JP2005310184A - Information storage and retrieval apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a retrieval-oriented and retriever-oriented information storage and retrieval apparatus in which a retriever can easily customize and store/retrieve information collectively for each concept by himself/herself. <P>SOLUTION: A virtual keyword storage space representing a conceptual spread with a keyword inputted from a keyword input section 20 or the like as a core is set by a virtual keyword storage space management section 30. A spatial axis may also be an information attribute. Information is disposed and stored in the space by an information storage control section 40. An attribute of registered information is detected by an attribute detection section 31, and the information may also be disposed in accordance with the attribute. A link between information or with an external information source may also be set by a hyper link setting section 41. Information can be displayed by an information display section 50 and can be retrieved by an information retrieval section 60. Retrieval designating an attribute value of information can also be performed by utilizing an attribute information filter 61 for retrieval. Access is managed by an access management table 32 and an access right management section 34. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an information storage / retrieval apparatus that organizes and integrates information. In particular, a state where the specified information can be easily searched and obtained without being aware of the information transmission / reception position, such as the information requester or provider, and the location where the information is located. The present invention relates to an information storage / retrieval apparatus that organically holds information while maintaining the security.

  With the spread of network systems such as the Internet in recent years, opportunities for storing, transmitting, searching and acquiring information have increased explosively. The problem of how to store a large amount of data on the network and how to retrieve and acquire it is an important technical issue. For example, in an information access method using a World Wide Web (WWW) browser, a function for providing hyperlinks between information is provided to some extent. Therefore, in addition to primary information, other information can be linked, You can also provide information that becomes an index of.

  On the other hand, there are many such massive piles of information that are not relevant and do not have the desired quality. Since the information sender side does not always send information from the viewpoint of the information acquisition side, it is often difficult to obtain really necessary information.

  With such changes in the environment, it has become necessary to effectively deal with a large amount of diverse information. Instead of the conventional consciousness of collecting all the information that seems to be related, it is necessary to select the information that one wants and to actively land and handle it.

  Conventional information storage and retrieval devices include a keyword search system that uses keywords by preparing a systematic thesaurus, a search system that uses a search engine, a link collection-based index search system, a meta search server system, and a workflow-like information batch Examples include management systems.

  The keyword search system systematically prepares the keywords assumed by the system as a thesaurus, and when storing information, assigns a predetermined number or all of the relevant keywords as much as possible. The keyword that seems to be related from the thesaurus is inputted and information is extracted and refined by trial and error.

  A search system that uses a search engine specifies a part that collects documents while sequentially accessing and specifying servers on the Internet / intranet using robots, a mechanism that analyzes and indexes them, and searches for them By doing so, it has a mechanism to list documents similar to a keyword or document.

  The link collection-based index search system uses an index in which a list of Internet / intranet information is created mainly manually. Information is properly classified and organized into categories that are considered appropriate.

  The meta search server system is a system that uses a search server that integrates and organizes and returns results from a plurality of search servers. Some have a mechanism such as changing the drawing method depending on the type of word.

  The workflow information batch management system is a system that aims at integration including all operations such as generation, change, sending, and browsing of information related to a specific business.

  The conventional information storage / retrieval system has the following problems.

  First, the conventional information storage / retrieval system has a problem that its information storage system is not customized for the individual information searcher. In other words, it was a system that was uniformly determined for the entire system, or a system that was determined and created by the information sender such as a hyperlink. For this reason, the accumulated information is not accumulated in a preferable system viewed from the individual on the searcher side, and there are cases where it is inconvenient for the searcher to manage and search the information.

  Secondly, the conventional information storage and retrieval system is for the searcher, and the approach to the information focuses on mere browsing and search. After the searcher searches, the information is processed, There is a problem that the information storage location and system cannot be changed freely.

  Thirdly, the information storage system is complicated. As the amount of information becomes large and diverse, the conventional information storage and retrieval system described above is complicated in its information storage system and hierarchy, and the processing is inefficient both at the time of organizing and storing information and the time of retrieving information. There was a problem of becoming.

  Fourthly, there is a problem that information may be classified carelessly, and eventually the information cannot be managed centrally. In other words, when information is organized and stored, information is classified and stored separately from one point of view, but even if both are related and necessary from the point of view of the actual search, the storage location is different, so the necessary information May not be complete.

  In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an information storage and retrieval apparatus that is search-oriented, searcher-oriented, and that can be easily customized by the searcher.

In order to achieve the above-described conventional object, an information storage / retrieval device of the present invention allocates a storage device, a keyword input unit for inputting a keyword, a storage area of the storage device to the keyword, and assigns the keyword to the keyword A keyword virtual storage space management unit that manages the stored storage area as a storage space that the keyword virtually has, and an information storage control unit, wherein the keyword virtual storage space management unit is designated by the information storage control unit When storing the one information based on the storage area in the storage area, the one information is virtually arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space to manage the information. The keyword virtual storage space that the keyword has as a core can be set, and information is arranged by arranging various information in the space. Information can be stored and retrieved.

  Here, the keyword virtual storage space is a virtual storage space for integrating and searching information links and information itself for each keyword, and the concept represented by the keyword is organized on the virtual storage space. It will be something to go. Any key may be specified for the keyword. By creating this virtual storage space for each keyword, the unit of information organization and access to the organized information can be handled easily. For humans, there is an advantage that it is easy to express according to a keyword when expressing a certain concept.

  Next, the information storage control unit includes a hyperlink setting unit that sets hyperlinks between pieces of information, and as the information to be stored, other keywords included in the information placed and stored in the keyword virtual storage space It is preferable to include hyperlink information to the virtual storage space.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the information to be stored includes hyperlink information indicating a connection to information of an external storage device connected via a network.

  With the above configuration, it is possible to provide a connection between information organized for each keyword virtual storage space, and information can be stored and retrieved flexibly. Information can be linked between information in the keyword virtual storage space, between information traversing the keyword virtual storage space, and between information distributed on the network.

  Next, it is preferable that the hyperlink set by the hyperlink setting unit has a binding strength.

  With the above configuration, the strength of connection between information linked by hyperlinks can be given, and the information is effective for searching for tracing hyperlinks.

  Next, as the information, in addition to information to be searched later, the concept of individuals, organizations, and projects, and hyperlink information representing the connection between the concepts, the concept is arranged in the keyword virtual storage space. It is preferable to store and manage inter-project cooperation and human cooperation by hyperlinks between the concepts.

  With the above configuration, if a keyword virtual storage space is used, the information and abilities of the person are stored in the keyword of the person, and if a human relation or organizational relation is given by a hyperlink, a human / organizational network can be established. The project can be managed by setting hyperlinks to the people and organizations with the information, ability, and information necessary for project execution using the project as a keyword.

  Next, it is preferable that the information includes software and tools in addition to information to be searched later, and the keyword virtual storage space can be used as a virtual cabinet in a computer window.

  With the above configuration, it is built in the desktop environment by targeting general data including software and tools that can be used on computers as well as organizing and storing information to be searched later, as in conventional database software. A virtual organization space for information like a virtual reality cabinet can be provided.

  Next, the keyword virtual storage space management unit includes an attribute detection unit that detects an attribute of information arranged / stored in the keyword virtual storage space, and the location of the information in the keyword virtual storage space is It is preferable to set the position corresponding to the result of sorting along the attribute of.

  With the above-described configuration, it is possible to organize and store information in the keyword virtual storage space using various attributes of information. The attribute information includes, for example, storage date and time, information creation date and time, information storage person, information source medium, information confidentiality level, information language, field to which the information belongs, auxiliary keywords added at the time of registration, It may include auxiliary keywords that are automatically extracted according to a prepared thesaurus, and may be appropriately determined by the user. If it is arranged at a position corresponding to the result of sorting according to these attributes, it is effective for organizing the keyword virtual storage space.

  Next, it is preferable that the information storage / retrieval apparatus includes an information display unit, and the information display unit visually displays information arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space.

  With the above configuration, it is possible to visually grasp the situation where information is stored and organized, and it is possible to visually grasp the presence of stored information at the time of retrieval.

  Next, it is preferable that the information storage / retrieval apparatus includes an information retrieval unit, and the information retrieval unit retrieves information arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the information search unit includes an attribute information filter that selects information according to attributes of information arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space.

  With the above configuration, information arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space can be searched. When a large amount of information is arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space, the search information can be further narrowed down by attribute or the like. Can be performed efficiently.

  Next, it is preferable that the keyword virtual storage space management unit includes an access management table that holds access history information of the number of accesses and time for each keyword virtual storage space.

  With the above configuration, it is possible to manage the access history and access status to the information stored in the keyword virtual storage space, and to manage information according to the access status. For example, at the time of search, only those accessed within a specific time can be selected, or the access date and time can be displayed in order of newest.

  Next, the keyword virtual storage space management unit includes a keyword evaluation unit, and the keyword evaluation unit determines a keyword having a keyword virtual storage space whose access frequency is less than a certain value according to the access history information held in the access management table. On the other hand, it is preferable to evaluate the keyword not suitable for search and notify the keyword virtual storage space management unit.

  Further, it is preferable that the keyword virtual storage space management unit automatically deletes the keyword virtual storage space that is not accessed for a certain period of time according to the access history information held in the access management table.

  With the above configuration, inappropriate keywords that can be a major cause of stored information mortality are evaluated and selectively corrected, information stored and stored in the keyword virtual storage space is prevented from being stored, and stored information is effectively used. Can be achieved.

