JPH09153048A - Method and device for information retrieval - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate unnecessary retrieval and efficiently retrieve information by performing retrieval from a retrieval history before retrieval from an object data base of retrieval when retrieval conditions are inputted, and checking whether or not there is information meeting the retrieval conditions in the retrieval history. SOLUTION: A retrieval history storage means 60 stores the retrieval history in the form of a pair of retrieval conditions when the retrieval history is obtained and a retrieval result obtained by retrieval under the retrieval conditions. A history retrieval means 50 performs retrieval from the retrieval history stored in the retrieval history storage means 60 before the retrieval from the retrieval object data base 30. Then when a user makes a retrieval request, the retrieval from the retrieval history is performed first under the retrieval conditions and when the retrieval conditions are not found in the retrieval history, the retrieval from the retrieval object data base 30 is performed to store the retrieval result as a retrieval history. Even when information is not found in the retrieval object data base 30, information showing that there is not information meeting the retrieval conditions is stored as a retrieval history. Consequently, the data base retrieval is made efficient.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information retrieval method and apparatus, and more particularly to an information retrieval method and apparatus for retrieving a database in response to a user request.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 17 shows the structure of a conventional information retrieval apparatus. The information search device includes a search condition input unit 10, a database search unit 20, a search target database 30, and a search result output unit 40. The conventional information retrieval device is
The search target database is uniformly searched regardless of whether the search conditions are the same as those previously input.

Further, by transferring the search result as a cache to a high-speed storage device (mainly a memory), the search is the same, and the search is successful (there is information that matches the search condition in the search target database). If you do), the search can be terminated in memory.

[0004]

However, the conventional information retrieval apparatus has the following problems. conventionally,
Since the search target database is uniformly searched, it is impossible to exclude in advance the case where the target information does not exist. Therefore, the database search becomes inefficient. Especially,
This is conspicuous when the search unit performs a full-text search or a search process with a high processing cost such as searching for information in the search target database including a part of the search conditions.

Even if a cache is provided, if the search fails (no matching information or too many matching information), it cannot be stored in the cache. Even if there is, the search target database will be searched again.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an information retrieval method and apparatus capable of eliminating an unnecessary retrieval and performing an efficient information retrieval.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the principle of the present invention. According to the present invention, in an information search method of inputting search conditions and searching a search target database, search histories are accumulated (S1), and when search conditions are input (S2), before searching the search target database. The search history is searched for (S3), and it is checked whether or not information matching the search condition exists in the search history (S4).

Further, according to the present invention, all the search histories are accumulated as a pair of the search condition and the search result when the history is acquired (S1), and the search histories accumulated before the search of the search target database are carried out. Is searched (S3), and the user is requested to modify or add search conditions according to the search result in the search history (S6).

Further, the present invention outputs the search result to the user when the result of searching the search history (S3) is within a predetermined number of contents matching the input search condition (S3).
5). Further, according to the present invention, when the accumulated search history is not searched for a predetermined period, the search history is deleted.

Further, according to the present invention, when the search target database is updated, the search target database and the search history are compared with each other, and the search history is updated when different search results are obtained from the both by the same search condition. To do. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention.

According to the present invention, in the information search apparatus 100 having the search target database 30, the database search means 20, the search condition input means 10 and the search result output means 40, all search histories are obtained when the search histories are acquired. A search history storage unit 60 that stores search conditions and search results searched by the search conditions, and a history search that searches the search history stored in the search history storage unit 60 before searching the search target database 30. And means 50.

Further, the present invention further comprises a search condition correction / addition requesting unit 80 for requesting the user to modify or add a search condition in accordance with the search result in the search history storage unit 60. Further, the present invention further includes first search history updating means for deleting a search history that has not been searched for a predetermined period from the search history stored in the search history storage means 60.

The present invention also provides a search target database 3
When 0 is updated, when the search target database 30 and the search history are compared and different search results are obtained from the both under the same search condition, the second information is updated in the search history storage means 60. It further has a search history updating means.

As described above, according to the present invention, the search results are stored as a search history in which the search conditions and the search results are paired, and when a search request is made from the user, the search result is stored according to the search condition of the user. The search history is searched before the search target database. If there is no user's search condition in the search history, the search target database is searched and the search result is stored as the search history.

