Novell, Inc.

Perfect Search Corporation

John P Pratt

Ronald P Millett

Bruce R Tietjen

Russell Clark Johnson

David O Robertson

John C Higgins

Dillon K Inouye

Michael A Eldredge

Ronald P Millet

Searching a data store for parameter patterns specified in a query. A method includes receiving a query from a user including N parameter patterns. One or more alternatives are associated to one or more of the N parameter patterns. One or more templates are created. Each of the templates describes a number of microsearches. Each of the microsearches includes one or more of the N parameter patterns or the alternatives. Microsearches described by at least one of the one or more templates are enumerated. One or more sub-microsearches are performed by searching for parameter patterns and/or alternatives. Each sub-microsearch may have less than all terms needed for a full microsearch. Based on the results of the one or more sub-microsearches, one or more microsearches are eliminated from searching. The data store is searched using one or more of the remaining microsearches.

Search templates

A search decision table comprises a plurality of references to indexes, such as full text indexes, where each index corresponds to one or more informational resources. The search decision table has a plurality of references to ranges of text, wherein each range of text is bound by a lower text limit and an upper text limit. Preferably, the references to ranges of text are arranged in the matrix sequentially in alphanumeric order, and each reference to a range of text comprises the lower text limit. A plurality of cross-referencing data in the matrix correlate the references to the ranges of text and the references to the indexes, wherein each of the cross-referencing data correspond to a reference to a range of text and to a reference to an index. Preferably, the matrix includes attribute data and/or index data for each reference to range of text. Other embodiments of search decision tables are also disclosed, as well different uses for the search decision table.

Method and apparatus for organizing and using indexes utilizing a search decision table

Methods of hierarchically parsing and indexing text are provided. A source text is parsed to identify first level text entities and lower level text entities wherein the lower level text entities are subsets of their parent text entities. First level text entities are assigned a first level value corresponding to their locations within the source text, and lower level text entities are assigned lower level values, subordinate to their corresponding parent level value. Multiple levels of text entity parsing and numbering may take place. The association of linguistically derived variants of the text entities with their locations takes place.

Methods of hierarchically parsing and indexing text

A method and system for generating and searching a full text index. The fill text index includes the use of word numbers and a minimum delta which minimizes the need to access document level information during the application of search operators. Word registers having coordinated document level and word level information, as well as relevance information are used in search operations. Word numbers are clustered together during sub-operations in preparation for the next operation in a search query. The fill text index according to the present invention is extremely efficient and greatly reduces table accesses and/or disk I/Os.

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American Fork, UT, United States of America

John P Pratt