JP2022114721A - Information providing system and information providing method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an information providing system capable of significantly inhibiting an index from excessively expanding by determining the importance of each document with a relevance to other documents without screening the index registration of the documents to be retrieved, and performing retrieval processing with excellent performance in retrieving the document.SOLUTION: An information providing system 100A comprises: a retrieval key acquisition part 11 for causing a user terminal 2 to acquire a retrieval key as information; an object information identification part 12 for identifying object information from the retrieval key; a retrieval processing part 13 for preparing data sets of a document structure including contents in a document and keywords to content items as many as document patterns, and performing retrieval processing on the basis of a keyword acquired from the retrieval key by using an index created for each document pattern; a retrieval result output part 14 for outputting a retrieval result acquired by a combination of object information and a retrieval processing result; and a document output part 15 capable of selectively outputting real data from a link list linking the retrieval result.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to an information providing system and an information providing method.

Conventionally, for example, Google (registered trademark) and Yahoo! (registered trademark) and other information providing systems are used. These information providing systems are full-text search methods for extracting information such as documents to be searched based on acquired information such as words input from a user terminal.

In such a full-text search type information providing system, it is not possible to obtain realistic performance by simply performing a full-text search on a large number of documents. A full-text search method is widely used in which an index is created in advance. An index is a data structure that associates a substring, such as a word or phrase, with the document in which that substring appears. The partial character strings stored in the index are so-called headwords, and normally only the information specifying the document in the form of a document ID is recorded in the index instead of the document itself.

For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a search device that performs a search using an index. The search device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes an index that stores the correspondence between entry words and documents containing the entry words, index management means, and document search means. When the first document is registered in the set of documents to be searched, the index management means, among the words contained in the first document, adds the words already registered as headwords in the index to the first document. When there is a request to register another second document that quotes the first document in the set of search target documents is registered in the index as a headword of the first document. In addition, the document search means searches the index for documents containing headwords that match the search keyword at the time of a search request.

With such a configuration, the search device disclosed in Patent Document 1 performs a simple process of not registering in the index as an entry word a word appearing only in an unimportant document that is not quoted from other documents. It is intended to prevent the index from becoming bloated.

JP 2011-238098 A

However, according to the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a word included in a document to be registered in a search target document collection is not registered in the search index and is not quoted from other documents, the search cannot be performed. It will not be indexed and the document will not be searchable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been devised in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to determine the importance of a document based on its relevance to other documents and determine the importance of the document to be retrieved. To provide an information providing system and an information providing method capable of greatly suppressing enlargement of an index without selecting index registration of documents and performing search processing with excellent performance.

An information providing system according to the present invention is an information providing system that searches for documents based on information obtained from a user terminal, and includes search key obtaining means for obtaining a search key as the information in the user terminal. a target information specifying means for specifying target information from the search key acquired from the search key acquiring means; and data sets of the document structure including the table of contents in the document and keywords for the items of the table of contents are prepared by the number of document patterns. a search processing means for performing search processing based on a keyword obtained from the search key obtained from the search key obtaining means using an index created for each document pattern; and a target specified by the target information specifying means. Search result output means for outputting search results obtained by combining information and search processing results by said search processing means; and a link list linked to the search results output by said search result output means. and document output means capable of outputting actual data of the document.

An information providing method according to the present invention is an information providing method for searching documents based on information obtained from a user terminal, comprising: a search key obtaining step of obtaining a search key as the information in the user terminal; A target information specifying step of specifying target information from the search key acquired in the search key acquiring step, and data sets of the document structure including the table of contents in the document and the keywords for the table of contents items are prepared for each document pattern. a search processing step of performing search processing based on the keyword obtained from the search key obtained in the search key obtaining step using the index created in the search key obtaining step; the target information identified in the target information identifying step; a search result output step of outputting search results obtained by combining the search processing results of the search processing step; and actual data of documents selected from a link list linked to the search results output in the search result output step. and a document output step for outputting.

According to the present invention, when retrieving a document, the degree of importance of the document can be judged based on the relevance to other documents, and the bloat of the index can be greatly suppressed without selecting the index registration of the document to be retrieved. Processing can be performed with excellent performance.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of the entire information providing system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information providing device in the information providing system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the information providing system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an information providing method according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an information providing system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an information providing system according to the third embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an information providing system according to the fourth embodiment.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First embodiment]
First, an information providing system 100A according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of the entire information providing system 100A according to the first embodiment.

