JP2900832B2 - Information retrieval device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multiprocessor for searching for information in a database or data file storing electronic information, and in particular, to sequentially activate processors based on new search conditions extracted from search results. The present invention relates to an information search device for performing a search.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A data file storing a large number of electronic information and a database storing a large number of electronic information in association with each other are used to add new electronic information as needed. It is widely used as boxes, patent gazette databases, dissertation databases, newspaper article databases, and the like. Information stored in such databases and data files is searched based on search conditions, but in order to speed up the search processing, search processing is conventionally performed in a multiprocessor environment using multiple processors. was there.

For example, in a database processing method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-4587, a plurality of processors for searching a database are provided, and these processors execute a plurality of preset search processing procedures in parallel. Then, of the search results obtained from each processor, only the one that has been processed first is output. That is, in the information search in the conventional multiprocessor environment, each processor performs a search process in parallel based on each search condition.

[0004]

Here, in an actual information search operation, it may be necessary to perform an additional search or a related search based on the search result. For example, in a database search of patent publications, the search is continued by adding conditions such as further specifying the applicant from a large number of patent publications obtained as a result of a search using a certain search keyword, or the applicant is identified. After obtaining the search result obtained, a future search for the applicant may be performed in a certain period.

However, in the conventional information search apparatus, only the search result corresponding to the search condition is provided. Therefore, when the above-described additional or related search is to be further performed, The user must confirm the content of the search result, input a new search condition into the apparatus, and perform another search. For this reason,
In order to respond to the above-mentioned necessity, a user must intervene each time, and the search operation is extremely complicated and inefficient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an information retrieval apparatus that automatically continues additional or related retrieval processing without user intervention. In particular, a first aspect of the invention, an object to provide an information retrieval device to continue automatically further search by extracting a new search condition from the once obtained search results. The invention of claim 2 is an object to provide a past or information retrieval device capable of periodic search or the like in the future information to the database or data file information is added.

A third object of the present invention is to provide an information search apparatus for controlling a search condition for each generation for a processor of each generation sequentially activated under a new search condition. . The invention of claim 4, when the plurality of new search condition is extracted, and an object thereof is to provide an information retrieval apparatus which can suppress a few processors to be started. The invention of claim 5 is an object to provide an information retrieval apparatus which provides a history of the search process to the user.
The invention of claim 6 is an object to provide an information retrieval device to reasonably control the termination of the search process by each processor against the chain or the like starts.

[0008]

Here, the present invention provides the following:
CPU executes multiple programs as shown in the embodiment
By doing multiple processors (so-called functional means)
In addition to the configuration of the
By executing each program,
It may be a mode that constitutes a processor.

[0009] To achieve the above object, the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 1 is provided with information storage means for storing a database or data file information is added, and a plurality of processors, databases and data files An information search device in which each processor performs information search based on a predetermined search condition, wherein the processor includes: a condition input unit that inputs an input condition including a search condition and an extraction condition of a new search condition. Information search means for searching information in the information storage means based on the search condition, output means for outputting the obtained search result, and analysis of the obtained search result based on the extraction condition to obtain a new search condition , And a start-up unit that starts up another processor based on a new search condition.

Further, the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 2, in the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 1, includes a timing condition for starting the processor to the input condition,
The activation unit activates another processor based on the timing condition. According to a third aspect of the present invention , in the information search apparatus according to the first or second aspect , the information search apparatus further includes a generation management unit that manages a generation of each processor activated based on a new search condition. The input condition includes an extraction condition corresponding to the generation of the processor, and the activation unit extracts a new search condition from a search result based on the generation condition.

Further, the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 4, in the information retrieval apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the processor inquires to other processors for the new search condition communication Means for activating the processor based on a new search condition obtained by combining both search conditions when another processor having a common part in the search condition already exists based on the inquiry result. It is characterized by doing.

Further, the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 5, in the information retrieval apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the processor manages the history information of the executed search result retrieval The information processing apparatus further includes history information management means, and post-processing means for outputting, to the output means, history information of the search processing executed by the processor at the end of the search processing. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention , in the information retrieval apparatus according to the fifth aspect , the processor determines that the history information has reached a predetermined criterion. Is further provided.

[0013]

According to the present invention , a new search condition is automatically extracted based on a predetermined condition from a search result once obtained by a search process by a certain processor, and another search condition is extracted based on the new search condition. Activate the processor to perform further search processing. For example, when a predetermined condition is set to a specific inventor and a periodic search in an information search for a patent publication database, the present invention relates to an inventor set from a set of patent publications searched based on a search keyword. In addition to searching for a patent gazette, search for a patent gazette pertaining to the inventor in the past or in the future.

[0014] According to the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 1, the information storage means for storing the database or data file, to search for information based on each processor, each predetermined search condition. The search processing by this processor is performed by the information search means searching the information storage means based on the search condition input together with the extraction condition from the condition input means, and the obtained search result is output from the output means to the user. . Then, from this search result, the search condition extracting means extracts a new search condition based on the above-mentioned extraction condition, and the starting means starts another processor based on the new search condition to continue the further search. . That is, according to this information search device, the above-described information search method is performed, and in the information search for a patent publication database or the like, a further search similar to the above is performed.

Furthermore, according to the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 2, to perform further searching start the other processors on the basis of the activation means is seasonal conditions. For example, assuming that the temporal condition is a periodic search up to a certain point in the future, further search is periodically continued for information to be added to the database or the like in the future.

Furthermore, managed according to the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 3, the generation of each processor in the generation management means,
The search condition extraction means extracts a new search condition based on the extraction condition according to the generation and continues the further search. For example, if a periodic search is made for patent publications about joint inventors, other processors may further search for patent publications only for the first inventor. And continue the search.

Furthermore, according to the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 4, upon activation means one processor activates the processor for further search, an inquiry to another processor already activated by communication means If the search conditions have a common part, a processor for further search is activated based on the new search conditions obtained by synthesizing the search conditions. That is, when there are a plurality of processors activated by a new search condition, search conditions having a common property are collected, one processor is activated by the collected search conditions, and the number of activated processors is reduced to a small number.

Furthermore, according to the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 5, the search history information that each processor has executed that are managed in the search history information management unit, the post-processing means from the output means at the end of the search process Output to the user. For example, history information such as the search keyword used for the search and the number of times the search was performed is provided to the user, so that the user can easily grasp the execution status of the search processing.

Furthermore, according to the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 6, after when the end determining unit as a reference relating to the end of the search process determines whether history information reaches a predetermined reference, it has reached the reference The processing means causes the history information to be output. For example, if the predetermined criterion is set to five searches, the history information of the processor is output after the search process is repeated five times, and the operation of the processor ends. Therefore, the operation of the processor is rationally controlled based on the predetermined condition, and a situation in which another processor is started indefinitely from the operating processor in a chain is avoided.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An information retrieval apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, an information search device that performs an information search method will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the information search device includes an information storage unit 1 storing a patent publication database, an information processing device 2 for performing information search processing from the database, a data input unit 3 for a user to input a search request, An output unit 4 for outputting a search result is provided, and these units 1 to 4 are connected by a network 5.

The information storage means 1 includes a hard disk device 6 for storing electronic information in a readable and writable manner. The hard disk device 6 stores a patent publication database in a readable and writable manner. The information storage means 1 has a database management server 7 for connecting the hard disk device 6 to the network 5, and new patent publication data sent via the network 5 under the control of the management server 7 as needed. It is stored in the hard disk device 6. Therefore, the patent publication data stored in the information storage means 1 will be sequentially added in the future.

The data input means 3 is provided with a keyboard 8 and a mouse 9, and the user uses these keyboards 8 and the like to input search conditions such as a search expression and extraction conditions for generating a new search expression. Enter conditions as a search request. The output unit 4 includes a display device 10 and a printer device 11, and displays and outputs a search result and a search history on a display screen or prints and outputs on a paper medium.

The information processing device 2 includes a central processing unit (CP)
U) 12, a main storage device 13, and an I / O handler 14 for managing information transfer between the CPU 12 and the main storage device 13 and between them and the network 5. The main storage device 13 has a plurality of programs for executing a search process.
Sessa configuration programs 15-1, 15-2, 15-
3, · · · 15-n is stored, these programs 15
-1, 15-2, 15-3,... 15-n are CPU1
Multiple processors corresponding to each program in cooperation with 2
(Functional means) is configured. In the following description, each processor configuration program 15-1, 15-2, 15-3,
.. By the CPU 12 executing 15-n
It represents all the processors configured respectively.

The main storage device 13 has a program 16 for managing the generation of each processor 15,
Client program 1 of the database stored in
7. A clock program 18 for managing the date and time is also stored. These programs 16 , 17, and 18 and the CPU 12 cooperate to generate generation management means, database client means,
Clock means is configured. The main storage device 13 also stores an operating system 19 ,
The basic operation by U12 is controlled. The above program is not resident, but may be read from an external storage device as needed.

Each processor 1 for executing a search process
5 have the configuration as shown in FIG. That is, an input means 21 for inputting an input condition for a search described later, and an input condition holding means 22 for holding the input condition
Information search means 23 for searching patent gazette data from the database 6 via the client 17 and the server 7 according to the search conditions included in the input conditions, and a search result by the information search means 23 according to the extraction conditions included in the input conditions Search condition extracting means 24 for extracting new search conditions from
A processor activation unit 25 for activating another processor 15 in accordance with the activation condition included in the input condition and the extracted new search condition, and an end determination for determining the end of the search process in accordance with the termination condition included in the input condition Means 26, a post-processing means 27 for outputting the search history information to the user from the output means 4 at the end of the search, a search history information holding means 28 for holding and managing the search history information to be output by the post-processing means 27. Output means 29 for outputting the input condition created by processor activating means 25 to activate next-generation processor 15 to input means 21 of another processor 15
, The processor 15 is provided.

The above input conditions include a start time condition, a search condition, an extraction condition, a start condition, and an end condition, and are initially input by the user from the data input means 3 and taken in from the input means 21. The search condition is sequentially changed to a new search condition based on the search result and the extraction condition from the processor 15, and is input from the previous generation processor 15 to the next generation processor 15 along with other conditions. In other words, when the processors 15 are sequentially activated and the generation proceeds, the processor 15 of the previous generation is input to the input means 21 of the processor 15 of the next generation. Note that the start timing condition, the extraction condition, the start condition, and the end condition are set in advance for each generation of the processor 15 to be started, and are input by the user in the initial stage of starting the search.

The starting time conditions in this embodiment include the generation number of the processor, the identifier (ID) of the processor, the regular search flag, the regular search cycle, the regular search start date and time, the regular search end date and time, the report destination of the search result, and the search. It includes a report method of the result, a report destination of the history information, and a report method of the history information. When starting the processor 15, it is determined whether to execute the search based on the condition.

The generation number of the processor is “0” for the first (parent) processor, and the generation numbers are (child), (grandchild),.
Each time the generation advances, the number is incremented by one, such as "1", "2",. The processor identifier (ID) is a user ID, a process ID assigned by the system, a parent, a child,
A family ID shared by the grandchild processors and a combination of these with a generation number are used. The periodic search flag specifies "1" for the periodic search and "0" for the temporary search other than the periodic search. The regular search cycle specifies a cycle for performing the regular search, for example, 7 days, 24 hours, or the like. The periodical search start date and time specify the periodical search start date and time, and the periodical search end date and time specify the periodical search end date and time.
"1" and "19951231", etc. The search result report destination is specified by the user name or the group name to which the user belongs, and the search result report method is output by e-mail, printer, facsimile, or the like. The report destination of the history information is specified by a user name, a group name, a system administrator name, and the like, and the report method of the history information is specified by an output means such as an e-mail, a printer, and a facsimile.

The search condition of this embodiment includes a search period and a search formula, and the information search means 23 searches the database 6 based on the search condition. The search period specifies a period range of the information to be searched, for example, from seven days ago to today. The search formula is specified by a query language for the database 6, and for example, by the combination logic of the international classification of the patent publication and the search keyword
{(IPC = G06F15) * (search keyword = (search * (parallel + multiprocessor + multiprocess)))}.

The extraction condition of this embodiment includes a criterion for extracting a new search result from the search result. The search condition extraction means 24 analyzes the search obtained by the information search means 23 based on the extraction condition. A new search condition for starting the next generation processor 15 is extracted. The extraction conditions are specified by conditions such as the temporal range of the filing date of the patent publication and the inventor's name, and the next-generation processor 15 searches the patent publication obtained as a search result based on the conditions.

The activation condition of the present embodiment includes a generation condition for determining a new input condition for each generation. Based on the generation condition, the processor activation unit 25 instructs the next-generation processor 15 to generate a new input condition. Create input conditions to output. The processor activating means 25 periodically or temporarily searches for a certain inventor according to the above-mentioned extraction conditions, for example, when the generation is “1 (child)” based on the activating conditions, and the retrieval result is obtained. Create an input condition to report by e-mail with the user name, and the generation is "2 (grandchild)"
For, a temporary search is performed for only the first inventor in accordance with the above extraction conditions, and an input condition for reporting the search result as a group name by printer output is created.

