Hit Index for Precise Search Hit Identification

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In electronic discovery, search systems fail to indicate which specific elements within a document family caused the document family to be included in the search results, making it difficult for reviewers to identify exact search hits within large datasets.

Innovation Solution

A search system generates a hit index based on search results and constraints, identifying the elements that match each constraint, and updates the search results to include visual indicators for these elements, allowing users to see which elements within a document family triggered the search hit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a search system provides search results from a large dataset of electronic discovery documents, then the quantity of search results increases, but the ability to identify exact search hits deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequantity of search resultsVSAvoidprecision of identifying exact search hits

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the search result information by separating the identification of exact search hits from the general search results. It creates a distinct hit index that segments and tracks which specific elements (documents, attachments, emails) matched the search constraints, allowing reviewers to see precisely which items are exact hits versus which are merely included in the result set.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a hit index as an intermediary data structure between the search engine and the user interface. This hit index acts as a mediator that stores and manages the identification information of exact search hits, enabling the system to provide precise hit identification without requiring changes to the underlying search result generation process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If a search system includes identification information for exact search hits in the search results, then the clarity of search hit identification improves, but the complexity of the search system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclarity of search hit identificationVSAvoidcomplexity of search system

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the complexity by creating a separate hit index module that handles identification information independently. This segmentation allows the main search system to remain relatively simple while the hit tracking functionality is isolated in a dedicated component that generates and manages the hit index separately from the search result generation process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hit index serves as an intermediary layer that manages the complexity of tracking exact search hits. By introducing this intermediate data structure, the system can provide detailed hit identification without requiring complex modifications to the core search engine, as the hit index absorbs and manages the complexity of tracking and storing identification information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If a search system processes large datasets with multiple constraints, then the accuracy of search results improves, but the time required to generate search results increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of search resultsVSAvoidtime to generate search results

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by generating the hit index concurrently with or immediately after the search results are generated. Rather than analyzing each search result to determine exact hits after the fact, the hit index is built in advance during the search execution process, capturing identification information as constraints are evaluated, thus avoiding additional processing time after search completion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains continuity of useful action by integrating hit index generation into the existing search result generation process. As the search engine evaluates documents against constraints and generates results, the hit index is continuously updated with identification information for exact matches, ensuring that both search results and hit identification are produced in a single continuous operation rather than requiring separate processing passes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS11151103B1Method for providing an indication of the exact search hit within a large universe of contextual information

Publication Date: 2021.10.19 ARCTERA US LLC

AI summary

A search system obtains a search result comprising an entry. The search result is based on a set of search constraints. The search system generates a hit index based on the search result and each constraint in the set of search constraints. The hit index includes identification information of an element associated with the entry that caused the entry to be included in the search result. The search system updates the search result to comprise an indication of the element associated with the entry based on the hit index.