SYSTEM FOR, AND METHOD OF, RANKING SEARCH RESULTS OBTAINED BY SEARCHING A BODY OF DATA RECORDS

摘要

A weighting processor and a method for ranking search results obtained by searching a body of data records. The ranking is carried out in relation to at least one selected search term contained in a taxonomy in which search terms have associated metadata which, for each search term, identifies a category and includes any measure of relatedness to at least one different search term in the same category, the measure being based on co-occurrences of the search terms in individual ones of a plurality of data records. The search results identify data records containing one or more search terms from the taxonomy and the results are ranked by summing, for each data record of the results, the measures of relatedness of search terms present in the data record to the selected search term(s).

主权项

1. A method of ranking search results obtained by searching a body of data records, the method comprising:
selecting at least one search term of a taxonomy, the taxonomy comprising search terms having associated metadata which, for each search term, identifies a category and includes any positive measure of relatedness to at least one different search term in the same category, the measure of relatedness being based on co-occurrences of the search terms in individual ones of a plurality of data records; for each data record of the search results, summing the measures of relatedness of any search terms from the taxonomy present in the data record and having the same category in relation to the selected search term(s); and ranking the search results at least partially according to the summed measures of relatedness.