US6718323B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Automatic method for quantifying the relevance of intra-document search results
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
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Filing: 2001-01-12
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Granted: 2004-04-06
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Expires: 2021-01-12
Abstract
Abstract A method for finding and ranking portions of documents responsive to a query is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: providing at least one database containing documents; providing a query relating to information sought by a user, the query containing at least one search term; assigning a value to each document responsive to at least one search term contained in the query indicating the relevance of the document; defining regions within the documents, each region corresponding to a selected one of the search terms; assigning a value to each region responsive to at least one search term contained in the query indicating the relevance of the region; and displaying at least one region of at least one document in order of relevance.
Inventors
- 👤 Liam Clement Davies
- 👤 Matthew Thomas Moores
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 10:13
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/30; G06F16/33; G06F16/3331; G06F16/3332; G06F16/3334; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/951; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99935; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99952; Y10S707/99953
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A method for finding and ranking regions of documents responsive to a query, comprising the steps of: providing a query relating to information sought by a user, the query including one or more than one search term; searching for a document responsive to said query; determining a first value for each document responsive to the query, each first value indicating the relevance of its associated document with respect to the query; selecting documents in response to the first value; defining a region within each of the selected documents for each occurrence of any of the search terms found within that document by defining each of the regions to include the found search term and a predetermined number of words following that search term, wherein the predetermined number is a near threshold value and wherein said near threshold value is a whole number value; and determining a second value for each region ranking that region by its relevance to the query.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
160 words
A method for finding and ranking regions of documents responsive to a query, comprising the steps of: providing a query relating to information sought by a user, the query including one or more than one search term; searching for a document responsive to said query; determining a first value for each document responsive to the query, each first value indicating the relevance of its associated document with respect to the query; selecting documents in response to the first value; defining a region within each of the selected documents for each occurrence of any of the search terms found within that document by defining each of the regions to include the found search term and a predetermined number of words following that search term, wherein the predetermined number is a near threshold value and wherein said near threshold value is a whole number value; and determining a second value for each region ranking that region by its relevance to the query.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the first value associated with each document responsive to the query includes assigning a higher value to documents containing more than one of the found search terms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of defining a region within each of the selected documents includes defining each regions to include a fixed number of words before and a fixed number of words after each found search term.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 , further including the step of: displaying at least one region of at least one document in order of relevance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined number of words is defined as a near threshold value of 30 words.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the first value associated with each document responsive to the query includes increasing the first value of documents including multiple instances of a search term or multiple search terms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the regions are defined in associated with a near threshold value, and wherein the step of determining the first value associated with each document responsive to the query includes searching within that document for any additional instances of a found search term, and determining proximity between the found search term and its other instances, if found, wherein the near threshold value is relevant to the proximity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
96 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the regions are defined in associated with a near threshold value, and wherein the step of determining the second value associated with each region of the document responsive to the query includes searching within that region for any additional instances of a found search term, determining proximity between the found search term and its other instance, if found, wherein the near threshold value is relevant to the proximity; and generating the second value for that region based on frequency and the proximity of search terms contained therein search terms.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
88 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the second value associated with each region of the document responsive to the query includes locating within that region any additional instances of search terms found within that region, determine proximity of instances of the found search term, assigning to that region a value relevant to the proximity, locating within that region other search terms contained in the query, and determining the second value based on frequency and the proximity of search terms contained within that region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the documents being searched are stored in at least one database with transcripts of audio recordings.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the transcripts of audio recordings are created by voice recognition software.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
164 words
A method for quantifying the relevance of intra-document search results responsive to a query, comprising the steps of: providing a query containing at least one search term; search for at least one document responsive to at least one search term contained in the query; assigning a first value to each document responsive to at least one search term contained in the query indicating the relevance of the document; selecting documents in response to the first value; defining at least one region within the selected documents corresponding to a selected one of the search terms by defining each of the regions to include the selected one of the search terms and a predetermined number of words following that search term wherein the predetermined number is a near threshold value and wherein said near threshold value is a whole number value; and assigning a second value to each region responsive to at least one search term contained in the query indicating the relevance of the region.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
164 words
A method for quantifying the relevance of intra-document search results responsive to a query, comprising the steps of: providing a query containing at least one search term; search for at least one document responsive to at least one search term contained in the query; assigning a first value to each document responsive to at least one search term contained in the query indicating the relevance of the document; selecting documents in response to the first value; defining at least one region within the selected documents corresponding to a selected one of the search terms by defining each of the regions to include the selected one of the search terms and a predetermined number of words following that search term wherein the predetermined number is a near threshold value and wherein said near threshold value is a whole number value; and assigning a second value to each region responsive to at least one search term contained in the query indicating the relevance of the region.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of assigning the first value includes assigning a higher value to documents containing more than one of the search terms.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 12 , further including the step of: providing at least one database containing documents.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of defining regions within the documents, each region corresponding to a selected one of the search terms, further includes defining the regions to include the selected search term and a variable region proximate to the selected search term, parameters of which are determined by a user.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of assigning the region second value increasing the second value of regions including multiple instances of a search term.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of assigning the second value to a region includes locating within that region any additional instances of respected ones of selected search terms, determining proximity of selected ones of respective search term, and assigning the second value to that in relation to the proximity.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of assigning the second value includes locating within that region any additional instances of respected ones of selected search terms; determining proximity of selected ones of respective search term, assigning the second value to that region indicative of the proximity, locating within that region selected ones of other search terms contained in the query; and increasing the second value by an increment indicative of the relevance of the selected ones of other search terms.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
