JP4947763B2 - Information retrieval method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a novel information search method, and more particularly to an information search method that can reliably obtain desired information and can reduce input costs.

  In recent years, so-called electronic files have been put into practical use in which paper documents such as family registers, hospitals and clinics, or receipts are captured by a scanner to create a still image file and stored in an MO (magneto-optical disk) or hard disk. Yes.

  Also, electronic files encoded with information, such as word processor output files, site files such as so-called homepages that are html files that can be browsed on the Internet, e-mails, spreadsheet files, etc. are stored in an appropriate recording device. It will be a fine electronic file.

Note that the output file of the word processor, the html file that can be browsed on the Internet, the still image file captured by the scanner, and the like are collectively referred to as an electronic file in order to be distinguished from a paper file. This electronic file includes, of course, a moving image file such as a movie.
Hitfile news (Internet advertising site) Japanese Patent Application No.7-058170 Japanese Patent Application No. 7-090224

  The above-mentioned electronic file can be made much smaller than conventional paper files, so it is suitable for storing materials for specific purposes. In order to use it as a file, it must be said that it has not been completed as a technology.

  Before explaining the reason, a brief description will be given of how to extract a target electronic file from the current electronic file.

  If the number of electronic files exceeds 1,000, a computer is required. By the way, the ability of a computer (hereinafter simply referred to as a PC) is limited, and it is impossible to grasp a concept, that is, to make a judgment. However, numbers and letters (hereinafter simply referred to as symbols) can be compared.

  Therefore, it is common to attach a keyword to each electronic file and search for (search for) the electronic file for which this keyword is a clue.

  Furthermore, in this search method, there are a method of cutting out a keyword and assigning it to an electronic file, and a so-called free keyword search method without adding a keyword.

  In the latter case, for example, an html file or a still image file of a document converted into a text file using an OCR (optical character recognition device) is used. It checks whether it is included, and takes out an electronic file having keywords that have been input or set.

  This search method is a general method for searching for a target site using the Internet, for example.

  In this case, however, especially when a still image file is converted to a text file by OCR, the conversion efficiency is not 100%, but there is a conversion error of several percent, so there is always a search error, that is, missed out.

  Further, as a problem peculiar to Japanese, when a keyword includes kanji and kana, or when there are synonyms, a plurality of keywords are automatically provided.

  For example, the keyword “mold” is for each of at least six types of keywords “mold”, “kana mold”, “kinagata”, “kanagata”, “die” and “punch”. If you do not perform the same search operation, you will always miss it.

  If this is an Internet site search, the number of sites is enormous, so even one keyword can always pick up multiple sites, but in this case too, the ones corresponding to other keywords will be discarded. .

  In other words, the above-mentioned search method using free keywords does not require the work of extracting keywords when you know what characters are in which electronic files, so you can search for electronic files created and stored by individuals. May be valid.

  However, since it is impossible to remember what characters are contained indefinitely, for example, when searching by multiple people, such as reports of business establishments and research institutes, the free keyword search method cannot be used. It's not too much to say.

  On the other hand, the information retrieval method described in Non-Patent Document 1 is a method of assigning one or more keywords to each electronic file and directly recording the electronic file itself, and throwing it into the storage device. It is.

  In this case, search omission can be prevented by unifying keywords corresponding to a certain concept.

  However, since the information search method described in Non-Patent Document 1 is a method of inputting a keyword every time a still image file is created by a scanner, the ability to read a paper file and cut out the keyword based on the content This will force a simple person to scan, and it will take time to produce electronic files. In other words, the input cost will increase.

  In addition, this search method does not record what keywords are assigned to the electronic file in what form.