(Configuration of information providing system 100A)
As an example, the information providing system 100A according to the first embodiment of the present invention is used by a user U such as an engineer who uses a measuring instrument X as shown in FIG. The information providing system 100A can provide the user U with documents such as the manual of the instrumentation device X, for example, when the user U performs a search. Thereby, the user U can refer to documents such as manuals of the instrumentation device X. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the information providing system 100A includes an information providing device 1. As shown in FIG. The information providing device 1 is connected to a user terminal 2 and a server S via a communication network N such as the Internet.

<Information providing device 1>
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information providing device 1. As shown in FIG. The information providing device 1 includes a housing 10, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 102, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 103, a storage unit 104, and I/Fs 105 to 107. Prepare. Each component 101 to 107 is a personal computer (PC) connected by an internal bus 110, and is a host computer that provides services to the user terminal 2 used by the user U via the communication network N. FIG.

The CPU 101 controls the information providing apparatus 1 as a whole. ROM 102 stores the operation code of CPU 101 . A RAM 103 is a work area used when the CPU 101 operates. The storage unit 104 stores various types of information such as a target information specifying database 16, a search processing database 17, and a search result output database 18, which will be described later (see FIG. 3). As the storage unit 104, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (solid state drive), or the like is used.

The I/F 105 is an interface for transmitting and receiving various information to and from the user terminal 2 and the like via the communication network N. FIG. The I/F 106 is an interface for transmitting and receiving various information to and from the input unit 108 . A keyboard, for example, is used as the input unit 108 , and the host side that provides services by the information providing system 100</b>A performs maintenance of the information providing apparatus 1 via the input unit 108 . The I/F 107 is an interface for transmitting and receiving various information to and from the output unit 109 . The output unit 109 outputs various information stored in the storage unit 104, the processing status of the information providing apparatus 1, and the like. A display is used as the output unit 109 .

The functions of the information providing system 100A are realized in the information providing apparatus 1 by the CPU 101 executing a program stored in the storage unit 104 or the like using the RAM 103 as a work area. Moreover, the function of 100 A of information provision systems may be controlled by artificial intelligence, for example. Here, "artificial intelligence" may be based on any known artificial intelligence technology.

<User terminal 2>
As shown in FIG. 1, the user terminal 2 is a personal computer (PC), similar to the information providing apparatus 1, and is a client to which the user U receives services from the information providing apparatus 1, which is a host computer, via the communication network N. It's a computer.

The user terminal 2 is, for example, a terminal of a user U such as an engineer who uses the measuring instrument X. FIG. The user terminal 2 includes a keyboard 11A for inputting character information, a microphone 11B for inputting voice information, a web camera 11C for inputting image information, a display 21 as an output unit, and a mouse 22. and is connected to a communication network N by an interface (not shown).

As the web camera 11C for inputting image information, an HMD (head mounted display) such as Hololens (registered trademark) may be used instead. In addition, the user terminal 2 is not limited to a personal computer (PC), and may be electronic equipment such as a mobile phone (mobile terminal), a smart phone, a tablet terminal, a wearable terminal, an IoT (Internet of Things) device, etc. Any electronic device may be used. The user terminal 2 is connected to the information providing device 1 via the communication network N, for example, or may be directly connected to the information providing device 1, for example. The user U may use the user terminal 2 to perform a search using the information providing device 1, and may also control the information providing device 1, for example.

Both the user terminal 2 and the information providing device 1 are personal computers (PCs). is preferably used.

<Server S>
In the server S, the storage S1 stores the actual data of the document such as the manual of the instrumentation device X provided to the user terminal 2 of the user U (see FIG. 3). If the communication network N is not used, the actual data of the document such as the manual of the instrumentation device X provided to the user terminal 2 of the user U may be stored in the storage unit 104 of the information providing device 1, for example. good.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the information providing system 100A. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an information providing method according to the first embodiment. The information providing system 100A includes a search key acquisition unit 11 included in the user terminal 2, a target information specifying unit 12, a search processing unit 13, a search result output unit 14, and a document output unit 15 included in the information providing apparatus 1. , is equipped with

<Search key acquisition unit 11>
The search key acquisition unit 11 is, specifically, any one of the keyboard 11A, the microphone 11B, or the web camera 11C in the user terminal 2 . When the search key is obtained by the character information obtaining method, the character information is obtained by inputting the search key using the keyboard 11A. When the search key is acquired by the voice information acquisition method, the voice information is acquired by inputting the search key by voice input through the microphone 11B. The voice information acquired by the voice information acquisition method is converted into text information in the user terminal 2 by voice information/text information conversion means (not shown). When the search key is obtained by the image information obtaining method, the image information obtained by the web camera 11C is converted into character information by the recognition result of the image recognition artificial intelligence built in the information providing device 1 or the user terminal 2 (not shown). is acquired as a search key by Alternatively, when the search key is obtained by the image information obtaining method, the image information may be obtained by inputting the search key by inputting an image using the web camera 11C.

Specifically, for example, the user U uses, as search keys, the name of the instrumentation device X and the model number X1, or broader terms such as an operation method, narrower terms representing various operation scenes (scene name), Alternatively, when an image including an image of the instrumentation device X is input with the keyboard 11A, the microphone 11B, or the web camera 11C, the search key acquired as character information or image information is transmitted from the user terminal 2 to the communication network N. is sent to the target information specifying unit 12 in the information providing apparatus 1 via the search key acquisition step S11.

Here, the search key acquisition method in the search key acquisition step S11 is not limited to a single acquisition method of the character information acquisition method using the keyboard 11A, the voice information acquisition method using the microphone 11B, and the image information acquisition method using the web camera 11C. . For example, if the image information acquisition method using only the Web camera 11C does not capture the model number X1 of the instrumentation device X and the information is insufficient, the missing information can be obtained using the character information acquisition method using the keyboard 11A. This can be supplemented by a voice information acquisition method using the microphone 11B. That is, the character information acquisition method using the keyboard 11A, the voice information acquisition method using the microphone 11B, and the image information acquisition method using the web camera 11C may be used in combination rather than singly.

<Target information identification unit 12>
The target information specifying unit 12 is provided inside the information providing device 1 and is connected to a target information specifying database 16 which is also provided inside the information providing device 1 . In the target information specifying database 16, a list of target information for specifying the search key sent from the search key acquisition unit 11 is stored. If there is a list of target information stored in the target information specifying database 16 in advance, it may be used, or new items may be created and added automatically or manually. good.

Specifically, the target information specifying unit 12 stores the target information corresponding to the search key acquired as character information or image information sent from the search key acquiring unit 11 as target information in the target information specifying database 16. is searched from the list, and the process of linking with the target information is performed. Then, the search key acquired from the search key acquisition unit 11 and the target information specified by the target information specifying unit 12 are sent to the search processing unit 13 (target information specifying step S12).

<Search processing unit 13>
The search processing unit 13 is provided inside the information providing device 1 and is connected to a search processing database 17 that is also provided inside the information providing device 1 . The search processing database 17 stores indexes for use in search processing.

The index stored in the search processing database 17 is prepared for each document pattern by preparing a data set of keywords (tags/meta information) for the document structure including the table of contents of the document and the items of the table of contents for the number of document patterns. there is Specifically, for each document pattern, a keyword for a table of contents item can be used as an index. Documents having the same document pattern have similar contents, and therefore have substantially common keywords. Therefore, a keyword for each document pattern can be used as an index.

Here, the keyword is extracted by an extraction unit (not shown) from the text of the document corresponding to the table of contents item. The extraction method may utilize a word importance extraction method for existing documents such as papers and open source libraries, or may be performed manually. Keywords of non-structural information such as images in data may be extracted by performing annotation work.

This index creation method is particularly useful for documents used for business (for example, manuals and other documents), which are currently in a nearly complete stage, and even if the brand and grade are different, the document structure is almost the same. Most of them are , and there are only a few document patterns. For example, even if there are 1000 documents for the same target, it has been found that the number of document patterns is usually about 2 or 3 documents. That is, the index is sampled, resulting in a significantly smaller amount of index compared to the prior art. Note that the difference between the document patterns is that, for example, all sentences are described in the table of contents item, and general sentences are described in the table of contents item, and additional details and annotations are added below it. It is often the difference between what is described and what is described.

The search processing unit 13 performs search processing based on the keywords (tags/meta information) obtained from the search keys obtained from the search key obtaining unit 11, using this significantly reduced index. Then, the search processing unit 13 sends the target information specified by the target information specifying unit 12 and the search processing result by the search processing unit 13 to the search result output unit 14 (search processing step S13).

<Search result output unit 14>
The search result output unit 14 is provided inside the information providing device 1 and is connected to a search result output database 18 provided inside the information providing device 1 as well. In the search result output database 18, documents corresponding to the search results hit by the combination of the target information specified by the target information specifying unit 12 and the search processing result by the search processing unit 13 are stored. Only the link information of the linked list of data is stored. Then, the search result output unit 14 outputs the link list of the search results to the display 21 of the user terminal 2 via the communication network N for display. Specifically, a link list of the actual data of the document such as the manual of the instrumentation device X is output and displayed (search result output step S14).

<Document Output Unit 15>
The document output unit 15 is provided inside the information providing apparatus 1 and is connected to the storage S1 in the server S via the communication network N. As shown in FIG. When the user U selects one of the search result link lists using the mouse 22 or the like, the document output unit 15 issues a command to output the selected document to the display 21 of the user terminal 2. Data is output and displayed (document output step S15).

Note that the actual data of the document that can be output by the document output unit 15 includes not only the document text but also contents attached or linked to the document text such as illustrations, image data, moving image data, and voice data.

Moreover, it is added again that the target searched by the information providing system 100A according to the first embodiment is not limited to the instrumentation device X only. For example, the information providing system 100A according to the first embodiment can handle almost everything from simple items such as "apples" to more advanced items such as "methods of treating intractable heart disease." Can be searched.

According to the information providing system 100A according to the first embodiment, data sets of the document structure including the table of contents in the document and the keywords for the table of contents items are prepared for the number of document patterns, and an index created for each document pattern is used, A search processing unit 13 is provided for performing search processing based on the keyword obtained from the search key obtained from the search key obtaining unit 11 . As a result, an index is created with only representative keywords, so when searching for a document, the importance of the document is determined based on its relevance to other documents, and indexing of the search target document is not required. It is possible to provide an information providing system 100A that can greatly suppress the bloat of the database and perform search processing with excellent performance.

Further, in the information providing system 100A, the search key acquired by the user terminal 2 from the search key acquisition unit 11 is at least one of the character information acquisition method, the voice information acquisition method, and the image information acquisition method, or Acquired by these compound acquisition methods. Therefore, it is possible to deal with various users U and various situations, and it is convenient to use.

In the information providing system 100A, the actual data of the document that can be output by the document output unit 15 is not only the document text, but also at least one of the document text, illustration, image data, moving image data, and voice data. Also includes content that is attached or linked to. Therefore, it is possible to provide various contents, and to efficiently acquire and provide appropriate information.

In the information providing system 100A, the information providing apparatus 1 is connected to the target information specifying unit 12, the target information specifying database 16 storing a list of target information, and the search processing unit 13, It comprises a search processing database 17 storing indexes, and a search result output database 18 connected to the search result output unit 14 and storing a link list linked to the search results. Therefore, since most of the configuration of the information providing system 100A is provided inside the information providing apparatus 1, maintenance and updating of the system can be easily performed.

Further, in the information providing system 100A, the actual data of documents that can be output from the document output unit 15 are stored in the storage S1 connected via the communication network N. FIG. Therefore, it is possible to acquire and provide more appropriate information.

[Second embodiment]
Next, an information providing system 100B according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an information providing system 100B according to the second embodiment. The main difference from the information providing system 100A according to the above-described first embodiment is that the selection result recording unit 20 is further provided. Description is omitted.

In this information providing system 100B, the information providing apparatus 1 includes a selection result recording unit 20 for recording selection results as to whether or not a necessary document has been selected from the search results output by the search result output unit 14. Further, it differs from the information providing system 100A according to the first embodiment in that it has a feedback mechanism for feeding back the selection result recorded in the selection result recording unit 20 to the search processing unit 13 .

Here, in the information providing system 100B, an area for the selection result recording unit 20 is provided in the storage unit 104 or the like inside the information providing apparatus 1, and the selection result recording unit 20 stored in the storage unit 104 or the like has an area for the selection result recording unit 20. This is realized by executing a program including a feedback mechanism for feeding back the selected result to the search processing unit 13 .

The information providing system 100B according to the second embodiment has the feedback mechanism described above, unlike the information providing system 100A according to the first embodiment. Therefore, in the information providing system 100B, the feedback results are reflected in the filtering, recommendation, priority processing, etc. in the search result output unit 14, so that the search accuracy can be improved each time it is used.

[Third embodiment]
Next, using FIG. 6, an information providing system 100C according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an information providing system 100C according to the third embodiment. The difference from the information providing system 100A according to the above-described first embodiment is mainly that the synonym analysis unit 30 is further provided. Description is omitted.

In this information providing system 100C, in the information providing apparatus 1, a synonym analysis unit 30 for including synonyms of the search key in the search processing process is connected to the search processing unit 13 and further provided. It differs from the information providing system 100A according to the form.

Here, in the information providing system 100C, an area for the synonym analysis unit 30 is provided in the storage unit 104 or the like inside the information providing apparatus 1, and a search processing unit 13 connected to the search processing unit 13 stored in the storage unit 104 or the like is provided. A search key that is not hit by the index stored in the processing database 17 is also realized by executing a program including a function of sending synonyms of the search key from the synonym analysis unit 30 to the search processing unit 13 .

