Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.

Jeremy Pickens

Gene Golovchinsky

Maribeth Joy Back

Matthew L Cooper

Anthony Dunnigan

Described is a new framework that combines the best of both exploratory search and social search: Collaborative exploratory search. This system allows a small group of focused information seekers to search through a collection of information in concert. The system provides exploratory feedback not only based on the individual's search behavior, but on the current, active search behavior of one's fellow search allies. The assumption is that the users who have gotten together to search collaboratively have the same information need, but differing perspectives and insights as to how to best express the queries to meet that need. The collaborative exploratory search system will therefore provide tools and algorithmic support to focus, enhance, and augment searcher activities. Searchers can, by interacting with each other through system-mediated information displays, help each other find all relevant information more efficiently and effectively.

Systems and methods for collaborative exploratory search

A search system generates a plurality of pseudo-documents for a set of documents. Each pseudo-document includes a representation one or more documents from the set of documents that would be retrieved in response to executing a respective basis query over the set of documents. The search system generates an index of the plurality of pseudo-documents. The index provides an indication, for a plurality of respective documents from the set of documents, of the pseudo-documents that include a representation of the respective document. After generating the index, the search system receives a document-query that includes a representation of a first document; and in response to receiving the document-query, the search system identifies one or more pseudo-documents that include representations of at least one document having a predefined relationship to the first document; and generates a result that is based on the first set of one or more pseudo-documents.

System and method for retrieving information using a query based index

Speculative query expansion is a way to increase the effectiveness of relevance feedback. Instead of picking the best expansion query beforehand, multiple queries are executed and the best expansion query is selected afterward, but with no additional effort (or information) required from the user. From the best expansion query, search results and expanded queries more pertinent to the user can therefore be provided.

Speculative query expansion for relevance feedback

A novel method for going beyond the observed properties of a keyword, to a model in which the presence of a term in a document is assessed not by looking at the actual occurrence of that term, but by a set of non-independent supporting terms, defining the context. In other words, similarity is determined not by properties of the keyword, but by properties of the keyword's context. This yields a scoring for documents which is useful for ad hoc retrieval and, by extension, any information retrieval task where keyword-based similarity is needed.

Apparatus and method for term context modeling for information retrieval

A method and system for additively, manually sequentially or manually in parallel, selecting multiple points or regions of interest in the analog or digital viewfinder of a photo or video camera with automatic controls like auto-focusing, auto-metering and auto white-balancing. Points or regions capable of being selected, within a grid of elements comprising a camera's evaluative matrix and represented to the user in a viewfinder or other display, may be hard-coded (pre-defined, selectable regions) or any point, pixel, or group of pixels. Data from the selected regions is used to simultaneously, dynamically adjust focus related parameters, light metering and white balancing of the camera and is tied into these features. Point selection may be via touch screen or by holding down a lock button. The selected points or regions may be applied to focus and aperture related adjustments or for any other camera function related to measurement of the scene.

System and method for manual selection of multiple evaluation points for camera control

Described is a component-based control system involving the interface and middleware layers for collaborative exploratory search. The components include modules for multi-user input and display capabilities, and are individually configurable to allow simultaneous manipulation of multiple search parameters and algorithms. In a collaborative exploratory search, a team of people with a shared information need engage in exploratory search together. This search happens synchronously, leveraging realtime feedback in the search loop. The search team works together, finding patterns and information that each player individually might not have found, and doing so more efficiently than any single person could have. Each team member brings their own expertise and point of view to a shared problem. Distributing tasks and roles among team members leverages individual expertise and creates efficiencies of scale. Supporting the different roles and tasks involves resolving complexities in control and display; a regulatory component performs this task.

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Milpitas, CA, United States of America

Jeremy Pickens