Context-Sensitive Document Search Using Hierarchical Metadata Boosts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing help systems in software applications often fail to provide users with contextually relevant documents efficiently, as they rely on simple search features that do not account for hierarchical metadata, leading to suboptimal results in document retrieval.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes hierarchical attribute values to determine boost values for metadata, generating queries to retrieve relevant documents based on these values, and sorting them by relevance scores, thereby providing contextually relevant documents to users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If simple search features are used, then device complexity is reduced, but document retrieval relevance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transforming simple search queries into enhanced search parameters that include hierarchical metadata attributes (product hierarchy, category hierarchy, feature hierarchy) with associated boost values. The search system modifies the query parameters to incorporate these hierarchical structures, enabling more precise document retrieval while maintaining user-friendly search functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism that bridges simple user search inputs and complex document retrieval requirements. The system uses metadata boost values and hierarchical attribute mappings as intermediaries to translate basic search terms into context-aware queries that leverage the full hierarchical structure of product, category, and feature metadata for optimized document selection.
2Measurement precision
If hierarchical metadata is utilized, then document retrieval relevance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing and storing boost values for hierarchical metadata attributes before the search occurs. The system pre-establishes the hierarchical structures (product, category, feature) and their corresponding weight values, so that during actual search operations, the system can directly retrieve and apply these pre-computed values without performing complex real-time calculations, thereby reducing operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the complex hierarchical metadata into distinct, manageable components: product hierarchy, category hierarchy, and feature hierarchy. Each hierarchy is processed and stored separately with its own boost values, allowing the search system to handle complexity in modular segments rather than as a monolithic complex structure.
3Measurement precision
If context-sensitive search is implemented, then information accuracy is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing boost values for hierarchical metadata attributes and storing them in advance. This allows the search system to retrieve documents using pre-prepared contextual information rather than performing complex real-time analysis, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining high information accuracy through context-sensitive search.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments provide a non-transitory machine-readable medium that stores a program. The program receives a set of metadata associated with a web page provided by an application. The set of metadata includes a first attribute value in a first hierarchy of attributes and a second attribute value in a second hierarchy of attributes. The method further determines a set of boost values based on the set of metadata, the first hierarchy, and the second hierarchy. The method also generates a query for documents associated with the web page based on the set of boost values. The method further executes the query in order to generate a result set of document associated with the web page.