JP4920642B2 - Web search support method, apparatus and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a Web search support method, apparatus, and program for supporting input of a search query necessary for Web search.

  When it is desired to obtain information about a certain item from the Web document, an operation is performed in which an appropriate search query is input to the search engine, and the Web document is accessed from the obtained search result.

  However, providing an appropriate search query to a search engine requires a search experience, and it is difficult for a user unfamiliar with search to input an appropriate search query.

Therefore, some search engines have a function of suggesting a search phrase in accordance with a search word input in a search window.
[Online], Google Suggest: Frequently Asked Questions, [Search June 18, 2008], Internet <URL: http: // labs. Google. com // intl / ja / suggestfaq. html>

  However, the above suggests a search phrase according to the popularity of the search word, and a search phrase unrelated to the popularity of the search word could not be received. Moreover, the attribute regarding the item of a search word was not necessarily suggested as an additional search word.

  The present invention is proposed in consideration of such circumstances, suggesting a search query regardless of the popularity of the search word, and suggesting an attribute related to the item entered by the user as an additional search word. An object of the present invention is to provide a Web search support method that can be used.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present inventor prepares information having a relationship between items, attributes, and attribute values acquired from a Web document, and relates to “items” that are search words input by the searcher. A mechanism for suggesting “attribute” and “attribute value” as additional search words has been found, and the present invention has been conceived.

  The Web search support method according to the present invention is based on information having a relationship between items, attributes, and attribute values included in a Web document, and “attributes” and “attributes” related to “items” that are search words input by a searcher. "Value" is suggested as an additional search word to assist in entering an appropriate search query.

(1) a step in which a Web search support apparatus extracts information in a table format or a database format from a Web document accessible via a communication network based on a tag included in the Web document;
Based on the subordinate relationship between the information indicated by the tag from the extracted information in the table format or database format, the attribute value indicating the predetermined item , the attribute subordinate to the item , and the content of the attribute Extracting information having the relationship of:
A step of storing the attribute relationship DB in association extracting the item, and the information having a relationship of the attributes and the attribute values,
Receiving an input including the item from a user terminal;
Reading out the attributes and the attribute value associated with the item that has received the input from the attribute relationship DB,
Web search support method and the client performs, and transmitting to the terminal of the user for displaying the attributes and selection interface which enables selecting the attribute values read.

  According to the configuration of the invention described in (1), for the item input to the terminal by the user, the selection interface that enables selection of the attribute and attribute value associated with the item is provided. In addition, it is possible to input an appropriate search query by a simple operation of simply selecting an attribute value. Therefore, in setting an appropriate search query, the experience that was conventionally required is not required. In addition, since information having a relationship between items, attributes, and attribute values is acquired from an arbitrary Web document, it is possible to suggest a search query regardless of the popularity of the search word.

  Here, the information in the table format includes information indicated in plain text expressed in the same way as the table by comma separation, space separation, or the like.

(2) When the attribute value associated with the attribute is numeric, then divided into a plurality of numerical ranges the numerical range in which a plurality of the attribute value associated with the attribute belongs for each predetermined threshold, in the selection interface method of characterizing that allows selecting one of the numerical ranges divided in place of the attribute value (1).

  According to the configuration of the invention described in (2), the user can perform a search by selecting a predetermined numerical range instead of selecting a specific numerical value that is an attribute value of an item.

  (3) A program that causes a computer to execute the method according to (1) or (2).

(4) Information group extraction means for extracting information in a table format or a database format from a Web document accessible via a communication network based on a tag included in the Web document;
Based on the subordinate relationship between the information indicated by the tag from the extracted information in the table format or database format, the attribute value indicating the predetermined item , the attribute subordinate to the item , and the content of the attribute extracting information with a relationship extraction the item, and the attribute relation extracting means for storing in association with information which has a relation of the attribute and the attribute value in the attribute relationship DB,
Query accepting means for accepting input including the item from the user's terminal;
Transmitting the attribute and the attribute value associated with the item that has received the input read from the attribute relationship DB, the user of the terminal to display the attributes and selection interface which enables selecting the attribute values read And a query suggestion means for performing a Web search support apparatus.

