JPH05189482A - Information retrieval device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make retrieval speedy and secure by performing the retrieval during the successive definite period before and after in case the retrieval of the limited definite at the registration point fails. CONSTITUTION:The information on retrieval conditions and the information on the retrieval period are inputted from a keyboard 1. The retrieval period means a period limiting the registration point (input point) of the registration information to be retrieved. A CPU 3 retrieves the register information corresponding to the retrieval condition including the inputted retrieval period from the register information stored in an external storage device 6. The CPU 3 discriminates whether or not the retrieval is succeeded, and displays the information obtained by the retrieval on a display 7 when the retrieval is judged to be succeeded. When the retrieval fails, the CPU 3 resets the required length of the successive define period before the definite period which is set earlier to perform the retrieval again. If it fails again, the prescribed length of successive define period is reset after the definite period, performing the retrieval again.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information retrieving apparatus, and more specifically, it has an input means for inputting information and a storage means for storing the information input as registration information by the input means. The present invention relates to an information retrieving apparatus for retrieving registered information corresponding to the retrieval condition input by the method from the stored information in the storage means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an information retrieval apparatus of this type, if all registered information is searched, the retrieval can be carried out reliably, but there is a problem that it takes time.

Therefore, in order to shorten the search time, the registered information is divided into a group of pages such as a display screen of the information retrieval device, a file that is a physical group of the information, or a paragraph or a chapter in the text information. A method in which related words, titles, symbols, etc. that serve as landmarks when performing a search are registered as keywords for each unit, etc., and only the keyword information is searched among all registered information at the time of search. Has been adopted.

Further, in order to shorten the search time, the information on the date and time when the file is registered (recorded) added to each file of the registration information is used, and when the search is performed, the operator wants to search the registered information. A method to specify a period (hereinafter referred to as "search period") that limits the registration time (input time) of (file) and to perform a normal search or keyword search only for files registered within that search period is also adopted Has been done. The processing procedure for this method is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

That is, in this method, first, a search condition such as a keyword is input (step S1), and then the search period is input and set (S2). Next, information corresponding to other search conditions is searched from the registered information registered within the input search period (S3), it is determined whether the search is successful (S4), and if the search is successful, the search is obtained. Information is output (S5), and if the search is unsuccessful, a message notifying the failure is output (S6), and the process ends. This method can further reduce the search time.

[0006]

However, in the method of performing the search by designating the search period as described above, the target information cannot be retrieved if an incorrect search period is designated due to the misunderstanding of the operator. was there.

In order to avoid such a problem, it is conceivable that an operator adds a margin period before and after the period estimated by the operator to specify a long retrieval period. There is a problem that it ends up.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a structure capable of performing a search more quickly and surely in the information search device configured as described above so that the search can be performed by designating the search period.

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, according to the present invention, as described above, a period for limiting the registration time of registration information is set as an element of the search condition by inputting the input means. In an information search device configured to perform a search by means of a process, when the search by the limited period at the set registration time fails, a search by the limited period at the registration time that precedes or follows the limited period is performed. A structure provided with means is adopted.

[0010]

According to this structure, when the search by the limited period at the registration time set by the input fails, the search by the limited period at the registration time consecutive before or after the limited period is automatically performed. Therefore, the probability of successful retrieval can be increased even if the operator specifies the limited period to be short, and if the specified limited period is met, the search can be performed quickly.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a schematic structure of an information retrieval apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a keyboard for an operator to input information, 2 is a calendar clock for measuring the current year, month, day or time, and 3 is a CPU (central CPU) which controls the entire apparatus and performs a search process. Processing unit), 4
Is an R that stores data such as the control program of the CPU 3
OM (Read Only Memory), 5 is a RAM (Random Access Memory) used as a work area of the CPU 3 and a buffer for input information, 6 is an external storage device such as a magnetic disk device, 7 is a display of input information and search information, etc. It is a display such as a liquid crystal display. Although not shown, a printer may be provided in addition to this in order to record and output search information and the like.

In such a configuration, the CPU 3 has the RO
Control is performed by executing the control program of M4. When information to be registered as a search target is input from the keyboard 1, the CPU 3 adds to the information the information at the time of registration (at the time of input) (year counted by the calendar clock 2,
The information (month, day or time information) is added to the external storage device 6 for storage. A nonvolatile RAM may be used instead of the external storage device 6.

Then, the CPU 3 performs a search according to the instruction from the keyboard 1. Details of the search processing will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In addition, in the same flowchart, it is assumed that the portions A and B are connected.

In the first step S1 of the search process, information on various conditions for performing a search is input from the keyboard 1. Specifically, the distinction between keyword search and search for all registered information, keywords in the case of keyword search,
Information such as related words in the case of searching all registered information and setting of combinations of search conditions is input.

In step S2, the keyboard 1 is used to input the above-described search period as another element of the search condition, that is, the information of the period for limiting the registration time (input time) of the registration information that the operator wants to search.

In step S3, the search period input in step S2 is added to the item of search condition.

In step S4, the registration information corresponding to the search condition including the search period input as described above is searched from the registration information stored in the external storage device 6.

