Patent US5756918A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US7542965B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US7542965B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for searching and navigating a document database
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 2004-12-30
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Granted: 2009-06-02
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Expires: 2024-12-30
Abstract
Abstract A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for searching and navigating a document database is provided. Document categories are assigned unique numeric category identifiers. Each document in a database is assigned to one of the document categories. Metadata is associated with each electronic document that includes the numeric category identifier corresponding to the category assigned to the document. The database may be searched or browsed based on category by utilizing the metadata. URLs may also be embedded in a Web page that includes a list of document identifiers and an index. The list of document identifiers is a list containing the identities of an arbitrary number of search results. The index identifies one of the documents in the list of document identifiers to be retrieved. When such a URL is selected, a Web server computer utilizes the list of document identifiers and the index to identify the document to be returned.
Inventors
- 👤 Bill Chau
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:46
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/954; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99932; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99934; Y10S707/99935
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
344 words
A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for searching a database comprising a plurality of electronic documents, said method comprising: assigning a first unique numeric category identifier to each of a plurality of document categories; assigning a second unique numeric category identifier to each of a plurality of document sub-categories, wherein each of the plurality of document sub-categories is associated with at least one of the plurality of document categories; assigning each of said electronic documents to at least one of the plurality of document categories and at least one of the plurality of document sub-categories associated with the assigned at least one of the plurality of document categories, wherein the assigned at least one of the plurality of document categories and the assigned at least one of the plurality of document sub-categories is based upon the content of each of said electronic documents; associating metadata with each of said electronic documents, said metadata comprising said first unique numeric category identifier corresponding to said document category assigned to each of said electronic documents and said second unique numeric category identifier corresponding to said document sub-category assigned to each of said electronic documents; receiving a request to search said database, said search limited to documents assigned to a specified document category associated with said request and wherein said database comprises a second computer-readable storage medium; searching said metadata associated with each of said electronic documents; returning an identity of each of said electronic documents associated with metadata having a numeric category identifier associated with said specified document category, said identities returned as a list of document identifiers and an index into said list corresponding to a one of said electronic documents; receiving a request to display a second document, the second document identified in said list; and utilizing said index and said list to identify said second document and to retrieve said second document from said database without performing a second search of the metadata associated with each of said electronic documents.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
344 words
A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for searching a database comprising a plurality of electronic documents, said method comprising: assigning a first unique numeric category identifier to each of a plurality of document categories; assigning a second unique numeric category identifier to each of a plurality of document sub-categories, wherein each of the plurality of document sub-categories is associated with at least one of the plurality of document categories; assigning each of said electronic documents to at least one of the plurality of document categories and at least one of the plurality of document sub-categories associated with the assigned at least one of the plurality of document categories, wherein the assigned at least one of the plurality of document categories and the assigned at least one of the plurality of document sub-categories is based upon the content of each of said electronic documents; associating metadata with each of said electronic documents, said metadata comprising said first unique numeric category identifier corresponding to said document category assigned to each of said electronic documents and said second unique numeric category identifier corresponding to said document sub-category assigned to each of said electronic documents; receiving a request to search said database, said search limited to documents assigned to a specified document category associated with said request and wherein said database comprises a second computer-readable storage medium; searching said metadata associated with each of said electronic documents; returning an identity of each of said electronic documents associated with metadata having a numeric category identifier associated with said specified document category, said identities returned as a list of document identifiers and an index into said list corresponding to a one of said electronic documents; receiving a request to display a second document, the second document identified in said list; and utilizing said index and said list to identify said second document and to retrieve said second document from said database without performing a second search of the metadata associated with each of said electronic documents.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said metadata for each of said electronic documents is stored in an indexed catalog.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said request to search said database further comprises a search term and wherein returning an identity comprises returning an identity of each of said electronic documents associated with metadata having a numeric category identifier associated with said specified document category and containing said search term.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said electronic documents comprise document templates.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said metadata further comprises an identity of an author or provider of each of said electronic documents.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein said metadata further comprises a text description of said document category to which each of said electronic documents is assigned.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein said metadata further comprises a title for each of said electronic documents.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
212 words
A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for navigating between documents stored in a database without performing a document search each time a document is requested, each of said electronic documents identified by a unique document identifier, said method comprising: assigning each of said electronic documents to at least one of a plurality of document categories and at least one document sub-category associated with the at least one of the plurality of document categories; assigning each of said electronic documents a document identifier associated with the assigned at least one of the plurality of document categories and the assigned at least one document sub-category; receiving a request for at least one of said electronic documents, said request comprising a list of assigned document identifiers and an index into said list corresponding to said requested electronic document, said list and said index provided previously with a second one of said electronic documents; and in response to said request, utilizing said index and said list of document identifiers to identify said requested electronic document from said plurality of electronic documents without performing a search of said database, wherein said database comprises a second computer-readable storage medium, and transmitting said requested electronic document.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