Unlike the information providing system 100A according to the first embodiment, the information providing system 100C according to the third embodiment further includes a synonym analysis section 30 inside the information providing apparatus 1. FIG. Therefore, in this information providing system 100C, the synonym analysis unit 30 provides the search processing unit 13 with the synonyms of the search keys that are not hit by the index stored in the search processing database 17 connected to the search processing unit 13. You can follow by sending.

[Fourth embodiment]
Next, an information providing system 100D according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIG. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an information providing system 100D according to the fourth embodiment. The difference from the information providing system 100A according to the above-described first embodiment is mainly that a synonym analysis unit 40 is further provided. Description is omitted.

In this information providing system 100D, in the user terminal 2, a synonym analysis unit 40 for including synonyms of the search key in the search process is connected to the search key acquisition unit 11 and further provided. It differs from the information providing system 100A according to the form.

Here, in this information providing system 100D, an area for a synonym analysis unit 40 is provided in a storage unit (not shown) or the like inside the user terminal 2, and before sending to the target information identification unit 12, the synonyms of the search key are also searched. It is realized by executing the program included in the key.

Unlike the information providing system 100A according to the first embodiment, the information providing system 100D according to the fourth embodiment further includes a synonym analysis section 40 inside the user terminal 2 . Therefore, in this information providing system 100D, synonyms of the search key can be included in the search key by the synonym analysis unit 40 before being sent to the target information identification unit 12, and the search key is indexed in the search processing unit 13. It can greatly reduce the probability of not hitting.

While embodiments of the invention have been described, the embodiments are provided by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof.

100A-D information providing system 11 search key acquisition unit (search key acquisition means)
11A keyboard (search key acquisition means)
11B microphone (search key acquisition means)
11C Web camera (search key acquisition means)
12 Target information specifying unit (target information specifying means)
13 search processing unit (search processing means)
14 search result output unit (search result output means)
15 document output unit (document output means)
16 Target information specifying database 17 Search processing database 18 Search result output database S1 Storage 20 Selection result recording unit (selection result recording means)
30 synonym analysis unit (synonym analysis means)
40 synonym analysis unit (synonym analysis means)
2 User terminal N Communication network S11 Search key acquisition step S12 Target information identification step S13 Search processing step S14 Search result output step S15 Document output step

Claims (9)

An information providing system for searching documents based on information obtained from a user terminal,
a search key acquisition means for acquiring a search key as the information in the user terminal;
target information specifying means for specifying target information from the search key obtained from the search key obtaining means;
Data sets of the document structure including the table of contents in the document and keywords for the table of contents items are prepared for the number of document patterns, and an index created for each document pattern is used to obtain the search key obtained from the search key obtaining means. search processing means for performing search processing based on the keywords obtained;
search result output means for outputting a search result obtained by combining the target information specified by the target information specifying means and the search processing result by the search processing means;
and document output means capable of selectively outputting actual document data from a link list linked to the search results output by said search result output means. The search key acquired by the user terminal from the search key acquisition means is acquired by at least one of a character information acquisition method, a voice information acquisition method, and an image information acquisition method, or a combination of these acquisition methods. The information providing system according to claim 1, characterized by: further comprising selection result recording means for recording a selection result indicating whether or not a necessary document has been selected from the search results output by the search result output means;
3. The information providing system according to claim 1, wherein the selection result recorded in said selection result recording means is fed back to said search processing means. 3. The information providing system according to claim 1, further comprising synonym analysis means connected to said search processing means for including synonyms of search keys in a search process. 3. The information providing system according to claim 1, further comprising synonym analysis means for including synonyms of search keys in the process of searching, connected to said search key obtaining means. The actual data of the document that can be output by the document output means is not only the document text, but also the content attached or linked to the document text with at least one of illustration, image data, video data and audio data. 6. The information providing system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising: a target information specifying database connected to the target information specifying means and storing a list of target information;
a search processing database connected to the search processing means and storing an index;
7. The information providing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a search result output database connected to said search result output means and storing a link list linked to search results. . 8. The information providing system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein actual data of a document that can be output from said document output means is stored in a storage connected via a communication network. An information providing method for searching documents based on information obtained from a user terminal,
a search key acquisition step of acquiring a search key as the information in the user terminal;
a target information identifying step of identifying target information from the search key obtained in the search key obtaining step;
Data sets of the document structure including the table of contents in the document and keywords for the table of contents items are prepared for the number of document patterns. a search processing step of performing search processing based on the keywords obtained;
a search result output step of outputting a search result obtained by combining the target information specified in the target information specifying step and the search processing result of the search processing step;
and a document output step of outputting actual data of a document selected from a link list linked to the search result output in the search result output step.

Images