  Next, the keyword virtual storage space management unit has a keyword-undefined virtual storage space that is not associated with a specific keyword, and when storing one piece of information, the information storage control unit relates to the specific keyword. When not specified, it is preferable that the keyword virtual storage space management unit arranges and stores the one information in the keyword-undefined virtual storage space.

  With the above configuration, it is possible to provide a virtual storage space for storing various kinds of information collectively without temporarily or continuously associating with a specific keyword. The organization information can be temporarily stored, and the storage, organization, and retrieval processing using the information storage / retrieval apparatus can be performed more flexibly.

  Next, the keyword virtual storage space management unit includes an access right management unit, sets an access right for each keyword virtual storage space to be managed, and holds an access right for an access request for the keyword virtual storage space It is preferable to allow access only to processes.

  The access right management unit sets an access right for each information arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space, and holds the access right for an access request for individual information in the keyword virtual storage space It is preferable to allow access only to

  With the above configuration, access rights can be set for each keyword virtual storage space, and personal information, confidential information, etc. can be stored in a mixed environment even in an environment where multiple people use or an environment where login from a network is permitted. Yes, information privacy and security can be maintained.

  The information storage / retrieval apparatus of the present invention will be described. First, the basic principle of the information storage / retrieval apparatus of the present invention will be described, and then the information storage / retrieval apparatus of each embodiment will be described.

  First, the basic principle of the information storage / retrieval apparatus of the present invention will be described.

  The information storage / retrieval apparatus of the present invention organizes, stores, and retrieves information using a keyword virtual storage space. Here, the keyword virtual storage space is a virtual storage space for integrating and searching links to information and information itself for each keyword, and the concept spread represented by the keyword is regarded as the virtual storage space. Information is arranged and organized.

  You can specify any key for the keyword, but from the standpoint of organizing information, select a keyword that corresponds to a concept or category that expresses the direction of work, hobbies, etc. It is effective to create a space. In other words, the keyword virtual storage space that is organized while organizing becomes a user-friendly customized dictionary / encyclopedia and information source that organizes various information and links to other information. sell.

  The significance of defining this space for each keyword is that the computer unit is also connected to the unit of organization when organizing information and the concept of the keyword as a method of accessing the organized information. Is easy to handle. In an essential sense, it is not possible to completely associate information and a group with keywords, but keywords can be used as a means of access, so the unit of organization, storage, and retrieval of information is also a keyword unit. Is natural and easy to handle. In particular, for humans, when a certain concept is expressed, there is an advantage that it is easy to grasp and express if there is a keyword.

  FIG. 1 shows an example representing the concept of the keyword virtual storage space.

  The space visually shown in FIG. 1 is represented in three dimensions so that it can be easily understood by humans. Needless to say, however, the space may conceptually be a multidimensional space.

  In the example of FIG. 1, the keyword is “paper manuscript”, and the keyword virtual storage space is represented with three axes of presentation date / time, presenter, and application field as attributes of stored information. However, the setting of the space axis based on the attribute information is not essential, and the information may be arranged randomly in the space when the information is arranged / stored, or may be arranged in time series in the order of storage. The attribute of the information is not particularly limited and may be various, for example, storage date / time, information creation date / time, information storage person, information source medium, information confidentiality level, information language, field to which the information belongs. In addition, auxiliary keywords added at the time of registration, auxiliary keywords automatically extracted according to a thesaurus prepared in advance, and the like may be appropriately determined by the user. If it is arranged at a position corresponding to the result of sorting according to these attributes, it is effective for organizing the keyword virtual storage space.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the information storage / retrieval apparatus of the present invention using the keyword virtual storage space will be described.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 2 is a basic configuration example of the information storage / retrieval apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 2, 10 is a storage device, 20 is a keyword input unit for inputting a keyword, 30 is assigned a storage area of the storage device to a keyword, and the keyword virtually has a storage area assigned to the keyword. A keyword virtual storage space management unit that manages as a storage space, 40 is an information storage control unit that stores specified information in the generated keyword virtual storage space, and 50 is information arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space An information display unit 60 for visually displaying other necessary user interfaces, and an information search unit 60 for searching the keyword virtual storage space and information arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space. The control unit, the memory, the communication interface, and the network of the entire information storage / retrieval apparatus are not shown for convenience of explanation.

  Next, typical functions required for the information storage / retrieval apparatus using the keyword virtual storage space will be described.

  The first function is a keyword virtual storage space generation function. A keyword virtual storage space as shown in FIG. 1 is generated. This keyword virtual storage space generation function is provided by the keyword input unit 20 and the keyword virtual storage space management unit 30.

