Apparatus and method for retrieval of documents

Abstract

A system for support and management of search for documents is presented. The system includes a knowledge-database, query interface and communication to a database of documents to be searched. Information generated during a search session is collected by the system and is added to the knowledge-database. The information is ranked automatically according to the usage of that information by the user. During successive search session or during a search made by another user, the system uses the knowledge database to support the users with keywords, queries and reference documents.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for sorting references to documents for display, the method comprising:
 storing, in a system database, search queries previously submitted by users of a search system, each search query associated with one or more documents;   receiving, from a client device, a first query including a first keyword;   retrieving, from the system database, one or more stored queries containing the first keyword;   ranking the retrieved queries based on:
 a number of keywords in the stored queries that are also in the first query; and 
 a history of user interaction with documents associated with the stored queries; and 
   sending for display on the client device the ranked queries and summaries of documents associated with the ranked queries.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a list of terms related to the first keyword, the related terms extracted from one or more stored queries;   ranking the related terms based on a number of times each term appears in all system search queries; and   sending for display on the client device the ranked list of related terms.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the client device, a second query, the second query including one or more related terms;   receiving user selection of one or more Boolean relations;   retrieving, from the system database, one or more documents associated with the second query; and   sending for display on the client device summaries of the retrieved documents.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising filtering the documents associated with the ranked queries based on a history of user interaction with the documents. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein filtering the documents comprises removing documents previously viewed by a searching user. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein filtering the documents comprises removing documents not previously viewed by a searching user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising filtering the documents associated with the ranked queries based on a date range. 
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, in response to executing, cause a device comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:
 storing, in a system database, search queries previously submitted by users of a search system, each search query associated with one or more documents;   receiving, from a client device, a first query including a first keyword;   retrieving, from the system database, one or more stored queries containing the first keyword;   ranking the retrieved queries based on:
 a number of keywords in the stored queries that are also in the first query; and 
 a history of user interaction with documents associated with the stored queries; and 
   sending for display on the client device the ranked queries and summaries of documents associated with the ranked queries.   
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 generating a list of terms related to the first keyword, the related terms extracted from one or more stored queries;   ranking the related terms based on a number of times each term appears in all system search queries; and   sending for display on the client device the ranked list of related terms.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving, from the client device, a second query, the second query including one or more related terms;   receiving user selection of one or more Boolean relations;   retrieving, from the system database, one or more documents associated with the second query; and   sending for display on the client device summaries of the retrieved documents.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise filtering the documents associated with the ranked queries based on a history of user interaction with the documents. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein filtering the documents comprises removing documents previously viewed by a searching user. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein filtering the documents comprises removing documents not previously viewed by a searching user. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise filtering the documents associated with the ranked queries based on a date range. 
     
     
         15 . A computer system comprising:
 one or more computer processors for executing computer program instructions; and   a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by the one or more computer processors to perform steps comprising:
 storing, in a system database, search queries previously submitted by users of a search system, each search query associated with one or more documents; 
 receiving, from a client device, a first query including a first keyword; 
 retrieving, from the system database, one or more stored queries containing the first keyword; 
 ranking the retrieved queries based on:
 a number of keywords in the stored queries that are also in the first query; and 
 a history of user interaction with documents associated with the stored queries; and 
 
 sending for display on the client device the ranked queries and summaries of documents associated with the ranked queries. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 generating a list of terms related to the first keyword, the related terms extracted from one or more stored queries;   ranking the related terms based on a number of times each term appears in all system search queries; and   sending for display on the client device the ranked list of related terms.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the client device, a second query, the second query including one or more related terms;   receiving user selection of one or more Boolean relations;   retrieving, from the system database, one or more documents associated with the second query; and   sending for display on the client device summaries of the retrieved documents.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising filtering the documents associated with the ranked queries based on a history of user interaction with the documents. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein filtering the documents comprises removing documents previously viewed by a searching user. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein filtering the documents comprises removing documents not previously viewed by a searching user.