SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BLOCK SEGMENTING, IDENTIFYING AND INDEXING VISUAL ELEMENTS, AND SEARCHING DOCUMENTS

• US 20110082868A1
• Filed: 10/04/2010
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aravind Musuluri
• Original Assignee: Aravind Musuluri
• Inventors: Musuluri, Aravind
• Granted Patent: US 10,223,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/749
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/284 Lexical analysis, e.g. tokenisation or collocates

Abstract

A method for segmenting, identifying and indexing visual elements, and searching documents comprises for each document generating metadata, segmenting the document into blocks using the metadata, performing block operations on the identified blocks, identifying and indexing inline visual elements using data and metadata rules, identifying and indexing block visual elements using profiles, and searching for documents containing visual elements.

Claims

1. A method for processing documents, the method comprising:

generating preliminary metadata for a document, the document having source content and presentation semantics;

dividing the document into one or more identified blocks using the preliminary metadata;

preparing a block list of the one or more identified blocks;

processing the one or more identified blocks in the block list using block operations; and

identifying at least one title block item for at least one of the identified blocks in the block list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein document source content is formatted according to a mark-up language.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the document source content is formatted in plain text.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the document source content is formatted according to a language accessible through an interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the document has implicit presentation semantics.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the document has explicit presentation semantics in a linked file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the document has explicit embedded presentation semantics.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the preliminary metadata is any information that can be inferred from the document text content.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the preliminary metadata is any information that can be inferred from the document markup content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the preliminary metadata is any information that can be inferred from the document explicit and/or implicit presentation semantics.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the preliminary metadata is any information that can be inferred from rendering of the document.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the preliminary metadata is any information that is computed from previously computed metadata.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the document is segmented into the blocks using predefined metadata rules.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the blocks are nested.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the entire document is a block.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein a block with no child block is identified as block item.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the document text content belongs to one and only one block item.

18. The method for claim 1, wherein for a block item in the block list, block item font metadata properties comprising block-font-family, block-font-size and block-font-weight are calculated.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein statistical mode is used in the calculation of block item font metadata properties.

20. The method of claim 18, where in statistical mean is used in the calculation of block item font metadata properties.

21. The method of claim 18, where in a mathematical formula is used in the calculation of block item font metadata properties.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein for a block item in the block list block-item-importance metadata property is calculated.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein additional information generated when dividing the document into blocks is augmented to existing metadata.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the block list further comprises removing empty blocks from the block list using predefined metadata rules.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the block list further comprises removing overlapping blocks from the block list using predefined metadata rules.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the block list further comprises removing intermediate blocks from the block list using predefined metadata rules.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the block list further comprises merging blocks using predefined data and metadata rules.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the block list further comprises splitting blocks using predefined metadata rules.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein additional information generated when preparing the list of identified blocks is augmented to existing metadata.

30. A method for processing and identifying documents in accordance with their relevance to a search query, the method comprising:

generating preliminary metadata for a document, the document having source content and presentation semantics;

dividing the document into blocks using the preliminary metadata;

preparing a list of the identified blocks;

processing the blocks in the block list using block operations;

identifying a title block for each block in the block list;

identifying at least one inline visual element within a block item in the block list using predefined data and metadata rules, if an inline visual element exists;

identifying at least one block visual element within at least one of the blocks in the block list using predefined profiles, if a block visual element exists;

generating an index of the found visual elements;

receiving search query data via a Graphical User Interface (GUI) wherein the search query data comprises at least one selected visual element type; and

generating a response to the search query with identification of each document that is determined to be relevant to the search query.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the document source content is formatted according to a mark-up language.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the document source content is formatted in plain text.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the document source content is formatted according to a language accessible through an interface.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the document has implicit presentation semantics.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the document has explicit presentation semantics in a linked file.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein the document has explicit embedded presentation semantics.

37. The method of claim 30, wherein the preliminary metadata is any information that can be inferred from the document text content.

38. The method of claim 30, wherein the preliminary metadata is any information that can be inferred from the document markup content.

39. The method of claim 30, wherein the preliminary metadata is any information that can be inferred from the document explicit and/or implicit presentation semantics.

40. The method of claim 30, wherein the preliminary metadata is any information that can be inferred from rendering of the document.

41. The method of claim 30, wherein the preliminary metadata is any information that is computed from previously computed metadata.

42. The method of claim 30, wherein the document is segmented into the blocks using predefined metadata rules.

43. The method of claim 30, wherein the blocks are nested.

44. The method of claim 30, wherein the entire document is a block.

45. The method of claim 30, wherein a block with no child block is identified as block item.

46. The method of claim 30, wherein the document a text portion of the document source content belongs to one and only one block item.

47. The method for claim 30, wherein for a block item in the block list, the block item font metadata properties comprising block-font-family, block-font-size and block-font-weight are calculated.

48. The method of claim 30, where in statistical mode is used in the calculation of block item font metadata properties.

49. The method of claim 30, where in statistical mean is used in the calculation of block item font metadata properties.

50. The method of claim 30, where in a mathematical formula is used in the calculation of block item font metadata properties.