  First, when a user inputs a keyword from the keyword input unit 20, a keyword virtual storage space that is a storage space in which the storage area of the storage device 10 is virtually centered on the input keyword is generated. A keyword virtual storage space corresponding to a specific keyword may be set in advance, but can be dynamically generated when information is stored, and is a concept representing information to be stored when information is stored. Assuming it is generated dynamically when a keyword is accessed for the first time.

  When generating the keyword virtual storage space, initial registration of related information is performed, and a table for managing the information is also created. For example, information stored and managed in the keyword virtual storage space and information storage management table for managing link information to other keyword virtual storage space related to the keyword, user information, access management table for managing access history information There is a list of unorganized information that is not associated with other keyword virtual storage spaces and that may be associated with the keyword virtual storage space. Use of these various tables will be described later.

  The information managed in the information storage management table includes location information in the keyword virtual storage space in addition to the storage address, size, and attribute information in the storage area of the stored information.

  The second function is a function for storing and organizing information in the keyword virtual storage space. This information registration function is provided by the information storage control unit 40 and the keyword virtual storage space management unit 30.

  Input of information to be stored includes input of information to be stored specified by the user via the information storage unit 40, or download of information from an information source on an external network. At that time, a keyword to be stored is designated. The keyword virtual storage space management unit 30 arranges and stores the input information on the corresponding keyword virtual storage space.

  The determination of the location of information in the keyword virtual storage space is performed randomly without any rules, in order of time series, or according to the attribute value of the information with the spatial axis corresponding to a specific attribute There are things.

  Next, an interface used for information registration will be described. It is important to prepare a user interface for additionally registering user-friendly input information and external information source search results. Examples of the registration interface include an interface for designating a file in which information is stored, an interface for designating the entire directory, and an interface for designating a URL that is a notation indicating the location of information on the Internet or an intranet.

  When registering each piece of information, the question is which keyword virtual storage space to register. For example, even if it is a result of searching while using a certain keyword virtual storage space, there may be a case where it is desired to register in another keyword virtual storage space. Further, in the case where the directory is registered together, the entire contents do not necessarily represent information that should enter the same keyword virtual storage space. Therefore, as an example of an interface related to the designation of keyword, for example, there is an interface in which a user designates a keyword when registering information, and other examples include the following three candidates, 1) designated at the previous registration 2) Keywords that have been entered in a search in the keyword virtual storage space, and 3) Interfaces for selecting from the keywords in the keyword virtual storage space list.

  The third function is a function for holding information stored in the keyword virtual storage space and displaying it as necessary. This stored information holding display function is provided by the information display unit 50 and the keyword virtual storage space management unit 30.

  The keyword virtual storage space shown in FIG. 1 and information arranged and stored in the space are visually displayed. In addition to the information, the information display unit 50 is also used as an element that visually provides various user interfaces.

  The fourth function is an information search function dedicated to the keyword virtual storage space. This information search function is provided by the information search unit 60 and the keyword virtual storage space management unit 30.

  This information retrieval function is a function for retrieving information stored and stored in the keyword virtual storage space. This is a function used to further narrow down information when there is a lot of information arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space. For example, information is narrowed down by sorting information in time series. Further, information is narrowed down by inputting auxiliary keywords that are added as secondary items during registration and auxiliary keywords that are automatically extracted according to a thesaurus prepared in advance. Further, as will be described later in the second embodiment, it is possible to narrow down the search by using attributes of information.

  As described above, according to the information storage / retrieval apparatus shown in the first embodiment, the keyword virtual storage space is used to store, retrieve, and display information flexibly and efficiently using the basic apparatus configuration and various functions described above. be able to.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, an information storage / retrieval apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described. The second embodiment is an application form of the information storage / retrieval apparatus of the present invention.

  FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of the information storage / retrieval apparatus according to the second embodiment.

  The same elements as those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

  3, 10 is a storage device, 20 is a keyword input unit, 30 is a keyword virtual storage space management unit, and includes an attribute detection unit 31, an access management table 32, a keyword evaluation unit 33, and an access right management unit 34. . Reference numeral 40 denotes an information storage control unit, which includes a hyperlink setting unit 41. Reference numeral 50 denotes an information display unit, and reference numeral 60 denotes an information search unit, which includes an attribute information filter 61. The control unit, the memory, the communication interface, and the network of the entire information storage / retrieval apparatus are not shown for convenience of explanation.

  The attribute detection unit 31 detects attributes of information arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space. In addition, it is preferable to set the location of information in the keyword virtual storage space to a position corresponding to the result of sorting along the attribute of the information. This is because the arrangement and storage of information in the keyword virtual storage space can be organized using various attributes of the information. The attribute information includes, for example, storage date and time, information creation date and time, information storage person, information source medium, information confidentiality level, information language, field to which the information belongs, auxiliary keywords added at the time of registration, It may include auxiliary keywords that are automatically extracted according to a prepared thesaurus, and may be appropriately determined by the user.

