EP0601759A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method for searching a collection of documents
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1993-11-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-11-29
Abstract
Abstract A method for searching a collection of documents for a set of documents acceptable to a user without requiring the user to enter search words includes partitioning the collection of documents into sets of documents through the use of an automatic partitioning algorithm, such as a fractionation or clustering algorithm. A summary is then generated for each of the sets of documents through use of an automatic summarization algorithm. The user is then enabled to select one or more of the sets of documents from the summary to define a new collection of documents. The partitioning, summarizing and selecting steps are repeated on each successive new collection of documents until the set of documents in a selected set is accepted by the user.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard D. Henderson
- 👤 Michael J. Barbarino
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 16:14
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/93
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A method for searching a collection of documents for a set of documents acceptable to a user without requiring the user to enter search words, including: (a) partitioning the collection of documents into sets of documents; (b) generating a summary for each of said sets of documents; (c) enabling the user to select at least one of said sets of documents from the summary to define a new collection of documents; (d) repeating steps (a) through (c) on each successive new collection of documents until the set of documents acceptable to the user is generated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of partitioning the collection of documents comprises performing an automatic partitioning algorithm.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for searching a collection of documents for a set of documents acceptable to a user without requiring the user to enter search words, comprising: (a) performing an automatic partitioning of the documents into sets of documents in accordance with a predetermined partitioning algorithm; (b) performing an automatic summary generation for each of said sets of documents to generate a summary for each set of partitioned documents; (c) displaying the summary for each set of partitioned documents to the user; (d) enabling the user to select at least one of said sets of documents from the summary to define a new collection of documents comprising the documents in the selected at least one of said sets of documents; (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) on each successive new collection of documents until the set of documents acceptable to the user is partitioned from the collection.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said step of performing an automatic partitioning algorithm comprises performing an automatic linear partitioning algorithm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said automatic partitioning algorithm comprises a clustering algorithm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said automatic partitioning algorithm comprises a fractionation algorithm.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said step of generating a summary of each set of documents comprises performing a summarization algorithm.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the step of partitioning each collection of documents into sets comprises partitioning each collection of documents into between 15 and 20 sets of documents.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
39 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said step of enabling the user to select at least one of said sets of documents comprises enabling the user also to select a plurality of said sets of documents.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0361464A2
Cited
EP0542429A2
Cited
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