JPH11212987A - Information retrieval device and storage medium recorded with information retrieval program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information retrieval device supplying the result of information retrieval in the order which an information retrieving person desires. SOLUTION: The information retrieval device retrieves a data base 1 under a retrieval condition described by the combination of a plurality of retrieval keywords. A retrieval condition reception means 2 receives the retrieval condition inputted from the information retrieving person. An information extraction means 3 extracts adaptation information adapted to the retrieval condition from the data base 1. An evaluation value calculation means 4 calculates an evaluation value against adaptation information based on a coefficient added to the retrieval keyword contained in adaptation information. An instruction order deciding means 5 decides the instruction order of adaptation information based on the evaluation value.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information search apparatus and a storage medium storing an information search program, and more particularly to an information search apparatus for searching a database according to search conditions described by a combination of a plurality of search keywords and a plurality of information search apparatuses. The present invention relates to a storage medium storing an information search program for searching a database according to search conditions described by a combination of search keywords.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the spread of the Internet and the like, any person can easily search for information using a public database. When performing an information search, it is common to list keywords related to the information to be searched, and create a search formula by combining the keywords.

However, a huge amount of information is usually stored in any database. In particular, search formulas created by ordinary people who do not have knowledge or skills related to information search often become ambiguous, and it is difficult to extract and acquire only necessary information.

[0004] For this reason, at present, a technique for supporting the general public to efficiently search for information is required. As such a technique, conventionally, several methods for visually or interactively creating a search expression have been proposed.

[0005] For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-272806 "Database Search System" proposes a method of presenting keywords that are expected to be added to a search formula from search results and interactively narrowing down search targets. .

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-44510, "Information Processing Apparatus and Method", proposes a method of displaying the correlation of search conditions in an easy-to-understand manner to facilitate setting of search conditions.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-81575, "Database Search Method", proposes a method of creating a search formula by arranging search items in an area on a display screen for displaying the logical relationship of the search formula.

[0008] The search system searches for information in accordance with an input search formula and sorts the information by an arbitrary method, or displays search results in the order of hits.

[0009]

However, even if a better search formula is created by the above-described method, if there are a plurality of pieces of information that can be obtained, some are important to the information searcher and others are not. Inevitable.

[0010] Therefore, there is a problem that important information is dispersed and buried in the search result, and the information searcher cannot effectively perform the information search as a result.
The same problem also occurs in a full-text search using a free keyword.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an information search apparatus that provides information search results in an order desired by an information searcher. Another object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium storing an information search program that causes a computer to operate as an information search device that provides information search results in an order desired by an information searcher. .

[0012]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in an information search apparatus for searching a database according to a search condition described by a combination of a plurality of search keywords, the search condition inputted Search condition accepting means for accepting information, information extracting means for extracting matching information matching the search condition from the database, and evaluating the matching information based on a coefficient added to the search keyword included in the matching information. An information search device is provided, comprising: an evaluation value calculation unit that calculates a value; and a presentation order determination unit that determines a presentation order of the matching information based on the evaluation value.

When a database is searched by such an information search device in accordance with search conditions described by a combination of a plurality of search keywords, search condition receiving means receives input search conditions. Further, the information extracting means extracts matching information matching the search condition from the database.
The evaluation value calculation means calculates an evaluation value for the matching information based on the coefficient added to the search keyword included in the matching information. Then, the presentation order determining means determines the presentation order of the matching information based on the evaluation value.

As described above, the information retrieval apparatus of the present invention evaluates the matching information as the search result based on the search keyword included in the matching information, so that it can be presented in an order desired by the information searcher. is there.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium storing an information search program for searching a database in accordance with search conditions described by a combination of a plurality of search keywords. Search condition receiving means for receiving the search condition,
Information extracting means for extracting matching information that meets the search condition from the database, evaluation value calculating means for calculating an evaluation value for the matching information based on a coefficient added to the search keyword included in the matching information, There is provided a storage medium that is operated as an information search device, characterized by having a presentation order determining unit that determines a presentation order of the matching information based on the evaluation value.

In the storage medium storing such an information search program, when searching a database in accordance with search conditions described by a combination of a plurality of search keywords, a computer is required to receive a search condition for receiving input search conditions. Operate as a means. Further, the computer is operated as information extracting means for extracting matching information matching the search condition from the database. Further, it is operated as an evaluation value calculating means for calculating an evaluation value for the matching information based on the coefficient added to the search keyword included in the matching information. In addition, the computer is operated as a presentation order determining unit that determines the presentation order of the matching information based on the evaluation value. Thus, the storage medium storing the information search program of the present invention, Since the information is operated to be evaluated based on the search keyword included in the matching information, the matching information can be presented in an order desired by the information searcher.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle configuration of the information search device of the present invention.

