Patent US6496818B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6496818B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Semi-automatic index term augmentation in document retrieval
Assignee: Apple Inc
•
Filing: 2000-06-19
•
Granted: 2002-12-17
•
Expires: 2020-06-19
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed are methods and systems for indexing or retrieving materials accessible through computer networks.
Inventors
- 👤 Jay Michael Ponte
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 23:03
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/953; G06F16/9535; G06F16/9538; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/912; Y10S707/944; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99932; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99934; Y10S707/99935; Y10S707/99936; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
280 words
A method for assigning index terms to a document D i in a collection of documents, where other documents in the collection have previously had index terms assigned by another method, comprising: (a) selecting a term I j from among a set of terms from which the index terms are being assigned, which term I j has not yet been processed, (b) calculating a likelihood function for the document D i and a document D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term by another method, which likelihood function is based upon the likelihood that a term occurring in the document D i also occurs in the document D k , (c) repeating step (b) for a plurality of other documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term by another method, (d) calculating a total score for the Document D i for the Index Term I j , which total score is based upon the likelihood functions for the document D i and the documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term by another method, (e) repeating steps (a)-(d) for a plurality of other terms I j from among the set of terms from which index terms are being assigned, and (f) choosing index terms to be assigned to Document D i , from among the set of terms I j from which index terms are being assigned, based upon the total scores calculated for the Document D i for the Index Terms I j .
Claim 2
Independent Claim
280 words
A method for assigning index terms to a document D i in a collection of documents, where other documents in the collection have previously had index terms assigned by another method, comprising: (a) selecting a term I j from among a set of terms from which the index terms are being assigned, which term I j has not yet been processed, (b) calculating a likelihood function for the document D i and a document D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term by another method, which likelihood function is based upon the likelihood that a term occurring in the document D i also occurs in the document D k , (c) repeating step (b) for a plurality of other documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term by another method, (d) calculating a total score for the Document D i for the Index Term I j , which total score is based upon the likelihood functions for the document D i and the documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term by another method, (e) repeating steps (a)-(d) for a plurality of other terms I j from among the set of terms from which index terms are being assigned, and (f) choosing index terms to be assigned to Document D i , from among the set of terms I j from which index terms are being assigned, based upon the total scores calculated for the Document D i for the Index Terms I j .
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
238 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the likelihood function for the document D i and a document D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term by another method, is the log likelihood ratio L(D i , D k ) for the document D i and the document D k , L ( D i , D k ) = log ( ∑ m = 1 M 0 Π m ( D i , D k ) / ∑ m = 1 M 0 Π m ( D i ) ) , where Π m ( D i , D k ) = 1 , if Term m is assigned to Document D i and to Document D k = 0 otherwise Π m ( D i ) = 1 , if Term m is assigned to Document D i = 0 otherwise M 0 = the number of Terms which are in Document D i .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
123 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the total score T (D i , I j ) for the Document D i for the Index Term I j : is T ( D i , I j ) = ∑ k = 1 K 0 W ( D k , I j ) * L ( D i , D k ) / ∑ k = 1 K 0 W ( D k , I j ) , where K 0 =the number of Documents in the collection assigned Index Term I j by the other method, W(D k , I j )=a weight assigned to Index Term I j for Document D k .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein the documents are Web pages.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein the documents are Web sites.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein the documents in the collection which have previously had index terms assigned to them by another method have had one and only one index term assigned.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein the weight W(D k , I j ) assigned to the index term I j previously assigned to a document D k by another method equals 1.0.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein the term I j whose total score T (D i , I j ) calculated for the Document D i is the highest is assigned as an index term for the Document D i .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein a fixed number N of terms I j whose total scores T (D i , I j ) calculated for the Document D i are the highest are assigned as index terms for the Document D i .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein the fixed number N is equal to 1.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein all terms I j whose total scores T (D i , I j ) calculated for the Document D i exceed a fixed cutoff score are assigned as index terms for the Document D i .