  The access management table 32 holds and manages access history information of the number of accesses and time for each keyword virtual storage space.

  The keyword evaluation unit 33 evaluates a keyword having a keyword virtual storage space whose access frequency is lower than a certain value according to the access history information held in the access management table as a keyword unsuitable for search, and the keyword virtual storage space management unit To notify.

  The access right management unit 34 sets an access right for each keyword virtual storage space to be managed, and permits access only to a process that holds the access right in response to an access request for the keyword virtual storage space. In addition, an access right is set for each information arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space, and access is permitted only to a process that holds the access right for an access request for individual information in the keyword virtual storage space. It is. Even in an environment used by a plurality of people or an environment where login from a network is permitted, personal information, confidential information, and the like can be stored together, and the privacy and security of information can be maintained.

  Here, the hyperlink setting unit 41 sets a hyperlink that is a specific link between information and between information and another keyword virtual storage space. The hyperlink setting unit 41 can set the strength of hyperlink connection to be set, and can prioritize the connection between information.

  The attribute information filter 61 is used to select information according to the attributes of information arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space, and is used for information retrieval, and a large amount of information is arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space. When the search is being performed, the search information can be further narrowed down by attribute or the like, thereby enabling efficient search.

  Next, typical functions of the information storage / retrieval apparatus according to the second embodiment will be described. Here, description of the basic functions described in the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and description will be made focusing on applied functions.

  First, application functions at the time of information storage will be described. Application functions for storing information include the function to expand the target of information to be stored and register hyperlink information between information, and the function to acquire and register necessary information from external information sources on the network. Includes the ability to set the strength level associated with hyperlink information.

  These functions are set by the hyperlink setting unit 41 to set hyperlink information indicating a connection between information and between the information and another keyword virtual storage space.

  As information to be stored, the information placed and stored in the keyword virtual storage space has hyperlink information to other keyword virtual storage spaces, and the connection to information of external storage devices connected via a network Contains hyperlink information.

  It is also possible to automatically set a hyperlink to information arranged in one keyword virtual storage space. The selection method of other keyword virtual storage spaces that link from one keyword virtual storage space is a method that links keywords input at the time of narrowing search in the keyword virtual storage space according to the frequency, and conversely other keyword virtual storage There is a method of establishing a link according to the frequency when the keyword used for the narrowing search in the space points to the keyword virtual storage space. Furthermore, the strength of hyperlink connection may be variable according to the frequency. However, it goes without saying that hyperlinks can be provided by the user's own input instructions.

  Further, the information storage control unit 40 and the hyperlink setting unit 41 provide links with various external information sources in the following procedure in order to acquire information from the external information source into the keyword virtual storage space.

  First, an access mechanism corresponding to the external information source is prepared. Prepare the necessary communication interfaces, communication control software, and network resources.

  Next, the connection between the information source and the keyword virtual storage space is checked. Here, there are various types of information sources, especially when considering the connection with keywords, it is easy or difficult to connect with keywords (for example, English-English dictionaries It is not a direct link to a Japanese word because it is an information source that shows the relationship between a word and its simple English expression).

  Therefore, it is necessary to prepare and check a process for determining whether or not to associate with the keyword virtual storage space. This process is also prepared for each information source.

  Next, for the keywords to be linked, the information source access mechanism is linked to the keyword virtual storage space. The timing of connection is when the keyword virtual storage space is created and when the information source itself is updated or added. When the information source itself is updated, all existing keyword virtual storage spaces are checked for ties.

  Thus, by setting hyperlinks between information, between information and keyword virtual storage space, and giving the hyperlink strength, it can be used as effective information for searching and following hyperlinks.

  In addition, the information storage function has some variations as shown below.

  The first function variation is a function of registering information obtained through an information source linked from the keyword virtual storage space. This is because capturing results such as an external information source search through the keyword virtual storage space is most efficient for customizing the keyword virtual storage space. Therefore, it is preferable to enrich information sources that can be used in the keyword virtual storage space.

  The second function variation is the most advantageous by searching the contents of information and evaluating the frequency, importance, etc., if there is a keyword that exists as a keyword virtual storage space in the words used. This is a function for registering in a keyword virtual storage space of a keyword.

  The third function variation is a function of storing information that is not associated with any keyword virtual storage space in the keyword virtual storage space in which information without association is placed.

  Information registration in the keyword virtual storage space can be executed flexibly and efficiently by the various functions described above, and registration and arrangement of information that can be effectively used in subsequent searches and the like are possible.

  Next, application functions by the keyword virtual storage space management unit 30 will be described.

