JP2000250935A - Information retrieval device and method using classification tree and recording medium recording information retrieval program using classification tree - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To retrieve the information with an information source and a classification tree separated from each other, to easily construct an information retrieval system by means of the classification tree, to reuse and share the classification tree of information and also to share the information source that is retrieved. SOLUTION: The location of information and the classification information are managed by means of a classification tree 200, and a class definition part 150 manages the structure of the tree 200 and the information including a retrieval item and a retrieval condition to retrieve the data 300 which is an information source as a classification tree class 151 and an information source class 152, respectively. An information retrieval control means 120, a classification tree retrieval means 130 and an information retrieval means 140 retrieve the information source and then retrieve the information with the information source and the tree 200 separated from each other.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention manages a classification tree of information and search information of a plurality of information sources, and retrieves a plurality of information sources such as a database by tracing entries stored in the classification tree of information. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an information search apparatus and method using a classification tree for performing an information search, and a recording medium storing an information search program using a classification tree.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional information search using a classification tree of information, information provided by a WWW server or data stored in a database is classified in a hierarchical structure, and the classified information is designated. As a result, a URL search system and a database search system for searching URLs and data have been realized.

However, since these search systems create a classification tree for each search system, the search system and the classification tree, the data and the classification tree, and the system and the data are grouped.

[0004]

The data retrieval system using the conventional classification tree has the following problems.

(1) Since a classification tree created by a certain search system is constructed according to the data classification method and database search requirements of the search system, it is difficult to reuse the data classification tree in another search system. It is.

(2) When changing the data classification of data already registered in the database, one or both of the classification held in the database and the location data of the data managed by the classification tree are used. Must be changed, and it is not easy to change the classification.

(3) Since the search items and the search conditions are tied to the classification tree, the search method is not flexible.

[0008] The conventional URL search system using a classification tree has the following problem.

(4) Since a URL to be searched is managed as an attribute of a classification tree, the classification tree must be updated every time a URL is added or deleted.

(5) Even when searching for the same URL, the classification differs depending on the URL search system.

[0011] The present invention has been made in view of the above,
Its purpose is to enable information retrieval by separating the information source and the classification tree, to facilitate the construction of an information retrieval system using the classification tree, to enable reuse and sharing of the classification tree of information, An object of the present invention is to provide an information search apparatus and method using a classification tree that enables sharing of an information source to be searched, and a recording medium recording an information search program using the classification tree.

[0012]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information retrieval apparatus using a classification tree for a plurality of information sources connected to a network. Class definition means for managing, as a classification tree class, classification condition information including location information, a search condition group including a search item and a search condition as a set, and a classification tree information including a classification tree attribute which is a value to be substituted into the search condition of the search condition group. An entry, which is search target information obtained by tracing a hierarchical classification tree from a user terminal device, is input via a network, and the entry is referred to the classification tree class stored in the class definition means for this entry. Generating a search instruction for the information source, searching the plurality of information sources with the search instruction,
An essential point is to have an information search control means for returning the search result to the user terminal device.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the location tree of the information source, a search condition group including the search item and the search condition as a set, and a classification tree which is a value to be substituted into the search condition of the search condition group. Classification tree information including attributes is managed as a classification tree class, and when an entry that is search target information obtained by tracing a hierarchical classification tree from a user terminal device is input, the classification tree class is referred to for this entry. To generate a search instruction for the information source, search for the information source with this search instruction,
Since this search result is returned to the user terminal device, an information search in which the information source and the information classification tree are separated can be performed, and the classification tree and the information source can be shared and reused.

[0014] The present invention described in claim 2 is the same as claim 1.
In the described invention, the information search control means is configured to be able to add a search condition input from the user terminal device to a search command for an information source generated with reference to the class definition means. The point is that

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the information search, a search condition input from the user terminal device can be added to a search command for an information source generated by referring to the class definition means.

Further, the present invention according to claim 3 provides the invention according to claim 1.
In the invention described in the gist, it is essential that the information search control unit includes a classification tree search unit that executes a search for the entry stored in the classification tree storage unit.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a search for an entry stored in the classification tree storage means can be executed in the information search.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the information search control means includes an information source search means for executing a search for the plurality of information sources.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of information sources can be searched in the information search.

