Metadata Search Indexing with Graph Link Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current metadata search techniques lack effectiveness in utilizing relationship data between metadata items, leading to suboptimal search results and inefficient retrieval of relevant metadata in structured data sources.

Innovation Solution

A system that generates an index mapping metadata items to associated terms and creates a graph to describe relationships between metadata items, using link analysis, term-based scoring, and instance frequency scoring to rank search results, with the ability to adjust weights based on user feedback and refine search terms through spelling correction, auto-completion, and query reformulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional metadata search techniques are used, then the search process is simple, but the relevance and accuracy of search results are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesearch result relevanceVSAvoidsearch system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-building an index that maps metadata items to terms and pre-creating a graph that describes relationships between metadata items before actual search queries are executed. This allows the complex analysis to be done in advance, improving search result relevance without adding complexity during the actual search operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary graph structure that mediates between the metadata items and search queries. The graph represents relationships between metadata items and serves as an intermediate layer for link analysis, enabling the system to leverage relationship data to improve search relevance without directly complicating the search interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If relationship data between metadata items is not utilized, then the search system is simpler, but the retrieval efficiency of relevant metadata is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemetadata retrieval efficiencyVSAvoidsearch system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-processes and stores relationship data in a graph structure before search operations. By building the graph and computing relationships in advance, the system can efficiently retrieve relevant metadata using link analysis during actual search queries, improving productivity without adding real-time computational complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical search approaches with a graph-based representation and link analysis mechanism. This substitution allows the system to leverage relational data for more efficient retrieval while managing complexity through structured data representation rather than complex processing algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If comprehensive scoring and ranking mechanisms are implemented, then search result accuracy is improved, but the computational resources required increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesearch result accuracyVSAvoidcomputational resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs comprehensive scoring and ranking calculations in advance by pre-computing link analysis scores and term-based scores for all metadata items. This preliminary computation allows accurate search results to be returned quickly during actual queries without consuming significant computational resources at query time, as the heavy lifting is already done.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8700673B2Mechanisms for metadata search in enterprise applications
Publication Date: 2014.04.15 ORACLE INT CORP
  • US8700673B2 patent drawing
  • US8700673B2 patent drawing
  • US8700673B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Metadata search is enhanced by utilizing relationship data indicating relationships between metadata items. A server generates an index mapping metadata items to terms associated with the metadata items and a graph describing relationships between each of the metadata items. When the server receives a search request, the server locates a candidate set of the metadata items based on the search term(s) and the index. The server performs a link analysis of the graph to determine a relationship score for each metadata item. For each particular metadata item in the candidate set of the metadata items, the server calculates a ranking score based at least on the relationship score for the particular metadata item. The server generates a ranked result set based on comparing the ranking scores for the candidate set of metadata items. The server then provides information indicating the ranked result set in response to the search request.