When the search is completed, it is judged in step S5 whether or not the search is successful. If the search is successful, the process jumps to step S12 and the information obtained by the search is displayed on the display 7 and the process is ended. Continue below.

In step S6, as a new search period,
A period (hereinafter referred to as "front search period") that is continuous with the original search period input in step S2 and has a length equal to the original search period or multiplied by a constant rate is calculated. , Set.

An example of the setting is shown in FIG. As shown in (a), for example, if the original search period is four months from May to August as shown by reference numeral 11, it is multiplied by a predetermined constant 3/4 to obtain three months. As in 12, the consecutive three months from February to April before May are set as the front search period. Further, the rear retrieval period described later is set to three consecutive months from September to November after August as indicated by reference numeral 13.

Further, as shown in (b), for example, if the original search period is four days from 11th to 14th of a month as indicated by reference numeral 14, it is multiplied by a constant 3/4 to obtain 3 days. , 3 consecutive 8th to 10th before 11th as shown by code 15
Set days to front search period. Further, the rear retrieval period is set to three consecutive days of 15th to 17th after 14th, as indicated by reference numeral 16.

After the front search period is set in this way, in step S7, the search is performed again with the search condition input in step S2 and the set front search period as the search conditions.

When the search is completed, it is determined in step S8 whether the search is successful. If the search is successful, the process jumps to step S12 to display the search information on the display, but if it fails, the process proceeds to step S9.

In step S9, as a new search period, a rear search period which is continuous with the original search period input in step S2 and has a length equal to the original search period or multiplied by a constant rate. Is calculated and set as described in FIG.

Next, in step S10, step S
The search is performed again using the search condition input in 2 and the set rear search period as the search condition.

When the search is completed, it is determined in step S11 whether or not the search is successful. If the search is successful, the search information is displayed on the display in step S12. If the search is unsuccessful, a message notifying the search failure is displayed in step S13. , The process ends.

As described above, if the search in the designated search period fails, the search is performed in the front search period or the rear search period. Therefore, even if the operator designates the short search period, the probability of successful search is high. If the specified search period is met, the search can be performed quickly.

Second Embodiment In the processing of FIG. 2 described above, when the front and rear search periods are calculated in steps S6 and S8, step S2
It is also possible to use the minimum unit of the search period designated in step 1 and use the front and rear search periods consecutive to the search period as an integral multiple of the minimum unit of the designated period. In this way, the operator can easily understand the lengths of the front and rear search periods regardless of the length of the actually specified search period, and the operator can set the lengths of the front and rear search periods as desired.

Third Embodiment Further, when the search period is designated in step S2 of the process of FIG. 2, a day at a specific time point included in the input search period, for example, an intermediate day of the designated period. Alternatively, the difference between this and the current day may be calculated, and the front and rear search periods may be set in proportion to the number of days of this difference. In this way, the older the registration date of the registration information to be searched, the wider the front and rear search periods can be set, and the problem that the operator's old memory is uncertain and the search is difficult to succeed can be solved.

Embodiment 4 Further, when the search period is designated in step S2 of the process of FIG. 2, the operator inputs only one past time which is considered to be the registration time of the registration information to be searched, and the input. The difference between the calculated time and the current time is calculated, and the value of this difference is used as an argument to perform a calculation that obtains a positive correlation with this. The calculation result and the length of the standard search period set in advance May be added to obtain the length of the search period, and the period having the length around the input time point may be set as the designated search period.

In this way, there is an advantage that the search period is automatically set by the operator only by inputting one past time, which is considered as the registration time of the registration information to be searched, and the input operation is simplified.

[0033]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, as described above, a period for limiting the registration time of registration information is set as one element of the search condition by inputting the input means to perform the search. In the information search device configured to be able to perform, when the search by the limited period at the set registration time is unsuccessful, a processing unit for performing a search by the limited period at the registration time before or after the limited period is provided. Since the configuration is adopted, the probability of successful search can be increased even if the operator specifies the above-mentioned limited period to be short, and further, if the specified limited period is met, the search can be performed quickly.
An excellent effect that the usability of the information retrieval device can be remarkably improved can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a search process by the device.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of setting a search period.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a search process by a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 keyboard 2 calendar clock 3 CPU 4 ROM 5 RAM 6 external storage device 7 display

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Eisaku Tatsumi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Innovator Shinnosuke Taniishi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Non-corporation

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. Input means for inputting information, clock means for clocking the present time, information input as registration information by the input means, information at the registration time clocked by the clock means An information retrieval device for retrieving registration information corresponding to a search condition input by the input means from the storage information of the storage means, the storage device storing the information together with the registration information as one element of the search condition. In an information search device configured to perform a search by setting a period for limiting the registration time by inputting the input means, if the search for the limited time at the set registration time fails, An information retrieving apparatus, characterized in that it is provided with processing means for conducting a retrieval for a limited period of time before or after successive registrations. 2. A processing means for setting a period of an appropriate length including the one time point as a limited period of the registration time point in response to an input of any one time point by the input means. 1. The information retrieval device described in 1.