The present invention according to claim 5 provides the present invention as claimed in claim 1.
The gist of the invention described above is to further include a class definition registration unit for registering, updating, and deleting a class definition managed by the class definition unit.

According to the present invention, the class definition managed by the class definition means can be registered, updated, and deleted.

Further, the present invention according to claim 6 is an information retrieval method using a classification tree for a plurality of information sources connected to a network, wherein the location information of the information source, the retrieval item and the retrieval condition are set. , And manages the classification tree information including the attribute of the classification tree as a value to be substituted into the search condition of the search condition group as a classification tree class, and obtains the classification tree having a hierarchical structure from the user terminal device by tracing the classification tree. An entry that is search target information is input via a network, a search command for an information source is generated with reference to the classification tree class for this entry, and the plurality of information sources are searched using the search command. The gist is to return the search result to the user terminal device.

According to the present invention, the location tree of the information source, a search condition group including the search item and the search condition as a set, and a classification tree which is a value to be substituted into the search condition of the search condition group. Classification tree information including attributes is managed as a classification tree class, and when an entry that is search target information obtained by tracing a hierarchical classification tree from a user terminal device is input, the classification tree class is referred to for this entry. To generate a search instruction for the information source, search for the information source with this search instruction,
Since this search result is returned to the user terminal device, an information search in which the information source and the information classification tree are separated can be performed, and the classification tree and the information source can be shared and reused.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the sixth aspect, the search processing is input from the user terminal device to a search instruction for an information source generated with reference to the classification tree class. The gist is that a search condition is added.

According to the present invention, in the search processing, a search condition input from the user terminal device can be added to a search command for an information source generated with reference to the classification tree class.

The present invention according to claim 8 provides the present invention according to claim 6.
In the invention described in the above aspect, the search process executes a search for the entry managed as the classification tree class.

According to the present invention, in the search processing, a search for an entry managed as a classification tree class can be executed.

Further, the present invention described in claim 9 is the same as claim 6.
In the invention described in the above aspect, the search process executes a search for the plurality of information sources.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, in the search processing, a search for a plurality of information sources can be executed.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect, the classification tree class is registered, updated, and deleted.

According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, a classification tree class can be registered, updated, and deleted.

The present invention according to claim 11 is a recording medium recording an information retrieval program using a classification tree for a plurality of information sources connected to a network, wherein the location information of the information source, the retrieval item And a search condition group including a set of search conditions, and classify tree information including a class tree attribute which is a value to be substituted into the search condition of the set of search conditions is managed as a class tree class. Is entered via a network, and a search command for an information source is generated by referring to the classification tree class for this entry, and the plurality of information sources are generated by the search command. The gist of the present invention is to record an information search program using a classification tree for returning the search result to the user terminal device on a recording medium.

According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, the location tree of the information source, a search condition group including the search item and the search condition as a set, and a classification tree which is a value to be substituted into the search condition of the search condition group. Classification tree information including attributes is managed as a classification tree class, and when an entry that is search target information obtained by tracing a hierarchical classification tree from a user terminal device is input, the classification tree class is referred to for this entry. To generate a search instruction for the information source, search for the information source with this search instruction,
Since the information retrieval program using the classification tree that returns this search result to the user terminal device is recorded on the recording medium,
By using the recording medium, its distribution can be improved.

Further, according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the eleventh aspect, the search processing includes inputting a search command for an information source generated with reference to the classification tree class from the user terminal device. The gist of the present invention is to record an information search program using a classification tree to which a search condition to be added is added on a recording medium.

According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing, a search condition input from a user terminal device is added to a search instruction for an information source generated with reference to a classification tree class. Since an information retrieval program using a certain classification tree is recorded on a recording medium, the distribution of the information can be improved using the recording medium.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in accordance with the eleventh aspect of the present invention, the search processing includes an information search program using a classification tree for executing a search for the entry managed as the classification tree class. The point is to record on a recording medium.

According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the search processing, an information search program using a classification tree for executing a search for an entry managed as a classification tree class is recorded on a recording medium. By using the recording medium, its distribution can be improved.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the eleventh aspect, the search processing includes, on a recording medium, an information search program using a classification tree for executing a search for the plurality of information sources. It shall be recorded.

According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the search process, an information search program using a classification tree for executing a search for a plurality of information sources is recorded on a recording medium.
By using the recording medium, its distribution can be improved.

Further, according to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the eleventh aspect, an information search program using a classification tree for registering, updating, and deleting the classification tree class is recorded on a recording medium. And

According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, since the information retrieval program using the classification tree for registering, updating, and deleting the classification tree class is recorded on the recording medium, Its distribution can be improved.

[0042]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information search device using a classification tree according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the information search device shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of classification trees 200 and a plurality of database systems 300 are connected via a communication network 500 to the information search device 100 using the classification trees.
, And the user's terminal device 600 is connected to the communication network 500 via the search program 400.

The information retrieval apparatus 100 using the classification tree includes a user interface unit 110, an information retrieval control unit 12
0, a classification tree search unit 130, an information source search unit 140, a class definition unit 150, and a class definition registration unit 160.

By using the search program 400, the user terminal device 600 traces the information categories (entries) stored in the hierarchical structure 200 in the classification tree 200 via the user interface unit 110, and specifies the information to be searched. can do. When the user reaches the search target information, the user instructs the search program 400 to execute the search. The search program 400 instructs the user interface unit 110 to execute a search.

The information search control means 120 receives a search request consisting of information classification, search items, and search conditions from the search program 400 via the user interface unit 110. Further, the classification tree 200 corresponding to the information classification is
Search using the classification tree search means 130. Classification tree 200
Is extracted from the class definition unit 150 from the search result, and is passed to the information source search unit 140. The database 300 is searched using the information source search means 140, and the search result is returned to the search program 400 via the user interface unit 110.

The classification tree search means 130 generates a classification tree search command from the search request received from the information search control means 120, searches the classification tree 200, and returns the search result to the information search control means 120.

Further, the classification tree search means 130 receives a search request directly from the user interface unit 110, generates a classification tree search command, searches the classification tree 200, and searches the search result via the user interface unit 110. Return to program 400.

The information source search means 140 generates a database search command from the database search parameters received from the information search control means 120, and
Search for. Further, the search result is stored in the information search
Return to

The class definition section 150 defines and accumulates information for identifying a class of a classification tree and information serving as a parameter of a search condition at the time of database search using the class as a classification tree class 151. Also, search items and the like of the database are defined and stored as the information source class 152. The class definition registration unit 160 registers and corrects the classification tree class 151 and the information source class 152 of the class definition unit 150,
Perform the deletion.

Information Retrieval Apparatus 100 Using Classification Tree
Performs a two-stage process of preparing a classification tree class 151 and an information source class 152 before actually executing a search, and a search phase of performing an actual search.

First, the preparation phase will be described. In this preparation phase, a classification tree, a class of an information source, and database connection information are defined. In the preparation phase, as shown in FIG. 3, first, an information source class is set (step S11), and then a classification tree class is set (step S1).
3) Finally, database connection information is set (step S15).

Classes are defined for the classification tree and the information source to be searched, and are stored in the class definition unit 150 as the classification tree class 151 and the information source class 152, respectively. Figure 2 shows the hierarchical relationship between the classification tree class and the information source class.
As shown in (c), the information source class is always located below the classification tree class. The details of the classification tree class, the information source class, and the database connection information will be described.

(1) Classification Tree Class FIG. 2A shows the configuration of the classification tree class. Identify the class to which the entry on the classification tree specified in the search request belongs,
The following items are defined using the class definition registration means 160 in order to acquire information necessary for database search from the entry.

Class name A name for identifying a class is set. Object class Defines the object class to which the class belongs. Attribute Indicates the attribute of the class. Search condition An attribute of the class, which is used to generate a database search parameter, and includes a search condition group identifier, a search condition item name, a search condition value attribute name, a comparison operator, and a search condition connective. A plurality of search condition groups can be defined in one class definition for each identifier.

Search condition group identifier An identifier for identifying a group of the following search conditions as a search condition group is set. The following items can be specified in a plurality of sets for one search condition group.

Search condition item name A value acquired by a search condition value attribute name described later is substituted to indicate a search condition item in a database search condition.

Search condition value attribute name A value corresponding to the search condition item name in the above database search condition can be obtained, and indicates the attribute of the class. -Comparison operator Indicates the comparison operator between the search condition item and the search condition value.・ Search condition conjunction Indicates the conjunction between the search condition items.

(2) Information Source Class FIG. 2B shows the configuration of the information source class. The type of information source, a searchable item name, and the like necessary for searching for the information source are defined using the class definition registration unit 160.

Class name A name for identifying the information source is set. Search Item Register the item name that can be searched in the search target database in the form of combining the table name and column name with “.”. In addition,
A plurality of this item can be specified in one class definition.

(3) Database connection information The following items are specified as information source connection information to be searched.

1. Class name Information source name to be searched 2. 2. Information source type The type of information source to be searched. Information source name Information source name to be searched. 4. Host name Host name where the information source to be searched is stored Account Account name that can search the search target information source. Password Password of the account name described above. Information Source Connection Information Connection Information Specific to Information Source Type Next, the search phase will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

In FIG. 4, the user 600 first uses the search program 400 and
10. An operation of tracing the classification tree through the classification tree search means 130 until a search target information classification (entry) stored in the classification tree 200 in a hierarchical structure is found (step S101). It is checked whether or not there is a search execution instruction from the user 600. If there is a search execution instruction, the process proceeds to step S103. If there is no search execution instruction, the process returns to step S101.

In step S103, the user 600
When the search target entry is reached, an instruction to execute an information search is issued to the search program 400. The information search control unit 120 receives an information search request from the search program 400 via the user interface unit 110. At this time, the information search request received by the information search control means 120 includes a search item, a search condition, and an information classification selected by a classification tree.

The information search control means 120 acquires the class name of the information classification received in the search request via the classification tree search means 130 (step S104). The information search control means 120 specifies the classification tree class 151 based on the class name acquired in step S104, and performs search condition information (search condition item name, search condition value attribute name, comparison operation Child, search condition connective) are acquired (step S105).

The information retrieval control means 120 determines in step S1
The information source class 152 of the class definition unit 150 is searched based on the search item of the information search request received at 03, and all the class names of the information source class satisfying the following items are acquired.

The search item of the information search request is included in the search item name of the information source class 152.

The search condition item name of the search condition information acquired in step S 105 is included in the search item name of the information source class 152.

Next, an information source search command including the following items is generated for an information source having a class name satisfying the above conditions (step S106).

Information source type: Class name of information source class 152 Information source class name: Information source class name of information source class 152 Search item: Search item of information search request received from search program 400 Search condition: Search condition information acquired in step S105 The information search control unit 120 determines whether or not a search condition is specified in the information search request received in step S103 (step S107). The process proceeds to a step S109 if the search condition of the information search request is not specified. In step S108, step S
The search condition of the information search request is added to the search condition of the information source search command generated in 106. In step S109, the information search control means 120 passes the information source search command generated in steps S106 and S108 to the information source search means 140, and the information source search means 140 An instruction capable of searching for an information source is generated from the search instruction, and the information source is searched.

The information source search means 140 determines in step S10
Nine information sources are returned to the information search control means 120.

The information search control means 120 returns the search result received from the information source search means 140 to the search program 400 via the user interface unit 110 (Step S110).

Next, a specific example of the information retrieval apparatus using the classification tree of the above embodiment will be described. In this specific example,
The user designates the information category (entry) of the classification tree of the tourist facility information stored in the directory server, and the type, name, address, and telephone number of the facility are obtained from a database having information belonging to the information category. An example of searching will be described.

FIG. 5 shows the structure of the classification tree of the tourist facility information. FIG. 7A shows the class configuration of the tourist facility information classification tree. “Facility genre class” belonging to the classification tree class,
“Accommodation class”, “restaurant class” and information source classes “Tourist facility DB class”, “Accommodation information DB class”,
FIG. 7B shows the hierarchical relationship of “URL directory class”.
Shown in The information on the accommodation class entry is “Tourist Facility D
Information can be retrieved from information sources belonging to "B class" and "accommodation information DB class." Information of restaurant class entries can be retrieved from information sources belonging to "URL directory class."

FIG. 8A shows the definition of the classification tree class of the sightseeing information classification tree. The structure of the database of the information sources to be searched (the sightseeing information DB and the accommodation guide DB) and the contents of the registered data Is shown in FIG. FIG. 12 shows information for connecting to the tourist facility DB.

