Method and apparatus for indexing, searching and displaying data
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A research system for computerized searching of textual objects, wherein the textual objects are stored in a database, comprising:
- a computer processor for processing commands and manipulating the textual objects stored in the database;
a means, coupled to the computer processor, for entering the commands to be processed by the computer processor;
a means for indexing the textual objects using the computer processor and the entered commands comprising;
a means for creating vectors representing the textual objects wherein the vectors are created using non-semantical relationships that exist among or between the textual objects;
a means for searching the indexed textual objects using the vectors to obtain a pool of textual objects comprising a means for vector searching of the indexed textual objects using the vectors;
a graphical user interface means for converting the pool of textual objects into a graphical view comprising;
a means for forming a box to graphically represent one or more of the textual objects in the pool; and
a display, operably coupled to the graphical user interface means, for showing the graphical view including any of the boxes formed.
8 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer research tool for indexing, searching and displaying data is disclosed. Specifically, a computer research tool for performing computerized research of data including textual objects in a database and for providing a user interface that significantly enhances data presentation is described. Textual objects and other data in a database are indexed by creating a numerical representation of the data. The indexing technique called proximity indexing generates a quick-reference of the relations, patterns and similarity found among the data in the database. Proximity indexing indexes the data by using statistical techniques and empirically developed algorithms. Using this proximity index, an efficient search for pools of data having a particular relation, pattern or characteristic can be effectuated. The Computer Search program, called the Computer Search Program for Data represented in Matrices (CSPDM), provides efficient computer search methods. The CSPDM rank orders data in accordance with the data'"'"'s relationship to time, a paradigm datum, or any similar reference. The user interface program, called the Graphical User Interface (GUI), provides a user friendly method of interacting with the CSPDM program and prepares and presents a visual graphical display. The graphical display provides the user with a two dimensional spatial orientation of the data.
298 Citations
52 Claims
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1. A research system for computerized searching of textual objects, wherein the textual objects are stored in a database, comprising:
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a computer processor for processing commands and manipulating the textual objects stored in the database; a means, coupled to the computer processor, for entering the commands to be processed by the computer processor; a means for indexing the textual objects using the computer processor and the entered commands comprising; a means for creating vectors representing the textual objects wherein the vectors are created using non-semantical relationships that exist among or between the textual objects; a means for searching the indexed textual objects using the vectors to obtain a pool of textual objects comprising a means for vector searching of the indexed textual objects using the vectors; a graphical user interface means for converting the pool of textual objects into a graphical view comprising; a means for forming a box to graphically represent one or more of the textual objects in the pool; and a display, operably coupled to the graphical user interface means, for showing the graphical view including any of the boxes formed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A legal research system for computerized searching of textual objects containing core words, wherein the textual objects are stored in a database, comprising:
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a computer processor for processing commands and manipulating the textual objects stored in the database; a keyboard means, coupled to the computer processor, for entering the commands to be processed by the computer processor; a means for indexing the textual objects using the computer processor and the entered commands comprising; a means for creating vectors representing the textual objects; and a means for generating a boolean word index of the core words found in the textual objects; a means for searching the indexed textual objects using the vectors and the boolean word index to obtain a pool of textual objects comprising; a means for performing boolean word searches using the boolean word index; and a means for vector searching of the indexed textual objects using the vectors, comprising; means for receiving processed commands from the computer processor which identify a selected textual object; cases-after means for identifying textual objects that refer to the selected textual object; cases-in means for identifying textual object to which the selected textual object refers; and similarity means for identifying textual objects which have similar characteristics to the selected textual object; a graphical user interface means for converting the pool of textual objects into a graphical view comprising; a means for forming a box to graphically represent one or more of the textual objects in the pool; and a display, operably coupled to the graphical user interface means, for showing the graphical view including any of the boxes formed.
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13. A system for proximity indexing a plurality of data comprising:
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storage means, connected to the grouping means, for storing a plurality of data in a database; a computer processor for manipulating the plurality of data; means for enabling the computer processor to access the plurality of data stored in the database; extractor means for creating a numerical representation of each accessed datum; patterner means for analyzing the numerical representation of the plurality of data for patterns comprising; means for a calculating a pattern representation for each datum based upon that datums relationship to every other datum; and means for weighing the significance of the pattern representation; weaver means for generating an index on the proximity of each datum to every other datum comprising; a means for determining the Euclidian distance between two pattern representations; and memory for storing the index on the proximity of each datum to every other datum. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for computerized searching of an index which catalogs a database of objects comprising:
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key means for entering search commands; a processor, connected to the key means, for processing the search commands; means to retrieve the index utilizing the processor; multiple search means to analyze the index and identify a pool of one or more of the objects based upon a processed search command comprising; means for interpreting a processed search command as a selection of an object; means for identifying a pool of objects that have a relation to the selected object; means for generating a paradigm object; and means for defining a pool of objects that have non-semantical characteristics similar to the paradigm object; and a display for viewing the objects in a pool. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A graphical user interface to display a pool of identified objects stored in a database comprising:
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means for receiving the identity of objects to be displayed; means for collecting data indicating a first relationship between objects in the pool and data indicating a second relationship between objects in the pool; means for determining a coordinate X/Y location for each identified object in the pool based upon the data indicating a first and second relationship comprising; means for comparing the data indicating the first relationship for determining an X coordinate for each object; and means for comparing the data indicating the second relationship for determining a Y coordinate for each object; means for generating a first window with an X axis and Y axis; means for creating a box for each identified object; means for placing the box for each identified object in the correct X/Y position in the first window; means for displaying the first window with one or more boxes; and means to select a displayed box and obtain further information about the object represented by the displayed box. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A non-semantical method for numerically representing objects in a computer database and for computerized searching of the numerically represented objects in the database, wherein direct and indirect relationships exist between objects in the database, comprising:
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marking objects in the database so that each marked object may be individually identified by a computerized search; creating a first numerical representation for each identified object in the database based upon the object'"'"'s direct relationship with other objects in the database; storing the first numerical representations for use in computerized searching; analyzing the first numerical representations for indirect relationships existing between or among objects in the database; generating a second numerical representation of each object based on the analysis of the first numerical representation; storing the second numerical representation for use in computerized searching; and searching the objects in the database using a computer and the stored second numerical representations, wherein the search identifies one or more of the objects in the database. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for the non-semantical indexing of objects stored in a computer database, the method for use in searching the database for the objects, comprising the steps of:
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extracting, comprising the steps of; labeling objects with a first numerical representation; and generating a second numerical representation for each object based on each object'"'"'s references to other objects; patterning, comprising the step of creating a third numerical representation for each object using the second numerical representations, wherein the third numerical representation for each object is determined from an examination of the second numerical representations for occurrences of patterns that define indirect relations between or among objects; weaving, comprising the steps of; calculating a fourth numerical representation for each object based on the euclidean distances between the third numerical representations; and determining a fifth numerical representation for each object by processing the fourth numerical representations through similarity processing; and storing the fifth numerical representations in the computer database as the index for use in searching for objects in the database. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for searching indexed objects, wherein the index is stored, comprising the steps of:
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entering search commands; processing the search commands with a processor; retrieving the stored index using the processor; analyzing the index to identify a pool of objects, comprising the steps of; interpreting the processed searched commands as a selection of an object; identifying a group of objects that have a relationship to the selected object, wherein the step of identifying comprises the steps of; identifying objects that are referred to by the selected object; and identifying objects that refer to the selected object quantifying the relationship of the selected object to each object in the group of objects; and ranking the objects in the group of objects in accordance to the quantified relationship to the selected object; and presenting one or more objects from the group of objects in ranked order.
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46. A method for searching indexed objects, wherein the index is stored, chronological information is associated with each object in the group, and a paradigm object may be identified, comprising the steps of:
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entering search commands; processing the search commands with a processor; retrieving the stored index using the processor; analyzing the index to identify a pool of objects, comprising the steps of; interpreting the processed searched commands as a selection of an object; identifying a group of objects that have a relationship to the selected object; quantifying the relationship of the selected object to each object in the group of objects; ranking the objects in the group of objects in accordance to the quantified relationship to the selected object; chronologically ordering the objects in the group to form a pool of objects; ordering the objects in the pool by rank based upon their relationship to a paradigm object; and presenting one or more objects from the pool of objects in ranked order.
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47. A method for graphically displaying and interfacing with a pool of identified objects stored in a database using information indicating relationships, comprising the steps of:
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receiving the identity of objects in the pool; collecting information indicating a first relationship among objects in the pool; gathering information indicating a second relationship among objects in the pool; determining a coordinate X/Y position for each identified object in the pool based upon the information indicating a first and second relationship comprising the steps of; comparing the information indicating the first relationship for determining an X coordinate for each identified object; and comparing the information indicating the second relationship for determining a Y coordinate for each identified object; generating a first window with an X axis and Y axis, wherein the X and Y axis are able to accommodate the X and Y coordinate for each object; creating a graphical box for each identified object, the box having sides and a bottom; placing a side and the bottom of the graphical box for each identified object in the correct X/Y axis position in the first window; labeling the placed box; displaying the first window with one or more labeled boxes; and selecting a displayed box to obtain further information about the identified object represented by the displayed box. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
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51. A system for computerized searching of an index which catalogs a database of objects comprising:
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key means for entering search commands; a processor, connected to the key means, for processing the search commands; means to retrieve the index utilizing the processor; multiple search means to analyze the index and identify a pool of one or more of the objects based upon a processed search command comprising; means for interpreting a processed search command as a selection of an object; means for identifying a pool of objects that have a relation to the selected object, wherein the means for identifying a pool of objects further comprises; means for identifying objects that are referred to by the selected object; means for identifying objects that refer to the selected object; and means for identifying objects that have a similar characteristic to the selected object; means for generating a paradigm object; and means for defining a pool of objects that have characteristics similar to the paradigm object; and a display for viewing the objects in a pool.
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52. A system for computerized searching of an index which catalogs a database of objects comprising:
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key means for entering search commands; a processor, connected to the key means, for processing the search commands; means to retrieve the index utilizing the processor; multiple search means to analyze the index and identify a pool of one or more of the objects based upon a processed search command comprising; means for interpreting a processed search command as a selection of an object; means for identifying a pool of objects that have a relation to the selected object; means for generating a paradigm object; and means for defining a pool of objects that have characteristics similar to the paradigm object; means for chronologically ordering the objects in a pool; means for rank ordering the objects in a pool based upon their relationship to the selected object; means for rank ordering the objects in a pool based upon their relationship to the paradigm object; and a display for viewing the objects in a pool.
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Specification