  According to the present invention, information having a relationship between an attribute having a subordinate relationship with respect to a predetermined item and an attribute value indicating the content of the attribute based on the subordinate relationship between pieces of information indicated by the tag from the Web document. Based on information that has been extracted and extracted and the relationship between the attribute, attribute value, and attribute value, the related attribute and attribute value are suggested as additional search words for the item that is the search word entered by the user, so the popularity of the search word The search query can be suggested regardless of the degree, and the attribute related to the item entered by the user can be suggested as an additional search word.

Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. This is merely an example, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to this .

[Overall configuration of Web search support device and related elements]
Figure 1 is a diagram showing the overall structure of the related elements and Web search support device 1 0 according to the present embodiment.

The web search support apparatus 10, the plurality of web server apparatuses 2, and the plurality of user terminals 20 according to the present embodiment are connected to a communication network N such as the Internet. It does not matter whether the connection with the network N is wired or wireless.

  Each Web server device 2 provides various Web documents in response to requests from the Web search support device 10. The Web search support apparatus 10 receives an input of “item” as a search query from a user terminal 20 connected on the communication network N, and selects an interface of “attribute” and “attribute value” related to the “item”. Is returned to the terminal 20 of the user. The Web search support apparatus 10 may be realized using a general computer.

The user terminal 20 is an information processing apparatus used by a user who executes a Web search, and corresponds to a general computer .

[Functional configuration of Web search support device]
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a functional configuration of the Web search support apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. The Web search support apparatus 10 includes a Web document storage unit 101, an information group extraction unit 102, and an attribute relationship extraction unit 103. In addition, it has a Web document DB 105, an information group storage unit 106, and an attribute relationship DB 107 (DB is an abbreviation for database).

The Web document storage unit 101 acquires a Web document from the Web server device 2 and stores it in the Web document DB 105. The information group extraction unit 102 reads a Web document stored in the Web document DB 105, extracts information in a table format or a database format based on the tag included in the read Web document, and stores the information in the information group storage unit 106. The attribute relationship extraction unit 103 reads the information in the table format or the database format stored in the information group storage unit 106, and based on the tag included in the read information, the relationship between items, attributes, and attribute values included in the information Is extracted, and the extracted information is registered in the attribute relationship DB 107. The Web document storage unit 101, the information group extraction unit 102, and the attribute relationship extraction unit 103 are realized by a computer executing a program.

  The Web document DB 105, the information group storage unit 106, and the attribute relationship DB 107 are provided in one area of the storage device 410 included in hardware described later.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a further overview of the functional configuration of the Web search support apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. The Web search support apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes a query reception unit 108, a query suggestion unit 109, and a search execution unit 110. In addition, the Web search support apparatus 10 includes an attribute relationship DB 107 that stores a plurality of pieces of information having a relationship between items, attributes, and attribute values collected from Web documents in advance.

  The query accepting means 108 accepts an input of “item” from the user terminal 2 via the communication network N and stores it in the item storage unit 112.

  The query suggestion unit 109 reads out from the attribute relation DB 107 one or more “attributes” associated with the “item” that received the input and one or more “attribute values” associated with the “attribute”. A selection interface enabling selection of “attribute” and “attribute value” is transmitted to the user terminal 20. Further, the query suggesting unit 109 acquires “attribute” and “attribute value” selected by the user via the transmitted selection interface from the user terminal 20 and stores them in the selection result storage unit 114.

  The search execution unit 110 reads the acquired “attribute” and “attribute value” from the selection result storage unit 114 and also reads the “item” previously input by the user from the item storage unit 112, and the user inputs first. A search query for Web search including the “item” and the selected “attribute” and “attribute value” as search conditions is generated and provided to the search engine 111.

  Further, the Web search support apparatus 10 includes a threshold value generation unit 113. When a plurality of “attribute values” associated with “attributes” read from the attribute relationship DB 107 by the query suggesting unit 109 are numerical values, the threshold value generating unit 113 has a plurality of “attribute values” associated with the “attributes”. A numerical range to which the numerical value belongs is divided for each predetermined threshold value to set a plurality of numerical ranges, and the selection interface can select one of the divided numerical ranges in place of the attribute value.

