Using an ID domain to improve searching

摘要

Methods which use an ID domain to improve searching are described. An embodiment describes an index phase in which an image of a document is converted into the ID domain. This is achieved by dividing the text in the image into elements and mapping each element to an identifier. Similar elements are mapped to the same identifier. Each element in the text is then replaced by the appropriate identifier to create a version of the document in the ID domain. This version may be indexed and searched. Another embodiment describes a query phase in which a query is converted into the ID domain and then used to search an index of identifiers which has been created from collections of documents which have been converted into the ID domain. The conversion of the query may use mappings which were created during the index phase or alternatively may use pre-existing mappings.