Claim 13
Independent Claim
328 words
A method for assigning index terms to documents in a collection of documents, comprising: (a) manually pre-assigning index terms to a subset of the documents in the collection, (b) selecting a document D i from among the documents in the collection to which index terms have not yet been assigned, which document D i has not yet been processed, (c) selecting a term I j from among a set of terms from which index terms are being assigned, which term I j has not yet been processed, (d) calculating a likelihood function for the document D i and a document D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term manually, which likelihood function is based upon the likelihood that a term occurring in the document D i also occurs in the document D k , (e) repeating step (d) for a plurality of other documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term manually, (f) calculating a total score for the Document D i for the Index Term I j: which total score is based upon the likelihood functions for the Document D i and the Documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term manually, (g) repeating steps (c)-(f) for a plurality of other terms I j from among the set of terms from which index terms are being assigned, (h) choosing index terms to be assigned to Document D i , from among the set of terms I j from which index terms are to be assigned, based upon the total scores calculated for the Document D i for the Index Terms I j , and (i) repeating steps (b)-(h) for a plurality of other documents in the collection to which index terms have not yet been assigned which have not yet been processed.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
328 words
A method for assigning index terms to documents in a collection of documents, comprising: (a) manually pre-assigning index terms to a subset of the documents in the collection, (b) selecting a document D i from among the documents in the collection to which index terms have not yet been assigned, which document D i has not yet been processed, (c) selecting a term I j from among a set of terms from which index terms are being assigned, which term I j has not yet been processed, (d) calculating a likelihood function for the document D i and a document D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term manually, which likelihood function is based upon the likelihood that a term occurring in the document D i also occurs in the document D k , (e) repeating step (d) for a plurality of other documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term manually, (f) calculating a total score for the Document D i for the Index Term I j: which total score is based upon the likelihood functions for the Document D i and the Documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term manually, (g) repeating steps (c)-(f) for a plurality of other terms I j from among the set of terms from which index terms are being assigned, (h) choosing index terms to be assigned to Document D i , from among the set of terms I j from which index terms are to be assigned, based upon the total scores calculated for the Document D i for the Index Terms I j , and (i) repeating steps (b)-(h) for a plurality of other documents in the collection to which index terms have not yet been assigned which have not yet been processed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
235 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the likelihood function for the document D i and a document D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term manually, is the log likelihood ratio L(D i , D k ) for the document D i and the document D k L ( D i , D k ) = log ( ∑ m = 1 M 0 Π m ( D i , D k ) / ∑ m = 1 M 0 Π m ( D i ) ) , where Π m ( D i , D k ) = 1 , if Term m is assigned to Document D i and to Document D k = 0 otherwise Π m ( D i ) = 1 , if Term m is assigned to Document D i = 0 otherwise M 0 = the number of Terms which are in Document D i .
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
119 words
The method of claim 13 , wherein the total score T (D i , I j ) for the Document D i for the Index Term I j is: T ( D i , I j ) = ∑ k = 1 K 0 W ( D k , I j ) * L ( D i , D k ) / ∑ k = 1 K 0 W ( D k , I j ) , where K 0 =the number of Documents in the collection assigned Index Term I j manually, W(D k , I j )=a weight assigned to Index Term I j for Document D k .
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein a fixed number N of terms I j whose total scores T (D i , I j ) calculated for the Document D i are the highest are assigned as index terms for the Document D i .
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein the fixed number N is equal to 1.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein all terms I j whose total scores T (D i , I j ) calculated for the Document D i exceed a fixed cutoff score are assigned as index terms for the Document D i .
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein the documents are Web pages.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein the documents are Web sites.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein one and only one index term is assigned to the documents in the collection to which index terms are assigned manually.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 20 , wherein the weight W(D k , I j ) assigned to the index term I j previously assigned to a document D k manually equals 1.0.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the term I j whose total score T (D i , I j ) calculated for the Document D i is the highest is assigned as an index term for the Document D i .