  The first function includes an information attribute detecting function for detecting information attributes and an information arrangement storing function for arranging and storing information in the keyword virtual storage space according to the detected attributes. As shown in FIG. 1, the spatial axis of the keyword virtual storage space can be defined with information attributes. When the information is placed and stored in the keyword virtual storage space, the attribute detection unit 31 detects the attribute value of the information. Upon detection, the attribute detection unit 31 may automatically extract and detect the attribute value, or an input interface that allows an information registrant to input the attribute value may be provided. For example, the attribute value automatic by the attribute detection unit 31 includes storage date and time, information creation date and time, information storage person, information source medium, information language, information field, auxiliary keyword automatically extracted according to a thesaurus prepared in advance. Extraction, detection, information confidentiality level, auxiliary keywords added at the time of registration can be input from the user via the user interface. It arrange | positions to the attribute axis position corresponding to the result sorted according to these attributes.

  The second function is a function for managing access information to the keyword virtual storage space.

  This access information management function includes an access history management function, an access information acquisition function for obtaining access information such as an access user, and an access right management function.

  The access history management function manages access information by an access management table 32 that holds access history information of the number of times and time of access for each keyword virtual storage space. This access history information can be used for various purposes. As an example, the present invention can be applied as information for determining whether or not a keyword set based on access frequency is valid and effective. A keyword evaluation unit is provided, and if the keyword evaluation unit evaluates a keyword having a keyword virtual storage space whose access frequency is less than a certain value according to the access history information held in the access management table as a keyword that is not suitable for search, it is set. A certain criterion for the effectiveness of the keyword will be obtained.

  The access information acquisition function is a function for acquiring and managing information related to access such as the user accessing the keyword virtual storage space, the accessed user ID, and the access time. This access information can be used for various purposes. As an example, it is possible to know the interests and preferences of the accessor based on the access time and access frequency, and to store data such as sales information. In addition, a human network such as a forum, sharing information It becomes possible.

  However, since there may be a case where it is desired to keep access to the keyword virtual storage space secret, it is possible to make it possible to specify that the user name or the like be kept secret on the side of the user accessing the keyword virtual storage space. Even in this case, grasping the number of anonymous accesses can provide information on how many people are interested in the common keywords, and can be expected to be useful for market research.

  The access right management function sets an access right for each keyword virtual storage space and for each information arranged / stored in the space by the access right management unit 34, and accesses an access request for the keyword virtual storage space. This function allows access only to the process that holds the right.

  Access rights can be set for each keyword virtual storage space, and personal information, confidential information, etc. can be mixed and stored even in environments where multiple people use or log in from the network. Privacy and security can be maintained.

  As a third function, there is a keyword virtual storage space erasing function.

  This is a function for erasing the generated keyword virtual storage space by the user's designation or by the automatic erasure function of the system.

  Here, when deleting the keyword virtual storage space, not all information in the keyword virtual storage space is necessarily required. In other words, there are cases where the entire stored information is not necessary, and the information itself is useful, but the keyword assigned to the keyword virtual storage space is inappropriate, and only the generated keyword virtual storage space may be deleted. . Therefore, for the information in the keyword virtual storage space at the time of erasing the keyword virtual storage space, the information held in other keyword keyword virtual storage spaces is deleted, and the information that is not held is temporarily stored. I do.

  The keyword virtual storage space automatic erasure function is a function for automatically erasing a keyword virtual storage space that is not accessed for a long period of time or notifying it as an erasure target. The automatic erasure determination is performed by the keyword virtual storage space management unit according to the access history information held in the access management table, and the keyword virtual storage space that is not accessed for a certain period is automatically deleted.

  In the automatic deletion of the keyword virtual storage space, the information contained in the keyword virtual storage space should not be deleted inadvertently as in the case of the keyword virtual storage space deletion by the user specified above. Protect.

  Next, an application function of information display in the information display unit 50 will be described as a fourth function.

  Functional elements that should be displayed visually in consideration of user convenience are also displayed. For example, a search function element and its operation part used for the purpose of filtering to further narrow down the content of information by attributes, etc., a new information registration function element and its operation part, and a hyperlink creation function element to other information And its operation part. In addition, if the keyword virtual storage space and the arranged / stored information can be visualized and displayed, it is possible for the user to easily grasp the status of information storage search. When the keyword virtual storage space has an attribute axis, information is arranged and stored according to the attribute value of the information. However, if the situation is visualized, the usability of the user is further improved.

  Next, an application function at the time of information search using the information search unit 60 will be described as a fifth function.

  This is a function for searching for information arranged and arranged in the keyword virtual storage space and further narrowing down search using attribute information and the like. This function is provided by the attribute information filter 61. If the information has various attributes, or if the information is executed according to the various attributes when the information is stored in the keyword virtual storage space, the search is performed through the search information filter 61 using the attribute as a criterion. The attributes of information may be various as described in the keyword virtual storage space generation function, including storage date / time, information creation date / time, information storage person, information source medium, information confidentiality level, information language, information Field, to which an auxiliary keyword is added secondary at the time of registration, an auxiliary keyword automatically extracted according to a thesaurus prepared in advance, and an attribute determined by the user as appropriate. Among these attributes, information is filtered by giving the attribute information filter 61 an attribute value assumed to be included in the information to be searched.