  In order to know what keywords are contained, for example, the title numbers that are consecutive in each electronic file are input as keywords, the electronic files are extracted in the order of the title numbers, and the keywords are read. However, this is the same as reading all electronic files from the beginning, and there is no reason for keywords to exist.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an information search method that can eliminate the disadvantages of the above-described existing information search methods, reliably obtain the required information, and reduce the input cost.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 assigns a title number for distinguishing the electronic file from other electronic files for each electronic file before performing the information search , and at least 1 Each keyword is extracted, and the group consisting of these title numbers and keywords is made into one record using electronic recording means such as a so-called word processor, and a plurality of records extracted from a plurality of electronic files are recorded in the same manner. An original file is created and stored in a first folder of one electronic recording medium, while the electronic file is stored in a second folder of another electronic recording medium different from the one electronic recording medium. Create a subfolder corresponding to each of the files, assign the title number of the corresponding electronic file to each subfolder, and the title number Accumulating the corresponding electronic file, while the same thing from the stored document files in the first folder extracts keywords so as not to overlap with the keyword file creating means by cooperation of a program and a computer, of these constant arranged in order to accumulate this by creating a keyword file in the third folder, also with one keyword by the search file creation hands stage by cooperation of a program and a computer, the title number of each electronic file with this Is a keyword unit corresponding to one keyword of the one electronic file, and a keyword unit having one keyword in common is arranged in a certain order as one search unit. Other search units corresponding to other keywords in the keyword file Kicking it to create a search file in the same order when stored in the fourth folder, furthermore, a keyword display unit by cooperation of a program and a computer, modifying the keywords, the program and a computer to add or delete A change means by cooperation is provided, and when searching for information, a keyword is set in the information search means by cooperation between the program and the computer, and the information search means by cooperation between the program and the computer is supported from the set keyword. This is displayed on the display by eject the search unit that, from the title number of the displayed search unit to retrieve the electronic file in the second folder, displaying the keyword file to display the keyword display unit when it is required In addition, by using the changing means, A feature is that a keyword is corrected, added, or deleted for each search unit.

  In the information retrieval method according to the first aspect of the present invention configured as described above, when an electronic file is a paper document captured by a scanner, first, scanning and keyword extraction and input are separately performed. Therefore, it is efficient and input cost is low.

  In addition, since keywords are extracted independently from the electronic file and managed together, the search is performed in comparison with the conventional search method in which the electronic file is sequentially opened and the keywords or free keywords recorded in the electronic file are read. The time required is significantly shortened.

  Furthermore, keywords are extracted so that they do not overlap each other, and these are arranged in the keyword file, for example, in order of Iueo, so if you set the keywords registered in this keyword file, you will always search for the electronic file you want. Can do.

  Even if the keyword to be sought is not conceived, it is possible to know a matching keyword or a similar keyword by reading the keyword file. Therefore, it is easy to search for the electronic file, or the electronic file to be sought is stored in the first place. It is easy to see whether or not

  In addition, it is easy to know keyword input errors or inappropriate keyword settings by browsing the keyword file, and the keyword can be corrected, added or deleted by the keyword changing means. The effect of.

  Since electronic files and keywords are stored in separate folders, the input work can be streamlined to reduce input costs, and the title numbers of one electronic file with one keyword can be combined. The recorded unit is set as a keyword unit corresponding to one keyword of the one electronic file, the keyword unit having one keyword in common is arranged in a certain order as one search unit, and other keywords are similarly used. The search unit is created by arranging other search units corresponding to the same order as in the keyword file, and when searching, the search unit corresponding to the set keyword is displayed on the display and the desired electronic file is retrieved. Is a high-speed, and further, keyword display means and keyword change means Since the digit, modification of the keyword, addition or deletion becomes Kaosame, I was able to perform to ensure the retrieval of electronic files.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
The electronic file in this embodiment is a still image file obtained by scanning a paper document with a scanner. However, the present invention is also applicable to other types of electronic files such as the html file and the word processor output file described above. it can.

  The embodiment described below is an embodiment in which dedicated software for information retrieval developed by the present inventors is incorporated in a PC and the software is used.

  First, a document file is created with a word processor or the like. As described above and as shown in FIG. 1, this manuscript file extracts a title number, a title, and at least one keyword for each electronic file, and between the title numbers 1 and 2 with *. The title 2 and the keyword groups 3 and 3 are separated by @ and each keyword 3 is separated by *, and a new line is returned at the end of data input of each electronic file, followed by one record 4 Differentiate from other records 4.

  The above operation is repeated for each electronic file to create a document file. There is no limit to the number of records 4 in the document file.

  Although this is not an essential configuration of the present invention, in this embodiment, for convenience of the dedicated software, the original file is dropped into a so-called MS-DOS text file and stored in the first folder of one electronic recording medium. To do. In the illustrated embodiment, an FD (flexible disk) is used as the first folder.

  In addition, the input of the document file is assumed to be batch-processed in units of 50, for example, in order to improve work efficiency.

  For this reason, a plurality of document files are sequentially stored in the first folder, but real-time processing is possible if one document file is created for each record.

  On the other hand, subfolders corresponding to each of the electronic file groups are created in the second folder of another electronic recording medium different from the one electronic recording medium, and the title number (registration) of the corresponding electronic file is created in each subfolder. Number) and an electronic file corresponding to the title number is stored.

  Here, the folder and the subfolder are directories and subdirectories in other words, and other electronic recording media include a capacity of MO (magneto-optical disk), HDD (hard disk drive), CD, DVD, etc. A larger one is desirable.

  When the second folder in another electronic recording medium is full, a second folder is created in another electronic recording medium, and a subfolder with a different title number is added to the second folder. Create it. That is, there is no limit to the number of electronic files in the inventive method.

  Furthermore, electronic files stored in subfolders of the second folder can store not only completed electronic files but also incomplete electronic files.

  That is, when the subfolder is made to correspond to, for example, an in-house newsletter file of the general affairs section of the company, it can be stored in the subfolder sequentially every time the in-house newsletter is issued. Of course, only one newspaper clip can be stored in one subfolder.

  This means that the information retrieval method according to the present invention enables paperless paperwork.

  This is because the conventional paperless method simply stores e-mails and, for example, output files of a word processor as a report in each file in the order of occurrence.

  In other words, the conventional paperless paper processing method does not have the concept of files (files as hardware), but simply separates all the paper sheets that make up a conventional file and stacks them in the order of occurrence, for example. Because it is equal.

  In this case, in order to search for an electronic file, for example, a so-called free keyword method of searching for a keyword from a PDF file can be employed, but the disadvantages in this case are as described above.

  The present invention recognizes that it is the first to adopt the concept of files (files as hardware) to enable a paperless paperwork method.

  Then, in order to search for a target object from a large number of subfiles by associating each of the subfile groups created in the second folder with files (files as hardware), a search method described below is set up. Match.

  On the other hand, the keyword file shown in FIG. 2 is created from the document files (see FIG. 1) stored in the first folder.

  FIG. 3 shows a part of a keyword file displayed on a display such as a CRT (cathode ray tube) by the display means. The keyword is displayed in the leftmost column and the reading is displayed in the right column. Yes.

  In this way, the keywords are displayed in the order of Aueo. For example, “door” in the family register is read as “ko” and “to”, and thus is not necessarily in the Aueo order.

  To create the keyword file, keywords are extracted from the original file so that the same file is not duplicated, and these keywords are arranged in the order of, for example, Iweo and stored in the third file.

  For example, the first title keyword (group) of the manuscript file is unconditionally stored in the third file, the second keyword (group) is compared with each of the keyword groups stored in the third file, If there is the same thing, it is discarded, and if it is different from any keyword, it is stored in the third file.

  A keyword file is created by repeating this. The third file is preferably created on the HDD for the convenience of later signal processing.

  In addition, a keyword unit corresponding to one keyword of the one electronic file is a combination of one keyword and the title number of one electronic file having the keyword, and a keyword unit having one keyword in common Are arranged in a certain order as one search unit, and similarly, other search units corresponding to other keywords are arranged in the same order as in the keyword file to create a search file.

  For example, each keyword group in the keyword file is picked up so that there is no omission, the number of each title in the manuscript file is checked (or not), and the title number of the electronic file having the keyword is determined. The keywords are combined and stored in the fourth folder in the keyword file order in the keyword file as shown in FIG.

  For example, in FIG. 3, “personal authentication • 419” is one keyword unit, and a keyword unit group for eight rows of “personal authentication • 419 to 508” is a search unit.

  Here, the concept of “combining one keyword and the title number of one electronic file having the keyword” also includes the concept of recording in association with each other.

  In addition, it is desirable to create this fourth folder on the HDD for the convenience of later signal processing.

  In the software dedicated to information retrieval developed by the present inventors, the keyword file and search file are created simultaneously in units of several tens of cases for each manuscript file. A new keyword reading that has not yet been registered in the keyword file is input, and document files are sequentially connected to create a document file not described here, and this is stored in the HDD.

  When searching for information, for example, when the keyword “developer” is entered in the keyword input field 7 shown in FIG. 4 and the search start tab 8 is clicked, the title having the keyword “developer (see FIGS. 2 and 3)” is entered. The electronic file with the number 526 is displayed in the search result column 9 together with the title, and when the page number displayed as “ADF 001.TIF” is clicked below, the image is posted on the right side.

  In FIG. 4, the content of the still image file is displayed as if it is half cut. However, this is because of the printing software of the display, and the entire newspaper clipping is actually displayed.

  This display may be read on the display, but paper can be printed out.

  In the software dedicated to information retrieval developed by the present inventors, it is possible to perform an OR search by inputting a plurality of keywords connected by + in the keyword input field, and to perform an AND search by entering a line feed. However, since these functions are not the gist of the present invention, further detailed description is omitted.

  Next, as a characteristic configuration of the present invention, as described above, a part of the keyword file displayed on the display by the keyword display means by the keyword display means and the change means is shown in FIG.

  This keyword file shows the result of the present inventors actually using the dedicated software. In FIG. 2, the keyword “Masaki Furusaki” and the keyword “Furusaki Masami” are written together. However, the latter “Masahiro Furusaki” is an erroneous input when creating a manuscript file.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the keyword unit of “Furusaki Masami ・ 12000137” is input to the search unit 6 of the keyword “Furusaki Masami” including the electronic file of the title number 12000137 with “Furusaki Masami” as the keyword. However, in fact, when searching with the keyword “Furusaki Masami”, the electronic file with the title number 12000137 does not appear.

  In conventional search software, for example, search software that assigns one or more keywords to each of the electronic files and records them directly in the electronic file itself, and throws it into the storage device, the wrong keyword appears in the title number 12000137. In other words, the electronic file with the title number 12000137 is missing, and terribly, it is not even noticed that it was missing.

  In the invention of the present application, on the other hand, in the search file shown in FIG. 3, for example, “Sai” in the keyword unit of “Furusaki Masami / 12000137”, which is usually described in a text file using the function of word processing software, is “ If it is corrected to “Saki”, the keyword unit 5 of “Furusaki Masago ・ 12000137” is displayed in a proper position, that is, the keyword unit “Furusaki Masaaki · 12000124” as shown in FIG. ”And“ Masaki Furusaki / 12000139 ”.

  At the same time, as shown in FIG. 5, the erroneously input keyword “Masaharu Kosaki” is deleted.

  According to the dedicated software developed by the inventors, when entering `` Masa Furusaki '' in one window (not shown) and `` Masa Furusaki '' in the other window corresponding to this, clicking the conversion tab, The search unit 6 and the keyword file are automatically corrected.

  If you delete one keyword unit in the search file, you can delete the keyword. If you copy one keyword unit and convert the keyword in the copied keyword unit to another keyword, you can add keywords. .

  In the illustrated embodiment, the paper file is a still image file obtained by reading a paper document as an electronic file. However, this may be another electronic file such as an html file or an output file of a word processor. Still image files and other electronic files can be mixed and stored in one subfolder of the second folder.

  At this time, as a method of opening the target subfolder and displaying the electronic file in it, for example, it can be arranged in any order of name order, type order, size order or date order, and click on the target electronic file The electronic file can be displayed or printed out.

  A printout excerpt showing an example of a manuscript file.   A copy of the display showing an example keyword file.   A copy of the display showing an example of a search file.   A copy of the display showing an example of information retrieval.   An example in which an erroneously input keyword is deleted in a copy of the display similar to FIG.   A copy of the display similar to that in FIG.

1 Title number 2 Title 3 Keyword 4 Record 5 Keyword unit 6 Search unit 7 Keyword input field 8 Search start tab 9 Search result field

Claims (1)

Prior to the execution of information retrieval, each electronic file is assigned a title number for distinguishing the electronic file from other electronic files, and at least one keyword is extracted, and a group consisting of the title number and the keyword is assigned. An electronic recording means such as a so-called word processor is used to make one record, and similarly, a plurality of records extracted from a plurality of electronic files are recorded to create a document file, and this document file is stored in one electronic recording medium. On the other hand, a subfolder corresponding to each of the electronic file groups is created in a second folder of another electronic recording medium different from the one electronic recording medium, and each subfolder corresponds to each subfolder. It assigns a title number of the electronic file, stores the electronic file corresponding to the title number, on the other hand, programs and Those same from a document file stored in the first folder extracts keywords so as not to overlap with the keyword file creating unit in collaboration with the computer, arranging them in a certain order, you create a keyword file The one electronic file is a combination of one keyword and the title number of one electronic file having the keyword stored by the search file creation means in cooperation with the program and the computer. A keyword unit corresponding to one keyword, a keyword unit having one keyword in common in a certain order as one search unit, and the other search units corresponding to other keywords in the same way Create a search file in the same order as in the file Accumulated in the fourth folder, furthermore, provided a keyword display unit by cooperation of a program and the computer, correct the keyword, the change means by cooperation of a program and a computer to add or delete, when the information search program and cooperate with keywords in information retrieval means according to the computer, from the set keywords to cooperate by the information retrieval means of a program and a computer, to display this by eject the corresponding search unit on the display The electronic file in the second folder is taken out from the title number of the displayed search unit, the keyword file is displayed on the display by the keyword display means when necessary, and the change file is used to display the keyword file in the fourth folder. Keyword correction, addition, or deletion for each search unit An information retrieval method characterized by being performed.