Method for making digital documents browseable

• US 20090083677A1
• Filed: 09/24/2007
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Darwish, Kareem Mohamed, Morsy, Ahmed
• Granted Patent: US 8,042,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/131 Fragmentation of text files, e.g. creating reusable text-blocks; Linking to fragments, e.g. using XInclude; Namespaces

Abstract

A method for making one or more digital documents browseable. In one implementation, the digital documents may be automatically, topically segmented into one or more topical segments. A topical segment may be selected from the topical segments. One or more topical segments that are substantially similar to the selected topical segment may be identified. One or more links between the selected topical segment and the identified topical segment may be established. The established links may be displayed.

Claims

1. A method for making one or more digital documents browseable, comprising:

automatically, topically segmenting the digital documents into one or more topical segments;

selecting a topical segment from the topical segments;

identifying one or more topical segments that are substantially similar to the selected topical segment;

establishing one or more links between the selected topical segment and the identified topical segments; and

displaying the established links.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more links are defined as navigation elements in the selected topical segment, such that when a navigation element is selected, information from the identified topical segments is displayed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more topical segments that are substantially similar to the selected topical segment comprises:

comparing the selected topical segment with one or more of the topical segments for similarity;

ranking the compared topical segments by similarity; and

identifying one or more ranked topical segments with a similarity above a specified similarity threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the topical segments that are substantially similar to the selected topical segment are identified using one or more similarity algorithms.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting one or more key concepts from each topical segment;

extracting one or more key phrases from each topical segment;

selecting a key phrase;

identifying one or more topical segments having key concepts that are substantially similar to the selected key phrase;

establishing one or more links between the selected key phrase and the identified topical segments having key concepts that are substantially similar to the selected key phrase; and

displaying the established links.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein identifying the topical segments having key concepts that are substantially similar to the selected key phrase comprises:

comparing the selected key phrase with the one or more key concepts for similarity;

ranking the compared key concepts by similarity;

identifying topical segments having ranked key concepts with a similarity above a specified similarity threshold.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the topical segments having key concepts that are substantially similar to the selected key phrase are identified using one or more similarity algorithms.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital documents are mostly flat digital documents.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital documents are digital books.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital documents are enterprise documents.

11. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

segment one or more table of contents for one or more digital documents into one or more entries;

select an entry;

identify one or more entries that are substantially similar to the selected entry;

establish one or more links between the selected entry and the identified entries that are substantially similar to the selected entry; and

display the established links.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to identify one or more entries that are substantially similar to the selected entry comprises computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

compare the selected entry with the identified entries for similarity;

rank the compared entries by similarity;

identify the ranked entries with a similarity above a specified similarity threshold.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the digital documents are digital books.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the digital documents are enterprise documents.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the digital documents are mostly flat digital documents.

16. A computer system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising program instructions executable by the processor to;

topically segment one or more digital documents into one or more topical segments;

extract one or more key concepts from each topical segment;

extract one or more key phrases from each topical segment;

select a key phrase;

identify one or more topical segments having key concepts that are substantially similar to the selected key phrase;

establish one or more links between the selected key phrase and the identified topical segments having key concepts that are substantially similar to the selected key phrase; and

display the established links.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the digital documents are digital books.

18. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the digital documents are mostly flat digital documents.

19. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the program instructions executable by the processor to identify the topical segments having key concepts that are substantially similar to the selected key phrase comprises program instructions executable by the processor to:

compare the selected key phrase with the one or more key concepts for similarity;

rank the compared key concepts by similarity; and

identify topical segments having ranked key concepts with a similarity above a specified similarity threshold.

20. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the topical segments having key concepts that are substantially similar to the selected key phrase are identified using one or more similarity algorithms.