Even when there is no information in the search target database, the fact that the information corresponding to the search condition is not in the search target database is stored as a search history. Then, according to the search history or the search result of the search target database,
Providing search results to the user.

As a result, it becomes possible to preferentially search the search history stored in advance, and the database search becomes efficient. Further, even if there is no information in the database, by accumulating that fact as the search history, it is possible to exclude in advance the case where the target information does not exist, without searching the search target database.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 3 shows the basic configuration of the first information retrieval apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those in FIG. 17 are designated by the same reference numerals. The information search apparatus shown in FIG. 3 is configured by a CPU, a memory, and a hard disk in terms of hardware, but functionally includes a search condition input unit 10 that receives a search condition input from a user and a search target database 30. A database search unit 20 for searching, a search target database 30, a search result output unit 40 for presenting search results to the user, and a history search unit 5 for searching the search history 60.
0, a search history 6 that collects pairs of search conditions and their search results
0, a search history accumulating unit 70 that accumulates a search result obtained from the search target database 30 in the search history 60 as a pair of a search condition and a search result, and a search history obtained by the history search unit 50 are input. Search condition modification that requests the user to modify or add search conditions when the search conditions indicate that the search will fail (no matching information or too many matching information) -It is composed of an addition request unit 80.

FIG. 4 shows the structure of the information field of the search history according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the information field 600 stored in the search history 60 is one record composed of a search condition description field 610 that describes search conditions and a search result description field 620 that describes search results. .

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the operation of the information retrieval system of the present invention. In the following description, it is assumed that the search result description field 610 in the search history 60 describes the following three categories and the respective search result bodies. (1) 0 ... Indicates that there is no information matching the search condition corresponding to the search target database 30. Search result description field 620 is "nil" (no information)
Becomes

(2) 1 to N ... Indicates that information matching the search condition corresponding to the search target database 30 is present in any number of 1 to N. (3) N or more ... Indicates that there are N or more pieces of information matching the search condition corresponding to the search target database 30. Only the number of cases is described in the search result description field 620.

Here, N is a constant and is set in advance. Step 101) The search condition input unit 10 accepts the input of the search condition from the user and sets the search condition to the history search unit 5
Transfer to 0. Step 102) The history search unit 50 searches the search history 60 according to the search condition.

Step 103) Furthermore, the history search unit 5
0 divides processing according to the search result of the search history 60.
If the search result exists in the search history 60, step 1
If no, the search condition is transferred to the database search unit 20, and the process proceeds to step 105.

Step 104) The history search unit 30 branches the processing according to the contents of the search result field 610 in the search history 60. If the result classification in the search result field 610 of the obtained search results is 0 or N or more, the process proceeds to step 108. In the case of 1 to N, the search result body is set to the search result output unit 40. And transfers to step 109.

Step 105) Database search unit 2
0 searches the search target database 30 according to the search condition obtained by the search condition input unit 10, and also transfers the search result to the search history storage unit 70. Step 106) The search history accumulating unit 70 accumulates the search results in the search history 60 as a pair of the search condition and the search result (composed of the result classification and the search result body).

Step 107) Further, the database search section 20 divides the processing according to the contents of the search result obtained in step 105. When the obtained search results are 0 (there is no information matching the search condition in the search target database 30) or N or more, the process proceeds to step 108,
In the case of 1 to N, the search result is transferred to the search result output unit 40, and the process proceeds to step 109.

Step 108) The search condition correction / addition requesting unit 80 branches the process according to the number of times the control is transferred to the search condition correction / addition requesting unit 80 itself. When the number of times is less than the predetermined number of times M, the user is requested to correct / add the search condition (the search condition is input again in the search condition input unit 10).
Received at). In the case of M times, that effect is transferred to the search result output unit 40, and the process proceeds to step 109. Note that M is a preset constant.

Step 109) Search result output unit 40
Provides the search result to the user and ends the process. When the search result is 1 to N, each search result is listed. When the search result is N or more, it provides that the search results cannot be narrowed down by the entered search conditions. When the search result is 0, the search result is input. It provides that the information is not registered in the search condition.