212 words
A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for navigating between documents stored in a database without performing a document search each time a document is requested, each of said electronic documents identified by a unique document identifier, said method comprising: assigning each of said electronic documents to at least one of a plurality of document categories and at least one document sub-category associated with the at least one of the plurality of document categories; assigning each of said electronic documents a document identifier associated with the assigned at least one of the plurality of document categories and the assigned at least one document sub-category; receiving a request for at least one of said electronic documents, said request comprising a list of assigned document identifiers and an index into said list corresponding to said requested electronic document, said list and said index provided previously with a second one of said electronic documents; and in response to said request, utilizing said index and said list of document identifiers to identify said requested electronic document from said plurality of electronic documents without performing a search of said database, wherein said database comprises a second computer-readable storage medium, and transmitting said requested electronic document.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein said requested electronic document comprises one of said plurality of electronic documents identified in said list of document identifiers previous to a previously transmitted electronic document.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , further comprising: decrementing said index; generating a hypertext link comprising said decremented index and said list of document identifiers; and transmitting said hypertext link with said requested electronic document.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , further comprising: incrementing said index; generating a hypertext link comprising said incremented index and said list of document identifiers; and transmitting said hypertext link with said requested electronic document.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein said requested electronic document comprises one of said plurality of electronic documents identified in said list of document identifiers and subsequent to a previously transmitted electronic document.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein each of said plurality of documents in said database is named consistently with a corresponding document identifier.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein said list of document identifiers is generated in response to a single search of said database.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein said list of document identifiers is generated in response to a single request to browse said database.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
301 words
A storage system for searching a database comprising a plurality of electronic documents, said system comprising: a server computer operative to execute a server application program, the server application program operative to: assign a first unique numeric category identifier to each of a plurality of document categories; assign a second unique numeric category identifier to each of a plurality of document sub-categories, wherein each of the plurality of document sub- categories is associated with at least one of the plurality of document categories; assign each of said electronic documents to one of said document categories and one of said document sub-categories associated with said document category, said assigned category and said assigned sub-category based upon the content of each of said electronic documents; associate metadata with each of said electronic documents, said metadata comprising said first unique numeric category identifier corresponding to said document category assigned to each of said electronic documents and said second unique numeric category identifier corresponding to said document sub- category assigned to each of said electronic documents; receive a request to search said database, said search limited to documents assigned to a specified document category associated with said request; search said metadata associated with each of said electronic documents; return an identity of each of said electronic documents associated with metadata having a numeric category identifier associated with said specified document category, said identities returned as a list of document identifiers and an index into said list corresponding to a one of said electronic documents; receive a request to display a second document, the second document identified in said list; and utilize said index and said list to identify said second document and to retrieve said second document from said database without performing a second search of the metadata associated with each of said electronic documents.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
301 words
A storage system for searching a database comprising a plurality of electronic documents, said system comprising: a server computer operative to execute a server application program, the server application program operative to: assign a first unique numeric category identifier to each of a plurality of document categories; assign a second unique numeric category identifier to each of a plurality of document sub-categories, wherein each of the plurality of document sub- categories is associated with at least one of the plurality of document categories; assign each of said electronic documents to one of said document categories and one of said document sub-categories associated with said document category, said assigned category and said assigned sub-category based upon the content of each of said electronic documents; associate metadata with each of said electronic documents, said metadata comprising said first unique numeric category identifier corresponding to said document category assigned to each of said electronic documents and said second unique numeric category identifier corresponding to said document sub- category assigned to each of said electronic documents; receive a request to search said database, said search limited to documents assigned to a specified document category associated with said request; search said metadata associated with each of said electronic documents; return an identity of each of said electronic documents associated with metadata having a numeric category identifier associated with said specified document category, said identities returned as a list of document identifiers and an index into said list corresponding to a one of said electronic documents; receive a request to display a second document, the second document identified in said list; and utilize said index and said list to identify said second document and to retrieve said second document from said database without performing a second search of the metadata associated with each of said electronic documents.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
The storage system of claim 16 , wherein said request to search said database further comprises a search term and wherein returning an identity comprises returning an identity of each of said electronic documents associated with metadata having a numeric category identifier associated with said specified document category and containing said search term.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The storage system of claim 16 , wherein said electronic documents comprise document templates.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2016-06-01 | 2016-12-01 | 2017-06-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2020-06-01 | 2020-12-01 | 2021-06-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |