Search system with query refinement and search method
First Claim
1. A search system for searching for electronic documents, and providing a search result in response to a search query, comprising:
- a processor;
a database, wherein terms in the database are grouped in a cluster based on the terms belonging to a same word sense;
a user interface module adapted to receive a search query from a user, said search query having at least two search query terms;
a query processing module that automatically determines a single, assumed word sense for a first search query term of the search query, wherein the assumed word sense for the first search query term is selected from a list of retrieved senses for the first search query term, and wherein the selection from the list of retrieved senses is based on at least a second search query term of the search query, wherein the query processing module identifies a plurality of any available alternative terms for the first search query term from a cluster based on the word sense, wherein the alternative terms include any available synonyms that are within the word sense;
a search engine that electronically searches for electronic documents that satisfy said word sense of said first search query term; and
wherein said user interface module is further adapted to display search results received from the search engine.
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Abstract
A search system and method for searching for electronic documents, and providing a search result in response to a search query. In one embodiment, the search system includes a processor, a user interface module adapted to receive a search query from a user that includes a search query term, a search engine that electronically searches for electronic documents that satisfy the search query term, and a query processing module that identifies at least one alternative term for the search query term, and provides the alternative term to the user interface module for display to the user, and also provides the alternative term to the search engine to search for electronic documents that satisfy the alternative term.
141 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A search system for searching for electronic documents, and providing a search result in response to a search query, comprising:
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a processor; a database, wherein terms in the database are grouped in a cluster based on the terms belonging to a same word sense; a user interface module adapted to receive a search query from a user, said search query having at least two search query terms; a query processing module that automatically determines a single, assumed word sense for a first search query term of the search query, wherein the assumed word sense for the first search query term is selected from a list of retrieved senses for the first search query term, and wherein the selection from the list of retrieved senses is based on at least a second search query term of the search query, wherein the query processing module identifies a plurality of any available alternative terms for the first search query term from a cluster based on the word sense, wherein the alternative terms include any available synonyms that are within the word sense; a search engine that electronically searches for electronic documents that satisfy said word sense of said first search query term; and wherein said user interface module is further adapted to display search results received from the search engine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer implemented search method for electronically searching documents, and providing a search result in response to a search query, comprising:
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receiving, using a user interface module controlled by a computer processor, a search query from a user, said search query having at least two search query terms; electronically and automatically determining, using a query processing module controlled by a computer processor, a single, assumed sense of a first term of the search query selected from a list of retrieved senses for the first term, wherein the selection of the assumed sense for the first term from the list of retrieved senses is based on at least a second term of the search query; electronically identifying, using the query processing module controlled by a computer processor, a plurality of available alternative terms from a cluster of terms belonging to a same word sense for the first term based on the assumed sense, wherein the plurality of available alternative terms include any available synonyms within the assumed sense; and electronically executing a search, using a search engine, for electronic documents that satisfy at least the first term and the plurality of available alternative terms. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer readable hardware medium with executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a computer processor, cause said computer to execute a method for searching for electronic documents, and providing a search result in response to a search query, the method comprising:
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receiving a search query from a user, said search query having at least two search query terms; electronically and automatically determining a single, assumed sense of a first term of the search query selected from a list of retrieved senses for the first term, wherein the selection from the list of the assumed sense for the first term is based on at least a second term of the search query; electronically identifying a plurality of available alternative terms from a cluster of terms belonging to a same word sense for the first term based on the assumed sense, wherein the plurality of available alternative terms include any available synonyms within the assumed sense; and electronically executing a search for electronic documents that satisfy at least one of said first term and the plurality of alternative terms. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification