Differential Indexing for Hyphenated Name Search Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Database search systems face challenges in accurately ranking search results for hyphenated names, as they often separate the hyphenated words, leading to incorrect indexing and reduced search precision.
Innovation Solution
Implementing differential indexing, which creates two indexes: one for normalized tokens and another for tokens eliminated during normalization, allowing for a combined search query that accounts for both formats, thereby reducing duplication and improving search scoring and resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the database separates hyphenated words during normalization, then search coverage is improved, but search precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the indexing process into two distinct indexes: a first index containing normalized tokens with hyphenated words separated, and a second index containing tokens that were eliminated during normalization (the hyphenated words themselves). This segmentation allows the system to maintain both search coverage through the first index and search precision through the second index, resolving the contradiction between these two features.
2Loss of energy
If a single normalized index is used, then resource usage is reduced, but search quality for special cases deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the indexing resources into two specialized indexes rather than using one large general index. The first index handles normalized search terms while the second index handles eliminated tokens. This segmentation allows each index to be optimized for its specific purpose, improving search quality for special cases like hyphenated names while keeping resource usage reasonable through targeted indexing.
3Quantity of substance
If hyphenated words are stored as separate tokens, then index size is reduced, but information accuracy is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the hyphenated words that are eliminated during normalization and stores them separately in a second index. This extraction process preserves the original hyphenated form information that would otherwise be lost, while the first index still benefits from the space efficiency of normalized separate tokens. The result is reduced overall information loss while maintaining reasonable index size.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for improving search speed and quality using differential indexing. One method includes an operation for building a first index for a database, the first index being for first tokens resulting from normalizing words in input data. Further, the method includes building a second index for the database, the second index being for second tokens comprising words of the input data eliminated from the first index during the normalizing. The method further includes operations for receiving a raw query for a search of the database, and for generating a search query based on tokens of the raw query. The search query comprises a combined search of the first index and the second index. A search is performed based on the search query, and results of the search are returned for presentation on a display.