a machine-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising causing the computer to identify and report documents corresponding to the patterns of numerical scores in the report.

33. The software program for determining patterns of information of claim 29, further comprising causing the computer to receive acquired categorized information comprising at least n number of categories or n number of sets of categories, and applying the IR system and mapping the documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, to n categories or sets of categories, and create therefrom a numerical mapping record from which patterns are determined.

34. The computer-based software program of claim 33, further comprising causing the computer to identify and report documents, retrievable information other than documents, or a combination thereof, corresponding to the patterns of numerical scores in the report.