JPH01189721A - Electronic document retriever - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily perform the analysis of a retrieval result and the discovery of a desired document by selecting an axis of multidimensional spatial structure to arrange an electronized document by plural axes, and generating the display information of a selected axis and the distribution information of the retrieval result. CONSTITUTION:In a multidimensional spatial structure storage means 3, the axial numbers, the axial names, and number information of the document at each position on each axis of plural axes are stored. An axis selection means 4 selects the axis to be displayed by retrieval condition information inputted from an input means 1. A distribution information generating means 5 generates the display information with respect to the axis selected based on the information stored in the means 3 by the retrieval condition information outputted from the means 1 and the output of the means 4, and also, a retrieved document is arranged along the axis, then, the distribution information is generated. And data from a document storage means 2 and the data from the means 3 are controlled by a control means 7, and they are supplied to a display means 6 via the means 5.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to an electronic document search device.

(Prior Art) As an indexing method for searching electronic documents, there is a method in which an attribute having an interval scale property is regarded as a coordinate axis, and each document is indexed as a point in a multidimensional coordinate space. Indexes based on multidimensional coordinate spaces have high expressive power and are useful for organizing and searching based on attributes that cannot be clearly defined, such as the atmosphere of a document.

When looking at searched digitized documents, it is normal to specify search conditions and perform a search, and then actually look at each document one by one. The search conditions specified for the multidimensional space structure specify a subspace within the multidimensional space spanned by the attribute axes, and browsing (flipping through search result documents) requires moving within this subspace. corresponds to

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, while classification based on interval scales is highly expressive, there are problems in that it is difficult to understand the meaning and relationships between axes, making searching and browsing difficult. In a search using a multidimensional space, in order to quickly find a target document from a set of searched documents, the structure of the subspace,
It is necessary to determine the appropriate direction of movement by knowing the current position in multidimensional space. However, with conventional methods, it is not possible to determine the direction of movement during browsing using the configuration of a subspace that is a search condition or the position information of the currently displayed document. In addition, since the browsing instruction method does not reflect the structure of multidimensional space, even if the direction of movement is determined, there is no way to move in that direction, and there is a problem that exhaustive browsing is forced. be.

Furthermore, in a search using an indexing method based on a multidimensional spatial structure, all search conditions are not determined from the beginning, but the search results under several conditions are analyzed and the target document (or Search conditions are often changed or added to obtain a set of documents. Therefore, it is necessary to be able to analyze the position of a retrieved document in a multidimensional space and use this to set new search conditions. In particular, when there is a correlation between axes, a document set searched under a certain condition may be included in a limited range even on an axis that is not specified as a search condition. Therefore, when a search condition related to the axis is added, there may be no documents within the target range.

In such a case, in the prior art, in order to find a range that includes the document, it is necessary to perform trial and error by changing the conditions several times.

The first purpose of the present invention is to solve such problems and automatically organize and present searched electronic documents in a form that is easy to understand and understand, thereby allowing analysis of search results and desired documents. The purpose is to provide a browsing device that facilitates the discovery of information. More specifically, the present invention utilizes distribution information in a multidimensional space of searched documents and positional information of the currently displayed document to determine the browsing direction, particularly in a search using an index based on an interval scale. The goal is to provide a method.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a method in which the distribution of retrieved documents and the position information of the currently displayed document are used to indicate the browsing direction in a search using an index based on an interval scale. be.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a method in which the distribution of retrieved documents and the position information of the currently displayed document are used to determine and instruct new search conditions in a search using an index based on an interval scale. It is about providing.

(Means for Solving the Problems) According to the present invention, in a search device for a device that stores and displays digitized documents, there is provided an input means for inputting instruction information regarding a search for the digitized documents; a multidimensional spatial structure storage means for storing a multidimensional spatial structure that organizes electronic documents according to a plurality of axes;
an axis selection means for selecting an axis stored in the multidimensional spatial structure storage means; a distribution information creation means for creating display information of the axis selected by the axis selection means and distribution information of search result documents; A display means for displaying the display output from the distribution information creation means and the corresponding electronic document, data from the document storage means and data from the multidimensional spatial structure storage means are controlled according to the output of the input means, and the distribution An electronic document retrieval device is obtained, comprising a control means for supplying information on the display means via the information creation means.