  Next, an application usage mode of the information storage / retrieval apparatus using the keyword virtual storage space of the present invention will be described.

  The application usage form of the first information storage / retrieval apparatus uses the information storage / retrieval apparatus of the present invention as a virtual cabinet. The virtual cabinet is a virtual cabinet or organizing tool provided on a desktop environment in a pseudo manner for storing, organizing, and retrieving information from a storage medium such as a hard disk. A virtual reality that uses a cabinet that handles a real paper medium is given to a user, and an added value that is not found in a real cabinet is provided.

  Information handled by the virtual cabinet includes various information to be searched later, as well as software and tools. The data format may be any format that can be handled by computer resources such as text data, image data, and audio data. Software and tools can also be handled in a virtual cabinet. For example, in the drawer of the cabinet called "Translation Tool", translation tools between various languages, such as Japanese-English translation tools, English-Japanese translation tools, Japanese-German translation tools, German-Japanese translation tools, etc., are stored and organized. You can open the drawer and take out the translation tool.

  The capacity of the virtual cabinet can be easily expanded and contracted by changing the allocated amount of storage resources such as hard disks. Also, changing the number of drawers of the virtual cabinet and setting a new drawer can be easily performed by updating the storage resource allocation setting.

  The virtual cabinet has an interface with the user. FIG. 4 shows a display example of the desktop including the interface of the virtual cabinet. 401 is a virtual cabinet, and 402a to 402c are drawers of the virtual cabinet 401. 403a to 403b are iconified link tools that link to other keyword virtual storage spaces related to the virtual cabinet 401. 404 is a toolbar, 405 is an example of an active application window, and 410 is a desktop screen background.

  The virtual cabinet 401 corresponds to the keyword virtual storage space described above, and can store, organize, and search information. For example, when the paper manuscript drawer 402a is clicked, the drawer 402a is opened and the keyword virtual storage space shown in FIG. 5 is displayed. Reference numeral 501 denotes information on a manuscript placed in the virtual storage space, and reference numeral 502 denotes a bookmark (bookmark) or tag attached to the information. You can make specific information stand out to make it easier to find. Further, instead of displaying in the keyword virtual storage space format, it can be displayed as a result of sorting by the designated attribute. FIG. 6 shows an example sorted by the attribute axis of the application field. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 601 denotes various sorted information, and reference numeral 602 denotes a bookmark (bookmark). The information touched by the pointer 603 is preferably displayed as if the paper was pulled up. Search by keyword can also be executed via the search key input function of the toolbar 404.

  The link tool 403 links a virtual cabinet to other related keyword virtual storage spaces, and this function is a hyperlink setting unit 41 in the configuration of the information storage / retrieval apparatus shown in FIG. 3 of the second embodiment. More provided. A link is created between the keyword virtual storage spaces by the operation processing of the hyperlink setting unit 41 described above, and an icon is displayed by the information display unit 50 in order to visualize the link destination. Here, an icon 403a representing a link with a keyword virtual storage space whose keyword is “conference information” and a keyword virtual storage space whose keyword is “research project” in the organization for a virtual cabinet called a manuscript. The icon 403b representing is taken as an example.

  Note that setting of links to other related keyword virtual spaces can be automatically performed by the hyperlink setting unit 41. As described above, the selection method is a method of establishing a link according to the usage frequency of other keyword virtual storage space in the virtual cabinet usage history as described above, and conversely, the keyword of the virtual cabinet is used in searching for another keyword virtual storage space, etc. There is a method of establishing a link according to the frequency of being sent. Further, the virtual cabinet user can newly establish a link with another keyword virtual storage space using the hyperlink setting unit 41, and additionally displays the link destination as an icon on the desktop display screen. be able to. Moreover, the link which became unnecessary can also be erase | eliminated and the said icon can also be deleted from a desktop display screen.

  As described above, if the information storage / retrieval apparatus according to the present invention is used as a virtual cabinet, not only the arrangement and storage of information to be searched later as in the conventional database software, but also as needed in the actual cabinet. Data keywords including information, software, tools, etc. can be stored and placed in the virtual storage space, providing a user-friendly environment. If a link tool is used, a link to another related keyword virtual storage space can be set, and the link destination can be visually displayed as an icon.

  The second information storage / retrieval device application use form uses the information storage / retrieval device of the present invention as a project management system and an organization / human network management system. As storage information, in addition to information to be searched later, the concept of individuals, organizations and projects, and hyperlink information representing the connection between the concepts, the concept is arranged and stored in the keyword virtual storage space, By providing hyperlinks between the concepts, it becomes possible to manage inter-project cooperation and human / organizational cooperation. By setting the strength of connection between hyperlinks, the work flow in a project can be expressed quantitatively, and the strength of connection between organizations can also be expressed.

