WO2001048632A2

WO2001048632A2 - Method for information searching in an information network

Info

Publication number: WO2001048632A2
Application number: PCT/AT2000/000352
Authority: WO
Inventors: Friedrich Gutmann
Original assignee: Ericsson Austria Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 1999-12-28
Filing date: 2000-12-28
Publication date: 2001-07-05
Also published as: AT4711U1; AU2651501A; WO2001048632A3

Abstract

The invention relates to programme logic, for information searching in an information network which comprises a number of computers and data transfer systems, for example, the internet or an intranet, whereby, firstly, a search profile is generated for each user, by means of search terms and, optionally, already known file network addresses. In one search step, a search in the information network, for files and the corresponding network addresses is automatically carried out, on the basis of the search profile, at preset time intervals. The found files and the addresses thereof are placed at the disposal of each user, for checking and for information, whereby the checking process is monitored by the user and an analysis of the files checked by the user and of the resulting references to the other files of the information network is carried out, which results in new search terms and/or network addresses being determined. A matching step follows each search step, in which a matching of the search profile to the new search terms and/or network addresses is carried out.

Description

Process for searching information in an information network

The invention relates to a method for searching information in an information network formed from a multiplicity of computers and data transmission lines, information being searched for and called up within the files which can be queried in the information network using search terms.

Due to the worldwide networking of research institutions and industrial users, the level of knowledge in all technical and scientific areas is subject to constant change, which manifests itself in a large number of publications, articles and other scientific works. In order to maintain an overview of the respective specialist area, it has proven to be important for many companies to constantly check all new publications for important knowledge. In this context, the provision of information via the Internet has become increasingly important in this context, with the use of relevant search terms trying to search and look through the Internet pages of interest for the respective specialist area. The well-known Internet search engines offer a very valuable automatism in this regard, which makes it possible to find all websites that contain a specific search term.

In larger companies, the search for these documents is already carried out by the information brokerage departments responsible for this, who query the information at regular intervals using certain defined search terms and send it to the individual responsible users.

This results in a considerable internal effort, whereby the catalog of search terms has to be continuously revised for each user. This very tedious reconstruction of the innovations that are of interest to a user represents a considerable amount of work, which is associated with correspondingly high personnel costs.

The object of the invention is to provide a program logic with which a constant automatic update of the search terms can be carried out so as to always bring the information made available to the user up to date and to keep it up-to-date through ongoing additions.

According to the invention, this is achieved by first creating a search profile for each user using search terms and possibly already known network addresses for files, which automatically searches for files and the associated files in a search step carried out at predetermined intervals based on the search profile Network addresses are carried out in the information network and / or the update of files is checked and the files found and their addresses are made available to each user for checking and for obtaining information, the checking process being monitored by the user and an analysis of the data Users checked files and the from these resulting references to other files of the information network, from which new search terms and / or network addresses are determined, and that after each search step there follows an adaptation step in which the search profile is adapted to the new search terms and / or network addresses, so that the subsequent search step is created on the basis of the adapted search profile.

All files that appear in one search step are provided as network addresses, which he can call up and search for useful information. If the user finds a new quotation or a reference to a new quotation that is of interest to them, this quotation or this file and its address are subjected to an analysis which can lead to a new search term which will be taken into account in the next search step can. However, the user can also raise a certain term by entering or marking it in the text to form a new search term with which the search profile is adapted accordingly. In the subsequent search step, a search is carried out with the adapted search profile, which means that the target accuracy of the information search can be improved step by step. The analysis can also clear dead ends of the information transfer, for example by removing a search term used during several search steps from the search profile if it turns out to be unimportant or never leads to an address that is important for the user. This can happen if the results of the search term are ignored by the user.

Within the scope of the invention, information networks include, for example, the Internet, an intranet or similar networks.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the files found in each search step and their network addresses can be automatically distributed to the users. This automatic forwarding of the information saves time-consuming printing and sending of the found files.

According to a further development of the invention, the files found in each search step and their network addresses can be transmitted by electronic message transmission, e.g. distributed to the users via email, which ensures a particularly rapid distribution of information.

Another variant of the invention can consist in that a search profile combining all individual search profiles is created for a group of users, and that all users in the group are provided with the entirety of files found and their network addresses for checking and for obtaining information , and that the group search profile is adjusted based on the analysis of all users in the group.

With the help of this group search profile, for example, an entire department can benefit from the knowledge progress of individual users. This enables a leveling of knowledge to be achieved because all users of the user Group always immediately get the news intended for the individual user. For example, a department head can always gain insight into the research activities of his employees.

A further embodiment of the invention can consist in that the search terms which resulted in files or their addresses during the search and which have not been checked by the user within a predetermined period of time are deleted from the search profile. In this way, the search profile is freed of search terms that are not required.

According to a further feature of the invention, the files found during the search can be filtered according to predeterminable criteria and displayed according to their importance. The filters used here can be adapted to a group of users, a single user or, for example, an entire company and automatically remove those files and addresses before the presentation of the search result which are certainly of no importance to the users.

In a further embodiment of the invention it can be provided that the titles of the files found and their addresses are stored in a display file, which display file can be queried by different users via a computer arranged in the information network, each query being used to adapt the search profile. This means that the result of a search, for example on an internal company intranet, can be queried centrally.

A further exemplary embodiment of the invention can consist in weighting according to preselectable criteria when analyzing the files checked by the users.

Depending on the selection of these criteria, the search profile can be adapted to the requirements of the user.

In a further development of the invention it can be provided that the weighting takes place as a function of the number of users in a group who select a specific address.

The number of these users can be used to infer their interest in the specific address.

A further embodiment of the invention can be implemented in that the weighting takes place as a function of the dwell time of the users at a specific address. The dwell time at the address can be used as a measure for dealing with the content offered at this address. If necessary, the further activities of the user, e.g. about the number of page turning processes, also taken into account at the address.

Furthermore, the weighting can take place depending on whether the address selected by the user is added to a favorites list. From the Adding to a favorites list is an understandable interest of the user in the respective address.

In order not to impair the course of the method according to the invention, the adaptation step can be carried out at the time of exiting the program running according to the method.

Another alternative of the invention can be given by manually initiating the adjustment step, e.g. by activating a selectable display field on the screen and triggering the adjustment already during the verification process by the user.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the search profile can be adapted to the respective location of the user by switching address filters on and off, the location being determined automatically or by input from the user. This makes it possible to adapt the search profile to the requirements of this location if the information about the location of a user is available.

The invention further relates to a computer program product with software for performing the method according to the invention.

The invention is explained in detail below using an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings. It shows

Fig.l is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

Fig.l shows a program logic for searching information in an information network formed from a plurality of computers and data transmission lines, e.g. the internet. Information is searched for and called up within the files that can be queried in the information network using search terms.

On the Internet, which is a very extensive information network, there is a very large number of computers with their files that can be queried by all Internet participants. However, differently structured information networks can also be used within the scope of the invention.

The search can be carried out for one or more users and several Internet search engines can be used for the search. First, a search profile is created for each user using search terms and possibly already known network addresses for files (function block 1). The user is, for example, active in the field of message transmission and announces his initial search terms ADSL (asymmetry digital subscriber line) and DMT (discrete multitone). Furthermore, the user specifies internet addresses of files that are already known to him, which should be taken into account in the search profile. The search profile is adapted in function block 2. However, this only happens after a first complete search, so that function block 2 does not change the search terms or the known addresses in the first step.

According to function block 3, a search for files and the network addresses associated therewith is carried out automatically and / or the update of files is checked in a search step carried out at predeterminable time intervals on the basis of the search profile.

The files found are saved and, if necessary, processed for further processing by the user.

In this way, search terms which have resulted in files or their addresses during the search and which have not been checked by the user within a predetermined period of time can be deleted from the search profile.

Furthermore, the files found during the search can be filtered according to predeterminable criteria and displayed according to their importance.

By filtering the files found, the search result can be cleaned up in such a way that search results without meaning, e.g. from the leisure or entertainment sector.

The files found and their addresses are then made available to each user for checking and obtaining information (function block 4).

The files and their network addresses found in each search step are preferably distributed automatically to the users, in particular they can be transmitted by electronic message transmission, e.g. to be distributed to users via email.

The users receive an electronic list of addresses to which they can be connected by clicking on the respective address. The individual quotes are searched by the user in any way and checked for their importance for the user. Among other things, the user will find references, so-called links, to other files or their addresses, click on them, search through them and determine whether they could be valuable to him (function block 5).

Meanwhile, an automatic process is running in the background, which monitors the verification process by the user and carries out an analysis of the files or addresses checked by the users and the resulting references to other files of the information network, from which new search terms and / or Network addresses are determined (function block 6).

From the behavior of the user when looking through the quotes provided, a weighting can be carried out, which is done according to the following criteria, for example. 1) How many users from a group showed interest in a particular address?

2) How many users in a group selected a specific address?

3) How long is the dwell time of a user at a certain address?

4) Has the selected address been added to a favorites list on the computer?

5) How many screen pages has the user flipped through?

Each search step is followed by an adaptation step, which is carried out in function block 2 and receives its input information from function block 6. The connection is shown in Fig.l by a feedback connection. In the adaptation step, the search profile is adapted to the new search terms and / or network addresses, so that the subsequent search step is created on the basis of the adapted search profile.

The adjustment step can e.g. always be carried out when the user gives the command to exit the program running according to the inventive method. Alternatively, however, a manual input option can also be provided on the display screen, via which the adjustment step can be triggered by the user himself at any time.

There is also the option of adapting the search profile to the respective location of the user by switching address filters on and off. The location can either be entered by the user himself or automatically, e.g. via a "location based service" as it is available with UMTS.

In the above example, the user can e.g. have searched all addresses for ADSL and DMT and found a file that contains an important technical term, e.g. FFT (Fast Fourier Transformation), which should be added as a search term to the search profile. Now this new search term can either be found by automatic analysis or the user can use this term, e.g. by highlighting in a special form, raise it to a new search term.

According to a special embodiment of the invention, a search profile combining all individual search profiles can be created for a group of users. All users in the group are provided with the entirety of the files found and their network addresses for checking and obtaining information. The group search profile is then adjusted based on the analysis of all users in the group. Furthermore, the titles of the files found and their addresses can be stored in a display file, which display file can be queried by different users via a computer arranged in a network, for example the Internet, intranet or the like, each query being used to adapt the search profile. All users authorized to access any network, such as the Internet, intranet, can thus select a specific homepage and query the search results obtained for their title. With appropriate formatting, the titles on the display screen also represent a click connection with the corresponding address of the respective file. The results obtained by the query with regard to user behavior again influence the search profile.

Claims

EXPECTATIONS

1. A method for searching information in a information network formed from a plurality of computers and data transmission lines, information being searched for and called up for users within the files which can be queried in the information network using search terms, characterized in that initially for each user With the help of search terms and possibly already known network addresses for files, a search profile is created that automatically searches for files and the associated network addresses in the information network in a search step carried out at predeterminable time intervals and / or the update of files is checked and the files found and their addresses are made available to each user for checking and for obtaining information, the checking process being monitored by the users and an analysis of those by the users Users checked files and the resulting references to other files of the information network is carried out, from which new search terms and / or network addresses are determined, and that after each search step follows an adaptation step in which an adaptation of the search profile to the new search terms and / or network addresses, so that the subsequent search step is created on the basis of the adapted search profile.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the information network is formed by the Internet or intranet.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the files found in each search step and their network addresses are automatically distributed to the users.

4. The method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the files found in each search step and their network addresses are distributed to the users by electronic message transmission, for example by email.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a search profile unifying all individual search profiles is created for a group of users, and that all users of the group include the total of files found and their network addresses for checking and for obtaining Receive information and that the group search profile is adjusted based on the analysis of all users in the group.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the search terms, which have resulted in the search files or their addresses, which have not been checked by the user within a predetermined period of time, are deleted from the search profile.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the files found during the search are filtered according to predetermined criteria and displayed according to their importance.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the titles of the files found and their addresses are stored in a display file, which display file can be queried by a computer arranged in the information network by different users, each query being used to adapt the search profile ,

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a weighting is carried out according to preselectable criteria in the analysis of the files checked by the users.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the weighting takes place as a function of the number of users in a group who select a specific address.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the weighting takes place depending on the residence time of the user at a specific address.

12. The method according to claim 9, 10 or 11, characterized in that the

Weighting takes place depending on whether the address selected by the user is added to a favorites list.

13. The method according to claim one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adaptation step is carried out at the time of exit from the program running according to the method.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the adaptation step is initiated manually.

15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the search profile is adapted to the respective location of the user by switching address filters on and off, the location being determined automatically or via input by the user.

16. Computer program product with software for carrying out the method according to claims 1 to 15.