Information processing apparatus, control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a mechanism that can maintain the details of editing of a search result performed by a user in a search system having a search target document set and a search DB separately.SOLUTION: The present invention comprises: registration means that registers information associated with a document collected from a document management source and accompanying the document; recording means that records the details of change of the information accompanying the document in association with the document; and update means that, when the information accompanying the document is registered, updates the information accompanying the document on the basis of the recorded details of change.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This relates to a technology for searching document data. [Background technology]

[0002] As the number of electronic documents in a company increases, the importance of document retrieval systems for efficiently retrieving documents required for business is increasing. A document retrieval system presents a set of documents related to the search criteria entered by the user to the user.

[0003] While the set of documents you want to find through a search may be managed in a document management system with a search function, there are also cases where it is managed in a system without a search function, or where you want to search across multiple document sets managed in various ways. In such cases, a common configuration is to use a program such as a crawler to store the contents and links to documents from the document set in a separate database (search database), and then search this database to find documents. This loosely couples the document set and the document search system, making it possible to search regardless of how the documents are managed.

[0004] In a document search system, there is a need for users to edit the search results displayed, such as when they want to edit tags related to the contents of a document.

[0005] Patent Document 1 describes a method for extracting feature words from document content and assigning them to documents in a document search system configured as described above, with the document collection and search database separated. In such an embodiment, there is a growing need for editing search results. If the feature words or tags (categories) automatically assigned by the program are incorrect or missing, the user must edit the search results and assign the correct tags.

[0006] Patent Document 2 describes a method in which characteristic words extracted from an input document are presented as tag candidates, and the user is prompted to select one, thereby registering the candidate as a tag corresponding to the topic of the input document. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-103681 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-26996 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] One way to preserve edits made by users is to directly rewrite the document or its metadata. This is a method commonly used in document management systems with search functions. However, in document search systems where the document collection and search database are separate, this method is difficult to adopt for the following reasons. That is, because the document collection is located in a different location from the search system, it may not be possible to rewrite it due to management issues or complex processing. In addition, if tags are assigned for the first time by the crawler as mentioned above, the tags are not stored in the document collection, and there is nothing to edit.

[0009] Patent Document 2 assumes that the tag selection results will be registered as metadata for the document, and as mentioned above, the method of Patent Document 2 cannot be adopted in a document search system in which the document collection and the search DB are separate.

[0010] Another approach would be to store edits in the search database. However, if the document is crawled again, the crawler will overwrite the record in the search database. This means that user edits will not be permanent.

[0011] Therefore, in an embodiment of a search system in which the set of documents to be searched and the search DB are separated, it is desirable to permanently store the edited content by the user without writing it to the document or its metadata.

[0012] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism that enables a user to retain edits made to search results in a search system in which the set of documents to be searched and the search DB are separated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The present invention is an information processing device characterized by comprising: a registration means for registering information associated with a document collected from a document management source, the information corresponding to the document; a recording means for recording changes to the information associated with the document in association with the document; and an update means for updating the information associated with the document based on the recorded changes when the information associated with the document is registered again. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, in a search system in which the set of documents to be searched and the search DB are separated, it is possible to hold the edits made by the user to the search results. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of a document search system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a document search system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a document DB according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a search DB in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a search DB in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6]10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing for reflecting edited content in a document in a search DB in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 10 is a screen image showing an example of a user interface in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10 is a screen image showing an example of a user interface in an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the system configuration of a document search system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] The document retrieval system 100 comprises a difference DB 120, a search DB 130, a document registration device 140, a document editing device 150, and a document retrieval device 160. In addition, outside the document retrieval system 100, there is a document DB 110 and a client terminal, each of which is connected to the document retrieval system 100.

[0019] The document DB 110 is a DB that stores a set of documents to be searched. This may be the documents themselves that are the source of search results that you want to find in a search, or it may be a secondary data set such as a search index created from those documents.

[0020] The difference DB 120 is a DB that stores edits made by the user to the search results, the details of which will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0021] The search DB 130 is a DB that collects information related to documents to be registered from the document DB 110, converts the information into a format suitable for searching, and stores the converted content.

[0022] FIG. 4 shows an example of search DB 130. Search DB 130 consists of a document ID 131 for uniquely identifying a document and content 132 indicating the document's contents. Content 132 consists of pairs of items 133 and values 134. For example, record 135 in search DB 130 shows that a document with document ID Document 1 contains the text "An embodiment of the present invention is...," that the author is "Mushitaro Oguri," and that the document can be accessed by accessing the link "http: / / example.com / tokko.pdf." Note that while the four items listed above are listed as an example, additional items used in the search system, such as the document title, may be included, and items not used, such as the author, may not be included.

[0023] Returning to FIG. 1, the document registration device 140 is a device for registering documents stored in the document DB 110 in the search DB 130, and is composed of a document receiving unit 141, a document conversion unit 142, a document difference integration unit 143, and a document registration processing unit 144.

[0024] The document receiving unit 141 is a device for receiving documents to be registered from the document DB 110. A crawler, a web browser add-on, or the like can collect any document in the document DB 110 and send it to the document receiving unit 141. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which a user manually sends the document from the document DB 110 via a web browser on a client terminal, or the like.

[0025] The document conversion unit 142 is a device for converting the document received by the document receiving unit 141 into a format suitable for search so that it can be stored in the search DB 130. Here, column operations may be performed using well-known techniques, such as automatically tagging the content.

[0026] The document difference integration unit 143 is a device for reflecting the edited content by the user to each item of the document converted by the document conversion unit 142. Details of the process will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0027] The document registration processing unit 144 is a device for registering in the search DB 130 the document that has been converted into a format suitable for searching by the document difference integration unit 143 by reflecting the edited content by the user.

[0028] The document editing device 150 comprises an edited content receiving unit 151, an edited content registration processing unit 152, and an edited content reflection processing unit 153.

[0029] The edited content receiving unit 151 is a device for receiving edited content made by a user to a search result. The user can edit the search results presented by the document search device 160 (described later) through a web browser on a client terminal or the like, and send the edited content to the edited content receiving unit 151. If the edited content sent by the client terminal is not in a format suitable for registration in the difference DB 120, such as a format for differences from the search DB (described later in FIG. 3), then an appropriate conversion may be performed.

[0030] The edited content registration processing unit 152 is a device for registering the edited content received by the edited content receiving unit 151 in the difference DB 120 .

[0031] The edited content reflecting unit 153 is a device for reflecting the edited content received by the edited content receiving unit 151 in the search DB 130. The process of reflecting the edited content in the search DB 130 is the same as the process in the document difference integrating unit 143, and will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0032] The document search device 160 is a device that receives a search request from a user, searches the search DB 130 for a record that meets the request, and returns the search result to the user. To achieve efficient search processing, the document registration processing unit 144 can create an inverted index, which is a well-known technique, store it in the search DB 130, and use it during a search.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the client terminal and the document search system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 2, the information processing device is connected to a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 202, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 203, an input controller 205, a video controller 206, a memory controller 207, and a communication I / F controller 208 via a system bus 204.

[0035] The CPU 201 comprehensively controls each device and controller connected to the system bus 204 .

[0036] ROM202 or external memory 211 stores the BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) and OS (Operating System), which are control programs executed by CPU201, computer-readable and executable programs for realizing this information processing method, and various necessary data (including data tables).

[0037] The RAM 203 functions as a main memory, a work area, etc. for the CPU 201. The CPU 201 loads programs and the like required for executing processing from the ROM 202 or the external memory 211 into the RAM 203, and executes the loaded programs to realize various operations.

[0038] The input controller 205 controls input from an input device such as a keyboard 209 or a pointing device such as a mouse (not shown). If the input device is a touch panel, the user can issue various instructions by pressing (touching with a finger or the like) icons, cursors, or buttons displayed on the touch panel.

[0039] The touch panel may also be a touch panel capable of detecting positions touched by multiple fingers, such as a multi-touch screen.

[0040] The video controller 206 controls the display on an external output device such as a display 210. The display also includes the display of a notebook computer integrated into the main body. Note that the external output device is not limited to a display, and may be, for example, a projector. In addition, for devices capable of receiving the above-mentioned touch operation, an input device is also provided.

[0041] The video controller 206 can control a video memory (VRAM) for display control, and can use part of the RAM 203 as a video memory area, or can provide a separate dedicated video memory.

[0042] The memory controller 207 controls access to the external memory 211. The external memory may be an external storage device (hard disk) that stores a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, edited files, and various data, a flexible disk (FD), or a CompactFlash (registered trademark) memory connected to a PCMCIA card slot via an adapter.

[0043] The communication I / F controller 208 connects and communicates with external devices via a network, and executes communication control processing on the network. For example, communication using TCP / IP, telephone lines such as ISDN, and 3G lines for mobile phones are possible.

[0044] The CPU 201 enables display on the display 210 by, for example, executing a process of expanding (rasterizing) an outline font into a display information area in the RAM 203. The CPU 201 also enables user instructions using a mouse cursor (not shown) on the display 210.

[0045] 3 shows an example of the difference DB 120. The difference DB 120 is a DB that stores user edit content as differences from a document, and includes items such as a document ID 121 for identifying the document to be edited, an edit target item 122 indicating an item to be edited in the document, and edit content 123. The edit content 123 includes an operation 124 indicating an edit operation to be performed on the item in the document, and a value 125. Here, the edit target item 122 is an item that exists in the search DB 130, and may be an item that does not exist in the document DB 110, such as a tag added by the document conversion unit 142.

[0046] For example, record 126 of differential DB 120 indicates that by adding "Patent Document" and "IT" to the value of the item "Tag" of document 1 (i.e., record 135) in search DB 130 and deleting "Common to All Employees," and by setting the value of the item "Creator" to "Yumeno Kyusaku," the edited content by the user can be reflected in search DB 130. Details of this process will be described later with reference to FIG. 6.

[0047] Although the above items are shown as an example of the minimum configuration for explaining the present invention, additional items to be used as a search system, such as an identifier of the user who performed the edit and an edit history, may also be provided.

[0048] Next, using the flowchart of Figure 6 and Figure 3 to Figure 5 as examples, we will explain the process of reflecting the user's edited content in the search DB 130, which is performed by the document difference integration unit 143 and the edited content reflection processing unit 153 in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Fig. 5 is an example of the search DB 130. This shows the state after the contents of the difference DB 120 shown in Fig. 3 are reflected in the search DB 130 shown in Fig. 4. The following explanation will be given using this as an example. For the sake of explanation, it is assumed that the processing is performed by the edit content reflection processing unit 153, but the processing by the document difference integration unit 143 is similar. In this case, however, the example shown in Fig. 4 shows the state of the document after conversion by the document conversion unit 142.

[0050] The flowchart in FIG. 6 shows the process executed for each record of the search DB 130 or each record of the differential DB 120, and shows that the edited content is reflected in the record of the search DB 130 corresponding to that record.

[0051] In step S601, document A is obtained from search DB 130, and difference a is obtained from difference DB 120. Here, search DB 130 and difference DB 120 have a document ID as the same key, so document A and difference a have a one-to-one correspondence. Note that the method of obtaining A and a here may be to obtain each record in search DB 130 and then obtain difference a having the same document ID from difference DB 120 (if there is no difference, document A is not updated as there is no editing), or to obtain each record in difference DB 120 and then obtain document A having the same document ID from search DB 130. Here, an example is given in which record 135 is obtained as document A and record 126 is obtained as difference a.

[0052] In step S602, a process is started in which the process is repeated for each item to be edited in the difference a. The item to be edited at this time is designated as α. In the example of record 126, the item to be edited α is designated as "tag" or "creator".

[0053] In step S603, a process is started in which the editing content of the edit target item α of the difference a is repeated for each edit content. The edit content at this time is designated as β. In the example where the variable target item α of record 126 is "creator" (record 129), the edit content β has an "operation" of "replace" and a "value" of "Yumeno Kyusaku."

[0054] In step S604, the "operation" of the edited content β is determined. If the "operation" is "add," the process proceeds to step S605; if it is "delete," the process proceeds to step S606; if it is "replace," the process proceeds to step S607. However, for simplicity of explanation, three types of "operation" are shown here: "add," "delete," and "replace." However, if there are other possible operations for the value 134 of the search DB 130, they may be defined and corresponding processing may be implemented, or if there are operations that are not used, they may not be defined.

[0055] In step S605, when the "operation" of edited content β is "add," the "value" of edited content β is added to the value of edit target item α of document A. For example, when considering the "edited content" of record 127 as edited content β, the "tags" (record 137) of record 135 of document A are five: "patent document," "search system," "synonym," "common to all employees," and "IT." Note that, although this "add" operation is defined here as being idempotent, it may also be defined as not being idempotent.

[0056] In step S606, when the "operation" of edited content β is "delete," the "value" of edited content β is deleted from the value of edit target item α of document A. For example, when considering the "edited content" of record 128 as edited content β, the "tags" (record 137) of record 135 as document A are three: "patent document," "search system," and "synonym."

[0057] In step S607, when the "operation" of edited content β is "replace," the value of edit target item α of document A is replaced with the "value" of edited content β. For example, when considering the "edited content" of record 129 as edited content β, the "creator" (record 136) of record 135 as document A is replaced with "Yumeno Kyusaku."

[0058] In step S608, if there is any unprocessed editing content in the edit target item α, the process returns to step S603, and if all processing has been completed, the process proceeds to step S609. In the example of record 126, if the edit target item α is "tag," at the time step S608 is completed, due to records 127 and 128, the "tags" (record 137) of record 135 as document A will be four: "patent document," "search system," "synonym," and "IT," resulting in the state of record 139.

[0059] In step S609, if there are any unprocessed items to be edited in difference a, the process returns to step S602, and if all processing has been completed, the editing work of document A is terminated. In the example of record 126, at the time step S609 is completed, record 135 has become record 138 due to record 126.

[0060] Next, a method for reflecting edits made by a user on search results in an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0061] FIG. 7 shows an example of a user interface that the document search device 160 displays on a user's client terminal, illustrating a search result screen. The search result screen 700 consists of a search query input form 701 and a search result summary 702. The search result summary 702 includes an editing component 710 for editing each item of each search result document. The editing component 710 includes an editing content input component 711 and an edit confirmation button 712. The search result screen 700 shows a state in which the results of a search using the search query "patent" are displayed, and the search result summary 702 indicates that one matching document is found and is displayed on the screen. The screen also shows how the creator of document 1 among the search result documents is about to be edited.

[0062] When the user wishes to change an item in the search results, the user inputs the edit content into the edit content input component 711 and presses the edit confirmation button 712. For simplicity of explanation, the edit component 710 uses a method in which the user confirms the text freely input by pressing a button, but a different type of edit component may also be used, such as a method in which the user selects from pre-prepared options, a file input, or an input method that makes it easy to add or delete values when inputting multiple values.

[0063] When the user confirms the edited content, the edited content is transmitted to the edited content receiving unit 151. At this time, the edited content may be formatted by the client terminal so as to match the differential DB 120 before being transmitted, or may be formatted by the edited content receiving unit 151. In the example of editing the search result screen 700, the content transmitted is to replace the creator of the document with the document ID of Document 1 in the search DB 130 with "Yumeno Kyusaku."

[0064] The edited content received by the edited content receiving unit 151 is held in the difference DB 120 by the edited content registration processing unit 152. In the example of editing the search result screen 700, record 129 is registered. This makes the edited content by the user permanent. Even if the document registration device 140 next attempts to retrieve the document from the document DB 110 again and register it in the search DB 130, the document difference integration unit 143, which has obtained the record from the difference DB 120, can reflect the edited content by the user in the search DB 130.

[0065] On the other hand, the edited content received by the edited content receiving unit 151 is immediately reflected in the search DB 130 by the edited content reflection processing unit 153 through the process described above in Fig. 6. As a result, the edited content by the user is reflected in the search DB 130 without waiting for the next document registration process by the document registration device 140.

[0066] 8 shows an example of the results screen displayed when a user searches again using the same search query after editing the search results on the search result screen 700. It can be seen that records 703 in the search result summary 702 reflect the edits made by the user.

[0067] The edited contents of the items may also be used as search keys, allowing the user to search for a specific document using the contents of a specific item as a search key.

[0068] As a result, in a search system in which the set of documents to be searched and the search database are separated, it is possible to retain the edits made by the user to the search results.

[0069] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention can be embodied as, for example, a system, an apparatus, a method, a program, a recording medium, etc. Specifically, the present invention may be applied to a system made up of multiple devices, or may be applied to an apparatus made up of a single device.

[0070] The program of the present invention is a program that enables a computer to execute the processing method of each flowchart. Note that the program of the present invention may be a program for each processing method of each device of each flowchart.

[0071] As described above, it goes without saying that the object of the present invention can also be achieved by supplying a recording medium on which a program that realizes the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments is recorded to a system or device, and having the computer (or CPU or MPU) of that system or device read and execute the program stored on the recording medium.

[0072] In this case, the program itself read from the recording medium will realize the novel functions of the present invention, and the recording medium on which the program is recorded will constitute the present invention.

[0073] Examples of recording media for supplying the program include flexible disks, hard disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, DVD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, non-volatile memory cards, ROMs, EPROMs, and silicon disks.

[0074] Furthermore, it goes without saying that not only are the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments realized by the computer executing a program it has read, but also cases are included in which an OS (operating system) running on the computer performs some or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program, and the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments are realized through that processing.

[0075] Furthermore, it goes without saying that this also includes cases where a program read from a recording medium is written into a memory provided on a function expansion board inserted into a computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, and then a CPU or the like provided on the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs some or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program code, thereby realizing the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0076] Furthermore, the present invention may be applied to a system consisting of multiple devices, or to a device consisting of a single device. It goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to a case where the present invention is achieved by supplying a program to a system or device. In this case, the system or device can enjoy the effects of the present invention by reading a recording medium containing a program for achieving the present invention into the system or device.

[0077] Furthermore, by downloading and reading a program for achieving the present invention from a server, database, etc. on a network using a communication program, the system or device can enjoy the effects of the present invention. Note that the present invention also includes configurations that combine the above-mentioned embodiments and their modified examples. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 100 Document Search System

Claims

1. a registration means for registering information associated with a document collected from a document management source; a recording means for recording changes to the information accompanying the document in association with the document; an updating means for updating the information associated with the document based on the recorded changes when the information associated with the document is registered again; An information processing device comprising:

2. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a search means for the collected documents.

3. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a change accepting unit that accepts changes to information associated with the document retrieved by said retrieval unit.

4. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a display control means for controlling the display of information accompanying the document updated by the update means as a search result by the search means.

5. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the information accompanying the document is registered again by the registration means, the changes to the information accompanying the document recorded by the recording means are maintained.

6. a registration step in which the registration means registers information associated with the document collected from the document management source; a recording step in which a recording means records changes to information associated with the document in association with the document; an updating step in which, when the information associated with the document is registered again, an updating means updates the information associated with the document based on the recorded changes; 10. A method for controlling an information processing device, comprising:

7. Computer, a registration means for registering information associated with a document collected from a document management source; a recording means for recording changes to the information accompanying the document in association with the document; an updating means for updating the information associated with the document based on the recorded changes when the information associated with the document is registered again; A program to function as a

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