The termination condition of the present embodiment includes a condition for terminating the search process of each processor 15, and the termination judgment means 26 decides whether or not the retrieval process can be terminated based on the termination condition. For example, as the termination condition, for a temporary search, the search process is ended when the search result is obtained, and for the periodic search, five or more patent publications of the search result are obtained and the last five searches have been performed recently. Specifies that the search process is to be terminated when no search result can be obtained.

Each time the information search means 23 performs a search process, the search history information holding means 28 stores and manages a history of the search process such as an outline of the search result and search conditions, and the search process by the processor 15 is completed. At this time, the post-processing unit 27 displays and outputs the history information held in the search history information holding unit 28 to the output unit 4. Further, the above-mentioned generation management means 16 manages the generations in which the individual processors 15 are activated in an integrated manner.
5 performs processing according to the generation.
Refers to the generation information managed by. Further, the clock unit 18 measures and manages the time and date every day, and the end determination unit 26 and the like refer to the date and time information managed by the clock unit 18 when performing the process according to the date and time.

A search method according to the present embodiment, which is performed by the information search apparatus having the above configuration, will be described with reference to flowcharts shown in FIGS. In the search processing of the present invention, the processor 1 of the parent generation is based on input conditions input by the user.
5 is started, and the next generation processor 15 such as the child generation and the grandchild generation is started based on the search result of the parent generation processor 15. First, the overall search processing will be outlined with reference to the general flowchart shown in FIG.

The user inputs input conditions (start-up time condition, search condition, extraction condition, start-up condition, end condition) from the data input means 3, and the input condition is inputted to the input means 21 of a certain processor 15 which is a parent generation. When input (Step S1), the input condition is stored in the input condition holding means 2.
2 (step S2). Next, the information search means 23 determines whether or not to execute a search process on the database 6 based on the start time condition among the input conditions (step S3). When the search is to be performed, the search is performed based on the search condition among the input conditions. Is executed (step S4).
When the search processing is completed, the search history information holding unit 28 holds history information such as search results and search conditions (step S5), and the number of patent publications obtained as a search result is 0 (that is, the search Is determined (step S6). If the result is obtained, the search result is output from the output unit 4 (step S7).

Next, the search condition extracting means 24 analyzes the above search results based on the extraction conditions among the input conditions, and extracts new search conditions from the search results (step S).
8). Then, based on the new search condition, the processor activating means 25 activates the other processor 15 as a child generation (step S9), and the termination determining means 26
Determines whether the search process by the processor 15 should be terminated based on the termination condition among the input conditions (step S10). Note that the above steps S3, S6, S10
If the judgment criterion is not satisfied in the processing of step S3,
Are repeated, and the history information every time the search process is repeated is held in the search history information holding unit 28.

If the condition for terminating the search processing by the processor 15 is satisfied, the post-processing means 27 reads out the contents held in the search history information holding means 28 and outputs the contents from the output means 4 to the user. (Step S1
1), a series of search processing ends. However, this end is for the parent generation processor 15, and the child generation processor 15 started in step S9 makes its own end determination in the same manner as described above. Therefore, the processor 15 of the parent generation executes the search processing based on the user input and terminates the processing based on predetermined conditions, and the processor 15 of the child generation performs the search processing based on the search result by the processor 15 of the parent generation. To terminate the processing based on the predetermined condition, and the grandchild generation processor 15 executes the search processing based on the search result by the child generation processor 15 and ends the processing based on the predetermined condition. Each processor 15 continues the processing sequentially for successive generations. That is, the processing procedure relating to the above processing is the same for each processor 15, and the processing procedure is shared.

FIG. 4 shows a detailed processing procedure relating to the above-described activation timing determination processing (step S3). First,
When the start time condition is input (step S31), it is determined whether the regular search flag is "0" (temporary search) (step S32).
The search process is executed according to the procedure shown in FIG. On the other hand, if the search is a regular search, the current date and time is read from the clock unit 18 (step S33), and is compared with the search start date and time specified in the start time condition (step S34).

