Electronic document retrieval and reporting using tagging analysis and/or logical custodians

• US 9,449,000 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro, Hong, Jiang, Lin, Candice, Pan, Pingping, Wu, Yuwen
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Binh V
• Application Number:
  US14/170,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20150220644A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9032 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

An approach is provided for retrieving electronic documents. The approach provides a Web-based graphical user interface that allows users to construct complex queries that include Boolean clauses, proximity clauses and/or keyword phrases, without requiring the users to have a working knowledge of query languages. The Web-based graphical user interface also allows users to specify a semantic meaning for one or more search terms. The approach also allows users to generate various reports for search results. Various filters may be applied to manage the amount of reporting data and semantic meanings may be applied to increase relevancy. A time cost estimator provides an estimated review time for search results. Also included are approaches for using the results of simple searches to perform advanced searches, for estimating the cost and/or time for reviewing search results and for performing tagging analysis and for using logical custodians.

Claims

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, cause:

a Web application retrieving logical custodian hierarchical data that specifies hierarchical relationships between a plurality of logical custodians,

the Web application generating and transmitting to a client device over one or more networks, a first set of one or more Web pages which, when processed by a Web browser at the client device, provide a graphical user interface that visually depicts the hierarchical relationships between the plurality of logical custodians and includes one or more graphical user interface controls that allow a user to specify an advanced search query to be processed against a plurality of data items, wherein the advanced search query includes one or more search terms and one or more logical custodians;

the Web application causing the advanced search query that specifies the one or more search terms and the one or more logical custodians to be processed against the plurality of data items to generate a set of search results that specifies one or more data items that both satisfy the one or more search terms and belong to the one or more logical custodians; and

the Web application transmitting to the client device over the one or more networks, a second set of one or more Web pages which, when processed by the Web browser at the client device, provide a graphical user interface that displays the set of search results that specifies one or more data items that satisfy the one or more search terms and that belong to the one or more logical custodians.

2. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more logical custodians include one or more of a business organization, a location or an employment role.

3. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the search results include a name of a logical custodian assigned to at least one search result from the plurality of search results.

4. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, cause;

a Web application retrieving logical custodian hierarchical data that specifies hierarchical relationships between a plurality of logical custodians,

the Web application generating and transmitting to a client device over one or more networks, a first set of one or more Web pages which, when processed by a Web browser at the client device, provide a graphical user interface that visually depicts the hierarchical relationships between the plurality of logical custodians and includes one or more graphical user interface controls that allow a user to specify an advanced search query to be processed against a plurality of data items, wherein the advanced search query includes one or more search terms and one or more logical custodians;

the Web application causing the advanced search query that specifies the one or more search terms and the one or more logical custodians to be processed against the plurality of data items to generate a set of search results that specifies one or more data items that both satisfy the one or more search terms and belong to the one or more logical custodians; and

the Web application transmitting to the client device over the one or more networks, a second set of one or more Web pages which, when processed by the Web browser at the client device, provide a graphical user interface that displays the set of search results that specifies one or more data items that satisfy the one or more search terms and that belong to the one or more logical custodians.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the one or more logical custodians include one or more of a business organization, a location or an employment role.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the search results include a name of a logical custodian assigned to at least one search result from the plurality of search results.

7. A computer-implemented method comprising:

a Web application retrieving logical custodian hierarchical data that specifies hierarchical relationships between a plurality of logical custodians,

the Web application generating and transmitting to a client device over one or more networks, a first set of one or more Web pages which, when processed by a Web browser at the client device, provide a graphical user interface that visually depicts the hierarchical relationships between the plurality of logical custodians and includes one or more graphical user interface controls that allow a user to specify an advanced search query to be processed against a plurality of data items, wherein the advanced search query includes one or more search terms and one or more logical custodians;

the Web application causing the advanced search query that specifies the one or more search terms and the one or more logical custodians to be processed against the plurality of data items to generate a set of search results that specifies one or more data items that both satisfy the one or more search terms and belong to the one or more logical custodians; and

the Web application transmitting to the client device over the one or more networks, a second set of one or more Web pages which, when processed by the Web browser at the client device, provide a graphical user interface that displays the set of search results that specifies one or more data items that satisfy the one or more search terms and that belong to the one or more logical custodians.

8. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 7, wherein the one or more logical custodians include one or more of a business organization, a location or an employment role.

9. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 7, wherein the search results include a name of a logical custodian assigned to at least one search result from the plurality of search results.