Further, according to the present invention, in a search device for a device that stores and displays digitized documents, there is provided an input means for inputting instruction information regarding search and selection of the digitized documents, and a document storage means for storing the digitized documents. a multidimensional spatial structure storage means for storing a multidimensional spatial structure for organizing electronic documents according to a plurality of axes, and selecting a corresponding document from the document storage means according to document selection instruction information input from the input means. an axis selection means for selecting an axis stored in the multidimensional spatial structure storage means; and a distribution for creating display information of the axis selected by the axis selection means and distribution information of search result documents. information creation means; a display means for displaying the display output from the distribution information creation means and the corresponding electronic document; and data from the document storage means selected by the document selection means and data selected by the axis selection means. There is provided an electronic document retrieval device comprising: control means for controlling data from the multidimensional spatial structure storage means according to the output of the input means, and supplying the data on the display means via the distribution information creation means. .

Further, according to the present invention, in a search device for a device that stores and displays digitized documents, the input means for inputting instruction information regarding the search for the digitized documents, and the document storage means for storing the digitized documents are provided. , a multidimensional spatial structure storage means for storing a multidimensional spatial structure for organizing electronic documents according to a plurality of axes, a search condition holding means for holding search condition information,
a search condition setting/changing means for setting and changing the contents of the search condition holding means; a document selecting means for selecting a corresponding document from the document storage means according to document selection instruction information input from the input means; an axis selection means for selecting an axis stored in the multidimensional spatial structure storage means; a distribution information creation means for creating display information of the axis selected by the axis selection means and distribution information of search result documents; a display means for displaying the display output from the distribution information creation means and the corresponding electronic document; data from the document storage means selected by the document selection means; and multidimensional spatial structure storage selected by the axis selection means. There is obtained an electronic document retrieval device comprising a control means for controlling data from the means according to the output of the input means and supplying the data to the display means via the distribution information creation means.

(Operation) In the present invention, the distribution of search result documents and the position of the currently displayed document within the plane defined by the two selected axes are visually displayed. For example, ``Sleepiness'', ``Flexibility'', ``
FIG. 4(a) shows an example of the display by the display means when the range on the attribute axis "Friendliness" is given as a search condition and the two axes "Familiarity" and "Friendliness" are selected. Shown below. In this example, the position where the search result document exists is represented by an X mark, and the position of the currently displayed document is represented by a circle mark. Furthermore, the currently set search target range is shown as an area surrounded by a solid line. Set the displayed axis to ``newness'',
When changed to “activity”, as shown in Figure 4(b),
The currently displayed document remains unchanged, and distribution information regarding the two axes and position information of the currently displayed document are displayed. Since no search conditions are specified for these axes, the search target range is not displayed.

Further, this display information can be used to input document selection instruction information. For example, in FIG. 4(b), when the position information of the star mark is input from the input means,
), the document whose position on the surface of the searched document collection is closest to the input position on the plane where ``newness'' and ``activity'' extend is displayed, as well as the position information of that document.

Furthermore, this display information can be used to input search conditions. For example, in the state shown in FIG. 4(C), if information in the area indicated by the dotted line is input, this area is added to the search conditions and a new search document set is created as shown in FIG. 4(d). distribution is displayed.

In the state shown in FIG. 4(C), if the area indicated by the - dotted chain line is added as a search condition, no search result document exists. In the present invention, since the existence status can be known before setting the search target range, it is possible to avoid specifying such search conditions.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention. The input means 1 of this embodiment is, for example, a pointing device such as a mouse or a trunk ball. It is also possible to use an input means such as a keyboard r, with a slight sacrifice in operability. This allows you to specify or change search conditions, and specify a desired position on the attribute axis in the currently displayed organized heading. The document storage means 2 is means for storing generally electronic documents such as code data, graphic data, or image data output by a word processor, and is constituted by, for example, an optical disk device or a magnetic disk device.

Further, the multidimensional spatial structure storage means 3 is means for storing axis numbers, axis names, and document number information corresponding to each position on each axis for a plurality of axes.

The axis selection means 4 is means for selecting an axis to be displayed based on the search condition information input from the input means 1. Specific examples of axis selection include selecting a retrieved document with a thick variance, or directly selecting an axis manually by the user.

FIG. 5(a) is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the axis selection means 4. FIG. The selection order storage means 41 of this embodiment is as follows:
This is a means for storing predetermined priorities among the axes stored in the multidimensional spatial structure storage means 3. The selection means 42 is a means for selecting two axes in order of priority based on the search condition information sent from the control means 43 and referring to the contents of the selection order storage means 41.

FIG. 5(b) is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the axis selection means 4. The search result analysis means 44 of this embodiment is as follows:
It is a means of analyzing the characteristics of a retrieved document set. The selection means 45 is means for selecting two axes according to the output of the search result analysis means 44. The control means 46 is a means for controlling the input information from the outside and the output information of the search result analysis means 44, and outputting the output information of the selection means 45 to the outside. As a method for selecting an axis based on an analysis of search results, for example, there is a method using the degree of dispersion (dispersion, range, etc.) of search result documents. This takes advantage of the fact that generally adding a search condition related to an axis with a large degree of dispersion is an efficient narrowing down method. Furthermore, when analyzing search results, information about which axis has a large degree of dispersion can be useful information. When using this method, the search result analysis means 44 calculates the degree of dispersion of the values on each axis of the search result document. The selection means 45 selects two axes in descending order of dispersion based on the output of the search result analysis means 44.

FIG. 5(e) is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of the axis selection means 4. The selection means 47 of this embodiment is means for selecting two axes based on the axis selection information input from the input means 1. The control means 48 is a means for controlling input information from the outside and outputting the output information of the selection means 47 to the outside.

The distribution information creation means 5 generates display information regarding the selected axis based on the search condition information output from the input means 1 and the output of the axis selection means 4, based on the information stored in the multidimensional spatial structure storage means 3. This is a means for creating distribution information by organizing searched documents along the axis.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart representing an example of detailed processing by the distribution information creation means 5. First, in a sort key setting step 11, a sort key is set for a set of retrieved documents according to the attribute value of each document. Based on this sort key, in sorting process 12, sorting is performed in ascending or descending order. Information on this result and information necessary for displaying the headings are set in steps 13-18. Step 13 is a process of setting document numbers arranged in the order in which the documents have been rearranged by sorting. Step 14 is a process of setting axis names for displaying headings. Step 15 is a process of setting search target range information when an axis includes an axis for which a search target range is specified.

Step 16 is a process of setting position information for each document. Further, step 17 is a process of sensing position information on the axis of the document to be currently displayed. Further, step 18 is a process of setting the number of the document to be currently displayed after sorting. The distribution information creation means 5 creates such information, and the actual operation is controlled by the control means 7, which will be described later.

When an axis in which a relevant document, axis name, distribution of search documents, position of the relevant document, and search range are specified is included, the display means 6 is a means for actually displaying the search target range. 6 is composed of a normal CRT display or the like.

Furthermore, the control means 7 controls the data from the document storage means 2 and the data from the multidimensional spatial structure storage means 3 according to the output of the input means 1, and supplies the data to the display means 6 via the distribution information creation means 5. It is a means.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a detailed procedure of the control means 7 when the input means 1 is realized by a mouse. First, in a heading axis selection step 21, a heading axis is defined from the axis selection information. In a document sorting step 22, documents are sorted in order of attribute values for the retrieved document set. Next, in step 23, information on the heading axis is displayed.

The selection of the vertical axis and the horizontal axis may be based on the order of appearance and selection in the search condition information, or may be based on a predetermined priority order. Furthermore, if one axis is already being displayed, it is also possible to change the other axis. If the axis includes a specified search target range, the search target range information is displayed in step 24. In step 25, the position of each document is displayed. Furthermore, in step 26, the first document after sorting on the horizontal axis (or vertical axis) is regarded as the relevant document, and the relevant document is displayed in step 2.
At step 7, actual document data is displayed. In response to this, the position of the document is displayed in a position display step 28.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. Here, the same numbers as the means in FIG. 1 indicate means having similar functions. The document selection means 8 is means for selecting a corresponding document from the document storage means 2 according to the document selection instruction information inputted from the input means ↑. That is, the document selection means 8 uses the document number table set by the distribution information creation means 5 to select the document having the value closest to the specified value of the axis specified by the document selection instruction information.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a detailed procedure of the control means 7 when the input means 1 is realized by a mouse. Steps 21 to 28 are the same processes as in FIG. In mouse click detection step 29, it is detected whether or not the mouse has been clicked, and if the mouse has been clicked, the process proceeds to step 30. If the process is not deemed to be finished in step 30, the coordinates corresponding to the mouse cursor are detected in step 31. If the coordinates indicate that another document is to be displayed, the document selection means 8 selects the document in step 32. Then, the process returns to the corresponding document display 27 and performs the same processing as described above. Furthermore, if, for example, the end key is pressed or the end mouse button is clicked in step 30, and the process is deemed to have ended, the operation is completed.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. Here, the same numbers as the means in FIG. 2 indicate means having similar functions. Further, the search condition setting and changing means 10 is a means for setting and changing the contents of the search condition holding means 9 based on the search condition information inputted from the input means 1.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a detailed procedure of the control means 7 when the input means 1 is realized by a mouse. Steps 21 to 32 are the same processes as in FIG. Step 3
If 0 is not considered to be the end, it is checked in step 33 whether or not a search condition is added. If the search condition is not added, the coordinates corresponding to the mouse cursor are detected in step 31. In step 32, if the coordinates indicate that another document is to be displayed, the document selection means 8 selects the document. Then, the process returns to the corresponding document display 27 and performs the same processing as described above. Step 33
If the search condition is to be added, in step 34, the search condition setting/changing means 10 adds the search condition holding means 9.
Change the contents of In step 35, a sorting process is performed on the new search document set. In step 36, a heading axis is displayed. If the axes include an axis for which a search target range is specified, the search target range information is displayed in step 37. Next, in step 38, the position information of the document searched under the new conditions is displayed. Step 3
At step 9, the document selection means 8 is used to select a document to be displayed based on the most recently inputted document selection instruction information. Returning to step 27, the process described above is repeated. Further, if, for example, the end key is pressed or the end mouse button is clicked in step 30, and the process is deemed to have ended, the operation is completed.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, when a search condition based on an attribute axis having an interval scale property is given, documents can be organized and reorganized in a multifaceted manner, and browsing can be performed using the search conditions. , faltering becomes possible. Whereas paper documents could only be organized one-dimensionally due to their physical limitations, electronic documents can be easily and directly organized in many ways using multidimensional indexes. In particular, indexing using a multidimensional space is highly expressive and allows for organization from perspectives that cannot be clearly defined. The present invention solves the problem that it is difficult to understand and analyze the overall structure, and makes it easy to find a target document and understand and analyze overall trends. In addition, since headings are displayed visually, users can browse documents by specifying them easily, directly, and sequentially.
Improved user interface.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a first embodiment of the electronic document retrieval device of the present invention. Further, FIGS. 2 and 3 are block diagrams showing second and third embodiments of the present invention, respectively. Furthermore, Fig. 4 (a), (b), (c), (
d) is a diagram showing a specific example of displaying the configuration of a subspace and current position, and its use for document selection instructions and search condition input, in order to facilitate understanding of the method of the present invention; 1
FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the axis selection means 4 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a flowchart showing an example of detailed processing of the distribution information creation means 5 in the embodiment shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the detailed procedure of the control means 7 in an example. FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing an example of a detailed procedure of the control means 7 in the second embodiment. Figure 9 shows
7 is a flowchart showing an example of a detailed procedure of the control means 7 in the third embodiment.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In a search device for a device that stores and displays digitized documents, an input means for inputting instruction information regarding the search for the digitized documents, a document storage means for storing the digitized documents, and a plurality of axes. a multidimensional spatial structure storage means for storing a multidimensional spatial structure for organizing electronic documents; an axis selection means for selecting an axis stored in the multidimensional spatial structure storage means; distribution information creation means for creating axis display information and distribution information of search result documents; display means for displaying a display output from said distribution information creation means and corresponding electronic documents; and data from said document storage means and said An electronic document retrieval device comprising: control means for controlling data from the multidimensional spatial structure storage means in accordance with the output of the input means, and supplying the data to the display means via the distribution information creation means. (2) A search device for a device that stores and displays digitized documents, including an input means for inputting instruction information regarding search and selection of the digitized documents, a document storage means for storing the digitized documents, and a plurality of multidimensional spatial structure storage means for storing a multidimensional spatial structure for organizing electronic documents by axes; and document selection means for selecting a corresponding document from the document storage means in accordance with document selection instruction information input from the input means. , an axis selection means for selecting an axis stored in the multidimensional spatial structure storage means, and a distribution information creation means for creating display information of the axis selected by the axis selection means and distribution information of the search result document. , a display means for displaying the display output from the distribution information creation means and the corresponding electronic document, data from the document storage means selected by the document selection means and the multidimensional space selected by the axis selection means; An electronic document retrieval device comprising: control means for controlling data from the structure storage means in accordance with the output of the input means, and supplying the data to the display means via the distribution information creation means. (3) In a search device for a device that stores and displays digitized documents, an input means for inputting instruction information regarding search and selection of the digitized documents, a document storage means for storing the digitized documents, and a plurality of a multidimensional spatial structure storage means for storing a multidimensional spatial structure for organizing electronic documents according to axes; a search condition holding means for holding search condition information; and a search condition for setting and changing the contents of the search condition holding means. a setting/changing means; a document selection means for selecting a corresponding document from the document storage means according to document selection instruction information input from the input means; and selection of an axis stored in the multidimensional spatial structure storage means. a distribution information creation means for creating display information of the axis selected by the axis selection means and distribution information of the search result document; and a display output from the distribution information creation means and displaying the corresponding digitized document. a display means for controlling data from the document storage means selected by the document selection means and data from the multidimensional spatial structure storage means selected by the axis selection means according to the output of the input means; A computerized document retrieval device comprising: a control means for supplying distribution information to the display means via a distribution information creation means.