  Each of the above means is realized by a computer executing a program. Further, the above DB and each storage unit are provided in a storage area of a storage device 410 included in hardware described later.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of the Web document DB 105, the information group storage unit 106, the attribute relationship DB 107, and related elements.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the Web document DB 105 includes a document ID, a network address such as a URL of the Web document distributed on the communication network, and a source code that is a description of the Web document. They are stored in association with each other.

  As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the information group storage unit 106 stores information in the table format or database format extracted from the source code of the Web document together with tags constituting the table format or database format. Stored.

  As shown in FIG. 4E, the attribute relationship DB stores information having a relationship between items, attributes, and attribute values extracted from information in a table format or a database format.

  As shown in FIG. 4D, the present embodiment includes an attribute dictionary 104 used when extracting information having a relationship between items, attributes, and attribute values from information in a table format or a database format.

  4B and 4C are examples of information in a table format or database format extracted from a Web document. For example, the Web page (Web document) of the PC sales company A includes information in the table format or database format shown in FIG. 4B, and the Web page (Web document) of the PC sales company B is shown in FIG. It is assumed that the information in the table format or database format shown in c) is included.

  The information may be variously described as a group of HTML forming a pull-down list, described as an XML document, or described as a group of HTML forming a table with a table tag.

When it is described as a group of HTML that forms a pull-down list, for example, it is possible to determine the start tag and end tag of the <Select> tag and extract the start tag and end tag and the contents of the elements in between Conceivable.

  If the XML instance is described as an XML document, the XML instance has a hierarchical structure of information. For example, it is considered to extract the contents of an element between the top start tag and end tag of the XML instance. It is done.

If the table tag is described as a group of HTML forming a table, for example, the start tag and end tag of the <Table> tag are determined, and the start tag and end tag and the contents of the elements between them are determined. Can be considered.

  In the present embodiment, in the information of FIG. 4B, the item “notebook PC” is described in the first column and “CPU” and “clock” are described as the attributes of the notebook PC in the first row by the table tag. , “CPU xxx” and “CPU yyy” are described as attribute values of the attribute “CPU”, and “1.5 GHz” and “2.0 GHz” are described as attribute values of the attribute “clock”.

  When the relationship between items, attributes, and attribute values is accumulated in a database server or the like that stores the data that is the basis of these Web documents and is acquired using a program such as CGI, Information having these relationships is collected by executing a program such as CGI.

Further, in the present embodiment, the information in FIG. 4C is assumed to be formed by a table tag, and an item is included in a part of the <Caption> tag element content described as the <Table> tag element content. “Note PC” is described, and “CPU” and “Clock” are described as attributes of the item “Note PC” in the first row of the table immediately after that, and thereafter, “CPU” is set as an attribute value of the attribute “CPU”. zzz ”and“ CPU ppp ”are described, and“ 800 MHz ”and“ 3.2 GHz ”are described as attribute values of the attribute“ clock ”.

  FIG. 4D is an example of the attribute dictionary 104 used by the attribute relationship extraction unit. The attribute dictionary 104 is stored in a storage device 410 included in hardware described later. In the present embodiment, the attribute dictionary 104 associates items with attributes. For example, in addition to “notebook personal computer”, an item such as “notebook PC” is registered in the item. On the other hand, “CPU”, “HDD”, “battery”, “price”, and the like are registered as attributes related to the items. Furthermore, a lower attribute (attribute 2) related to the attribute (attribute 1) is registered. For example, for attribute 1 “CPU”, attribute 2 “clock”, “cache”, and the like are registered.

FIG. 4E shows an example of information having a relationship between items, attributes, and attribute values stored in the attribute relationship DB 107 . For each attribute relationship ID that is a unique number, an item, an attribute, and an attribute value are stored in association with each other. For example, an item “notebook personal computer” is stored assuming that the attribute value of attribute 1 “CPU” is “CPU xxx” and the attribute value of attribute 2 “clock” is “1.5 GHz” .

[Hardware configuration diagram of Web search support device]
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the Web search support apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.
The Web search support apparatus 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 310 (a plurality of CPUs such as a CPU 320 may be added in a multiprocessor configuration), a bus line 200, and a communication I / F (I / F). An interface) 330, a main memory 340, a BIOS (Basic Input Output System) 350, an I / O controller 360, a hard disk 370, an optical disk drive 380, and a semiconductor memory 390. The hard disk 370, the optical disk drive 380, and the semiconductor memory 390 are collectively referred to as a storage device 410.

  The control unit 300 is a part that controls the Web search support apparatus 10 in an integrated manner. By appropriately reading and executing various programs stored in the hard disk 370 (described later), the control unit 300 cooperates with the hardware described above. Various functions according to the invention are realized.

  The communication I / F 330 is a network in which the Web search support apparatus 10 transmits / receives information to / from the user terminals 20 (# 1) to 20 (#N) (FIG. 1) via the Internet N (FIG. 1). It is an adapter. The communication I / F 330 may include a modem, a cable modem, and an Ethernet (registered trademark) adapter.

  The BIOS 350 records a boot program executed by the CPU 310 when the Web search support apparatus 10 is started, a program that the Web search support apparatus 10 depends on hardware, and the like.

The I / O controller 360 may connect the hard disk 370, optical disk drive 38 0及 beauty semiconductor memory 390 or the like of the storage device 410.

  The hard disk 370 includes various programs for causing the hardware to function as the Web search support apparatus 10, a program for executing the functions of the present invention, the above-described DB, and each storage unit. Note that the Web search support apparatus 10 can also use a hard disk (not shown) separately provided as an external storage device.

As the optical disk drive 380, for example, a DVD-ROM drive, a CD-ROM drive, a DVD-RAM drive, or a CD-RAM drive can be used. In this case, the optical disk 400 corresponding to each drive is used. A program or data can be read from the optical disk 400 by the optical disk drive 380 and provided to the main memory 340 or the hard disk 370 via the I / O controller 360.

The Web search support apparatus 10 referred to in the present invention refers to an information processing apparatus including a storage device, a control unit, and the like. The Web search support apparatus 10 includes an information processing apparatus including a storage device 410, a control unit 300, and the like. This information processing apparatus is included in the concept of the Web search support apparatus of the present invention .

[Hardware configuration of user's terminal]
The user terminal 20 also has a hardware configuration similar to that of the Web search support apparatus 10 described above .

[Flowchart According to Embodiment of the Present Invention]
FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the information collection process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  S1: The Web document storage unit 101 downloads a Web document distributed on the network N from an arbitrary Web server device 2, and automatically generates the document ID and the communication using the URL of the Web document as an address on the network. The addresses are associated with each other and stored in the Web document DB 105. Further, the Web document storage unit 101 stores the document ID of the Web document and the source code that is a description of the Web document in association with each other.

  S2: The information group extraction unit 102 analyzes the source code of the Web document stored in the Web document DB 105, determines the presence of information in the table format or the database format based on the description of the tag included in the source code, When the information in the table format or the database format is found, the information is extracted and stored in the information group storage unit 106.

  As described above, as a method for determining information in a table format or a database format based on a tag, a method for finding a tag constituting a pull-down list, a method for judging an XML declaration, a method for finding a table tag, or the like can be considered.

  In the present embodiment, for example, information posted on the Web page of the PC sales company A shown in FIG. 4B and information posted on the Web page of the PC sales company B shown in FIG. And can be extracted. The information in FIGS. 4B and 4C is assumed to be configured by table tags as described above.

  S3: The attribute relationship extraction unit 103 analyzes the information in the table format or the database format stored in the information group storage unit 106, and extracts information having a relationship between items, attributes, and attribute values included in the information.