  As described above, according to the information storage / retrieval apparatus shown in the second embodiment, the keyword virtual storage space is used to store, retrieve, and display information flexibly and efficiently using the basic apparatus configuration and various functions described above. be able to.

[The invention's effect]
According to the information storage / retrieval apparatus of the present invention, it is search-oriented, searcher-oriented, and can be easily customized by the searcher himself / herself. Information can be stored and retrieved by arranging in the space.

  Further, according to the information storage / retrieval apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to have hyperlink information that is a link between pieces of information organized for each keyword virtual storage space. Between information, between information that crosses the keyword virtual storage space, between information distributed on the network, it is possible to set the strength of ties, and to give priority to the relationship between information .

  Further, according to the information storage / retrieval apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to organize and store information in the keyword virtual storage space using various attributes of the information.

  The situation where information is stored and organized can be visually grasped, and the existence of stored information can be visually grasped at the time of retrieval.

  In addition, according to the information storage and retrieval apparatus of the present invention, the access management table that holds the access history information of the number of times and access times for each keyword virtual storage space, it is possible to manage the access history, access status, Information can be managed according to the access status.

  Furthermore, according to the information storage / retrieval apparatus of the present invention, access rights can be set for each keyword virtual storage space, and personal information, confidential information, etc. can be stored even in an environment where multiple people use or an environment where login from a network is permitted. It can be stored in a mixed manner, and the privacy and security of information can be maintained.

  Furthermore, according to the information storage / retrieval apparatus of the present invention, a virtual cabinet, a virtual contact box, and a link tool can be provided and used in a desktop interface, and can also be used as a project management system and an organization / human network management system. can do.

The figure showing an example of the concept of the keyword virtual storage space of this invention The figure which shows the basic structural example of the information storage search apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. The figure which shows the basic structural example of the information storage search apparatus of Embodiment 2 of this invention. The figure which shows the example of the desktop using the keyword virtual storage space of this invention as a virtual cabinet The figure which shows the example of a display when the drawer of a virtual cabinet is opened The figure which shows the example of a display when the drawer of a virtual cabinet is opened

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Storage device 20 Keyword input part 30 Keyword virtual storage space management part 31 Attribute detection part 32 Access management table 33 Keyword evaluation part 34 Access right management part 40 Information storage control part 41 Hyperlink setting part 50 Information display part 60 Information search part 61 Attribute information filter 401 Virtual cabinet 402 Virtual cabinet drawer 403 Link tool 404 Toolbar 405 Application window 410 Desktop background 501 Stored information 502, 602 Bookmark (bookmark)
601 Time-sorted information 603 Pointer

Claims (2)

In an information storage / retrieval apparatus for storing information and retrieving the stored information,
A storage device, a keyword input unit for inputting a keyword, a keyword for allocating a storage area of the storage device to the keyword, and managing the storage area assigned to the keyword as a keyword virtual storage space virtually having the keyword A virtual storage space management unit;
An information storage control unit that inputs information to be stored in the storage device and allows a user to specify a keyword of a keyword virtual space that is a storage destination of the information,
The keyword virtual storage space management unit is configured to store the one information in the storage area based on a user designation by the information storage control unit. Manages information by virtually placing and storing it in the keyword virtual storage space of the keyword specified by
The keyword virtual storage space management unit includes an access management table that holds the access history information of the number of times accessed for each keyword virtual storage space and time, and a keyword evaluation unit,
The keyword evaluation unit evaluates a keyword having a keyword virtual storage space whose access frequency is lower than a certain value according to the access history information held in the access management table as a keyword that is not suitable for search, and manages the keyword virtual storage space An information storage / retrieval apparatus characterized by notifying a section. In an information storage / retrieval apparatus for storing information and retrieving the stored information,
A storage device, a keyword input unit for inputting a keyword, a keyword for allocating a storage area of the storage device to the keyword, and managing the storage area assigned to the keyword as a keyword virtual storage space virtually having the keyword A virtual storage space management unit;
An information storage control unit that inputs information to be stored in the storage device and allows a user to specify a keyword of a keyword virtual space that is a storage destination of the information,
The keyword virtual storage space management unit is configured to store the one information in the storage area based on a user designation by the information storage control unit. Manages information by virtually placing and storing it in the keyword virtual storage space of the keyword specified by
The keyword virtual storage space management unit includes an access management table that holds access history information of the number of times and time of access for each keyword virtual storage space, and is accessed for a certain period according to the access history information held in the access management table. An information storage / retrieval device for automatically deleting a keyword virtual storage space that is not used.

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