Search system with query refinement and search method
First Claim
1. A search system for searching for electronic documents, and providing a search result in response to a search query, comprising:
- a processor;
a database, wherein terms in the database are grouped in a cluster based on the terms belonging to a same word sense;
a user interface module adapted to receive a search query from a user, said search query having at least one search query term;
a query processing module that automatically determines a single, assumed word sense for the at least one search query term selected from a list of retrieved senses for the search query term, and wherein said user interface module is adapted to display alternative senses in which said search query term is used that are different from and exclusive of the single assumed word sense, and to allow the user to select at least one of the alternative word senses, and wherein the query processing module identifies a plurality of any available alternative terms from a cluster based on the sense selected by the user, wherein the alternative terms include any available synonyms that are within the sense selected by the user;
a search engine that electronically searches for electronic documents that satisfy said at least one search query term and said plurality of any available alternative terms; and
wherein said user interface module is further adapted to display search results received from the search engine.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A search system and method for searching for electronic documents, and providing a search result in response to a search query. In one embodiment, the search system includes a processor, a user interface module adapted to receive a search query from a user that includes a search query term, a search engine that electronically searches for electronic documents that satisfy the search query term, and a query processing module that identifies at least one alternative term for the search query term, and provides the alternative term to the user interface module for display to the user, and also provides the alternative term to the search engine to search for electronic documents that satisfy the alternative term.
136 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A search system for searching for electronic documents, and providing a search result in response to a search query, comprising:
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a processor; a database, wherein terms in the database are grouped in a cluster based on the terms belonging to a same word sense; a user interface module adapted to receive a search query from a user, said search query having at least one search query term; a query processing module that automatically determines a single, assumed word sense for the at least one search query term selected from a list of retrieved senses for the search query term, and wherein said user interface module is adapted to display alternative senses in which said search query term is used that are different from and exclusive of the single assumed word sense, and to allow the user to select at least one of the alternative word senses, and wherein the query processing module identifies a plurality of any available alternative terms from a cluster based on the sense selected by the user, wherein the alternative terms include any available synonyms that are within the sense selected by the user; a search engine that electronically searches for electronic documents that satisfy said at least one search query term and said plurality of any available alternative terms; and wherein said user interface module is further adapted to display search results received from the search engine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer implemented search method for electronically searching documents, and providing a search result in response to a search query, comprising:
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receiving, using a user interface module controlled by a computer processor, a search query from a user, said search query having at least one search query term; electronically and automatically determining, using a query processing module controlled by a computer processor, a single, assumed sense of said at least one search query selected form a list of retrieved sense for the search query term; displaying alternative senses in which said at least one search query term is used that are different from and exclusive of the single assumed word sense, and receiving the user'"'"'s selection of at least one the alternative senses; electronically identifying, using the query processing module controlled by a computer processor, a plurality of available alternative terms from a cluster of terms belonging to a same word sense for the at least one search query term based on the user'"'"'s selected alternative sense, wherein the plurality of available alternative terms include any available synonyms within the user'"'"'s selected alternative sense; and electronically executing a search, using a search engine, for electronic documents that satisfy at least one of said search query term and the plurality of available alternative terms. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer readable hardware medium with executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a computer processor, cause said computer to execute a method for searching for electronic documents, and providing a search result in response to a search query, the method comprising:
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receiving a search query from a user, said search query having at least one search query term; electronically and automatically determining a single, assumed sense of said at least one search query term selected from a group of retrieved senses for said search query term; displaying alternative senses in which said at least one search query term is used that are different from and exclusive of said single assumed word sense, and receiving the user'"'"'s selection of at least one of the alternative senses; electronically identifying a plurality of available alternative terms from a cluster of terms belonging to a same word sense for the at least one search query term based on the user'"'"'s selection of the at least one alternative sense, wherein the plurality of available alternative terms include synonyms within the selected alternative sense; and electronically executing a search for electronic documents that satisfy at least one of said search query term and the plurality of alternative terms. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A search system for searching for electronic documents, and providing a search result in response to a search query, comprising:
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a processor; a database, wherein terms in the database are grouped in a cluster based on the terms belonging to a same word sense; a user interface module adapted to receive a search query from a user, said search query having at least one search query term; a query processing module that automatically determines a single assumed domain category for the at least one search query term selected form a group of retrieved domain categories, and wherein said user interface module is adapted to display alternative domain categories in which said search query term is used that are different from and exclusive of the single assumed domain category, and to allow the user to select at least one of the alternative domain categories, and wherein the query processing module identifies a plurality of any available alternative terms from a cluster based on the domain category selected by the user, and wherein the plurality of any available alternative terms include any available synonyms within the domain category selected by the user; a search engine that electronically searches for electronic documents that satisfy said at least one search query term and said plurality of available alternative terms; and wherein said user interface module is further adapted to display search results received from the search engine. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification