Information retrieval with unified search using multiple facets
First Claim
1. A method for information retrieval with unified search between heterogeneous objects belonging to multiple different categories, the method comprising:
- defining a search index to reference multiple documents, the search index comprising one or more facets for each document, the facets corresponding to attributes of the documents;
associating the categories of the objects with respective facets in the search index, including at least first and second facets associated respectively with first and second categories;
indexing a first object, which belongs to the first category, as a document in the search index;
identifying a second object, which belongs to the second category, as being related to the first object with a given relationship strength;
referencing the second object together with the relationship strength between the first and second objects in the second facet of the document that indexes the first object in the search index;
searching for objects by applying a query to the search index;
retrieving document matches to the query to result in retrieved objects; and
scoring the retrieved objects by a search engine scoring method,wherein applying the query comprises searching for documents by specifying a facet of the documents in the search index, andwherein retrieving the document matches comprises filtering out document matches from the query which do not include the specified facet,wherein scoring the retrieved objects comprises computing scores by the stored relationship strength of the retrieved objects to the specified facet,wherein retrieving the document matches comprises retrieving an indirect object having an indirect relation to a query object, andwherein computing the scores comprises aggregating relationship strengths between the indirect object and the query object by multiplying relationship strengths between the indirect object and another object that is directly related to the query object.
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Abstract
A method for information retrieval with unified search between heterogeneous objects includes indexing a first object as a document in a search index; referencing a second object related to the first object in a facet of the document; and storing a relationship strength between the first and second objects in the facet of the document in the search index. Multiple heterogeneous objects can be related to the first object and referenced in multiple facets of the document, each with its relationship strength to the first object. Scoring an indirect object by indirect relation to a query object can be carried out by aggregating the relationship strengths between the indirect object and the retrieved objects multiplied by the retrieved objects'"'"' direct scores of relationship strength to the query object.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for information retrieval with unified search between heterogeneous objects belonging to multiple different categories, the method comprising:
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defining a search index to reference multiple documents, the search index comprising one or more facets for each document, the facets corresponding to attributes of the documents; associating the categories of the objects with respective facets in the search index, including at least first and second facets associated respectively with first and second categories; indexing a first object, which belongs to the first category, as a document in the search index; identifying a second object, which belongs to the second category, as being related to the first object with a given relationship strength; referencing the second object together with the relationship strength between the first and second objects in the second facet of the document that indexes the first object in the search index; searching for objects by applying a query to the search index; retrieving document matches to the query to result in retrieved objects; and scoring the retrieved objects by a search engine scoring method, wherein applying the query comprises searching for documents by specifying a facet of the documents in the search index, and wherein retrieving the document matches comprises filtering out document matches from the query which do not include the specified facet, wherein scoring the retrieved objects comprises computing scores by the stored relationship strength of the retrieved objects to the specified facet, wherein retrieving the document matches comprises retrieving an indirect object having an indirect relation to a query object, and wherein computing the scores comprises aggregating relationship strengths between the indirect object and the query object by multiplying relationship strengths between the indirect object and another object that is directly related to the query object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11)
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10. A method for information retrieval with unified search between heterogeneous objects belonging to multiple different categories, the method comprising:
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defining a search index to reference multiple documents, the search index comprising one or more facets for each document, the facets corresponding to attributes of the documents; associating the categories of the objects with respective facets in the search index, including at least first and second facets associated respectively with first and second categories; indexing a first object, which belongs to the first category, as a document in the search index; identifying a second object, which belongs to the second category, as being related to the first object with a given relationship strength; referencing the second object together with the relationship strength between the first and second objects in the second facet of the document that indexes the first object in the search index; and scoring objects retrieved in a search by multiplying the relationship strength between a searcher and the searchable objects.
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12. A computer software product for information retrieval with unified search between heterogeneous objects belonging to multiple different categories, the product comprising a computer-readable storage medium, storing a computer program comprising computer-executable instructions, which instructions, when read and executed by a computer, perform the following steps:
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defining a search index to reference multiple documents, the search index comprising one or more facets for each document, the facets corresponding to attributes of the documents; associating the categories of the objects with respective facets in the search index, including at least first and second facets associated respectively with first and second categories; indexing a first object, which belongs to the first category, as a document in the search index; identifying a second object, which belongs to the second category, as being related to the first object with a given relationship strength; referencing the second object together with the relationship strength between the first and second objects in the second facet of the document that indexes the first object in the search index; searching for objects by applying a query to the search index; retrieving document matches to the query to result in retrieved objects; and scoring the retrieved objects by a search engine scoring method, wherein applying the query comprises searching for documents by specifying a facet of the documents in the search index, and wherein retrieving the document matches comprises filtering out document matches from the query which do not include the specified facet, wherein scoring the retrieved objects comprises computing scores by the stored relationship strength of the retrieved objects to the specified facet, wherein retrieving the document matches comprises retrieving an indirect object having an indirect relation to a query object, and wherein computing the scores comprises aggregating relationship strengths between the indirect object and the query object by multiplying relationship strengths between the indirect object and another object that is directly related to the query object.
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13. A system for information retrieval with unified search between heterogeneous objects belonging to multiple different categories, the system comprising:
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a memory, for storing a search index to reference multiple documents, the search index comprising one or more facets for each document, the facets corresponding to attributes of the documents; and a processor, which is configured to associate the categories of the objects with respective facets in the search index, including at least first and second facets associated respectively with first and second categories, to index a first object, which belongs to the first category, as a document in the search index, to identify a second object, which belongs to the second category, as being related to the first object with a given relationship strength, and to reference the second object together with the relationship strength between the first and second objects in the second facet of the document that indexes the first object in the search index, wherein the processor is configured to perform the steps of; searching for objects by applying a query to the search index; retrieving document matches to the query to result in retrieved objects; and scoring the retrieved objects by a search engine scoring method, wherein applying the query comprises searching for documents by specifying a facet of the documents in the search index, and wherein retrieving the document matches comprises filtering out document matches from the query which do not include the specified facet, wherein scoring the retrieved objects comprises computing scores by the stored relationship strength of the retrieved objects to the specified facet, wherein retrieving the document matches comprises retrieving an indirect object having an indirect relation to a query object, and wherein computing the scores comprises aggregating relationship strengths between the indirect object and the query object by multiplying relationship strengths between the indirect object and another object that is directly related to the query object. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification