Method for identifying themes associated with a search query using metadata and for organizing documents responsive to the search query in accordance with the themes

• US 6,208,988 B1
• Filed: 06/01/1998
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bigchalk.Com, Inc. (Clarivate Plc)
• Original Assignee: Bigchalk.Com, Inc. (Clarivate Plc)
• Inventors: Schultz, John Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): HOMERE, JEAN RAYMOND
• Application Number:
  US09/088,188
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/5, 707/6, 707/7, 707/100, 707/508, 707/513, 707/515, 707/500
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/313 Selection or weighting of terms for indexing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/334 Query execution G06F16/335 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

A method of identifying at least one query theme associated with a search query, wherein the query theme corresponds to a subject, person or place associated with the search query. A document record archive has a plurality of document records each of which is associated with a stored document. Each of the document records has a plurality of metadata fields each of which stores a numerical score representing a degree of correlation between the stored document associated with the document record and a document theme, wherein the document theme corresponds to a subject, person or place associated with the stored document. A results list is retrieved in response to the search query, the results list is formed of document records each of which is associated with the search query. A composite theme score is determined for each document theme represented by the metadata fields in the document records in the results list. Each of the plurality of composite theme scores is compared to a threshold. Each composite theme score that exceeds the threshold is identified as a major theme score, and the document theme associated with the major theme score is selected as a query theme associated with the search query.

Claims

1. A method of identifying at least one query theme associated with a search query, wherein the query theme corresponds to a subject, person or place associated with the search query, comprising the steps of:

(A) providing a document record archive having a plurality of document records each of which is associated with a stored document, each of the document records having a plurality of metadata fields each of which stores a numerical score representing a degree of correlation between the stored document associated with the document record and a document theme, and wherein the document theme corresponds to a subject, person or place associated with the stored document;

(B) retrieving, in response to the search query, a results list formed of ones of the document records, each of the document records in the results list being associated with the search query;

(C) determining a plurality of composite theme scores by calculating a composite theme score for each document theme represented by the metadata fields in the document records in the results list;

(D) comparing each of the plurality of composite theme scores to a threshold;

(E) identifying as a major theme score each composite theme score that exceeds the threshold;

(F) selecting the document theme associated with the major theme score as the query theme associated with the search query.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (E) comprises identifying a plurality of major theme scores, wherein each of the plurality of major theme scores corresponds to a composite theme score that exceeds the threshold, and step (F) comprises selecting a plurality of document themes each of which is associated with one of the major theme scores as query themes associated with the search query.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of ranking the query themes based upon the major theme score associated with each of the query themes.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

(G) selecting a query theme associated with the search query;

(H) selecting document records from the results list having metadata fields associated with the selected query theme; and

(I) ranking the selected document records based on values associated with the selected query theme stored in the metadata fields of the selected document records.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of repeating steps (G)-(I) for each of the query themes associated with the search query.

6. The method of claim 2, displaying a symbol representing each of the query themes associated with the search query on a computer screen.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of displaying document records associated with a selected query theme in response to a selection by a user of a symbol on the computer screen associated the selected query theme.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (C) further comprises the steps of:

(i) selecting a document theme represented by one of the metadata field in the document records in the search results list;

(ii) if the selected document theme corresponds to a person or place, then

(a) selecting a document record from the results list;

(b) if the selected document record has a metadata field associated with the selected document theme, then selecting the numerical score stored in the metadata field associated with the selected document theme in the selected document record;

(c) selecting a plurality of numerical scores by repeating steps (a)-(b) for each document record in the results list; and

(d) calculating the composite theme score associated with the selected document theme by summing the numerical scores selected in step (c).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein step (C) further comprises the steps of:

(iii) if the selected document theme corresponds to a sub ect, then

(a) initializing a first counter (C1) and a second counter (C2);

(b) selecting a document record from the results list;

(c) if the selected document record has a metadata field associated with the selected document theme, then (i) selecting the numerical score stored in the metadata field associated with the selected document theme in the selected document record, (ii) incrementing the first counter (C1) by the numerical score selected in step (c)(i), and (iii) incrementing the second counter (C2) by unity;

(d) repeating steps (b)-(c) for each document record in the results list; and

(e) calculating the composite theme score associated with the selected document theme in accordance with the equation below;

10. The method of claim 9, wherein step (C) further comprises the step of:

(iv) repeating steps (C)(i)-(C)(iii) for each document theme represented by the metadata fields in the document records in the results list.