Screen Trace Information Retrieval System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional information provision systems do not adequately enhance user operability in obtaining desired information, as users can only select keywords from presented options and cannot freely designate search criteria.

Innovation Solution

An information provision system that allows users to designate positions on a screen, extract character strings, and use traces to set search conditions, leveraging correlation relationship information to filter and sort information lists based on user input.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users can only select keywords from presented options, then the system operation is simplified, but user freedom in designating search criteria is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiduser freedom in designating search criteria
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts character strings directly from content displayed on the screen based on user designation, allowing the system to automatically provide search keywords without requiring users to manually select from predefined options. This self-service approach maintains operational simplicity while expanding user freedom.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The trace input mechanism serves multiple functions: it identifies character strings for search, determines search conditions, and enables flexible query formulation. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by providing a single unified interface that both simplifies operation and enhances user freedom.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If multiple operations are required to set search criteria, then search accuracy can be improved, but user operability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesearch accuracyVSAvoiduser operability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system combines character string extraction, trace acquisition, and search condition determination into a single integrated operation. When users designate a position and input a trace on the screen, the system simultaneously extracts the character string and determines the search conditions, achieving both high search accuracy and excellent user operability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary extraction of character strings from displayed content based on user designation before executing the search. This preliminary action prepares accurate search criteria in advance, ensuring search precision while requiring minimal user input operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the system provides detailed correlation relationship information, then information retrieval accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation retrieval accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the necessary correlation relationship information between traces and content from the complex data structure, focusing on the essential associations needed for accurate information retrieval. This selective extraction maintains high retrieval accuracy while avoiding the complexity of processing the entire data structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2717177B1Information provision system, information provision system control method, information provision device, program, and information recording medium
Publication Date: 2018.03.14 RAKUTEN GROUP INC
  • EP2717177B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2717177B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2717177B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

To provide an information provision system capable of improving a user's operability in obtaining a list of desired information. A designated position obtaining unit (50) obtains a position in a screen designated by the user. In the case where the user designates a position in the screen and thereafter moving the designated position to thereby input a trace, a trace obtaining unit (51) obtains the trace input by the user. A character string extraction unit (52) extracts a character string from content shown in the screen, based on the position obtained by the designated position obtaining unit (50) or the trace obtained by the trace obtaining unit (51). A list obtaining unit (53) obtains a list of information, based on the character string extracted by the character string extraction unit (52) and the trace obtained by the trace obtaining unit (51). A display control unit (54) displays a list screen showing a list of information obtained by the list obtaining unit (53) on a display unit.