Organizing books by series

• US 9,244,919 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Taycher, Leonid
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, KHANH B
• Application Number:
  US13/770,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20140236951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 707/737
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

Book information describing a plurality of books is analyzed to identify the plurality of books described in the book information and create book records for the respective ones of identified books. A given book record contains fields describing attributes of a respective one of the plurality of books derived from the book information. The book records are clustered into a plurality of clusters based on the values of the fields of the book records. One or more clusters are analyzed to identify a name of a book series based on the book records therein. The book records in a cluster may further be placed in buckets representing individual books in the series and, in turn, the buckets are described based on the book information therein and organized based their description. The identified series name, bucket descriptions and organization thereof may be stored in a repository and presented to users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of identifying a book series, comprising:

receiving book information describing one or more books from a book information server;

creating book records identifying the books described by the book information, a book record having fields with values describing attributes of a given book in the books derived from the book information;

clustering the book records into a plurality of clusters based on the values of a subset of the fields of the book records;

identifying a set containing a plurality of related clusters of book records by determining similarity of values of fields of the clustered book records other than the subset of fields on which the records were clustered;

identifying a separate series name candidate for each cluster in the set to produce a plurality of series name candidates;

selecting a name of the book series from among the plurality of series name candidates by comparing the plurality of series name candidates to identify a predominant series name candidate;

storing information describing the selected name of the book series in a repository; and

identifying a set of books in the book series having the selected name.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the book information is received from a plurality of book information servers and wherein creating the book records comprises:

creating a book record for each book identified in the book information from the plurality of book information servers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a separate series name candidate for a cluster comprises:

examining one or more of a series name field, subseries name field and book title field of the book records in the cluster to identify a commonly-occurring value; and

identifying the commonly-occurring value as the series name candidate for the cluster.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a set of books in the book series having the selected name comprises:

assigning the book records in the plurality of related clusters to a plurality of buckets, with each bucket representing a book in the book series, the assigning responsive at least in part to values of fields of the book records.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an order of the books in the book series responsive at least in part to values of fields of the book records.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing information describing the identified name of the book series responsive to a search query received from a client.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a set containing a plurality of related clusters comprises:

analyzing a field of book records within a first cluster to identify a first value common to the field in a plurality of book records within the first cluster;

analyzing the field of book records within a second cluster different than the first cluster to identify a second value common to the field in a plurality of book records within the second cluster;

comparing the first value with the second value to determine a level of similarity between the first value and the second value; and

placing the first cluster and the second cluster in the set containing the plurality of related clusters responsive to the level of similarity between the first value and the second value.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions for identifying a book series, the instructions performing steps comprising:

receiving book information describing one or more books from a book information server;

creating book records identifying the books described by the book information, a book record having fields with values describing attributes of a given book in the books derived from the book information;

clustering the book records into a plurality of clusters based on a subset of the values of the fields of the book records;

identifying a set containing a plurality of related clusters of book records by determining similarity of values of fields of the clustered book records other than the subset of fields on which the records were clustered;

identifying a separate series name candidate for each cluster in the set to produce a plurality of series name candidates;

selecting a name of the book series from among the plurality of series name candidates by comparing the plurality of series name candidates to identify a predominant series name candidate;

storing information describing the identified name of the book series in a repository; and

identifying a set of books in the book series having the selected name.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the book information is received from a plurality of book information servers and wherein creating the book records comprises:

creating a book record for each book identified in the book information from the plurality of book information servers.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein identifying a separate series name candidate for a cluster comprises:

examining one or more of a series name field, subseries name field and book title field of the book records in the cluster to identify a commonly-occurring value; and

identifying the commonly-occurring value as the series name candidate for the cluster.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein identifying a set of books in the book series having the selected name comprises:

assigning the book records in the plurality of related clusters to a plurality of buckets, with each bucket representing a book in the book series, the assigning responsive at least in part to values of fields of the book records.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising:

determining an order of the books in the book series responsive at least in part to values of fields of the book records.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising:

providing information describing the identified name of the book series responsive to a search query received from a client.

14. A computer system for identifying a book series, the computer system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions executable to perform steps comprising;

receiving book information describing one or more books from a book information server;

creating book records identifying the books described by the book information, a book record having fields with values describing attributes of a given book in the books derived from the book information;

clustering the book records into a plurality of clusters based on the values of a subset of the fields of the book records;

identifying a set containing a plurality of related clusters of book records by determining similarity of values of fields of the clustered book records other than the subset of fields on which the records were clustered;

identifying a separate series name candidate for each cluster in the set to produce a plurality of series name candidates;

selecting a name of the book series from among the plurality of series name candidates by comparing the plurality of series name candidates to identify a predominant series name candidate;

storing information describing the identified name of the book series in a repository; and

identifying a set of books in the book series having the selected name; and

a processor for executing the computer program instructions.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the book information is received from a plurality of book information servers and wherein creating the book records comprises:

creating a book record for each book identified in the book information from the plurality of book information servers.

16. The computer system of claim 14, wherein identifying a separate series name candidate for a cluster comprises:

examining one or more of a series name field, subseries name field and book title field of the book records in the cluster to identify a commonly-occurring value; and

identifying the commonly-occurring value as the series name candidate for the cluster.

17. The computer system of claim 14, wherein identifying a set of books in the book series having the selected name comprises:

assigning the book records in the plurality of related clusters to a plurality of buckets, with each bucket representing a book in the book series, the assigning responsive at least in part to values of fields of the book records; and

determining an order of the books in the set of books responsive at least in part to values of fields of the book records.

18. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising instructions executable to perform steps comprising:

providing information describing the identified name of the book series responsive to a search query received from a client.