169 words
An apparatus for finding and ranking portions of documents responsive to a query, comprising: a user interface for receiving a query relating to information sought by a user, wherein the query contains at least one search term; and a processor for assigning a value to each document responsive to at least one search term contained in the query indicating the relevance of the document and selecting documents in response to the value, the processor operative to define regions within the selected documents, wherein each region corresponds to a selected one of the search terms and wherein each region is defined to include the selected one of the search terms and a predetermined number of words following that search term, wherein the predetermined number is a near threshold value and wherein said near threshold value is a whole number value, the processor operative to assign a second value to each of the regions responsive to at least one search term contained in the query indicating the relevance of the region.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
169 words
An apparatus for finding and ranking portions of documents responsive to a query, comprising: a user interface for receiving a query relating to information sought by a user, wherein the query contains at least one search term; and a processor for assigning a value to each document responsive to at least one search term contained in the query indicating the relevance of the document and selecting documents in response to the value, the processor operative to define regions within the selected documents, wherein each region corresponds to a selected one of the search terms and wherein each region is defined to include the selected one of the search terms and a predetermined number of words following that search term, wherein the predetermined number is a near threshold value and wherein said near threshold value is a whole number value, the processor operative to assign a second value to each of the regions responsive to at least one search term contained in the query indicating the relevance of the region.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus of claim 19 , further including: a display device for displaying at least one region of at least one document in order of relevance.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
199 words
A method for quantifying the relevance of intra-document search results responsive to a query, comprising: searching, in response to a query with one or more search terms, for a document containing any one of the search terms; determining a document relevance value for each document containing one or more of the search terms; selecting a group of documents from among the documents containing one or more of the search terms that, based on the document relevance value, are most relevant to the query; searching through each document in the selected group of documents for further occurrences of search terms hit upon or any additional search terms from the query; defining a region within each document in the selected group or documents where each occurrence of a search term is located by defining each of the regions to include the located search term and a predetermined number of words following that search term, wherein the predetermined number is a near threshold value and wherein said near threshold value is a whole number value; determining for each region a region relevance value that ranks it by its relevance to the query; and providing regions that are most relevant to the query.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
199 words
A method for quantifying the relevance of intra-document search results responsive to a query, comprising: searching, in response to a query with one or more search terms, for a document containing any one of the search terms; determining a document relevance value for each document containing one or more of the search terms; selecting a group of documents from among the documents containing one or more of the search terms that, based on the document relevance value, are most relevant to the query; searching through each document in the selected group of documents for further occurrences of search terms hit upon or any additional search terms from the query; defining a region within each document in the selected group or documents where each occurrence of a search term is located by defining each of the regions to include the located search term and a predetermined number of words following that search term, wherein the predetermined number is a near threshold value and wherein said near threshold value is a whole number value; determining for each region a region relevance value that ranks it by its relevance to the query; and providing regions that are most relevant to the query.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 21 , wherein the document relevance value rises with the rise in incidence of search terms from the query, be it a plurality of distinct search terms, a plurality of instances of the same search term, or a combination thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 21 , wherein the document relevance value rises for documents containing distinct search terms grouped within a close proximity.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 21 , wherein the most relevant documents rank highest in their respective document relevance value.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 21 , there being a same-term counter for counting recurring instances of the same search term, wherein each search term is associated with a weight, and wherein each documents relevance value is determined as a function of the weight and the same-term counter.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 21 , wherein the region relevance value for each region is determined based of frequency and proximity of search terms found therein.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 21 , there being a same-term counter for counting recurring instances of the same search term, wherein the region relevance value for each region is determined as a function of the same-term counter.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
213 words
A system for quantifying the relevance of intra-document search results responsive to a query, comprising: means for searching, in response to a query with one or more search terms, for a document containing any one of the search terms; means for determining a document relevance value for each document containing one or more of the search terms; means for selecting a group of documents from among the documents containing one or more of the search terms that, based on the document relevance value, are most relevant to the query; means for searching through each document in the selected group of documents for further occurrences of search terms hit upon or any additional search terms from the query; means for defining a region within each document in the selected group or documents where each occurrence of a search term is located by defining each of the regions to include the located search term and a predetermined number of words following that search term, wherein the predetermined number is a near threshold value and wherein said near threshold value is a whole number value; means for determining for each region a region relevance value that ranks it by its relevance to the query; and means for providing regions that are most relevant to the query.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
213 words
A system for quantifying the relevance of intra-document search results responsive to a query, comprising: means for searching, in response to a query with one or more search terms, for a document containing any one of the search terms; means for determining a document relevance value for each document containing one or more of the search terms; means for selecting a group of documents from among the documents containing one or more of the search terms that, based on the document relevance value, are most relevant to the query; means for searching through each document in the selected group of documents for further occurrences of search terms hit upon or any additional search terms from the query; means for defining a region within each document in the selected group or documents where each occurrence of a search term is located by defining each of the regions to include the located search term and a predetermined number of words following that search term, wherein the predetermined number is a near threshold value and wherein said near threshold value is a whole number value; means for determining for each region a region relevance value that ranks it by its relevance to the query; and means for providing regions that are most relevant to the query.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 28 , wherein the document relevance value rises with the rise in incidence of search terms from the query, be it a plurality of distinct search terms, a plurality of instances of the same search term, or a combination thereof.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 28 , wherein the document relevance value rises for documents containing distinct search terms grouped within a close proximity.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 28 , wherein the most relevant documents rank highest in their respective document relevance value.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 28 , there being a same-term counter for counting recurring instances of the same search term, wherein each search term is associated with a weight, and wherein each documents relevance value is determined as a function of the weight and the same-term counter.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 28 , wherein the region relevance value for each region is determined based on frequency and proximity of search terms found therein.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 28 , there being a same-term counter for counting recurring instances of the same search term, wherein the region relevance value for each region is determined as a function of the same-term counter.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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