In the above flow chart, the search history 60 stored in advance can be preferentially searched, and the efficiency of the database search is improved. Further, even when there is no information in the database, by storing that fact as a search history, it is possible to eliminate in advance the case where the target information does not exist.

The search condition description field 610 and the search result description field 6 stored in the search history 60 are also included.
If a record consisting of 20 sets has not been searched for a certain period of time, the record can be deleted. In this case, it is possible to register the last search date 630 in the record as shown in FIG. FIG. 7 shows the configuration of the second information search device of the present invention. The configuration shown in the figure is similar to that shown in FIG.
This is a configuration in which 0 is added. The search history deletion unit 90 accesses the search history 60 at a predetermined cycle, refers to the last search date 630 of the record, and deletes the record if it has not been searched for a predetermined period (for example, one month). .

Further, when the search target database 30 is updated, it is necessary to compare the search history 60 and update the search history when different search results are obtained under the same search condition. As shown in FIG. 8, the configuration of the information retrieval apparatus for performing this process is similar to that of FIG.
This is a configuration in which 20 is added.

The search target database update unit 110 updates the search target database 30 and notifies the search history comparison / deletion unit 120 of the updated record of the search target database 30. As a result, the search history comparing / updating unit 120 searches the search history 60 according to the search condition, refers to the content of the search result description field 620, and if there is a field in which the content of the search target database 30 is described, Update record.

[0032]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. [First Embodiment] FIG. 9 shows an example of a search history of the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 shows an example of a search target database of the first embodiment of the present invention. The constants M and N used in the above flowchart are M = 2 and N = 5, respectively.
It will be described as.

[First Example] In this example, the retrieval condition is "Yokosuka City Suzuki". The search condition input unit 10 accepts "Yokosuka Suzuki" as a search condition from the user, and transfers this search condition to the history search unit 50 (step 101).

The history search unit 50 searches the search history 60 based on the search condition “Yokosuka Suzuki” (step 1
02). Since the search history 60 has the contents shown in FIG. 9,
As a search result, classification = N or more and result body = 20 are obtained (step 103).

Since the search condition correction / addition requesting unit 80 has entered this path for the first time, the search condition correction / addition requesting unit 80 requests the user to correct / add the search condition (step 108).
Specifically, since 20 search results can be obtained, it is required to further tighten the search conditions.

The user requests the search condition correction / addition request unit 8
If "Yokosuka City Suzuki Universe" is input in response to a request from 0, this input is received by the search condition input unit 10 (step 101).

Next, the history search unit 50 searches the search history 60 shown in FIG. 9, and as a result, classification =
1 to N cases, result body = (0468-zz-zzzzz) is provided to the user (step 109). By the above process, the search with the search conditions “Yokosuka City Suzuki” and “Yokosuka City Universe” already accumulated as the search history is performed without searching the search target database 30. In addition, the search can be performed efficiently, and the search result can be provided to the user.

[Second Example] In this example, the search condition will be described as "Tokaibayashi, Yokohama". The search condition input unit 1 accepts the search condition "Yokohama-shi Tokaibayashi" from the user, and the search condition 50
(Step 101).

The history search unit 50 searches the search history 60 based on the search condition “Yokohama Tokaibayashi” (step 102). Since the search history 60 has the contents shown in FIG. 9,
Search results are classified as 1 to N, result body = (045-
xxx-xxxx, 045-xxy-xxy, 045
-Yyy-xyxy, 045-xxx-xxy) is obtained (step 103).

Here, since classification = 1 to N, the detection result output unit 40 outputs the result body = (045-xxx
-Xxxx, 045-xxy-xxy, 045-yy
y-xyxy, 045-xxx-xxyy) is provided to the user (step 109).

By the above processing, the search by the search condition "Tokaibayashi, Yokohama-shi" which has already been accumulated as the search history,
It is possible to efficiently execute the search by simply searching the search history without searching the search target database 30 and provide the search result to the user.

[Third Example] In this example, the retrieval condition will be described as "Yokosuka City Release". The search condition input unit 10 accepts the search condition “Yokosuka City Release” from the user and sets the search condition as the history search unit 50.
(Step 101).

