System for processing at least ... - Google Patent Search

An improved system for processing at least partially structured data includes a method for comparing a population of terms in a term repository, including standardizing each term within the population of terms based on at least one standardization rule. The method also includes comparing at least...

Inventors: Naama Bamberger, Uri Bernstein, Gil Reich, Tamar Rosen, Lev Reitblat, Rita Zlotnikov, Mike Berkowitz, Yehudit Halle, Jack Kustanowitz, Yedida Lubin, Oren Samuel
Assignee: Answers Corporation
Primary Examiner: Sana Al-Hashemi
Attorneys: Hoffman, Wasson & Gitler, P.C.

Read this patent

Download PDF

U.S. Classification
707/3; 707/102; 707/104.1; 707103/R

View patent at USPTO

Citations

Patent Number	Title	Issue date
5115504	Information management system	May 19, 1992
5544352	Method and apparatus for indexing, searching and displaying data	Aug 6, 1996
5659732	Document retrieval over networks wherein ranking and relevance scores are computed at the client for multiple database documents	Aug 19, 1997
5710918	Method for distributed task fulfillment of web browser requests	Jan 20, 1998
5721911	Mechanism for metadata for an information catalog system	Feb 24, 1998
5745895	Method for association of heterogeneous information	Apr 28, 1998
5781911	Integrated system and method of data warehousing and delivery	Jul 14, 1998
5794246	Method for incremental aggregation of dynamically increasing database data sets	Aug 11, 1998
5826261	System and method for querying multiple, distributed databases by selective sharing of local relative significance information for terms related to the query	Oct 20, 1998
5867799	Information system and method for filtering a massive flow of information entities to meet user information classification needs	Feb 2, 1999
5870746	System and method for segmenting a database based upon data attributes	Feb 9, 1999
5907838	Information search and collection method and system	May 25, 1999
5920854	Real-time document collection search engine with phrase indexing	Jul 6, 1999
5930788	Disambiguation of themes in a document classification system	Jul 27, 1999
5940821	Information presentation in a knowledge base search and retrieval system	Aug 17, 1999
5953718	Research mode for a knowledge base search and retrieval system	Sep 14, 1999
5963944	System and method for distributing and indexing computerized documents using independent agents	Oct 5, 1999
5983214	System and method employing individual user content-based data and user collaborative feedback data to evaluate the content of an information entity in a large information communication network	Nov 9, 1999
5987454	Method and apparatus for selectively augmenting retrieved text, numbers, maps, charts, still pictures and/or graphics, moving pictures and/or graphics and audio information from a network resource	Nov 16, 1999
6038560	Concept knowledge base search and retrieval system	Mar 14, 2000
6044374	Method and apparatus for sharing metadata between multiple data marts through object references	Mar 28, 2000
6067539	Intelligent information retrieval system	May 23, 2000
6085190	Apparatus and method for retrieval of information from various structured information	Jul 4, 2000
6101491	Method and apparatus for distributed indexing and retrieval	Aug 8, 2000
6102969	Method and system using information written in a wrapper description language to execute query on a network	Aug 15, 2000
6141659	Systems, methods and computer program products for retrieving documents from multiple document servers via a single client session	Oct 31, 2000
6144958	System and method for correcting spelling errors in search queries	Nov 7, 2000
6148298	System and method for aggregating distributed data	Nov 14, 2000
6151601	Computer architecture and method for collecting, analyzing and/or transforming internet and/or electronic commerce data for storage into a data storage area	Nov 21, 2000
6151604	Method and apparatus for improved information storage and retrieval system	Nov 21, 2000
6154213	Immersive movement-based interaction with large complex information structures	Nov 28, 2000
6161103	Method and apparatus for creating aggregates for use in a datamart	Dec 12, 2000
6163781	Object-to-relational data converter mapping attributes to object instance into relational tables	Dec 19, 2000
6163782	Efficient and effective distributed information management	Dec 19, 2000
6167405	Method and apparatus for automatically populating a data warehouse system	Dec 26, 2000
6178416	Method and apparatus for knowledgebase searching	Jan 23, 2001
6178418	Distributed data warehouse query and resource management system	Jan 23, 2001
6182082	Method and system for managing object-oriented database	Jan 30, 2001
6185550	Method and apparatus for classifying documents within a class hierarchy creating term vector, term file and relevance ranking	Feb 6, 2001
6185572	Method for representing data from non-relational, non-object-oriented datastores as queryable datastore persistent objects	Feb 6, 2001
6189004	Method and apparatus for creating a datamart and for creating a query structure for the datamart	Feb 13, 2001
6208975	Information aggregation and synthesization system	Mar 27, 2001
6208988	Method for identifying themes associated with a search query using metadata and for organizing documents responsive to the search query in accordance with the themes	Mar 27, 2001
6212524	Method and apparatus for creating and populating a datamart	Apr 3, 2001
6226632	Structured-text cataloging method, structured-text searching method, and portable medium used in the methods	May 1, 2001
6226635	Layered query management	May 1, 2001
6233581	Method for processing and accessing data objects, particularly documents, and system therefor	May 15, 2001
6233584	Technique for providing a universal query for multiple different databases	May 15, 2001
6236768	Method and apparatus for automated, context-dependent retrieval of information	May 22, 2001
6236987	Dynamic content organization in information retrieval systems	May 22, 2001
6236988	Data retrieval system	May 22, 2001
6236991	Method and system for providing access for categorized information from online internet and intranet sources	May 22, 2001
6236994	Method and apparatus for the integration of information and knowledge	May 22, 2001
6240407	Method and apparatus for creating an index in a database system	May 29, 2001
6263341	Information repository system and method including data objects and a relationship object	Jul 17, 2001
6272495	Method and apparatus for processing free-format data	Aug 7, 2001
6275824	System and method for managing data privacy in a database management system	Aug 14, 2001
6278990	Sort system for text retrieval	Aug 21, 2001
6282537	Query and retrieving semi-structured data from heterogeneous sources by translating structured queries	Aug 28, 2001
6314434	Structured data management system and computer-readable method for storing structured data management program	Nov 6, 2001
6381592	Candidate chaser	Apr 30, 2002
6411924	System and method for linguistic filter and interactive display	Jun 25, 2002
6647391	System, method and article of manufacture for fast mapping from a propertied document management system to a relational database	Nov 11, 2003

