JPH11126202A - Method for retrieving document database - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To avoid retrieval noise and retrieval omissions by replacing a simple retrieval condition that is inputted by a user with a detailed retrieval expression that is adapted to a retrieval theme in a document database retrieval system. SOLUTION: A retrieval request converter 13 intervenes between a retrieval requesting device 11 and a database retrieving device 12, and when it decides that a request telegraphic message received by a request deciding part 32 is a telegraphic message of a retrieval execution request, a request converting part 33 replaces a retrieval condition which is designated by referring to a retrieval condition conversion table 34 with a corresponding expanded retrieval expression and sends it to the device 12. Also, when it decides that a response telegraphic message received by a response deciding part 37 is image information to input a retrieval condition, a response converting part 38 adds information to select whether or not to expand the retrieval condition and sends it to the device 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for searching a document database, and more particularly to a method for expanding macro search conditions into a precise search formula before executing a search.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a document database search system, for example, an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer accesses a CD-ROM in which patent information is converted into an electronic file to search for patent information, or a mainframe having a patent information database. There is an online search system for accessing and searching patent information. In recent years, with the spread of the Internet, a document database search system using the World Wide Web has appeared.

[0003] These document database search systems generally include an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer which requests a search, and an information processing apparatus which accesses a document database and executes a search. The search request device transmits a search request including the search formula input from the input device to the document database search device. In the case of a patent document database as an example, the search expression is a character string representing a search keyword, “application number”, “public number”, “application date”, “public date”, “priority claim number”, “priority claim date”. , "Priority country", "IPC", "FI symbol", "F-term code", "Inventor", "Applicant", "Applicant code",
It is set by combining attribute codes such as “agent” and “name of invention”. The document database search device accesses the document database according to the received search request, executes a search, creates a response message from the obtained search result,
Send to search request device. The search request device receives the response message and displays the search result on the display device.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional document database search system, a document in which a specified search keyword exists hits regardless of the technical field, and as a result, a document which can be said to be unnecessary noise for a user. However, there is a problem that if a large number of hits are found or a search keyword is insufficient, documents required by the user are omitted from the search. This problem can be avoided by incorporating the above attribute code as a search condition or by increasing the number of search keywords used.However, creating such a search expression takes a lot of time and effort, and furthermore, There was a problem that it would be difficult without a specialist who was familiar with the field.

An object of the present invention is to provide a document database search method which avoids the above problem by giving a simple search condition.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a document database search system having means for requesting a search, means for searching a document database in response to the request, and sending back the search result. A search request including a condition is received, a macro search condition received with reference to a table on a storage device is replaced with a corresponding expanded search expression, and a search of the document database is executed using the expanded search expression as a search condition. It features a document database search method.

Further, the present invention is characterized by a storage medium for storing a program for creating a search expression developed by such a method and passing the created search expression to search means of a document database.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a document database search system according to the present embodiment. The system is a search request device 1
1. It comprises a database search device 12 and a search request conversion device 13 interposed between these devices. Generally, a network is interposed between the search request device 11 and the search request conversion device 13, but is not shown. A network or a local transmission path is interposed between the search request conversion device 13 and the database search device 12. In this embodiment, HTTP1.0 is used as a communication protocol between the search request device 11 and the search request conversion device 13 and between the search request conversion device 13 and the database search device 12.

The search request device 11 is an information processing device and includes an input / output device 10 for inputting search conditions and displaying search results. The search request device 11 creates a request message based on a command or input data via the input / output device 10 and transmits the request message to the search request conversion device 13, and receives a response message from the search request conversion device 13 and Display at 10. The database search device 12 is an information processing device and includes a document database 20 that stores document information. The database search device 12 receives the request message from the search request conversion device 13, creates a response message, and transmits the response message to the search request conversion device 13. If the request message is a search execution request message, the document database 2
0 is searched and a response message is created from the search result.

The search request conversion device 13 is an information processing device, and stores a search condition conversion table 34 in its storage device. The search condition conversion table 34 stores a correspondence between a required search condition and a more sophisticated search expression obtained by expanding the search condition. The request receiving unit 31 receives the request message from the search request device 11, the request determination unit 32 examines the request message to determine whether or not a conversion process is necessary, and the request transmission unit 35 sends the request message to the database search device 12. This is a processing unit for transmitting. The request conversion unit 33 refers to the search condition conversion table 34, replaces the requested search condition with an expanded search expression, and passes the search condition to the request transmission unit 35.

A response receiving unit 36 of the search request conversion device 13 receives a response message from the database search device 12, and a response determination unit 37 examines the response message to determine whether conversion processing is necessary, and a response transmission unit 39. Sends a response message to the search request device 11
It is a processing unit that transmits to The response conversion unit 38 adds a description instructing to expand the search condition in the response message and passes the description to the response transmission unit 39.

