Retrieval apparatus using logical operators

Claim 2

A hand-held book retrieval apparatus for use in a library, comprising: retrieval request generating means including: retrieval condition generating means for inputting a condition including at least logical product, logical sum, and logical negation for retrieving an object requested to be retrieved; retrieval condition transmission means for transmitting the retrieval condition input from said retrieval condition generating means; and retrieval request response means individually attached to a plurality of objects to be retrieved, and including: retrieval condition reception means for receiving the retrieval condition including at least logical product, logical sum, and logical negation transmitted from the retrieval condition transmission means; retrieval condition analyzing means, including means for performing at least any of the logical product, logical sum, and logical negation, for analyzing the retrieval condition received by said retrieval condition reception means; identification information storage means for storing identification information inherent to the objects to be retrieved; collating means for collating the analysis result from said analyzing means with the inherent identification information stored in said identification information stored means and outputting a coincidence signal when a coincidence is detected; and signaling means for signaling, in response to the coincidence signal from said collation means, that the object requested to be retrieved is present.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said retrieval request response means comprises an integrated circuit (IC) element and is attached to or incorporated in an object to be retrieved.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said signaling means comprises a light emitting element.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said retrieval condition generating means comprises a keyboard, said keyboard having alphanumeric keys, a key indicating a logical product of retrieval conditions, a key indicating a logical sum of retrieval conditions, a key indicating a logical negation of a retrieval condition, and keys indicating brackets.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an operation of data inside the brackets has the highest priority order, followed by the logical negation, the logical product, and the logical sum.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the retrieval condition is expressed by a monomial or polynomial.

Claim 8

A hand-held retrieval apparatus, comprising: retrieval request generating means including: retrieval condition input means for inputting a condition including at least logical product, logical sum, and logical negation for retrieving an object to be retrieved, the retrieval condition comprising a plurality of retrieval data input from said retrieval condition input means; retrieval condition transmission means for transmitting the retrieval condition input from said retrieval condition input means; and retrieval request response means individually attached to a plurality of objects to be retrieved, and including: retrieval condition reception means for receiving the retrieval condition, including at least logical product, logical sum, and logical negation, transmitted from the retrieval condition transmission means; retrieval condition analyzing means, including means for performing at least any of logical product, logical sum, and logical negation, for analyzing the retrieval condition received by said retrieval condition reception means and for outputting analysis result; identification information storage means for storing identification information inherent to the objects to be retrieved; collation means for collating the analysis result from said retrieval condition analyzing means with the inherent identification information stored in said identification information storage means and outputting a coincidence signal when a coincidence is detected, and signaling means for signaling, in response to the coincidence signal from said collation means, that the object requested to be retrieved is present.

Claim 9

A hand-held retrieval apparatus, comprising: retrieval request generating means including: retrieval condition input means for inputting a condition including at least logical product, logical sum, and logical negation for retrieving an object to be retrieved, the retrieval condition comprising a plurality of retrieval data input from said retrieval condition input means; retrieval condition transmission means for transmitting the retrieval condition input from said retrieval condition input means; and retrieval request response means individually attached to a plurality of objects to be retrieved, and including: retrieval condition reception means for receiving the retrieval condition, including at least logical product, logical sum, and logical negation, transmitted from the retrieval condition transmission means; retrieval condition analyzing means, including means for performing at least any of logical product, logical sum, and logical negation, for analyzing the retrieval condition received by said retrieval condition reception means and for outputting analysis result; identification information storage means for storing identification information inherent to the objects to be retrieved; collation means for collating the analysis result from said retrieval condition analyzing means with the inherent identification information stored in said identification information storage means and outputting a coincidence signal when a coincidence is detected, and signaling means for signaling, in response to the coincidence signal from said collation means, that the object requested to be retrieved is present.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said signaling means comprises a light-emitting element.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said retrieval condition input means comprises a keyboard, said keyboard having alphanumeric keys, a key indicating a logical product of retrieval conditions, a key indicating a logical sum of retrieval conditions, a key indicating a logical negation of a retrieval condition, and keys indicating brackets.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an operation of data inside the brackets has the highest priority order, followed by the logical negation, the logical product, and the logical sum.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the retrieval condition is expressed by a monomial or polynomial.

Claim 14

A hand-held book retrieval apparatus for use in a library, comprising: retrieval request generating means including retrieval condition input means for inputting a condition including at least logical product, logical sum, and logical negation, for retrieving an object requested to be retrieved; retrieval condition transmission means for transmitting the retrieval condition input from said retrieval condition input means; and retrieval request response means individually attached to a plurality of objects to be retrieved, and including: retrieval condition reception means for receiving the retrieval condition including at least logical product, logical sum, and logical negation transmitted from the retrieval condition transmission means; identification information storage means comprising a large scale-integration semiconductor device, for storing identification information inherent to the objects to be retrieved; means for performing at least any of logical product, logical sum, and logical negation; analyzing means for analyzing the retrieval condition received by said retrieval condition reception means to produce analysis result; collating means for collating the analysis result with the inherent identification information stored in said identification information storage means; output means for outputting a coincidence signal when a coincidence is detected; and signaling means for signaling, in response to the coincidence signal from said output means that the output requested to be retrieved is present.

Claim 15

A hand-held book retrieval apparatus for use in a library, comprising: retrieval request generating means including retrieval condition input means for inputting a condition including at least logical product, logical sum, and logical negation, for retrieving an object requested to be retrieved; retrieval condition transmission means for transmitting the retrieval condition input from said retrieval condition input means; and retrieval request response means individually attached to a plurality of objects to be retrieved, and including: retrieval condition reception means for receiving the retrieval condition including at least logical product, logical sum, and logical negation transmitted from the retrieval condition transmission means; identification information storage means comprising a large scale-integration semiconductor device, for storing identification information inherent to the objects to be retrieved; means for performing at least any of logical product, logical sum, and logical negation; analyzing means for analyzing the retrieval condition received by said retrieval condition reception means to produce analysis result; collating means for collating the analysis result with the inherent identification information stored in said identification information storage means; output means for outputting a coincidence signal when a coincidence is detected; and signaling means for signaling, in response to the coincidence signal from said output means that the output requested to be retrieved is present.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said signaling means comprises a light emitting element.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said retrieval condition input means comprises a keyboard, said keyboard having alphanumeric keys, a key indicating a logical product of retrieval conditions, a key indicating a logical sum of retrieval conditions, a key indicating a logical negation of a retrieval condition, and keys indicating brackets.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein an operation of data inside the brackets has the highest priority order, followed by the logical negation, the logical product, and the logical sum.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the retrieval condition is expressed by a monomial or polynomial.