51. The method of claim 30, wherein for a block item in the block list block-item-importance metadata property is calculated.

52. The method of claim 30, wherein additional information generated when dividing the document into blocks is augmented to existing metadata.

53. The method of claim 30, wherein the preparing the list of the identified blocks further comprises removing empty blocks from the block list using predefined metadata rules.

54. The method of claim 30, wherein the generating the block list further comprises removing overlapping blocks from the block list using predefined metadata rules.

55. The method of claim 30, wherein the preparing the list of the identified blocks further comprises removing intermediate blocks from the block list using predefined metadata rules.

56. The method of claim 30, wherein the preparing the list of identified blocks further comprises merging blocks using predefined data and metadata rules.

57. The method of claim 30, wherein the preparing the list of identified blocks further comprises splitting blocks using predefined metadata rules.

58. The method of claim 30, wherein additional information generated when preparing the list of identified blocks is augmented to existing metadata.

59. The method of claim 30, wherein the visual element is of type List.

60. The method of claim 30, wherein the visual element is of type Table.

61. The method of claim 30, wherein the visual element is of type Paragraph.

62. The method of claim 30, wherein the visual element is of type Menu.

63. The method of claim 30, wherein the visual element is of type Key/Value.

64. The method of claim 30, wherein the visual element is of type Question/Answer.

65. The method of claim 30, wherein the visual element is of type Fixed Width Text.

66. The method of claim 30, wherein the visual element is of type Graphs/Charts.

67. The method of claim 30, wherein the visual element is of type Interactive.

68. The method of claim 30, wherein the visual element is of type Timeline.

69. The method of claim 30, wherein the predefined profiles are a set of predefined data and metadata rules on one or more predefined block.

70. The method of claim 30, wherein the title is identified for both inline and block visual elements.

71. The method of claim 30, wherein visual element specific characteristics are identified for both inline and block visual elements.

72. The method of claim 30, wherein at least one predefined hint is provided in the document source content by the document author or owner regarding at least one visual element.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein the hint identifies the visual element.

74. The method of claim 72, wherein the hint identifies a visual element type.

75. The method of claim 72, wherein the hint identifies a visual element title.

76. The method of claim 72, wherein the hint identifies visual element characteristics.

77. The method of claim 30, wherein an index prepared for the inline visual element and the block visual elements comprises a visual element title and a visual element specific characteristics.

78. The method of claim 30, wherein the GUI comprises a toggle button for selection by a user for identifying the visual element type adjacent a keyword entering textbox.

79. The method of claim 30, wherein the GUI comprises a check box for selection by a user for identifying the visual element type adjacent a keyword entering textbox.

80. The method of claim 30, wherein the GUI displays data related to the search query as the search query is being received in the receiving step.

81. The method of claim 30, wherein the GUI displays response results related to the search query as the search query is being received in the receiving step.

82. The method of claim 30, wherein the search query comprises a request with at least one visual element type.

83. The method of claim 30, wherein the search query comprises a request with at least one visual element specific characteristics.

84. The method of claim 30, wherein the search query comprises a request with at least one negative modifier.

85. The method of claim 30, wherein the search query comprises a request with at least one or modifier.

86. The method of claim 30, wherein the search query comprises a request with at least one restricted location operator.

87. The method of claim 30, wherein the search query comprises a request with at least one visual element type identifier operator.

88. The method of claim 30, wherein the search query comprises a request with at least one all-inclusive operator.

89. The method of claim 30, wherein the response results are shown in the visual element type that the user requested.

90. The method of claim 30, wherein the response results are shown in the visual element type and in the same presentation semantics as the visual element is found in the original document.

91. The method of claim 30, wherein the response results are shown in a horizontal list format.

92. The method of claim 30, wherein the response results are shown in vertical list format.

93. The method of claim 30, wherein the response results are shown in a grid format.

94. The method of claim 30, wherein the generating the response step further comprises displaying advertisement data.

95. The method of claim 30, wherein the generating the response step further comprises displaying advertisement data based upon the visual element type selected.

96. A segmenting system, comprising:

a network device communicatively coupled to one or more web servers; and

logic configured to receive at least one document from the one or more web servers via the network device, the logic further configured to generate preliminary metadata for the document, the document having document content, segment the document content, dividing the document into one or more identified blocks using the preliminary metadata, and preparing a list of the one or more identified blocks, each block comprising at least one block item, the logic further configured to process the identified blocks using block operations and identify any title block item within each of the identified blocks.

97. A search system, comprising:

a network device communicatively coupled to one or more web servers; and

logic configured to retrieve documents from via the network device from the one or more web servers, the logic further configured to generate preliminary metadata for the document, the document having document content, segment the document content, dividing the document into blocks using the preliminary metadata, and preparing a list of the identified blocks, each block comprising at least one block item, the logic further configured to process the found blocks using block operations and identify inline visual elements within each block item using data and the metadata, the logic further configured to identify any block visual elements within each of the identified blocks and block items using profiles and generate an index of the found visual elements, the logic further configured to receive a request for one or more visual elements from a user as part of search query, the search query further comprising a visual element type and generate a response to the user for his search query.