First, in the preparation phase, the information source class 1
52 and the classification tree class 151 are registered using the class definition registration means 160. Also, database connection information searched in the present embodiment is registered in a file, DB, or directory.

(1) Definition of Classification Tree Class Using the class definition registration means 160, a classification tree class 151 for the classification tree of FIG. 5 is defined. Fig. 8
(A).

FIG. 7 shows a class configuration for each information classification (entry) in the classification tree of FIG. Each entry of “facility”, “stay”, and “eat” belongs to “facility genre class”. “City”, “Business”, “Minshuku”,
Each entry of “Ryokan” belongs to “Accommodation class”.
Each entry of “Japanese food”, “Western food”, and “Chinese” belongs to “restaurant class”.

Here, details of the registered contents of the “accommodation class” will be described.

Class Name A name for uniquely identifying an accommodation class, "accommodation" is set. Object class “syukuhaku” to which the accommodation class belongs is set from the object classes defined in the directory server in which the classification tree of FIG. 5 is stored.

Attribute The attribute of the accommodation class, "type" and "class name" are set. Search condition ・ Search condition group identifier Since two types of search conditions are set, “1” and “2” are specified. Search condition item name Search condition group identifier 1: A search condition item name for searching the accommodation facility table of FIG. 6 corresponding to a search condition value attribute name described later is set. In the case of the present embodiment, “hotel type”
Set.

Search condition group identifier 2: A search condition item name for searching the hotel table of FIG. 6 corresponding to a search condition value attribute name described later is set. In the case of the present embodiment, “classification” is set.

Search condition value attribute name Search condition group identifier 1: Set the attribute "type" of the accommodation class from which the search condition value corresponding to the above search condition item name "hotel type" can be obtained.

Search condition group identifier 2: An attribute “type” of an accommodation class from which a search condition value corresponding to the above-described search condition item name “class” can be obtained is set.

Comparison operator A comparison operator “=” for the search condition item and the search condition value is set for each of the search condition group identifiers 1 and 2.

In the present embodiment, both the search condition group identifiers 1 and 2 are set to "null" because there is no search item to be connected.

(2) Definition of Information Source Class First, the information source holding the information to be searched is registered in the information source class 152 using the class definition registration means 160. Here, the registered contents of the information source class for the tourist facility DB are shown below.

Class Name The name of the class is "sightseeing facility DB". Information source type “Database” indicates that the information source is a database. Search item name Registers the data item that can be searched in this class, the table name in which the data item is stored, and the column definition name. In the present embodiment, since the hotel type, name, address, and telephone number in FIG. 6 are searchable items, they are registered as follows.

Accommodation table. Hotel type Accommodation facility table. Name Accommodation facility table. Address Accommodation facility table. Similarly, the information source class is registered using the class definition registration means 160 for the accommodation information DB and the URL directory.

(3) Information source connection information Information for connecting to the information source is registered. FIG. 12 shows the registered contents. Here, the contents of the tourist facility DB will be described below.

1. Class name Set “Tourist facility database” described in the class name of the information source class. 2. Information source type Set "Database". 3. Information source name A search target database “sightseeing facility DB” of the present embodiment is set. 4. Host name “Host1” where the “Tourist Facility DB” is stored
Set. 5. Account "Tourist Facility DB" Accessible account name "user
1) 6. Password Set password “*********” of the above account 7. Information source connection information Nothing is set.

Similarly, database connection information is registered for the accommodation guide DB.

Next, the procedure of the search phase will be described. (1) Classification Tree Operation The user 600 uses the search program 400 to access the classification tree 200 of the tourist facility information having the structure shown in FIG. The operation of following the classification tree 200 is repeated until the target information classification (entry) is found. In the present embodiment, the information classification (entry) of “business” is searched from “facility”.

(2) Reception of Search Request The information search control means 120
10, an information search request is received from the search program 400. The information search request includes “information classification”, “search item”, and “search condition”.
Shown in

(3) Acquisition of Attributes The information retrieval control means 120 retrieves a “business” entry from the classification tree 200 having the structure shown in FIG. 5 based on the value “business” of the “information classification” of the retrieval request. Acquire the class name "Lodging" of the entry.

(4) Specification of Class Definition The information retrieval control means 120 retrieves the classification tree class 151 of the class definition section 150, retrieves the class name “accommodation” acquired in (3), and retrieves search condition information. I do. "Lodging"
It can be seen that the class has two types of search conditions, search condition identifiers “1” and “2”. Search condition identifier 1 is
“Search condition item” = “Hotel type”, “Search condition value attribute name” = “Type”, “Comparison operator” = “=”, “Search condition connective” = “Null”, and search condition identifier 2 Is
"Search condition item" = "Category", "Search condition value attribute name" =
It can be seen that it is composed of “type”, “comparison operator” = “=”, and “search condition conjunction” = “Null”.

(5) Generation of Information Source Search Command (a) First, the information search control means 120 has the structure shown in FIG. 8B based on the search item of the information search request received in (3). The information source class 151 is searched, and the search item of the information search request is the information source class 1 having the structure shown in FIG.
The information source class included in the 51 search item names is specified.
In this embodiment, a class name = “sightseeing facility DB” and a class name = “accommodation guidance DB” are specified as information source classes.

(B) Next, the search condition item name of the search condition information acquired in (4) is the search of the “tourism facility DB” class and the “accommodation information DB” class specified in (a) of (5). Check if it is included in the item name.

The search item “hotel type” of the search condition identifier 1 of the accommodation class matches the search item name “accommodation table. Hotel type” of the “sightseeing facility DB” class.

The search item “category” of the search condition identifier 2 of the accommodation class matches the search item name “hotel table.class” of the “accommodation guide DB” class.

Further, it can be seen from the information source type that the "sightseeing facility DB" class and the "accommodation information DB" class are "database".

Next, the information search control means 120 generates an information source search command. Figure 1 shows the generated information source search instruction.
0, and the procedure for the “sightseeing facility DB” class will be described in detail below.

First, since the “search condition value attribute” acquired in (4) is “type”, the “business” entry of the classification tree 200 having the structure shown in FIG.
Then, a search is made through the “30” to obtain the value “business hotel” of the “type” attribute of the entry, and the next search condition is generated. The information source search command shown in FIG. 11 is generated from “hotel type = business hotel”, the information source type “database”, the search item name of the information source class, and the search condition “hotel type = business hotel”. You.

(6) Addition of search condition The information search control means 120 searches for the information search command of FIG. 10 which generated the “search condition” of the information search request shown in FIG. 9 received in (2) and generated in (5). Add to condition. At this time, 2
The two search conditions are connected by “AND”. FIG. 11 shows the information search command after adding the search condition.

(7) Database Search The information search control means 120 passes the information search command shown in FIG. 11 to the information source search means 140.

The information source search means 140 generates the following database search command from the received information source search command.

[0106]

Next, the information source search means 140 obtains the host name from the database connection information shown in FIG. 12 based on the information source search command “information source type” = “database” and “information source name” = “sightseeing facility DB”. , An account and a password, and issues the above-mentioned database search command to the “sightseeing facility DB”.

The same applies to the “accommodation information DB”.
The host name, account, and password are acquired from the database connection information, and a database search command is issued to the “accommodation guide DB”.

(8) Return of Search Result The information source search means 140 returns the search result shown in FIG. 13 obtained by executing the database search command of (7) to the information search control means 120. The search for the “accommodation guide DB” results in a search error because the area specified by the search condition does not exist, and the search result is only the search result for the “tourism facility DB”.

The information search control means 120 returns the search results shown in FIG. 13 to the search program 400 via the user interface unit 110.

By recording the processing of the above-described embodiment as a program on a recording medium, it is possible to use the recording medium to enhance its circulation.