At the time of extraction, the attribute relationship extraction unit 103 estimates the location of information having a relationship among items, attributes, and attribute values. Several estimation methods are conceivable.
(1) When the information in the table format or the database format forms a pull-down list by the <Select> tag, for example, the value of the name attribute of the <Select> tag is estimated as an item, and the <Select> tag It is possible to presume that the element contents of the <Option> tag listed in the element contents are attributes and attribute values related to the item. For example,
<Select name = "Note PC">
<Option> CPU xxx 1.5 GHz </ option>
<Option> CPU yyy 2.0GHz </ option>
</ Select>
In the above description, the attribute value “CPU xxx” of the item “notebook PC” and the attribute “CPU” can be estimated. The attribute following the attribute “CPU” can be estimated as “clock”, and the attribute value “1.5 GHz” of the attribute “clock” can be estimated. Similarly, the attribute value “CPU yy” of the item “notebook computer”, the attribute “CPU”, and the attribute value “2.0 GHz” of the attribute “clock” can be estimated.
(2) If the information in the table format or the database format is an XML instance, the upper tag element name forming the hierarchical structure is estimated as “item”, and the tag element name one lower level is set as “attribute” It is possible to estimate, and the attribute or element content of the tag element name indicating the “attribute” can be estimated as the “attribute value”. For example,
<Notebook PC>
<CPU type = “CPU zzz”>
<Clock> 1.1GHz </ Clock>
</ CPU>
<CPU type = “CPU ppp”>
<Clock> 3.2GHz </ Clock>
</ CPU>
</ Notebook PC>
In the above, the attribute value “CPU zzz” of the item “notebook computer”, the attribute “CPU”, and the attribute value “1.1 GHz” of the attribute “clock” can be estimated. Similarly, the attribute value “CPU pp” of the item “notebook computer”, the attribute “CPU”, and the attribute value “3.2 GHz” of the attribute “clock” can be estimated.
(3) When the information in the table format or the database format is configured by a table tag, for example, the table title is estimated as “item”, the element column in the first row is estimated as each “attribute”, It is conceivable that the elements in the second and subsequent rows are estimated as “attribute values” corresponding to the attributes in the same column. For example,
<Table>
<Caption> notebook computer </ caption>
<Tr>
<Td> CPU </ td>
<Td> clock </ td>
</ Tr>
<Tr>
<Td> CPU zzz </ td>
<Td> 1.1 GHz </ td>
</ Tr>
<Tr>
<Td> CPU ppp </ td>
<Td> 3.2 GHz </ td>
</ Tr>
</ Table>
In the above, the attribute value “CPU zzz” of the item “notebook computer”, the attribute “CPU”, and the attribute value “1.1 GHz” of the attribute “clock” can be estimated. Similarly, the attribute value “CPU pp” of the item “notebook computer”, the attribute “CPU”, and the attribute value “3.2 GHz” of the attribute “clock” can be estimated.

  (4) A method using the attribute dictionary 104 is also conceivable. The attribute relationship extraction unit 103 refers to the item registered in the attribute dictionary 104 and determines whether the same item is included in the information A stored in the information group storage unit 106. If the same item is included, the attribute dictionary 104 refers to the attribute associated with the item and determines whether the information A includes the same attribute. If the same attribute is included, the element content immediately after the attribute in the information A is estimated to be the attribute value for the attribute. When the attribute dictionary 104 is used, even if a part of a word that does not require text representing an item or attribute is included, the unnecessary word or phrase can be ignored and an item name or attribute name can be acquired.

  Note that the attribute relationship extraction unit 103 may extract information located immediately above, directly below, or immediately to the left of the tabular information as the item. Further, in the tabular information, the information located in the upper row or the left column may be used as an attribute, and the information located below or to the right may be extracted as an attribute value. Furthermore, the information located immediately to the left of the database format information may be extracted as an attribute, and the database format information may be extracted as the attribute value.

  S4: The attribute relationship extraction unit 103 registers information having the relationship between the item, the attribute, and the attribute value extracted in S3 in the attribute relationship DB 107. In the present embodiment, the attribute relationship extraction unit 103 refers to the attribute dictionary 104 at the time of registration and unifies the item synonyms into one type. For example, the item “notebook PC” obtained from the information shown in FIG. 4B refers to the item in the attribute dictionary shown in FIG. This makes it easier to utilize the information in the generated attribute relationship DB 107 by unifying items. However, a synonym dictionary may be provided separately from the attribute dictionary 104, and the synonyms of items and attributes may be unified by referring to the synonym dictionary. According to the example of information shown in FIG. 4, the attribute relationship DB 107 shown in FIG. 4E can be generated from the information in the table format or database format shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C.

  As described above, the information group extraction unit 102 and the attribute relationship extraction unit 103 extract information having a relationship between items, attributes, and attribute values based on tags included in the Web document. Can be automatically collected from a plurality of different Web documents and acquired as information organized by attribute.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not restricted to embodiment mentioned above. For example, “item” is not limited to the example of the present embodiment, and anything with “attribute” and “attribute value” can be “item”. Further, a method for extracting information in a tabular database format and a method for extracting information having a relationship between items, attributes, and attribute values from the information are not limited to the examples in the present embodiment. In addition, each step shown in FIG. 6 does not need to be executed all at once every time one Web document is accumulated. Each step may perform batch processing asynchronously.

FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of the search support process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  S 10: The query receiving means 108 receives the input of “item” from the user terminal 2 via the communication network N and stores it in the item storage unit 112. For example, “notebook computer” is accepted as an item and stored in the item storage unit 112.

  S20: The query suggestion unit 109 reads the “item” that has been accepted from the item storage unit, and includes one or more “attributes” associated with the “item” and one or more associated with the “attribute”. “Attribute value” is read from the attribute relation DB 107.

For example, when the item is “notebook computer”, the query suggestion unit 109 refers to the attribute relation DB 107 shown in FIG. 4E , and attributes “CPU”, “clock”, etc. associated with the item “notebook computer”. Is read.

S30: When the attribute value read by the query suggesting means 109 is a numerical value, the threshold value generating means 113 executes a numerical value range division setting process. For example, if the read clock of the CPU from the attribute relationship DB107 in FIG 4 (e), 800MHz, 1 . A plurality of attribute values such as 5 GHz are read out. In this case, the query suggesting unit 109 sets and outputs a plurality of numerical ranges including the plurality of attribute values.

For example, in the attribute relationship DB 107 shown in FIG. 4E , the clock attribute values are distributed in the range of 800 MHz to 3.2 GHz. For example, a plurality of numerical ranges such as 1 GHz or less, 1.1 GHz to 1.5 GHz, 1.6 GHz to 2 GHz, 2.1 GHz to 2.5 GHz, 2.6 GHz or more are set.

  There are several other methods for setting the numerical range. For example, the attribute values may be set so as to have almost the same number.

In the example of FIG. 4E , for example, the clock attribute value is 1 GHz or less, 1.1 GHz to 1.5 GHz, 1.6 GHz to 2 GHz, 2.1 GHz to 2.5 GHz, 2.6 GHz or more. Set multiple numerical ranges. The threshold generation unit 113 passes the set numerical value range information to the query suggestion unit 109.

  S40: The query suggestion unit 109 generates a selection interface that enables selection of the “attribute” and “attribute value” read in S2. Here, when the query suggesting means 109 has acquired the numerical value range set from the threshold value generating means 113 in S30, it is possible to select one of the numerical value ranges set in the division instead of the “attribute value”. The selection interface is generated and transmitted to the user terminal 20.

  FIG. 8 is an example of the selection interface. This selection interface includes a search window for inputting “item”, a search button for transmitting the input “item” to the query receiving means 108, and attributes (price, CPU, HDD) regarding the input item (notebook computer). , Battery,..., And an attribute (clock, memory,...) Related to the item (CPU) selected in the first attribute pull-down list. A second attribute pull-down list, and an attribute value select box for selecting an attribute value related to the attribute (clock) selected in the second attribute pull-down list. In the example of FIG. 6, any of the numerical value ranges generated by the threshold generation unit 113 can be selected as an element of the attribute value select box instead of the attribute value.

  S50: The query suggestion unit 109 acquires the “attribute” and “attribute value” selected by the user via the selection interface transmitted in S40 from the user terminal 20 and stores them in the selection result storage unit 114. When the attribute is registered in the attribute relationship DB 107 as the “item” for the selected “attribute”, the query suggesting unit 109 repeats the processing of S20 to S40 for the “item”. Thereby, in the example of FIG. 8, when “CPU” is selected, “clock”, “memory”, and the like can be further selected.

  The query suggesting unit 109 determines that the selection operation by the user is completed when the attribute value or the numerical range of the set attribute value is selected.

  S60: When the query suggesting unit 109 determines that the selection operation has been completed by the user, the search execution unit 110 reads the “attribute” and “attribute value” selected so far from the selection result storage unit 114, and the user first The input “item” is read from the item storage unit 112, and a search query for Web search including the “item” previously input by the user and the selected “attribute” and “attribute value” as search conditions is generated. To the search engine 111.

  S <b> 70: The search engine 111 executes a search process using the search query given from the search execution means 110, and transmits the search result to the user terminal 20. When a numerical range is selected, the numerical unit that is considered to be appropriate for the search engine (for example, 0.1 GHz unit for the number of clocks, 10 GB unit for the hard disk, etc.) A plurality of search keywords may be generated, and each of them may be delivered under an OR condition.

  According to the present embodiment described above, the query suggesting unit 109 suggests the choices of attributes and attribute values related to the item input by the user, and the user simply selects the attribute and attribute value from the suggested choices. Is complete. For this reason, the user can input an appropriate search query by a simple operation of simply selecting an attribute and an attribute value related to an item. Therefore, in setting an appropriate search query, the experience that was conventionally required is not required. In addition, since information having a relationship between items, attributes, and attribute values is acquired from an arbitrary Web document, it is possible to suggest a search query regardless of the popularity of the search word.

  In addition, the user can select a predetermined numerical range instead of selecting a specific numerical value that is an item attribute value by the function of the threshold value generation unit 113.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not restricted to embodiment mentioned above. For example, the Web search support apparatus does not need to have a search engine. External search engines can be used. In that case, the Web search support apparatus may only provide information on options for a selection interface running on the browser of the user's terminal. In the above embodiment, the item is stored in the item storage unit, but when the selection interface is transmitted to the user's terminal, the item value is also passed as an argument, and the attribute or attribute value is selected from the user's terminal. When transmitting the result, an item value may be added. Further, the threshold value generation unit may generate a numerical range of the set attribute value at an arbitrary timing by operating asynchronously with the operation of the query suggestion unit, and may store it in the database in advance. In this case, since the information can be read immediately when the query suggestion means needs the numerical range of the set attribute value, the response to the user terminal is accelerated.

  The effects described in the embodiments of the present invention are only the most preferable effects resulting from the present invention, and the effects of the present invention are limited to those described in the embodiments of the present invention. is not.

1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a Web search support apparatus and related elements according to an embodiment. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of a function structure of the web search assistance apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the further function structure of the Web search assistance apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of a web document database which concerns on this embodiment, an information group extraction means, an attribute relation database, and a related element. It is a figure which shows the hardware constitutions of the Web search assistance apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. 3 shows a flowchart of an information collection process according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 shows a flowchart of search support processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the selection interface which concerns on this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

2 Web server device 10 Web search support device 20 User terminal 108 Query accepting means 109 Query suggesting means 110 Search executing means 112 Item storage unit 107 Attribute relation DB
114 Selection result storage unit 113 Threshold generation means 111 Search engine

Claims (4)

A step in which a Web search support apparatus extracts information in a table format or a database format from a Web document accessible via a communication network based on a tag included in the Web document;
Based on the subordinate relationship between the information indicated by the tag from the extracted information in the table format or database format, the attribute value indicating the predetermined item , the attribute subordinate to the item , and the content of the attribute Extracting information having the relationship of:
A step of storing the attribute relationship DB in association extracting the item, and the information having a relationship of the attributes and the attribute values,
Receiving an input including the item from a user terminal;
Reading out the attributes and the attribute value associated with the item that has received the input from the attribute relationship DB,
Web search support method and the client performs, and transmitting to the terminal of the user for displaying the attributes and selection interface which enables selecting the attribute values read. If the attribute value associated with the attribute is numeric, the numerical range in which a plurality of the attribute value associated with the attribute belongs is divided into a plurality of numerical ranges for each predetermined threshold value, the attribute in the selection interface the method of claim 1 wherein characterized in that one of the numerical ranges divided in place of the value can be selected.   A program for causing a computer to execute the method according to claim 1. Information group extraction means for extracting information in a table format or a database format from a Web document accessible via a communication network based on a tag included in the Web document;
Based on the subordinate relationship between the information indicated by the tag from the extracted information in the table format or database format, the attribute value indicating the predetermined item , the attribute subordinate to the item , and the content of the attribute extracting information with a relationship extraction the item, and the attribute relation extracting means for storing in association with information which has a relation of the attribute and the attribute value in the attribute relationship DB,
Query accepting means for accepting input including the item from the user's terminal;
Transmitting the attribute and the attribute value associated with the item that has received the input read from the attribute relationship DB, the user of the terminal to display the attributes and selection interface which enables selecting the attribute values read And a query suggestion means for performing a Web search support apparatus.

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