Web Mining for Directory Database Enrichment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Business directory databases like YellowPages.com lack efficient and cost-effective methods to contact businesses to solicit additional information for enrichment, leading to incomplete listings that frustrate consumers and miss opportunities for businesses to provide anticipated information, thereby reducing traffic and revenue.

Innovation Solution

A web-mining method that determines business URLs, classifies them into categories, and extracts email addresses to send tailored messages inviting businesses to provide enriched information and subscribe to paid services, using pre-trained classifiers and validation techniques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If web-mining is used to automatically contact businesses for information enrichment, then the quality and quantity of directory database information is improved, but the device complexity and automation extent increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of business informationVSAvoidcomplexity of web-mining system

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables businesses to automatically provide their own information by scraping their public web pages. The web-mining system autonomously navigates business websites, extracts relevant information without human intervention, and populates the directory database, allowing the system to serve itself in gathering data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual mechanical processes of contacting businesses via phone or mail are replaced with automated web-mining technology. The system uses software agents to automatically visit business websites, extract information through programmed scraping techniques, and update the database, substituting human effort with computational processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If manual methods are used to contact businesses for information enrichment, then the system complexity is reduced, but the productivity and time efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of information enrichmentVSAvoidtime to contact and collect information

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The web-mining system operates continuously and automatically to enrich the directory database. Software agents continuously crawl business websites, extract new or updated information, and update the database in real-time or near-real-time, eliminating the interruptions and delays inherent in manual collection processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

Time-consuming manual activities such as calling businesses, sending letters, and manually entering data are replaced by automated web-mining software that instantly accesses business websites, extracts information through programmed methods, and updates the database without human time investment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Quantity of substance

If web-mining is implemented to solicit business information, then the quantity of enriched information increases, but the use of energy and computational resources increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevolume of business informationVSAvoidcomputational energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The web-mining system selectively extracts only the specific information needed for directory listings from business websites, rather than processing or storing all available data. It identifies and extracts key fields such as business hours, contact information, and services offered, minimizing unnecessary computational processing and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of operation

If automated web-mining is used to contact businesses, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability and accuracy of information extraction may worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomation of information collectionVSAvoidaccuracy of extracted information

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms to verify extracted information accuracy. It cross-checks extracted data against multiple sources, validates information formats, and uses confidence scoring to assess extraction reliability. When uncertainty is detected, the system can adjust its scraping strategies or flag entries for manual review, maintaining high accuracy while operating automatically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8930237B2Using web-mining to enrich directory service databases and soliciting service subscriptions

Publication Date: 2015.01.06 META PLATFORMS INC

AI summary

A system and method are provided for augmenting information on business directory databases and communicating with businesses is disclosed. Using the enriched business directory database and Web mining technology, customized email message are sent inviting businesses to enter their enriched business information into the directory or even subscribe to other paid services provided by the directory service.