Claim 25
Independent Claim
286 words
A device for assigning index terms to a document D i in a collection of documents, where other documents in the collection have previously had index terms assigned by another method, comprising: (a) means for selecting a term I j from among a set of terms from which the index terms are being assigned, which has not yet been processed, (b) means for calculating a likelihood function for the document D i and a document D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term by another method, which likelihood function is based upon the likelihood that a term occurring in the document D i also occurs in the document D k (c) means for repeating step (b) for a plurality of other documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term by another method, (d) means for calculating a total score for the Document D i for the Index Term I j , which total score is based upon the likelihood functions for the document D i and the documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term by another method, (e) means for repeating steps (a)-(d) for a plurality of other terms I j from among the set of terms from which index terms are being assigned, and (f) means for choosing index terms to be assigned to Document D i , from among the set of terms from which index terms are being assigned, based upon the total scores calculated for the Document D i for the Index Terms I j .
Claim 26
Independent Claim
286 words
A device for assigning index terms to a document D i in a collection of documents, where other documents in the collection have previously had index terms assigned by another method, comprising: (a) means for selecting a term I j from among a set of terms from which the index terms are being assigned, which has not yet been processed, (b) means for calculating a likelihood function for the document D i and a document D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term by another method, which likelihood function is based upon the likelihood that a term occurring in the document D i also occurs in the document D k (c) means for repeating step (b) for a plurality of other documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term by another method, (d) means for calculating a total score for the Document D i for the Index Term I j , which total score is based upon the likelihood functions for the document D i and the documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term by another method, (e) means for repeating steps (a)-(d) for a plurality of other terms I j from among the set of terms from which index terms are being assigned, and (f) means for choosing index terms to be assigned to Document D i , from among the set of terms from which index terms are being assigned, based upon the total scores calculated for the Document D i for the Index Terms I j .
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
238 words
The device of claim 23 , wherein the likelihood function for the document D i and a document D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term by another method, is the log likelihood ratio L(D i , D k ) for the document D i and the document D k , L ( D i , D k ) = log ( ∑ m = 1 M 0 Π m ( D i , D k ) / ∑ m = 1 M 0 Π m ( D i ) ) , where Π m ( D i , D k ) = 1 , if Term m is assigned to Document D i and to Document D k = 0 otherwise Π m ( D i ) = 1 , if Term m is assigned to Document D i = 0 otherwise M 0 = the number of Terms which are in Document D i .
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
122 words
The device of claim 24 , wherein the total score T (D i , I j ) for the Document D i for the Index Term I j: is T ( D i , I j ) = ∑ k = 1 K 0 W ( D k , I j ) * L ( D i , D k ) / ∑ k = 1 K 0 W ( D k , I j ) , where K 0 =the number of Documents in the collection assigned Index Tern I j by the other method, W(D k , I j )=a weight assigned to idex Term I j for Document D k .
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 25 , wherein the documents are Web pages.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 25 , wherein the documents are Web sites.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device of claim 25 , wherein the documents in the collection which have previously had index terms assigned to them by another method, have had one and only one index term assigned.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 28 , wherein the weight W(D k , I j ) assigned to the index term I j previously assigned to a document D k by another method equals 1.0.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
42 words
The device of claim 29 , wherein the term I j whose total score T (D i , I j ) calculated for the Document D i is the highest is assigned as an index term for the Document D i .
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
45 words
The device of claim 25 , wherein a fixed number N of terms I j whose total scores T (D i , I j ) calculated for the Document D i are the highest are assigned as index terms for the Document D i .
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 31 , wherein the fixed number N is equal to 1.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device of claim 25 , wherein all terms I j whose total scores T (D i , I j ) calculated for the Document D i exceed a fixed cutoff score are assigned as index terms for the Document D i .