The history search unit 50 searches the search history 60 based on the search condition “Yokosuka City Release” (step 1
02). Since the search history 60 has the contents shown in FIG. 9,
As a search result, classification = 0 and result body = “nil” are obtained (step 103).

Since the classification is 0, the process proceeds to step 108 (step 104). Since the search condition correction / addition requesting unit 80 has entered this path for the first time, the search condition correction / addition requesting unit 80 requests the user to correct / add the search condition (step 108). In particular,
Since there is no information in the search target database 30 under the search condition, it is requested to correct the search condition.

If the user inputs "Yokosuka city release" again regardless of this request, the process proceeds to step 108 through the same processing as above. Here, step 10
Since the number of times passing 8 is the second time, the process proceeds to step 109 (since ∵M = 2 is set). That is, the user is informed that no information is registered in the search target database 30 under the search condition “Yokosuka City Release” input in the search result output unit 40.

By the above processing, it is confirmed that no information is registered in the search target database 30 in the search with the search condition "Yokosuka City Release" already stored in the search history 60 without searching the search target database 30. , Can notify the user.

[Fourth Example] In this example, the search condition will be described as "Yokosuka City Ponta Suzuki". The search condition input unit 10 accepts the search condition “Pontoko Suzuki, Yokosuka City” from the user and transfers the search condition to the history search unit 50 (step 101).

The history search unit 50 searches the search history 60 based on the search condition “Yokosuka City Ponta Suzuki” (step 102). Since the search history 60 has the contents shown in FIG. 9, "Yokosuka City Ponta Suzuki" does not exist in the search history 60 (step 103). For this reason, the search condition "Yokosuka City Ponta Suzuki" is transferred to the database search unit 20 and the search target database 30 is searched (step 105).

Since the contents of the search target database 30 are as shown in FIG. 10, “Yokosuka City Ponta Suzuki”
Does not exist in the search target database 30 either. That is,
As a search result, classification = 0, result body = “nil”
It is. The search history storage unit 70 adds the search result to the search history 60 (step 106). FIG. 11 shows an example of the contents of the search history 60 after the addition.

Next, since the search result acquired by the database search unit 20 is 0, the process proceeds to step 108 (step 107). Since the search condition correction / addition requesting unit 80 has entered this path for the first time, the search condition correction / addition requesting unit 80 requests the user to correct / add the search condition (step 108).

If the user inputs “Yokosuka City Ponta Suzuki” again regardless of the request of
As shown in FIG. 10, z registered in the search history 60
Then, without searching the search target database 30, as a search result, classification = 0 items and result body = “nil” are obtained (step 103).

Further, after step 104, the process proceeds to step 108.
Since this is the first time, the process proceeds to step 109 (∵M = 2)
And because). That is, the search condition “Pontoki Yokosuka-shi Suzuki Ponta” input in the search result output unit 40 provides the user with the fact that no information is registered in the search target database 30.

By the above processing, the search with the search condition "Yokosuka City Ponta Suzuki" not registered as the search history is to search the search target database 30,
By accumulating the result (not existing) as the search history 60, it is possible to prepare in advance so that the next search under the same search condition can be efficiently performed.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The search history deleting unit 90 having the configuration of FIG.
The description will be made assuming that the search history 60 is referred to every month and records that have not been searched for one month or more are deleted. Further, the reference date is November 30, 1995. In the example of the search history 60 shown in FIG. 12, first, the search history deleting unit 90
Refers to the field of the last search date 640 of the search history, and extracts records that have passed one month from the reference date (November 30). As a result, the search condition “Yokosuka City Suzuki Universe” is extracted. Therefore, the search history deletion unit 9
For 0, the record with the search condition "Yokosuka City Suzuki Universe" is deleted. As a result of the deletion, the search history 60 is updated as shown in FIG.

[Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment will be described.

FIG. 14 shows an example of a search history before updating according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 15 shows an example of a search target database after updating according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the configuration shown in FIG. 8, the search target database updating unit 110
When the search target database 30 is updated, the search target database updating unit 110 causes the updated database 30
The record history information is notified to the search history comparison / update unit 120. As a result, the search history comparison / update unit 120 searches the search history 60 based on the search key of the record notified by the search target database update unit 110, and updates the content of the matching record.

