Ranking of business objects for search engines

• US 8,775,443 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Janssen, Tatjana, Kindsvogel, Uwe, Irle, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): SYED, FARHAN M
• Application Number:
  US10/912,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20050080774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,623 Days
• US Class Current: 707/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

Computer-implemented methods, systems and products are provided for calculating a ranking value for business objects. Creating the ranking value for business objects may comprise calculating the number of references a business object is referenced to, mapping the business object together with the number of references of the business object into a document structure, and providing a ranking value according to the number of references.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for creating a ranking value of a first business object according to its relevance for a search query, said method comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory, in which the memory stores instructions, and when executed on the processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of;

determining a reference value according to a number of references to said first business object, the business objects including the reference value indicating a number of times the business object is referenced within at least one of an other business objects at least one attribute value, wherein at least one of the other business objects includes a data set that remains constant as an update becomes available, and a data set that changes as the updates become available;

mapping the first business object into a document structure;

mapping said reference value into said document structure;

indexing said document structure for use in a search engine;

calculating said ranking value based on the reference value; and

adjusting the ranking value based on the at least one attribute value when the reference value indicates that the number of references to said first business object is equal to a number of references to a second business object within the other business objects, wherein business partner attributes of the other business objects are mapped into said document structure; and

said ranking value is calculated further depending on a completeness of said business partner attributes.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein attributes of said first business object are mapped into attributes of said document structure.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the other business objects are searched for references to the first business object and, in case of a reference from another business object, said reference value is increased.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said first business object comprises a tag, said tag is mapped into said document structure, and said ranking value is calculated further depending on said tag.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said first business object comprises a delete tag, said delete tag is mapped into said document structure, and said ranking value is calculated further depending on said delete tag.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said ranking value is a value between 0 and 1.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said ranking value is calculated as a quotient between the reference value and a maximum number of references to one of the other business objects.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein a new ranking value is calculated depending on the addition of ranking values calculated by said search engine and said quotient ranking value.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein a new ranking value is calculated depending on the multiplication of a ranking value calculated by said search engine and said quotient ranking value.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first business object and the other business objects are dedicated to certain business object types, and said number of references to said other business objects are calculated within the same type.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein reference values are mapped into said document structure for each business object type, separately.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein said ranking value is calculated by adding reference values to said first business object for each business object type, respectively.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein number of references to said first business object for each business object type is divided by a maximum number of references to business objects of the respective type.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each user is characterized by a role, and said ranking value is calculated based on said reference value and said role of said user.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein references to a first business object are weighted according to said role of said user and wherein said ranking value is calculated based on said weighted number of references.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each business object comprises, attributes and wherein at least parts of said attributes are mapped into said document structure.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein attributes relevant for said ranking value are mapped into said document structure.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said first business object and other business objects comprise a set of data with specific attributes.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each business object comprises generic and/or specific attributes.

20. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed on a processor for creating a ranking value of a first business object according to its relevance for a search query cause the processor to:

determine a reference value according to a number of references to said first business object, the business objects including the reference value indicating a number of times the business object is referenced within at least one of an other business objects at least one attribute value, wherein at least one of the other business objects includes a data set that remains constant as an update becomes available, and a data set that changes as the updates become available;

map the first business object into a document structure;

map said reference value into said document structure;

index said document structure for use in a search engine;

calculate said ranking value based on the reference value; and

adjust the ranking value based on the at least one attribute value when the reference value indicates that the number of references to said first business object is equal to a number of references to a second business object within the other business objects, wherein business partner attributes of the other business objects are mapped into said document structure; and

said ranking value is calculated further depending on a completeness of said business partner attributes.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to map the attributes of said first business object into attributes of said other business objects.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to search the first business object for references to other business objects, and increase said reference value in case of a reference from another business object.

23. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to map a tag into said document structure, and calculate said ranking value further depending on said tag.

24. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to map a delete tag into said document structure, and calculate said ranking value further depending on said delete tag.

25. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to create said ranking value between 0 and 1.

26. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to calculate said ranking value as a quotient between the reference value and a maximum number of references to one of the other business objects.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to calculate a new ranking value based on the addition of said ranking value said quotient ranking value.

28. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to calculate a new ranking value based on the multiplication of said ranking value and said quotient ranking value.

29. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to dedicate the first business object and other business objects to certain business object types, and to calculate reference values for said first business object within the same type.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to map said reference values into said document structure for each business object type, separately.

31. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to calculate said ranking value by adding the reference values for each business object type.

32. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to divide the reference values for each business object type by a maximum number of references to business objects of the respective type.

33. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to characterize each user by a role, and calculate said ranking value based on said reference value and said role of said user.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to weight references to the first business object according to said role of said user and calculate said ranking value based on said weighted number of references.

35. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to map at least parts of attributes of the other business objects into said document structure.

36. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions are operable to cause the processor to map attributes relevant for said ranking value into said document structure.

37. A computer for creating a ranking value of a business object according to its relevance for a search query comprising:

a processor;

determination means for determining a reference value according to a number of references to said first business object, the business objects including the reference value indicating a number of times the business object is referenced within at least one of an other business objects at least one attribute value, wherein at least one of the other business objects includes a data set that remains constant as an update becomes available, and a data set that changes as the updates become available;

mapping means for mapping the first business object into a document structure and mapping said reference value into said document structure;

indexing means for indexing said document structure for use in a search engine;

calculating means for calculating said ranking value based on the reference value, wherein the calculating means adjusts the ranking value based on the at least one attribute value when the reference value indicates that the number of references to said first business object is equal to a number of references to a second business object within the other business objects, wherein business partner attributes of the other business objects are mapped into said document structure; and

said ranking value is calculated further depending on a completeness of said business partner attributes.

38. The computer of claim 37, further comprising searching means for searching the first business object for references to other business objects, and means for increasing said reference value in case of a reference from another business object.

39. The computer of claim 37, wherein said mapping means map a tag into said document structure, and wherein said calculation means calculate said ranking value further depending on said tag.

40. The computer of claim 37, wherein said mapping means map a delete tag into said document structure, and wherein said calculation means calculate said ranking value further depending on said delete tag.

41. The computer of claim 37, wherein said calculation means calculate said ranking value as a quotient between a number of references to said first business object and a maximum number of references to one of the other business objects.

42. The computer of claim 41, wherein said calculation means calculate a new ranking value depending on the addition of the ranking value calculated by said search engine and said quotient ranking value.

43. The computer of claim 37, wherein said calculation means calculate a new ranking value depending on the multiplication of the ranking value calculated by said search engine and said quotient ranking value.

44. The computer of claim 37, wherein said calculation means calculate a number of references to the first business object within business objects of a same type included in the other business objects.

45. The computer of claim 44, wherein said mapping means mapping reference values into said document structure for each business object type, separately.

46. The computer of claim 44, wherein said calculation means calculate said ranking value by adding the reference values for each business object type, separately.

47. The computer of claim 44, wherein said calculation means divide a number of references to said first business object for each business object type by a maximum number of references to business objects of the respective type.

48. The computer of claim 37, wherein said calculation means calculate said ranking value depending on the reference value and a role of said user.

49. The computer of claim 48, wherein weighting means weight references to the first business object according to said role of said user and wherein said calculation means calculate said ranking value depending on said weighted number of references.

50. The computer of claim 37, wherein said mapping means map least parts of attributes of business objects into said document structure.

51. The computer of claim 37, wherein said mapping means map attributes relevant for said ranking value into said document structure.