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A computer system for displaying information pertaining to any of a universe of topics, said information comprising at least partially structured data culled from a plurality of online data sources each storing a first multiplicity of at least partially structured online data entries each pertaining to an individual topic from among a second multiplicity of topics, wherein, for at least one topic, more than one online data entry pertains thereto, the system comprising:

a topic repository;

a topic builder including a user interface and being operative at least partially automatically to employ structure in at least partially structured data in said plurality of online data sources to facilitate access to said data from said plurality of online data sources, by topic, including unification of online data entries pertaining to a single topic, for display under said single topic, said unification comprising analyzing a set of topics to identify therewithin subsets of identical topics and collapsing the set by redefining all identical topics in each subset as a single topic; and

a topic-oriented user interface employed by a user to access said data in association with said topic repository by topic.

2. A topic builder for use in a computer system for displaying information pertaining to any of a universe of topics,

said information comprising at least partially structured data culled from a plurality of online data sources each storing a first multiplicity of at least partially structured online data entries each pertaining to an individual topic from among a second multiplicity of topics, wherein, for at least one topic, more than one online data entry pertains thereto, the system comprising a topic repository and a topic-oriented user interface employed by a user to access said data in said topic repository by topic,

said topic builder including a user interface and being operative at least partially automatically to employ structure in at least partially structured data in said plurality of online data sources to facilitate access to said data from said plurality of online data sources, by topic, including unification of data entries pertaining to a single topic, for display under said single topic, said unification comprising analyzing a set of topics to identify therewithin subsets of identical topics and collapsing the set by redefining all identical topics in each subset as a single topic.

3. A system according to claim 1 and also comprising:

an access controller operative to selectively assign, to various users, permission to access data originating from various of the plurality of online data sources.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one logical combinations of at least one sequences of at least one keywords are deemed to pertain to a single topic.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein said unification comprises unification based on overlap of significant words or phrases between entries.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein said unification comprises unification of data entries based on similarity in meaning between at least one data fields which each data entry includes.

7. A system according to claim 1 wherein said unification comprises using fuzzy matching algorithms to compare texts of data entries.

8. A system according to claim 1 wherein said unification comprises internal unification within a single data source.

9. A system according to claim 1 wherein said unification comprises title-based unification based on titles of data entries.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein said unification comprises manually changing at least one system-made unification decision.

11. A topic builder according to claim 2 wherein at least one logical combinations of at least one sequences of at least one keywords are deemed to pertain to a single topic.

12. A topic builder according to claim 2 wherein said unification comprises unification based on overlap of significant words or phrases between entries.

13. A topic builder according to claim 2 wherein said unification comprises unification of data entries based on similarity in meaning between at least one data fields which each data entry includes.

14. A topic builder according to claim 2 wherein said unification comprises using fuzzy matching algorithms to compare texts of data entries.

15. A topic builder according to claim 2 wherein said unification comprises internal unification within a single data source.

16. A topic builder according to claim 2 wherein said unification comprises title-based unification based on titles of data entries.

17. A topic builder according to claim 2 wherein said unification comprises manually changing at least one system-made unification decision.