In the example of FIG. 15, the content of the search key "Tokaibayashi, Yokohama-shi" on the second line is updated from "045-xxy-xxxxy" to "045-ccc-cccc". As a result, the search target database update unit 110 updates the updated record and search key to the search history comparison / update unit 12
Notify 0.

As a result, the search history comparison / update unit 120
Extracts the record including the contents notified from the search target database updating unit 110, and as shown in FIG. 16, the contents of the record in the second row from the top are “045-xxy-xx”.
Update from "xxy" to "045-ccc-cccc".

Therefore, a situation where different search results are obtained from both parties under the same search condition is avoided. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various applications and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0060]

As described above, the following effects can be obtained by using the information search method and apparatus of the present invention. (1) Before the search target database is searched, the search history in which the search history information is registered in advance is searched and the result when the search is performed before is acquired. Therefore, the target information is stored in the search target database. The absence can be checked in advance in the search of the search history. Therefore, the user can immediately change the input search condition.

(2) Even if a function with a high processing cost such as full-text search or searching for information in the search target database including a part of the search condition is used by using the function of searching the search target database, the same search is performed. By utilizing the search history in the second and subsequent searches under the conditions, it is possible to reduce the processing cost and realize an efficient search.

(3) Search failure (no matching information,
Or, if there is too much matching information), the search history is stored including such cases. Therefore, in the case of the second and subsequent searches under the same search conditions as the previously failed search, There is no need to search the target database.

As described above, by accumulating the search history, it is possible to check in advance whether or not information matching the search condition input by searching the search history in advance exists in the search target database. Therefore, useless search is suppressed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a basic configuration diagram of the information search device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a first information field of a search history according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the operation of the information search device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a second information field of the search history according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a second information search device of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a third information search device of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a search history according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a search target database according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a search history in which a record according to the first embodiment of this invention is added.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a search history according to the second embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example after deleting records of a search history according to the second embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a search history before updating according to the third embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example in which the search target database according to the third embodiment of this invention is updated.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a search history after updating according to the third embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a conventional information retrieval device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 search condition input unit, search condition input unit 20 database search unit, database search unit 30 search target database 40 search result output unit, search result output unit 50 history search unit, history search unit 60 search history, search history storage unit 70 search History accumulation unit 80 Search condition correction / addition request unit 90 Search history deletion unit 100 Information retrieval device 110 Search target database update unit 120 Search history comparison / update unit 610 Search condition description field 620 Search result description field 630 Last search date

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. An information search method for inputting search conditions to search a search target database, storing search histories, and when the search conditions are input, the search histories are searched in advance and match the search conditions. A method for retrieving information, comprising checking whether the information to be stored exists in the retrieval history. 2. All the search histories are accumulated as a pair of a search condition and a search result when the history is acquired, and the accumulated search histories are searched before the search of the search target database is performed. The information search method according to claim 1, wherein the user is requested to modify or add search conditions in accordance with a search result in the history. 3. The information search method according to claim 2, wherein as a result of searching the search history, when the number of contents matching the input search condition is within a predetermined number, the search result is output to the user. 4. The information search method according to claim 2, wherein when the accumulated search history is not searched for a predetermined period, the search history is deleted. 5. When the search target database is updated, the search history is updated when the search target database and the search history are compared and different search results are obtained from the both under the same search condition. The information search method according to claim 2. 6. An information search apparatus having a search target database, a database search means, a search condition input means, and a search result output means, all search histories, search conditions when the search histories are acquired, and the search conditions. A search history storage unit that stores the search results searched by, and a history search unit that searches the search history stored in the search history storage unit before searching the search target database. Information retrieval device. 7. The information search device according to claim 6, further comprising search condition correction / addition requesting means for requesting a user to correct or add a search condition in accordance with a search result in the search history. 8. The information search device according to claim 6, further comprising a first search history update unit that deletes a search history that has not been searched for a predetermined period from the search history stored in the search history storage unit. 9. When the search target database is updated, if the search target database and the search history are compared and different search results are obtained from the both under the same search condition, the search history storage means The information search device according to claim 6, further comprising second search history update means for updating the information.