[0112]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The location and classification information of information is managed using a classification tree, and information including search items and search conditions for searching the structure of the classification tree and information sources is managed as a class definition, and stored in the information classification tree. Since the search for a plurality of information sources is performed by tracing the entry, the information search that separates the information source and the information classification tree is enabled, thereby enabling the classification tree and the information source to be shared and reused, Data classification can be easily changed, data can be added or deleted without updating the classification tree, and information retrieval systems can be easily constructed using classification trees, and information sources to be searched can be shared. Make it possible. Further, the information search application does not need to construct a search program for the information source by using the information search means, and can improve system development and maintenance / management efficiency.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information search device using a classification tree according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a classification tree class and an information source class stored in a class definition in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a preparation phase in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a search phase in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a classification tree of tourist facility information used in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of data used in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a class configuration of a sightseeing information classification tree used in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing registered contents of a classification tree class and an information source class stored in a class definition used in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing contents of a search request from the search program in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing contents of an information search command in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

11 is a diagram showing the contents of an information search command (after adding a condition) in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing contents of data connection information in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing contents of an information search result in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 information retrieval device using classification tree 110 user interface unit 120 information retrieval control unit 130 classification tree retrieval unit 140 information source retrieval unit 150 class definition unit 151 classification tree class 152 information source class 160 class definition registration unit 200 classification tree 300 database 400 search program 500 communication network 600 user

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yoshikazu Kishimoto 3-19-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Japan Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Yasushi Hasegawa 3-192, Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation F-term (reference) 5B075 ND16 ND35 NK43 PP26 PQ05

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. An information retrieval apparatus using a classification tree for a plurality of information sources connected to a network, comprising: a search condition group including information source location information, a search item and a search condition as a set; A class definition means for managing classification tree information including a classification tree attribute which is a value to be substituted into a group search condition as a classification tree class, and search target information acquired by tracing a hierarchical classification tree from a user terminal device. An entry is input via a network, a search command for an information source is generated for this entry by referring to a classification tree class stored in the class definition means, and the plurality of information sources are searched by the search command. And an information retrieval control means for returning the retrieval result to the user terminal device. 2. The information search control unit is configured to add a search condition input from the user terminal device to a search command for an information source generated by referring to the class definition unit. An information retrieval apparatus using a classification tree according to claim 1, wherein 3. The classification tree according to claim 1, wherein the information search control unit includes a classification tree search unit that executes a search for the entry stored in the classification tree storage unit. Information retrieval device. 4. An information retrieval apparatus using a classification tree according to claim 1, wherein said information retrieval control means includes an information source retrieval means for executing retrieval to said plurality of information sources. 5. The information retrieval apparatus using a classification tree according to claim 1, further comprising a class definition registration unit for registering, updating, and deleting a class definition managed by said class definition unit. 6. An information search method using a classification tree for a plurality of information sources connected to a network, the search condition group including information source location information, a search item and a search condition as a set, and the search condition Classification tree information including a classification tree attribute, which is a value to be substituted into a group search condition, is managed as a classification tree class, and an entry, which is search target information obtained by tracing a hierarchical classification tree from a user terminal device, describes a network. A search command for an information source is generated by referring to the classification tree class for the entry, the plurality of information sources are searched by the search command, and the search result is returned to the user terminal device An information retrieval method using a classification tree characterized by the following. 7. The search processing is characterized in that a search condition input from the user terminal device is added to a search command for an information source generated with reference to the classification tree class. An information retrieval method using the classification tree according to claim 6. 8. The information search method using a classification tree according to claim 6, wherein the search process executes a search for the entry managed as the classification tree class. 9. The information search method using a classification tree according to claim 6, wherein the search process performs a search for the plurality of information sources. 10. The information search method using a classification tree according to claim 6, wherein the classification tree class is registered, updated, and deleted. 11. A recording medium storing an information search program using a classification tree for a plurality of information sources connected to a network, wherein a search condition including a location information of the information source, a search item and a search condition as a set. A classification tree information including a classification tree attribute, which is a value to be substituted into a search condition of the search condition group, is managed as a classification tree class, and the search target information acquired by tracing the hierarchical classification tree from the user terminal device is used. An entry is input via a network, a search command for an information source is generated with reference to the classification tree class for this entry, the plurality of information sources are searched by the search command, and the search result is output to the user A recording medium recording an information search program using a classification tree, which is returned to a terminal device. 12. The search process is characterized in that a search condition input from the user terminal device is added to a search command for an information source generated with reference to the classification tree class. A recording medium on which an information retrieval program using the classification tree according to claim 11 is recorded. 13. The recording medium according to claim 11, wherein the search process executes a search for the entry managed as the classification tree class. 14. The recording medium according to claim 11, wherein the search process performs a search for the plurality of information sources. 15. The recording medium according to claim 11, wherein the classification tree class is registered, updated, and deleted.