As a result, if the current date and time is after the search start date and time, the search processing shown in FIG. 5 is executed, and if the current date and time is before the search start date and time, the search start date and time is Is added to the delay timer as a new search start date and time (steps S35 and S36),
When the condition of step S34 is satisfied, a search process is executed. Therefore, the search by the processor 15 is automatically started when the user designates the start timing condition, and the processors 15 such as the child generation and the grandchild generation that inherit the start timing condition from the processor 15 of the parent generation are also automatically set. Start search.

FIG. 5 shows the search execution process (step S).
The detailed processing procedure regarding 4) is shown. In this search execution process, a target number is set, a plurality of search formulas are set as a list assuming that the search conditions become stricter (the number of search results decreases), and the search conditions are sequentially executed until the target number is reached. If the number of searches is narrowed down, the search formula is used to search the entire text instead of the number of searches. If the number of searches is not narrowed down (below the target),
Alternatively, when the number of searches becomes zero, execution is stopped, post-processing is performed, and the user is notified of a situation in which the search was not narrowed down. Here, it is assumed that the search condition is input as a list including n search expressions, and a target value of 50 is specified as the number of patent publications obtained as a search result.
First, when the start time condition is input (step S4)
1), the initial value of the search formula is set to “1” (step S4)
2) A search is performed using the first search formula in the list (step S43).

Then, the number of cases obtained as the search result is compared with the target number of cases (step S44). Using the first search formula, a full-text search of the contents of the publication is performed (step S48), and the registration and output processing of history information is performed. On the other hand, if the number exceeds the target number or if the search result is 0, it is determined whether all the search formulas in the list have been used (step S45).
If the search expression still remains in the list, the above process is repeated using the next search expression (step S4).
6). On the other hand, when all the search expressions in the list are searched, the search expressions and the search results are stored as history information in the search history information holding unit 28 (step S47), and the processing by the post-processing unit 27 is performed.

FIG. 6 shows a detailed processing procedure relating to the above search condition extraction processing (step S8). In addition,
Here, the extraction condition is such that for the generation number “1” (child), the inventor is analyzed from the search result obtained in the parent generation, and
This is to extract search conditions that cause the inventor to perform a process of re-searching all patent gazettes having the same identity in the period ranged back from the year, from the present time to a temporary or a certain point in the future, and a generation number. For "2" (grandchild), the inventor is analyzed from the search results obtained in the child generation, and all patent publications having the same identity as the inventor are searched again within a period of four years. This is for extracting a search condition that causes the process to be performed from the present time temporarily or periodically from a certain point in the future.

That is, it is determined whether or not the generation number of its own processor 15 is "0" (parent) (step S51). If it is a parent, the generation number is used to indicate that it is a search condition for a child generation. Is increased by one and the regular search flag is set to "
Search condition for a temporary search that has been set to "0" (step S
52) and a search condition (step S53) for a periodic search in which the search cycle, the search start date and time, and the search end date and time are specified by setting the periodic search flag to "1", is created by specifying the inventor identity. Then, input conditions including these newly created search conditions are input from the processor 15 of the parent generation to the processor 15 of the child generation, and the processor 15 for performing a temporary search and the processor 1 for performing a periodic search.
5 are activated.

On the other hand, as a result of the above judgment, if the generation is not the parent generation, the generation number of its own processor 15 is “1”.
(Step S54), and if it is a child, the generation number is incremented by one to indicate that it is a search condition for the grandchild generation, and the periodic search flag is set to "0". The search condition for the temporary search (step S556) and the search condition for the periodic search (step S57) in which the search cycle, the search start date and time, and the search end date and time are specified by setting the periodic search flag to “1” are Is created by designating the identity of the inventor (step S55). Then, input conditions including these newly created search conditions are input from the child generation processor 15 to the grandchild generation processor 15, respectively, and a processor 15 for performing a temporary search and a processor 15 for performing a periodic search. Start each. In this embodiment, the processor 15 to be activated is up to the grandchild generation, and a new search condition is not extracted from the search result from the processor 15 having the generation number of 2 or more.

FIG. 7 shows a detailed processing procedure relating to the above-described activation processing of the new processor (step S9). Here, an example is described in which n new search conditions are extracted and the child generation processor 15 is activated by n input conditions including these search conditions.
First, when a list including n input conditions is given to the processor activation unit 25 (step S61), the initial value of the input condition is set to "1" (step S62), and 1 in the list is set.
The child generation processor 15 is activated using the second input condition.

First, the first input condition in the list is taken out (step S63), and the processor 15 already activated under the same search condition as the search condition included in the input condition is retrieved.
Is checked (step S64), and only when such a processor 15 does not already exist, another processor 15 is newly activated using the input condition (step S65). Here, the determination as to whether or not there is a processor 15 already activated under the same search condition is made by examining the history information of each processor 15 already activated by the processor activation means 25. The means 28 stores each processor 15 in the main storage 13.
It is configured as a common file that can be accessed from.

Next, it is determined whether or not the start processing has been performed for all of the input conditions in the list (step S6).
6) If the input condition still remains in the list, the above process is repeated using the next input condition (step S67). That is, the next-generation processors are automatically started sequentially according to the input conditions created based on the search results of the previous generation, and at this time, the starting of the duplicated processors 15 under the same search conditions is prevented.

FIG. 8 shows the end determination processing (step S
10 shows a detailed processing procedure relating to 10). First, the regular search flag in the input condition is checked (step S7).
1) If it is a regular search, it is checked whether the date and time obtained by adding the current time and the regular search cycle does not exceed the designated search end date and time (step S72). Further, based on the search history information, it is checked from the search results so far by the processor 15 (step S73) whether or not a predetermined end condition is satisfied (step S74). If the end condition is satisfied, post-processing is performed. The processing by the processor ends.

In this case, the above-mentioned end condition is searched for by 5
More than five times, the last five searches did not yield any search results, and in such a state no further search results would result. It is reasonably possible. On the other hand, as a result of the above determination, if the search is a temporary search, or if the regular search exceeds the search end date and time, or if the end condition is satisfied, the reason for the end is recorded in the search history information holding unit 28. (Step S75), post-processing is performed, and the processing by the processor ends.

FIG. 9 shows the post-processing (step S1).
The detailed processing procedure relating to 1) is shown. First, the processor 1 whose processing is terminated from the search history information holding unit 28
5 is read out (step S81), and the date and time when the processor 15 is activated, the number of searches performed, the date and time of execution of each search process, the number of search results, a part of the contents of the search results, etc. It is read (step S82). Next, the current date and time at which the processing is completed, the search condition used, the established termination condition, and the like are read from the termination determination unit 26 (step S83), and the read information is reported to the report destination specified by the activation timing condition. (Step S84).

That is, according to the above-described embodiment, a new search condition is extracted based on the extraction condition from the search result obtained by the processor of the previous generation, whereby the new processor is activated and the search result is included in the search result. Continue further search for additional or related information. The extraction of the new search condition, the activation of the new processor, and the end of the processing of each processor are automatically and rationalized based on the extraction condition, the activation condition, the termination condition, and the activation timing condition that are initially input by the user. Done in

FIG. 10 shows a configuration of a processor 15 according to another embodiment of the present invention. The processor 15 of the present embodiment is a communication unit 3 for communicating with another processor 15.
1 and control means 32 for controlling communication and controlling the processor activating means 25 based on the communication result. Since the configuration other than the above is the same as that of the above-described embodiment, the same reference numerals are given and the duplicate description will be omitted.

In this embodiment, when a new processor 15 is activated, if the search conditions include a common part, the processor is activated by a search condition obtained by synthesizing these search conditions, and a partially duplicated search process is performed. Processor 15 that performs
Is prevented from being activated many times. Therefore, the present embodiment is different from the above-described embodiment in the activation process for a new processor, and this process will be described with reference to FIG.

First, when a list including n input conditions is given to the processor starting means 25 (step S9)
1) The control unit 32 makes an inquiry to the history information holding units 28 of all the processors 15 activated by the communication unit 31 to create a list of all the processors 15 (step S92). Next, the initial value of the input condition is set to "1" (step S93), and 1 in the list is set.
The next input condition is used to start the next-generation processor 15.

That is, the first input condition in the list is taken out (step S94), and it is determined whether or not there is a processor 15 already activated under the search condition common to the search condition included in the input condition. The communication means 31 inquires of all processors in the processor list from the communication means 31 (step S95), and only when there is no such processor 15, another processor 15 is newly activated using the input condition (step S96). . On the other hand, if there is already a processor 15 having a common search condition, the search conditions are combined, a new processor 15 is started by the search condition synthesized by the processor starting means 25, and the existing processor 15 is started. Is stopped via the communication means 31 (step S97).

After such a start-up process has been determined for all of the input conditions in the list (step S9)
8) If the input condition still remains in the list, the above process is repeated using the next input condition (step S99). In other words, the next-generation processors are automatically started sequentially according to the input conditions created based on the search results of the previous generation. At this time, if the search conditions have commonality, they are rationally combined into one. A situation in which a number of processors 15 are activated by activating the activated processors 15 is prevented.

Although the above embodiment has been described with reference to an example in which the search processing is started based on an input from a user, the present invention provides a method of searching for the date and time when new data is added to the database 6.
Alternatively, each time new data is added, the search process may be started with the addition process as a trigger. In addition, the present invention is implemented, for example, as an individual workstation, or a specialized workstation receives input conditions of each processor from the individual workstation by e-mail or the like, executes each processor, or executes a database. And the workstation managing the data files can receive the input conditions of each processor by e-mail or the like from the individual workstation and execute each processor.

[0058]

As described in the foregoing, according to the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 1, the search condition extraction means from the search results once obtained by extracting a new search condition, activation means a new search Since another processor is automatically started based on the conditions and further search is continued, additional or related further search processing can be automatically continued without user intervention. Is greatly reduced.

[0059] According to the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 2, since you to start the processor with a predetermined activation condition, in addition to the above effects, the processor is started in a state in which the intention of the user desired Is reliably executed. Further, according to the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 3, which is adapted to extract a new search at a predetermined extraction condition, in addition to the above effects, further adding and relevant state according to the intention of the user search Processing is performed reliably.

[0060] According to the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 4, which is adapted put together some of commonality to the search condition when starting a new processor, in addition to the above advantages, is less effective processor It is possible to prevent a situation in which many are activated. Further, according to the information retrieval apparatus according to claim 5, for which to output the post-processing search history information for each processor, in addition to the above effects, the user can reliably grasp the status of the search process . According to the information search device described in claim 6 , the processing of each processor is terminated when the search history reaches a predetermined standard. By terminating the operation, useless operation of the processor can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information search device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a processor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of an information search process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure according to an example of a startup timing determination process.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure according to an example of a search execution process.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure according to an example of a search condition extraction process.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure according to an example of a new processor activation process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure according to an example of an end determination process.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure according to an example of post-processing.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a processor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure according to another example of a new processor activation process.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... information storage means 4 ... output means 6 ...
A database, 15-1 to 15-n: processor, 16: generation management means, 21: input means,
23 ... information search means, 24 ... search condition extraction means, 25 ... processor activation means, 26 ... end determination means, 27 ... post-processing means, 28 ... search history information holding means , 31 ... communication means,

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-296339 (JP, A) JP-A 64-13030 (JP, A) JP-A-2-113368 (JP, A) JP-A 64-76116 (JP) JP-A-60-173629 (JP, A) JP-A-5-61915 (JP, A) JP-A-7-168854 (JP, A) JP-A-64-72231 (JP, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G06F 17/30

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] An information storage means for storing a database or data file to which information is added, and a plurality of processors, wherein each processor retrieves information from the database or data file based on predetermined search conditions. And a condition input means for inputting an input condition including a search condition and an extraction condition of a new search condition, and an information search for searching information in the information storage means based on the search condition. Means for outputting the obtained search result; analysis means for analyzing the obtained search result based on the extraction condition to extract a new search condition; and other means based on the new search condition. An information retrieval device comprising: a starting unit that starts the processor. 2. The information retrieval apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the input condition includes a time condition for starting the processor, and the starting means starts another processor based on the time condition. An information retrieval device characterized by the following. 3. A data retrieval apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a generation management means for managing the generation of each processor is run on the basis of a new search condition, the processor in the input condition An information search device comprising extraction conditions corresponding to generations, wherein the search condition extraction means extracts new search conditions from search results based on the generation conditions. 4. The information retrieval apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the processor may further comprise a communication means for inquiring into the other processors for the new search condition, activation means, the inquiry An information search apparatus characterized in that when another processor having a common part in a search condition already exists based on a result, the processor is activated based on a new search condition obtained by combining the two search conditions. 5. The information retrieval apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the processor includes a retrieval history information managing means for managing history information of the executed search result, when the search process ends An information search apparatus, further comprising: a post-processing unit that outputs history information of a search process executed by the processor to an output unit. 6. The information retrieval apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the processor further includes an end determination unit that causes the post-processing unit to perform an output process when the history information reaches a predetermined criterion. Information retrieval device.