Data search by selectable pre-established descriptors and categories of items in data bank
First Claim
1. A process for navigating through categories of data in the conduction of a search for identifiable items, comprising the steps of:
- storing identities and descriptors of items to be accessible by a search;
establishing a first set of data categories which serve to group individual ones of the descriptors of the items, the establishing of the first set of categories including a generating of a first set of relationships between the categories of the first set and the descriptors of the items;
establishing a second set of data categories which serve to group individual ones of the categories of the first set of categories, the establishing of the second set of categories including a generating of a second set of relationships between the categories of the second set and the categories of the first set;
characterizing an item, by its descriptors, to be an object of the search; and
selecting a plurality of categories drawn from one or both of said sets of categories in any of multiple orders to produce a sequence of categories, wherein at least one category of said sequence of categories relates to descriptors of the object.
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Abstract
A searching process employs an organization of data, in terms of categories, descriptors and identities of various items, which is stored in a data bank. To search for one of the items, there is a selecting of a plurality of categories drawn from the stored categories in any of a plurality of orders to produce a sequence of categories, of which at least one category relates to descriptors of the object. In the sequence of categories, there are at least two sequential categories of which a latter category restricts a range of object descriptors of a former category by a Boolean intersection. Available categories for use in the search are displayed in a list, and a category which represents a null set of object descriptors is withdrawn from the list. Negation and OR functions are provided.
29 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A process for navigating through categories of data in the conduction of a search for identifiable items, comprising the steps of:
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storing identities and descriptors of items to be accessible by a search;
establishing a first set of data categories which serve to group individual ones of the descriptors of the items, the establishing of the first set of categories including a generating of a first set of relationships between the categories of the first set and the descriptors of the items;
establishing a second set of data categories which serve to group individual ones of the categories of the first set of categories, the establishing of the second set of categories including a generating of a second set of relationships between the categories of the second set and the categories of the first set;
characterizing an item, by its descriptors, to be an object of the search; and
selecting a plurality of categories drawn from one or both of said sets of categories in any of multiple orders to produce a sequence of categories, wherein at least one category of said sequence of categories relates to descriptors of the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A process for navigating through categories of data in the conduction of a search for identifiable items, wherein a memory stores identities and descriptors of the items, and wherein there is a first set of data categories which serve to group individual ones of the descriptors of the items via a first set of relationships among the categories of the first set and the descriptors of the items, and the memory stores the first set of relationships, furthermore wherein there is a second set of data categories which serve to group individual ones of the categories of the first set of categories via a second set of relationships among the categories of the second set and the categories of the first set, and the memory stores the second set of relationships, the process comprising the steps of:
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characterizing an item, by its descriptors, to be an object of the search; and
selecting a plurality of categories drawn from one or both of said sets of categories in any of multiple orders to produce a sequence of categories, wherein at least one category of said sequence of categories relates to descriptors of the object. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A search system comprising a search engine, a display communicating with the engine, and data entry means communicating with the display and the engine, the system enabling a searcher to navigate through categories of data in the conduction of a search for identifiable items, wherein the engine comprises:
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a memory for storing identities and descriptors of items to be accessible by a search;
wherein the memory also stores a first set of data categories which serve to group individual ones of the descriptors of the items, and a first set of relationships between the categories of the first set and the descriptors of the items;
wherein the memory also stores a second set of data categories which serve to group individual ones of the categories of the first set of categories, and a second set of relationships between the categories of the second set and the categories of the first set;
wherein the display presents choices of the categories to the searcher, and the data entry means enable the searcher to select a plurality of categories drawn from one or both of said sets of categories in any of multiple orders to produce a sequence of categories, wherein at least one category of said sequence of categories relates to descriptors of one of said items being sought by the searcher. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A process for navigating through a set of categories of data in the conduction of a search for identifiable items, comprising the steps of:
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storing identities and descriptors of items to be accessible by a search, the storing establishing a first set of relationships between the items and their respective descriptors;
establishing a second set of relationships which serves to relate individual ones of the data categories to each other and to the descriptors hierarchically, the second set of relationships being constructed in plural branches of a hierarchical tree; and
implementing a sequence of selections in any one of a multiplicity of orders from a set of available selections to obtain the identity of at least one of said items, said available selections being drawn from said categories and from said descriptors and from plural branches of said hierarchical tree. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A process for navigating through a set of categories of data in the conduction of a search for identifiable items, wherein a memory stores identities and descriptors of items to be accessible by a search, the storing establishing a first set of relationships between the items and their respective descriptors, and the memory stores a second set of relationships which serves to relate individual ones of the data categories to each other and to the descriptors hierarchically, the second set of relationships being constructed in plural branches of a hierarchical tree;
- the process comprising steps of;
selecting a category of subject matter describing an object of the search; and
implementing a sequence of selections in any one of a multiplicity of orders from a set of available selections to obtain the identity of at least one of said items, said available selections being drawn from said categories and from said descriptors and from plural branches of said hierarchical tree. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
- the process comprising steps of;
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29. A search system comprising a search engine and a memory, the memory storing identities and descriptors of items to be accessible by a search, and including a first set of relationships between the items and their respective descriptors, the memory storing a second set of relationships which serves to relate individual ones of the data categories to each other and to the descriptors hierarchically, the second set of relationships being constructed in a fashion of plural branches of a hierarchical tree;
wherein the system is operative with a display and data entry means communicating with the display and the engine, wherein the engine communicates information to the display enabling the display to present choices of the categories stored in the memory to a searcher, and said data entry means cooperates with said engine to enable the searcher during the conduct of a search to implement a sequence of selections in any one of a multiplicity of orders from a set of available selections to obtain the identity of at least one of said items, said available selections being drawn from said categories and from said descriptors and from plural branches of said hierarchical tree. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
Specification