The input / output device 30 includes a search request conversion device 13
And an input / output device used when creating or updating the contents of the search condition conversion table 34. A processing unit that creates and updates the search condition conversion table 34 is not shown. The request judging unit 32, the request converting unit 33, the response judging unit 37, and the response converting unit 38 are application programs stored in a storage medium, and perform a search request through a driving device (not shown) connected to the search request converting device 13. The data is read into the main storage device of the conversion device 13 and executed.
The request determination unit 32 and the request conversion unit 33 are incorporated between the request message reception unit and the response message creation unit of the database search device 12, and the response determination unit 37 and the response conversion unit 38 are connected to the response message creation unit and the response message transmission unit. The present invention can be implemented even if it is configured so as to be incorporated in between.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic processing procedure from when the search request device 11 requests a search screen (a screen for inputting search conditions) to when a search result is displayed. When receiving a search start command via the input / output device 10, the search request device 11 transmits a search screen request message to the search request conversion device 13 (step 41). This request message includes, for example, URL = http: // abc. co. jp / x
yz. htm, information indicating the location where the requested screen display content is stored. The request determination unit 32 of the search request conversion device 13 determines that the conversion of the request message is unnecessary (step 42), and transmits the search screen request to the database search device 12 as it is (step 43). The database search device 12 creates a search screen message (step 44) and transmits this response message to the search request conversion device 13 (step 45). Database search device 12
Is, for example, URL = http according to the content of the request message.
p // abc. co. jp / xyz. A response message including information stored in the location pointed to by htm is created. The response determining unit 37 of the search request changing device 13 determines that the response message needs to be converted, the response converter 38 adds a description for expanding the search condition (step 46), and transmits the response message to the search request device 11. (Step 47). The search request device 11 displays the received search screen on the input / output device 10 (Step 48).

When the selection of whether to expand the search condition and the input of the search condition are input via the input / output device 10 (step 4).
9), the search request device 11 transmits a search execution request to the search request change device 13 (step 50). Request judgment unit 32
Determines that conversion of the search execution request message is necessary, the request conversion unit 33 refers to the search condition conversion table 34, and expands the received search condition into detailed search conditions (step 51).
A search execution request having the expanded search conditions is transmitted to the database search device 12 (step 52). The database search device 12 accesses the document database 20 to execute a search (Step 53), creates a screen information message for displaying the search result (Step 54), and transmits it to the search request conversion device 13 (Step 53). 55). The response determining unit 37 determines that conversion of the response message is unnecessary because of the search result (step 56), and the response request message 1 is directly used as the response message.
1 (step 57). The search request device 11
A search result screen is displayed on the input / output device 10 (step 58).

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the format of a search screen response message transmitted from the database search device 12 to the search request conversion device 13 and from the search request conversion device 13 to the search request device 11. FIG. 3A shows the database search device 12.
5 is an example of a response message before conversion transmitted from the URL to the search request conversion device 13. The text portion interposed between <HTML> and </ HTML> is the screen display content. Search condition <
INPUT TYPE = “TEXT” VALUE = ”
The line of "search condition"> is a description for displaying the title of "search condition" and setting an input area for inputting the search condition on the screen. <INPUT TYPE = ”S
The line of UBMIT “VALUE =“ execute transmission ”> is
This is a description for displaying a button described as “execute transmission”. The screen information is <FORM ...> and </ F
ORM>.

FIG. 3B is an example of a converted response message transmitted from the search request conversion device 13 to the search request device 11. <FORM ...> and search condition <INPUT T
“<INPUT TYPE =” C inserted between YPE = “TEXT” VALUE = “search condition”>
HECKBOX "NAME =" EXPAND "VAL
UE = “ON”> search by expanding keyword ”is a description for displaying a check box and a command to expand the input search condition.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display format of a search screen displayed on the input / output device 10. FIG. 4A shows FIG.
It is a display screen created from the response message shown in (b).
The first line is a check box and a command for expanding the input search condition, and is a text portion inserted by the search request conversion device 13. The row of “search condition” indicates an input area for inputting a search condition. The last line is
This is a “transmission execution” button for instructing transmission of search conditions and execution of search. FIG. 4B shows a state in which the check box is set to ON and the search condition is input in the search condition input area.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the format of a search execution request message transmitted from the search request device 11 to the search request conversion device 13 and from the search request conversion device 13 to the database search device 12. FIG. 5A is a request message transmitted from the search request device 11 to the search request conversion device 13, and is a message indicating a state in which a check box is turned on. & Is a separator. FIG. 5B shows the request message.
This is a message indicating that the check box is turned off.
FIG. 5C shows a request message transmitted from the search request conversion device 13 to the database search device 12, which is transmitted to the database search device 12 as it is without expanding the search conditions. This is a request message when a request is made. FIG. 5D is a request message transmitted from the search request conversion device 13 to the database search device 12, and is a request message in which the expanded search condition is mounted.
"Full text = schedule + schedule + schedule + meeting"
An object of the present invention is to prevent search omission caused by insufficient setting of a search keyword by increasing search keywords under a logical sum condition. "IPC = G06F17 + G
The part “06F19 + G06F15” is intended to exclude documents that are semantically noisy for the user from the search result by adding an international classification symbol to the search result of the search keyword as a logical product. Further, the “all text = job” portion is intended to exclude documents related to “job” such as “job scheduler” from the search results. As described above, the keyword “scheduler” generates an advanced search formula for the purpose of “schedule management system using a computer”.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a data format of the search condition conversion table 34. Each record of the search condition conversion table 34 includes an input search condition and a search expression to be expanded. The input search condition is a search condition composed of a macro keyword transmitted from the search request device 11, and the expanded search expression describes the expanded search condition corresponding to the input search condition.

FIG. 7 shows the response judging section 37 and the response converting section 3.
8 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the process of FIG. The response determining unit 37 receives the response message from the response receiving unit 36 and extracts screen information from the message (step 71). Next, in the screen information, <INPUT TYPE = “TEXT” ~
It is determined whether or not the character string “>” exists (step 7).
2). If this character string exists (step 72YE
S), because the message is a search screen response message, control is passed to the response conversion unit 38. The response conversion unit 38 adds a check box and a command for expanding the search condition in the screen information as shown in FIG. 3B (step 73), and transmits the message to the response transmission unit 39.
(Step 74). If the above character string does not exist (NO in step 72), the message is passed to the response transmission unit 39 as it is because it is a response message of the search result (step 7).
4).

FIG. 8 shows the request judging unit 32 and the request converting unit 3
9 is a flowchart showing the flow of the processing of No. 3; The request determining unit 32 receives the request message from the request receiving unit 31, and determines whether or not the item of “EXPAND =” exists in the request message (Step 81). If it exists (step 81
YES), since it is a search execution request message, the request conversion unit 3
Pass control to 3. The request conversion unit 33 outputs “EXPAND
= "ON""(step 8)
2). If "EXPAND =" ON "" (YES in step 82), "EXPAND =" ON "&" is deleted (step 83), and the search condition in the message is referred to by referring to the search condition conversion table 34. After the search condition in the message is replaced with the expanded search expression (step 84), the converted message is passed to the request transmitting unit 35 (step 85). If “EXPAND =“ ”” (step 82 NO), it is not necessary to expand the search condition.
"EXPAND =""&" is deleted (step 86),
The information is passed to the request transmitting unit 35 (step 85). If the item of “EXPAND =” does not exist in the request message (step 81 NO), the message is passed to the request transmission unit 35 as it is because it is a search screen request message (step 85).

As described above, even if the search expression set by the user in the search request device 11 is only a simple keyword, the processing unit of the database search device 12 is changed by intervening the processing of the search request conversion device 13. Without having to do so, it can be converted into sophisticated and complex search formulas to perform searches. The user can freely add, update, and delete the search condition conversion table 34 via the input / output device 30. Therefore, the search condition conversion table 34 can be maintained at any time such as adding a record according to a newly generated theme, updating a search formula of an existing record, or deleting a record according to an unnecessary theme. is there. When searching the patent document database, it is desirable that a patent search expert create and change the search condition conversion table 34.

In the above embodiment, the search of the patent document database has been described. However, when the document database is a book document database or a science and technology document database, the search condition conversion table 34 is used to search the book document information and the science and technology information. May be replaced with a dictionary or conversion table.

The search condition conversion table 34 may include a bilingual dictionary. For example, by incorporating a Japanese-English dictionary, it is possible to convert a Japanese search formula input by a user into an English search formula by the request conversion unit 33, and to search an English search database device.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, a simple search condition input by a user is replaced with a sophisticated search expression registered in a table in advance without changing an existing document database search system. Therefore, unnecessary noise can be eliminated from the search result and search omission can be prevented. In addition, by creating a search formula developed by experts who are familiar with the field, it is possible to reduce the burden on a user who is unfamiliar with setting the search formula.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of a processing procedure of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a format of a search screen response message according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display format of a search screen according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a format of a search execution request message of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a data format of a search condition conversion table according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a response determination unit 37 and a response conversion unit 38 according to the embodiment;
3 is a flowchart showing the flow of the processing of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a request determining unit 32 and a request converting unit 33 according to the embodiment.
3 is a flowchart showing the flow of the processing of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

13. Search request conversion device, 32 Request determination unit, 33
..Request conversion unit, 34..Search condition conversion table, 37
..Response determination unit, 38.Response conversion unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yoshinori Nakaizumi 1-6-27 Shinsuna, Koto-ku, Tokyo Within the public information business of Hitachi, Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A search method for a document database search system, comprising: means for requesting a search; and means for searching a document database in response to the request and sending back a search result. And replacing the macro search condition received with reference to the table on the storage device with a corresponding expanded search expression, and executing the search of the document database using the expanded search expression as a search condition. Document database search method to be used. 2. When transmitting a display screen for inputting search conditions to the search request means, information for selecting whether or not to expand the search conditions is added to the information on the screen. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the search request is transmitted to search request means. 3. A computer program embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, which intervenes between a means for requesting a search and a means for searching a document database in response to the request and sending back a search result. A program for processing a search request, the program including the following steps: (a) receiving a search request including a search condition from a search request unit; and (b) receiving a search request by referring to a table on a storage device. Is replaced with a corresponding expanded search expression, and the expanded search expression is passed as a search condition to a means for searching the document database.