When searching the database 1 according to the search condition described by a combination of a plurality of search keywords, the information search device of the present invention comprises: a search condition receiving means 2 for receiving an input search condition; Information extracting means 3 for extracting matching information matching the search condition
Evaluation value calculating means 4 for calculating an evaluation value for the matching information based on a coefficient added to a search keyword included in the matching information, and a presentation order determining means for determining a presentation order of the matching information based on the evaluation value And 5. Here, the information searcher inputs a search condition described by a combination of a plurality of search keywords to the search condition receiving means 2. An arbitrary coefficient is weighted (added) to the search keyword according to the search purpose of the information searcher. The information extracting unit 3 searches the database 1 and extracts matching information that matches the search condition received by the search condition receiving unit 2. The extracted matching information is a search result. Then, the evaluation value calculation means 4
For the matching information extracted by the information extracting means 3, an evaluation value is calculated based on a coefficient added to a search keyword included in the matching information. The presentation order determining means 5 determines the presentation order of the matching information based on the evaluation value calculated by the evaluation value calculating means 4. Then, the monitor 6 or the like presents the matching information in the determined presentation order.

As described above, the information retrieval apparatus of the present invention evaluates the matching information as the search result based on the search keyword included in the matching information, so that it can be presented in the order desired by the information searcher. is there.

Here, a description will be given of a procedure in which the information search apparatus of the present invention searches for matching information in response to an operation of the information searcher. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure in which the information search device of the present invention searches for matching information. Hereinafter, description will be given along the step numbers. [S1] The information search device receives a search keyword setting from an information searcher. The search keyword setting will be described later in detail. [S2] The information search device receives an input of a search formula from the information searcher. The creation of the search formula will be described later in detail. [S3] The information search device extracts, from the database, matching information that matches the search formula. [S4] The information search device determines whether or not there is matching information for which an evaluation value has not been calculated. If there is matching information for which an evaluation value has not been calculated, the process proceeds to step S5. If there is no matching information for which an evaluation value has not been calculated, the process proceeds to step S6. [S5] The information search device calculates an evaluation value for any matching information for which an evaluation value has not been calculated. The calculation of the evaluation value will be described later in detail. [S6] The information search device determines the presentation order of the matching information based on the calculated evaluation value. [S7] The information search device presents the matching information in the determined presentation order. [S8] The information search device determines whether a search end instruction has been received from the information searcher. If an instruction to end the search has been received, the information search is completed. If the search termination instruction has not been received, the process proceeds to step S2 again.

Here, setting of a search keyword will be described. Before creating a search formula for information search, the information searcher sets a search keyword, which is the minimum element that constitutes the search formula.

When a search keyword is set, the search keyword and its coefficient may be given to the information search device. This coefficient indicates the importance of the search keyword, and is a positive integer or a real number. It is assumed that the greater the value, the higher the importance of the search keyword.

Next, the creation of a search expression will be described. The information searcher creates a logical expression having the previously set search keyword as an element, and uses this as a search expression. here,
Logical operators "AND" and "OR" can be used. Also,
Use parentheses as supplementary symbols. Note that this logical expression is
In principle, they are interpreted in order from the left. Also, the inside of parentheses is interpreted with higher priority than the outside of parentheses.

Next, the calculation of the evaluation value for the conformity information described in step S5 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure for calculating an evaluation value for the matching information. Hereinafter, description will be given along the step numbers. [S11] The information search device determines the number k of search keywords included in the search formula used to extract the matching information.
Is calculated. [S12] The information search device prepares an n-dimensional Hilbert space in which coordinate axes are formed by k independent unit orthogonal vectors. [S13] The information search device assigns a search keyword included in the search formula to each coordinate axis of the k-dimensional Hilbert space prepared in step S12. [S14] The information search device determines the length of the basic vector of each coordinate axis according to the coefficient of the search keyword assigned in step S13. [S15] The information search device checks the interpretation unit (logical expression) included in the search expression. The interpretation unit (logical expression) included in the search expression will be briefly described with an example.
When the search expression is “a OR (b ANDc)”, the interpretation units are “b ANDc” and “a OR (b ANDc)”. [S16] The information search device calculates a coefficient (importance) for each interpretation unit (logical expression) examined in step S15. Here, the coefficient calculation will be briefly described. FIG.
(A) is a table showing search keyword settings for explanation.

FIG. 5B is a flowchart showing the procedure of calculating coefficients for a logical expression including the logical operator "AND". FIG. 5C is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of calculating coefficients for a logical expression including the logical operator “OR”.

The search keywords are "a (coefficient m)" and "b
(Coefficient n) ", the coefficient of the logical expression" aANDb "will be described later with reference to an example of this procedure. [S17] The information search device sets the maximum value of the coefficient (importance) of the appropriate interpretation unit as the evaluation value of the relevant information.

Here, the interpretation unit and its investigation described in step S15 and the calculation of the coefficient (importance) for the interpretation unit described in step S16 will be described with examples.

In order to explain these, first, it is necessary to show an example of setting a search keyword. FIG. 4 is a table showing an example of setting a search keyword. In this example, as shown in Table 10, the search keywords “logic (coefficient 9)”
Five types of “calculation (coefficient 7)”, “operation (coefficient 1)”, “display (coefficient 7)”, and “order (coefficient 6)” are set. When this setting is represented by an S-expression, it is represented as the following expressions (1) to (5).

[0029]

(1) ((logic) 9) (1)

[0030]

(2) ((calculation) 7) ... (2)

[0031]

## EQU3 ## ((operation) 1) (3)

[0032]

## EQU4 ## ((display) 7) (4)

[0033]

## EQU5 ## ((Order) 6)... (5) Here, an explanation will be given on the interpretation unit and its investigation when the search formula input by the information searcher is the following formula (6).

[0034]

(Equation 6)

As described above, the inside of the parentheses is interpreted with higher priority than the outside of the parentheses. Therefore, the first interpretation unit (logical expression) to be interpreted with respect to Expression (6) is Expression (7).

[0036]

## EQU00007 ## Calculation OR Operation (7) Here, a method of calculating coefficients of a logical expression including the logical operator "OR" will be described.

FIG. 5A is a table showing coefficient keywords used in calculating coefficients and examples of the coefficients. FIG. 5B is a flowchart showing a procedure for calculating coefficients of a logical expression including the logical operator “OR”.
Hereinafter, description will be given along the step numbers. [S21] The logical expression "a OR b"
(Coefficient m) "and the search keyword" b (coefficient n) ".
And n. If m is greater than or equal to n, the process proceeds to step S22. If m is smaller than n, the process proceeds to step S23. [S22] The coefficient of the logical expression “a OR b” is m. [S23] The coefficient of the logical expression “a OR b” is n.

FIG. 5C is a view visually showing how to calculate a vector of a logical expression including the logical operator "OR" in a two-dimensional space. Here, the vector A has a size m and means a search keyword “a (coefficient m)”.
Also, the vector B has a size n and means a search keyword “b (coefficient n)”. Thus, when m is greater than n, the vector meaning the logical expression “a OR b” has a size m. The direction of the vector is a direction obtained by combining the direction of the vector A and the direction of the vector B.

The coefficient calculation is performed on the logical expression of the expression (7), and the following expression (8) can be obtained from the expression S based on the expressions (1) to (5).

[0040]

(Equation 8)

That is, the coefficient of the interpretation unit (logical expression) of Expression (7) is 7. The interpretation unit (logical expression) to be interpreted after the expression (7) is the following expression (9).

[0042]

[Mathematical formula-see original document] Logical AND (calculation OR operation) (9) Here, a method of calculating coefficients of a logical expression including the logical operator "AND" will be described. The coefficient keywords and the coefficients used in calculating the coefficients are shown in FIG.
Table 20 shown in FIG.

FIG. 6A is a flowchart showing a procedure for calculating coefficients of a logical expression including the logical operator "AND". Hereinafter, description will be given along the step numbers. [S31] The logical expression "a ANDb"
(Coefficient m) "and the search keyword" b (coefficient n) ".
Is determined as the square value mm. [S32] The square value nn of n is obtained. [S33] The mm obtained in step S31 and the step S
A total value mn with nn obtained in 32 is obtained. [S34] The square root value of mn obtained in step S33 is obtained and used as the coefficient of the logical expression "a ANDb".

FIG. 6B is a diagram visually showing how a vector of a logical expression including the logical operator "AND" is calculated in a two-dimensional space. Here, the vector meaning the logical expression “a ANDb” is a composite vector of the vector A and the vector B. If the square root value calculated in step S34 becomes a real number even though the coefficient is given as an integer, the largest integer that does not exceed the calculated square root value is determined by the logical expression "a ANDb". It is a coefficient.

When the coefficient is calculated with respect to the logical expression of Expression (9), and the expression is expressed by Expression S based on Expressions (1) to (5), the following Expression (10) is obtained.

[0046]

(Equation 10)

That is, the coefficient of the interpretation unit (logical expression) of Expression (9) is 11. The interpretation unit (logical expression) to be interpreted after the expression (9) is the following expression (11).

[0048]

[Expression 11] Display AND order ... (11) Coefficient calculation is performed on the logical expression of Expression (11), and Expression (1)
The following expression (12) can be expressed by an S expression based on (5).

[0049]

(Equation 12)

That is, the coefficient of the interpretation unit (logical expression) of Expression (11) is 9. The interpretation unit (logical expression) to be interpreted after expression (11) is search expression (6). The following equation (13) is obtained by performing coefficient calculation on the equation (6) and expressing the S equation based on the equations (1) to (5).

[0051]

(Equation 13)

As described above, in step S15 of the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, the examination of the interpretation units (logical expressions) included in the search formula input by the information searcher is performed, and in step S16, the coefficients ( (Importance) is calculated.

After clarifying the coefficient (importance) for each interpretation unit (logical expression) in the document search apparatus of the present invention, the evaluation value of the conformity information is determined as shown in step S17. Then, among the pieces of matching information extracted as matching the search formula, the presentation order is determined so that the piece of information having the higher evaluation value is presented first.

Therefore, for example, when the information retrieval is performed by using the formula (6) as a retrieval formula to extract the conforming information, the conforming information conforming to the logical expression (9) which is the interpretation unit having the evaluation value (coefficient) 11 is obtained. Is presented first, and then the matching information conforming to the logical expression (11), which is the interpretation unit having the evaluation value 9, is presented.

As described above, in the document search device of the present invention,
Since the matching information as the search result is evaluated based on the search keyword included in the matching information, the matching information can be presented in an order desired by the information searcher.

In the above description, it is assumed that a given search expression is simply decomposed and the interpretation unit is examined. However, the search expression may be transformed into an OR standard form before the interpretation unit is examined. Good.

For example, the OR standard form of the following equation (14) is the following equation (15).

[0058]

[Equation 14]

[0059]

(Equation 15)

Further, coefficient calculation is performed on the logical expression of the expression (15), and the expression is expressed by the S expression based on the expressions (1) to (5).
The following equation (16) is obtained.

[0061]

(Equation 16)

Therefore, when presenting the matching information extracted by the retrieval formula (14), the matching information conforming to the following formula (17) which is the interpretation unit (logical formula) having the maximum evaluation value (coefficient) Is presented first.

[0063]

[Mathematical formula-see original document] Logical AND calculation ... (17) Next, matching information conforming to the following equation (18) is presented.

[0064]

## EQU18 ## Display AND Order (18) Finally, conformance information conforming to the following equation (19) is presented.

[0065]

[Equation 19] Logical AND operation (19) As described above, if the retrieval formula is transformed into the OR standard form and the interpretation unit is examined, it is possible to control the presentation order of the conforming documents more finely. Become.

In the above description, the form of the information search device is not particularly defined, but the information search device having the functions described above may be incorporated in a computer system or the like to realize the information search device.

[0067]

As described above, the information retrieval apparatus of the present invention evaluates the matching information as a search result based on the search keyword included in the matching information and determines the presentation order. The search results can be presented in the order desired by the information searcher.

Further, as described above, in the storage medium storing the information search program of the present invention, the computer evaluates and presents the matching information as the search result based on the search keyword included in the matching information. Since the operation is performed so as to determine the order, the search results can be presented in the order desired by the information searcher.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure in which the information search device of the present invention searches for matching information.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure for calculating an evaluation value for matching information.

FIG. 4 is a table showing an example of setting a search keyword.

FIG. 5A is a table showing a coefficient keyword used in calculating a coefficient and an example of the coefficient.
(B) is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for calculating a coefficient of a logical expression including the logical operator “OR”. (C)
FIG. 11 is a diagram visually illustrating how to calculate a vector of a logical expression including a logical operator “OR” in a two-dimensional space.

FIG. 6A is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for calculating a coefficient of a logical expression including a logical operator “AND”.
(B) is a view visually showing how a vector of a logical expression including a logical operator “AND” is calculated in a two-dimensional space.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 database 2 search condition receiving means 3 information extracting means 4 evaluation value calculating means 5 presentation order determining means 6 monitor 10 table showing examples of search keyword setting 20 coefficient coefficients used in calculating coefficients and examples of the coefficients table

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An information search apparatus for searching a database according to a search condition described by a combination of a plurality of search keywords, a search condition receiving means for receiving the input search condition, and Information extraction means for extracting conformity information, evaluation value calculation means for calculating an evaluation value for the conformity information based on a coefficient added to the search keyword included in the conformity information, and based on the evaluation value And a presentation order determining means for determining a presentation order of the matching information. 2. A storage medium storing an information search program for searching a database according to a search condition described by a combination of a plurality of search keywords, a computer comprising: a search condition receiving means for receiving the input search condition; Information extraction means for extracting matching information that meets the search condition from the database; evaluation value calculating means for calculating an evaluation value for the matching information based on a coefficient added to the search keyword included in the matching information; A storage medium operated as an information search device, comprising: a presentation order determining unit that determines a presentation order of the matching information based on the evaluation value.