Claim 37
Independent Claim
344 words
A device for assigning index terms to documents in a collection of documents, comprising: (a) means for manually pre-assigning index terms to a subset of the documents in the collection, (b) means for selecting a document D i from among the documents in the collection to which index terms have not yet been assigned, which document D i has not yet been processed, (c) means for selecting a term I j from among a set of terms from which index terms are being assigned, which term I j has not yet been processed, (d) means for calculating a likelihood function for the document D i and a document D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term manually, which likelihood function is based upon the likelihood that a term occurring in the document D i also occurs in the document D k , (e) means for repeating step (d) for a plurality of other documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term manually, (f) means for calculating a total score for the Document D i for the Index Term I j: which total score is based upon the likelihood functions for the Document D i and the Documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term manually, (g) means for repeating steps (c)-(f) for a plurality of other terms I j from among the set of terms from which index terms are being assigned, (h) means for choosing index terms to be assigned to Document D i , from among the set of terms from which index terms are to be assigned, based upon the total scores calculated for the Document D i for the Index Terms I j , and (i) means for repeating steps (b)-(h) for a plurality of other documents in the collection to which index terms have not yet been assigned which have not yet been processed.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
344 words
A device for assigning index terms to documents in a collection of documents, comprising: (a) means for manually pre-assigning index terms to a subset of the documents in the collection, (b) means for selecting a document D i from among the documents in the collection to which index terms have not yet been assigned, which document D i has not yet been processed, (c) means for selecting a term I j from among a set of terms from which index terms are being assigned, which term I j has not yet been processed, (d) means for calculating a likelihood function for the document D i and a document D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term manually, which likelihood function is based upon the likelihood that a term occurring in the document D i also occurs in the document D k , (e) means for repeating step (d) for a plurality of other documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term manually, (f) means for calculating a total score for the Document D i for the Index Term I j: which total score is based upon the likelihood functions for the Document D i and the Documents D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term manually, (g) means for repeating steps (c)-(f) for a plurality of other terms I j from among the set of terms from which index terms are being assigned, (h) means for choosing index terms to be assigned to Document D i , from among the set of terms from which index terms are to be assigned, based upon the total scores calculated for the Document D i for the Index Terms I j , and (i) means for repeating steps (b)-(h) for a plurality of other documents in the collection to which index terms have not yet been assigned which have not yet been processed.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
235 words
The device of claim 34 , wherein the likelihood function for the document D i and a document D k in the collection to which the term I j has previously been assigned as an index term manually, is the log likelihood ratio L(D i , D k ) for the document D i and the document D k L ( D i , D k ) = log ( ∑ m = 1 M 0 Π m ( D i , D k ) / ∑ m = 1 M 0 Π m ( D i ) ) , where Π m ( D i , D k ) = 1 , if Term m is assigned to Document D i and to Document D k = 0 otherwise Π m ( D i ) = 1 , if Term m is assigned to Document D i = 0 otherwise M 0 = the number of Terms which are in Document D i .
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
119 words
The device of claim 35 , wherein the total score T (D i , I j ) for the Document D i for the Index Term I j is: T ( D i , I j ) = ∑ k = 1 K 0 W ( D k , I j ) * L ( D i , D k ) / ∑ k = 1 K 0 W ( D k , I j ) , where K 0 =the number of Documents in the collection assigned Index Term I j manually, W(D k , I j )=a weight assigned to Index Term I j for Document D k .
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 36 , wherein the documents are Web pages.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 36 , wherein the documents are Web sites.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 36 , wherein one and only one index term is assigned to the documents in the collection to which index terms are assigned manually.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device of claim 39 , wherein the weight W(D k , I j ) assigned to the index term I j previously assigned to a document D k manually equals 1.0.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
42 words
The device of claim 40 , wherein the term I j whose total score T (D i , I j ) calculated for the Document D i is the highest is assigned as an index term for the Document D i .
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
45 words
The device of claim 36 , wherein a fixed number N of terms I j whose total scores T (D i , I j ) calculated for the Document D i are the highest are assigned as index terms for the Document D i .
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 42 , wherein the fixed number N is equal to 1.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device of claim 36 , wherein all terms I j whose total scores T (D i , I j ) calculated for the Document D i exceed a fixed cutoff score are assigned as index terms for the Document D i .
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5659742A
Cited
US5926811A
Cited
US5826261A
Cited
EP0813158A2
Cited
US5915249A
Cited
US5983216A
Cited
US6360215B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-12-16 | 2006-06-17 | 2006-12-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-12-16 | 2010-06-17 | 2010-12-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-12-16 | 2014-06-17 | 2014-12-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |