United States Patent £191
`Fujisawa et al.
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`4,868,733
`Sep. 19, 1989
`
`[75]
`
`[54] DOCUMENT FILING SYSTEM WITH
`KNOWLEDGE-BASE NETWORK OF
`CONCEPT INTERCONNECI'ED BY
`GENERIC, SUBSUMPTION, AND
`SUPERCLASS RELATIONS
`Inventors: Hiromichi Fujisawa, Tokorozawa;
`Jun'ichi Higashino; Atushi
`Hatakeyama, both of Kokubunji, all
`of Japan
`(73) Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
`[21] Appl. No.: 844,123
`Mar. 26, 1986
`[22] Filed:
`[30]
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`Mar. 27, 1985 [JP]
`Japan .................................. 60-60678
`Int. Q,4 ......................... G06F 7/28; G06F 15/21
`[51]
`[52] u.s. a ...................................... 364/200; 364/513
`[58) Field of Search ......•......... 364/521, 200 MS File,
`364/900 MS File, 5 13
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`4,298,957 11/1981 Duvall et al. ....................... 364/900
`4,305,131 12/1981 Best ..................................... 364/521
`4,318,184 3/1982 Millett et al ........................ 364/900
`4,358,824 11/1982 Glickman et al ................... 364/200
`4,384,329 5/1983 Rosenbaum et al ................ 364/200
`4,420,817 12/1983 Yoshida ............................... 364/900
`4,497,039 1/1985 K.itakami et al .................... 364/900
`4,575,798 3/1986 Lindstrom et al .................. 364/200
`4,606,002 8/1986 Waisman et al .................... 364/200
`4,611,298 9/1986 Schuldt ............................... 364/900
`
`[56]
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`A vron Barr, The Handbook of Artificial Intelligence,
`vol. 1, 1981, pp. 180-183.
`William A. Woods, IEEE Computer, vol. 16, No. 10,
`Oct. 1983, pp. 22-27.
`
`Primary Examiner-Archie E. Williams, Jr.
`Assistant Examiner-Leo Li Wang
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Antonelli, Terry & Wands
`ABSTRAcr
`[57]
`A document filing system is provided for storing a large
`amount of information in proper arrangement for facili(cid:173)
`tating utilization thereof by a user, while allowing se(cid:173)
`mantical retrieval to be realized even from vague frag(cid:173)
`mental information. Further, a method is provided for
`expressing the facts consitituting information in terms of
`"concepts" representing things and "relations" defmed
`between the concepts internally of computer, and a
`method of inputting user's information to a computer
`through dialogical procedure and retrieving desired
`information. Information stored of the computer archi(cid:173)
`tects internally a concept network which is displayed in
`various forms such as hierarchical form based on sub(cid:173)
`sumption relations between the concepts, hierarchical
`representation based on part-whole relation between
`the concept, a frame display of a single concepts, and
`tabular representation of a set of concepts belonging to
`a given class. The network may be browsed by referring
`to the contents of the display so that a user can easily
`know what kind of information has been stored inter(cid:173)
`nally of the computer, whereby he or she can perform
`inputting of new information and retrieval of desired
`information in a facilitated and simplified manner. The
`relations stored internally of the computer are classified
`into "generic relationship" and "instance relation" rep(cid:173)
`resenting individual facts, whereby a generic frame(cid:173)
`work of facts can be stored. The generic framework is
`displayed upon interaction with the uSer for allowing
`new information to be inputted and desired information
`to be retrieved in a facilitated and simplified manner.
`Retrieval by using sematic retrieval formula created
`internally through dialogical procedure is realized
`through inferring processing.
`
`8 aaims, 24 Drawing Sheets
`
`001
`
`

`

`FIG. I
`
`CONTROL
`
`100
`
`BOO
`
`405
`
`r - - . . . lL . - - -
`
`210
`
`MAIN
`
`MEMORY
`
`,......---
`1
`1
`I
`r-
`-.,
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`:
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`l
`I
`I
`I
`1-- 200 300~1_0 _420_430_j
`L _____________ _j CONSOLE
`46o
`I
`(5 II OPTICAL DISK
`
`MOUSE
`
`230
`
`505
`
`DISPLAY
`CONTROL UNIT
`
`MAGNETIC DISK UNITS
`
`850
`
`CONTROL UNIT
`
`I/0
`
`IMAGE
`BUFFER
`MEMORY
`
`~
`w
`~
`oa::
`wa...
`w a... w
`
`Ull!)
`<l
`i
`I~
`(.!)
`I
`
`500
`
`350
`
`600
`
`450
`
`~
`rJj
`•
`
`~ .....
`~ .....
`
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`1'
`"""'
`:;0
`"""'
`I.e
`QC
`I.e
`
`g3
`l
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`~
`
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`~
`00
`....
`~
`
`805
`
`705
`
`750
`
`002
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 19, 1989
`
`Sheet 2 of24
`
`4,868,733
`
`FIG. 2
`
`1017
`
`1013
`
`003
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 19, 1989
`
`Sheet 3 of24
`
`4,868,733
`
`FIG. 3
`
`GENERIC RELATIONSHIP =R
`
`R(m)
`
`r (m ,k, .Q.)
`-----------
`-----------
`
`f
`INSTANCE RELATIONSHIP= r
`
`SUBSUMPTIONS = S
`S(k, il
`
`004
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 19, 1989
`
`Sheet 4 of24
`
`4,868,733
`
`FIG. 4
`
`CONCEPT
`c ( ~)
`
`GENERIC
`RELATIONSHIP
`R (m)
`
`005
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 19, 1989
`
`Sheet 5 of24
`
`4,868,733
`
`FIG. 5
`
`I
`
`C#
`
`CONCEPT (C) NAME
`
`P/S
`
`I c
`
`p
`
`p . .
`s . . .
`p .
`:
`p . . .
`p . .
`p . . .
`p . . .
`p . . .
`
`l
`. .
`.
`58
`58
`.
`.
`.
`64
`.
`:
`.
`107
`.
`.
`. .
`.
`313
`.
`.
`.
`1051
`.
`:
`1419
`.
`:
`.
`1512
`.
`.
`
`251
`
`UNIVERSAL
`
`SOFTWARE
`
`SUPERCOMPUTER
`
`.
`.
`COMPUTER
`( t-t ~ ,f{t )
`.
`.
`.
`.
`. .
`.
`.
`.
`.
`.
`ART #018
`.
`.
`.
`.
`. .
`.
`OPERAT lNG- SYSTEM
`. .
`.
`.
`.
`
`ARTICLE
`
`ux
`
`X -800
`
`C#= CONCEPT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
`C=CONCEPT
`P=PRIMARY
`S=SECONDARY
`
`006
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 19,1989
`
`Sheet 6 of24
`
`4,868,733
`
`FIG. 6
`
`I
`
`s
`
`I
`
`C#
`
`S#
`
`58
`
`64
`
`107
`
`251
`
`313
`
`1051
`
`1419
`
`1512
`
`58
`
`251
`
`1419
`
`64
`
`107
`
`---~~--
`
`..._~---~
`S#= SUBSUMPTION IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
`C#= CONCEPT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
`S=SUBSUMPTION RELATIONS
`
`007
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 19, 1989
`
`Sheet 7 of24
`
`4,868,733
`
`FIG. 7
`
`I
`
`R
`
`I
`
`RS#
`
`RSNAME
`
`LR
`
`RL
`
`RUN
`
`RUNS
`
`RUNS-ON
`
`DEVELOPMENT HAS-DEVELOPED
`SUBJECT
`
`IS-SUBJECT -OF
`
`IS·DEVELOPEO-BY
`SUBJECT-IS
`
`AUTHORSHIP
`HAS-WRITTEN
`PART- WHQ.E I HAS-~RT-OF
`PART- WHOLE 2 HAS-PART-OF
`PART WHOLE 3
`IS- PART-OF
`
`IS-WRITTEN-BY
`
`IS-PART- OF
`IS-PART-OF
`HAS-PART- OF
`
`LOCATION
`
`IS -LOCATED-IN
`
`IS -LOCATION -OF
`
`7
`:
`
`15
`16
`
`21
`
`22
`23
`24
`:
`
`34
`:
`
`-----------
`
`R =GENERIC RELATIONSHIPS
`RS#=GENERIC RELATIONSHIPS IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
`RSNAME=GENERIC RELATIONSHIP NAME
`LR =LEFT TO RIGHT READINGS OF GENERIC RELATIONSHIPS
`RL= RIGHT TO LEFT READINGS OF GENERIC RELATIONSHIPS
`
`---
`
`008
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 19, 1989
`
`Sheet 8 of24
`
`4,868,733
`
`l r
`
`FIG. 8
`
`I
`
`R#
`
`RS#
`
`CL
`
`CR
`
`G!I
`
`7
`16
`
`58
`I
`
`64
`251
`
`4
`5
`
`.
`
`724
`
`7
`
`1512
`
`1051
`
`839
`
`16
`
`1512
`
`313
`
`G
`G
`
`I
`
`I
`
`.
`
`~ ~
`r = INSTANCE RELATIONSHIP
`R#=GENERIC RELATIONSHIP IDENTIFYING NUMBER
`RS#= TIME OF GENERIC RELATIONSHIP
`CL=LEFT CONCEPT IDENTIFYING NUMBER
`CR=RIGHT CONCEPT IDENTIFYING NUMBER
`G=GENERIC
`I= INSTANCE
`
`009
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 19, 1989
`
`Sheet 9 of24
`
`4,868,733
`
`FIG. 9
`
`I
`
`0
`
`I
`
`D# C# SIZE
`
`CODE DENS
`
`PHYSA LENG
`
`98
`
`313
`
`A4
`
`MH
`
`16
`
`400207
`
`13
`
`-----
`
`--
`
`D=DOCUMENT
`D#= DOCUMENT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
`C#=CONCEPT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
`DENS= IMAGE SCANNING DENSITY
`PHYSA = PHYSICAL ADDRESS
`LENG = NUMBER OF RECORD SECTORS
`
`~
`
`010
`
`

`

`FIG. 10
`
`2001
`
`2002
`
`2006
`
`210
`
`SEARCH AND
`CONCEPT MATCHING
`
`2003
`
`2005
`
`220~
`23
`
`DIALOGUE~..
`CONTROL
`2004
`
`NETWORK
`~ TRAVERSE
`COOTROL
`
`z
`0
`f=
`w<t
`_ J_ j
`CO=>
`<Ill..
`1-
`-z
`<{
`:::i!
`
`430
`
`420
`
`500
`
`2010
`
`IMAGE
`
`DISPLAY
`
`COOTROL
`
`~
`V1
`~ f""'+.
`rt) a
`
`rJJ
`
`\C
`
`~ ,.....
`... ,.....
`~
`
`rJJ :r
`
`~ ,..... = a
`,. .....
`
`~
`
`00
`0\
`00
`.....
`(;!
`w
`
`011
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 19, 1989
`
`Sheet 11 of 24
`
`4,868,733
`
`FIG. II
`
`NO
`
`*DATABASE
`
`I acm Trans. on Database Svstems
`2 ACM- DATABASE-SYSTEMS-5-4
`3 ACM- DATABASE- SYSTEMS- 9-2
`4 Conceptual graphs for a database
`5 Coreference in a frame database
`6 DATABASE -INTERFACE
`7 DATABASE- MODEL
`8 DBMS. DATABASE-MANAGEMENT-SYSTEM
`9 RABBIT: An Intel I igent Database Assistant
`10 RELATIONAL -DATABASE- MANAGER
`I I RELATIONAL-DATABASE- SYSTE MS-1 NC
`? NUMBER: 7
`
`interface
`
`FIG. 12
`
`BROWSE> 1
`
`NO UNIVERSAL
`
`I ABSTRACT-RELATIONS
`2 AFFECTIONS
`3 CONCEPT
`4 EVENT
`INTELLECT
`5
`6 MATTER
`7 SCIENCE. TECHNOLOGY
`8 SENSATION
`9 UNIVERSAL
`10 VOLITION
`
`012
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 19, 1989
`
`Sheet 12 of 24
`FIG. 13
`
`4,868,733
`
`BROWSE>6
`BROWSE>!
`
`NO MATTER
`
`INORGANIC- MATTER
`I
`2 ORGANIC- MATTER
`
`BROWSE> I
`BROWSE>l
`
`NO
`
`INORGANIC-MATTER
`
`I HUMAN-CREATION
`2 NATURAL- MATERIAL
`
`BROWSE> I
`BROWSE>R
`
`NO HUMAN- GREAT ION
`
`I MACHINERY. DEVICE
`2 ORGANIZATION. WORKPLACE
`3 PAPER- MATERIAL
`4 SOFTWARE
`5 SYSTEM. STRUCTURE
`
`BROWSE> 2
`BROWSE> 1
`NO ORGANIZATION. WORKPLACE
`
`I ACADEMIC -ASSOCIATION
`2 CENTER
`3 COLLEGE. UNIVERSITY
`4 COMPANY
`5 GROUP
`6 Ll BRARY. BOOKROOM
`7 OFFICE
`8 RESEARCH- LAB
`9 SCHOQ. DEPARTMENT
`10 WORKS. FACTORY
`
`013
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 19, 1989
`
`Sheet 13 of 24
`
`4,868,733
`
`SPACE. PLACE. LOCATION
`
`FIG. 14
`
`CITY --------r-AUSTIN
`CAMBRIDGE
`CLEVELAND
`CQUMBUS
`CUPERTINO
`DENVER
`KOKUBUNJI
`LANNI ON
`LONDON
`LOS-ANGELS
`LOS-GATOS
`MENLO-PARK
`MEYLAN
`MOUNTAIN-VIEW
`NARASHINO
`NEW-YORK
`ODAWARA
`PALO-ALTO
`PH I LADELPH lA
`PITTSBURGH
`SAN- FRANCISCO
`SILVER- SPRING
`SUNNYVALE
`TOKOROZAWA
`URBANA
`YOKOHAMA
`
`COUNTRY. NATIONALITY
`
`~ ENGLAND
`
`FRANCE
`GERMANY
`JAPAN
`USA
`
`EARTH
`PREFECTURE. STATE.
`
`BRITTANY
`CALIFORNIA
`CHIBA
`COLORADO
`I BARAK I
`ILLINOIS
`KANAGAWA
`MARYLAND
`MASSACHUSETTS
`NEW-YORK-S TATE
`OHIO
`PENNSYLVANIA
`SAITAMA
`TEXAS
`TOKYO
`REGION-------,- ASIA
`L EUROPE
`LNORT H-AMER ICA
`
`014
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 19, 1989
`
`Sheet 14 of 24
`
`4,868,733
`
`FIG. 15
`
`EARTH
`
`SIA _____ JAPAN 1CHIBA - - - - - NARASH INO
`
`!BARAK I
`KANAGAWA __ --.-- ODAWARA
`LYOKOHAMA
`TOKOROZAWA
`SAITAMA
`lD KYO _____ KOKUBUN J I
`UROPE[ENGLANO_UDNDON
`FRANCE ,_BRITTANY ___ LANN ION
`L-MEYLAN
`GERMANY
`NORTH-AMERICA _USA ----.--CALIFORN lA ---,--CUPERTINO
`LOS-ANGELS
`LDS-GATOS
`MENLO-PARK
`MOUNTAIN -VIEW
`PALO-ALTO
`SAN-FRANCISCO
`SUNNYVALE
`DENVER
`COLORADO
`URBANA
`I LLI NOI S
`MASSACHUSETTS _CAMBRIDGE
`OHIO
`CLEVELAND
`LcoLUMBus
`PENN SYLVAN lA---,- PHILADELPHIA
`LPITTSBURGH
`AUSTIN
`
`TEXAS
`
`015
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 19,1989
`
`Sheet 15 of 24
`
`4,868,733
`
`FIG. 16
`
`BKOWSE> *sowa
`BROWSE>fr *
`J. F. SOWA.
`
`CONCEPT
`
`IS- A
`IS- AUTHOR -OF
`IS- AUTHOR- OF
`NATIONALITY -IS
`WORKS-AT
`
`MAN
`PAPER #0012
`BOOK =If: 0007
`USA
`IBM Systems Research Institute
`
`NO
`
`I
`2
`3
`4
`5
`
`BROWSE> fr 2
`
`PAPER# 0012
`
`CONCEPT
`
`IS-A
`AUTHOR-IS
`IS- IN- PAGES-OF
`IS- PART -OF
`SUBJECT-IS
`TITLE- IS
`
`TECH-PAPER
`J. F. SOWA
`336-357
`IBM-RES a DEV-76-20
`DATABASE-INTERFACE
`Conceptual graphs for a database inter face
`
`BROWSE> fr 4
`IBM- RES a DEV -76-20 CONCEPT
`IS -A
`IBM J. Research and Development
`HAS -PART- OF
`PAPER# 0012
`IS- PUBLISHED-BY
`IBM- CORP
`
`NO
`
`I
`2
`3
`
`BROWSE > fr 3
`
`IBM- CORP
`
`CONCEPT
`
`IS-A
`HAS-ANNOUNCED
`HAS-DEVELOPED
`HAS-PART-OF
`HAS-PART-OF
`IS-LOCATED-IN
`PRODUCES
`PRODUCES
`PUBLISHES
`
`COMPANY
`ARTICLE# 0011
`SERIES-1-MINICOMPU TER
`IBM Systems Research 1 nstitute
`WORKS. FACTORY
`USA
`CPIX
`SERIES-I- MINICOMPUTER
`IBM J. Research and Development
`
`NO
`
`I
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`
`NO
`
`I
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`
`016
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 19, 1989
`
`Sheet 16 of 24
`
`4,868,733
`
`FIG. 17
`
`BROWSE> man
`MAN
`
`BROWSE> ere mr. superman *
`{MR. SUPERMAN {IS -A MAN lJ
`%OK OR NO .... OK
`MR.SUFERMAN
`
`BROWSE> err *
`Mi. SUFERMAN HAS PROPOSED ONORGANIC-MATTER) :computer
`MR. SUPERMAN HAS PROPOSED [COMPUTER) :OK
`MR. SUFERMAN HAS TITLE OF (ACADEMIC-TITLE): phd
`MR SUPERMAN HAS TITLE OF (PHD] :OK
`MR. SUPERMAN
`IS A (JOB-POSITION) chief-researcher
`MR. SUPERMAN
`IS A [CHIEF-RESEARCHER): OK
`IS A MEMBER OF (ACAOEMIC-ASSOCIATICN J: aaai
`MR. SUPERMAN
`MR. SUPERMAN
`IS A MEMBER OF (AAAI): OK
`MR. SUPERMAN IS AUTHOR OF (ARTICLE) :OK
`MR. SUPERMAN
`IS AUTHOR OF (PUBLISHED-MATERIAL] :BOOK
`IS AUTHOR CJ (BOOK) :OK
`MR. SUPERMAN
`MR. SUPERMAN JS EDITOR OF (PUBLISHED-MATERIAL]: OK
`MR. SUPERMAN IS PERSON TO CONTACT FOR
`(CONFERENCE): OK
`MR SUPERMAN
`IS SUBJECT OF (PUBLISHED MATERIAL): OK
`IS SUBJECT CJ (ART I CLEJ: 0 K
`MR. SUPERMAN
`MR. SUPERMAN WHOSE NATIONALITY IS (COUNTRY NATIONALITY]: japan
`MR. SUPERMAN WHOSE NATIONALITY IS
`(JAPAN) :OK
`MR. SUPERMAN WORKS AT (ORGANIZATION. WORKPLACE): hitachi-ltd
`MR. SUPERMAN
`'MJRKS AT (HITACHI-LTD) :OK
`
`The followings are to be added
`
`to database.
`
`{!HAS-PROPOSED COMPUTER! (HAS TITLE OF PHD) (IS-A CHIEF-RESEARCHER!
`(IS-A-MEMBER-OF AAAIJ {IS-AUTHOR OF BOOKJ
`!NATIONALJTY-OF--*-IS JAPAN) (WORKS-AT HITACHI-LTD! J
`
`Do
`
`)OU want to add
`
`them ? ( y /nJ y
`
`017
`
`

`

`FIG. 18
`
`BROWSE> pp
`
`SCIENCE. TECHNOLOGYliNFORMATION-SCIENCE 1 ARTIFICIAL-INTELLIGENCE
`L COMPUTER-SCIENCE
`NATURAL-SCIENCE -----r MATHEMATICS
`L PHYSICS
`SOCIAL-SCIENCE tECONOMY
`HISTORY
`PSYCHOLOGY
`
`BROWSE >mov p~chology notu rol- science
`-MOVE COMPLETED.
`
`BROWSE>pp
`
`SCIENCE. TECHNOLOGY11NFORMATION- SCIENCE
`
`ARTIFICIAL -INTELLIGENCE
`1
`L COMPUTER-SCIENCE
`NATURAL- SCIENCE tMATHEMATICS
`PMYSICS
`PSYCHOLOGY
`ECONOMY
`[HISTORY
`
`SOCIAL-SCIENCE
`
`~
`~
`~ ......
`~ a
`.f
`
`1-'(cid:173)
`...
`\C
`1-'-
`~
`
`ga
`f!
`
`1-'(cid:173)
`.....,J
`~
`~
`
`~ ..... oc
`~ .....
`~
`
`018
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.19, 1989
`
`Sheet 18 of 24
`
`4,868,733
`
`FIG. 19
`
`BROWSE> article
`BROWSE> q
`I'm thinking which questions to be asked
`-
`-
`Piease add
`information you have.
`
`ARTICLE
`
`CONCEPT
`
`IS -IN -PAGES-OF
`IS- PART-OF
`IS- REFERRED-TO-FROM
`IS- REFERRED-TO-FROM
`SUBJECT-IS
`TITLE-IS
`
`PAGE
`PUBLISHED- MATERIAL
`ARTICLE
`PUBLISHED- MATERIAL
`UNIVERSAL
`TITLE. HEADLINE
`
`NO
`
`I
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`
`(ARTICLE)
`?NUMBER: 5
`ARTICLE WHOSE SUBJECT IS {UNIVERSAL} : computer
`ARTICLE WHOSE SUBJECT IS {COMPUTER} : q,
`
`019
`
`

`

`FIG. 20
`
`-I'm thinking which questions to be asked.
`Please add
`information you have.
`-
`
`COMPUTER
`
`CONCEPT
`
`HAS-INTERFACE-OF
`HAS- PART -OF
`IS-ATTACHED-TO
`IS -DEVELOPED-AT
`IS- EQUIVALENT- TO
`IS- PRODUCED- BY
`IS- SUBJECT -OF
`IS- SUBJECT -OF
`IS-SUBJECT-OF
`RESEMBLES
`RUNS
`RUNS
`RUNS-UNDER
`
`INTERFACE- DEVICE
`MACHINERY. DEVICE
`COMPUTER
`ORGANIZATION. WORKPLACE
`HUMAN-CREATION
`ORGANIZATION. WORKPLACE
`PUBLISHED-MATERIAL
`ARTICLE
`CONFERENCE
`MATTER
`COMPUTER-SOFT
`PROGRAMM lNG-LANGUAGE
`OS. OPERATING-SYSTEM
`
`NO
`
`I
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`II
`12
`13
`
`(COMPUTER)
`?NUMBER: 4
`COMPUTER IS DEVELOPED AT {ORGANIZATION. WORKPLACE}: company
`COMPUTER IS DEVELOPED AT {COMPANY} : q_
`
`~
`rJj
`•
`~
`~
`.w
`
`~
`
`::0
`~
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`~
`
`[
`
`~
`\C
`~
`~
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`~ ._.
`
`~ ._.
`c;l
`w
`
`020
`
`

`

`FIG. 21
`
`-
`-
`
`thinking which questions to be asked.
`I'm
`Please add information you have.
`
`COMPANY
`
`CONCEPT
`
`HAS -ANNOUNCED
`HAS-DEVELOPED
`HAS- DEVELOPED
`HAS- CEVELOPED
`HAS-EMA..OYEE- OF
`HAS- PART-OF
`IS-LOCATED-IN
`IS- PART-OF
`PRODUCES
`PUBLISHES
`
`NEWS. ARTICLE
`MACHINERY. DEVICE
`COMPUTER- SOFT
`SYSTEM. STRUCTURE
`PERSON
`ORGANIZATION. V\ORKPLACE
`SPACE. PLACE. LOCATION
`ORGANIZATION. WORKPLACE
`MACHINERY. DEVICE
`PUBLISHED- MATERIAL
`
`- - -
`
`NO
`
`I
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`
`(COMPANY!
`?NUMBER: 7
`COMPANY IS LOCATED
`COMPANY
`IS LOCATED
`
`IN
`IN
`
`{SPACE. PLACE. LOCATION}:*" cal
`{CALIFORNIA}: OK
`
`~
`~
`~
`[
`
`~
`~
`...
`\0
`~
`\0
`~
`
`~
`~
`~
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`._.
`~
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`._.
`......,J w w
`
`021
`
`

`

`FIG. 22
`
`COMPUTER
`
`CONCEPT
`
`NO
`
`HAS-INTERFACE -OF
`INTERFACE -DEVICE
`HAS-PART -OF
`MACHINERY. DEVICE
`IS- ATTACHED- TO
`COMPUTER
`IS-DEVELOPED- AT ORGAN! ZATION. WORKPLACE
`IS -EQUIVALENT- TO HUMAN-CREATION
`IS-PRODUCED- BY
`CRGANIZAT10N. WORKPLACE
`IS -SUBJECT- OF
`PUBLISHED- MAT ERIAL
`IS-SUBJECT- OF
`ARTICLE
`IS-SUBJECT- OF
`CONFERENCE
`RESEMBLES
`MATTER
`RUNS
`COMPUTER- SOFT
`RUNS
`PROGRAMM lNG- LANGUAGE
`RUNS-UNDER
`OS. OPERATING- SYSTEM
`
`I
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`II
`12
`13
`
`!COMPUTER (IS-DEVELOPED-AT (COMPANY (IS-LOCATED-IN CALIFORNIA)))) I
`
`? NUMBER: 13
`COMPUTER RUNS UNDER lOS OPERATING-SYSTEM): unix
`COMPUTER RUNS UNDER {UNIX} :OK
`
`~
`VJ
`~ .........
`~ .........
`
`~
`
`~
`~
`~
`\Q
`QCI
`\Q
`
`~ a
`
`N
`~
`8,
`~
`
`.a;..
`
`.... ! ....
`
`;;l
`w
`
`022
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sheet 22 of 24
`Sep. 19, 1989
`FIG. 23
`
`4,868,733
`
`!ARTICLE
`(SUBJECT-IS
`!COMPUTER
`(RUNS- UNDER UNIX}
`(IS -DEVELOPED-AT !COMPANY !IS-LOCATED -IN CALJFORN I A l l l ) ) )
`
`/3000
`
`-- I (ARTICLEJ'S matched
`
`the query frame.
`
`ARTICLE#0014
`
`CONCEPT
`
`IS -A
`I S -ANNOUNCE0-6'1'
`IS- PART-OF
`SUBJECT -IS
`SUBJECT-IS
`Tl TLE-IS
`
`NEWS. ARTICLE
`HP. HEWLETT- PACKARD- CO
`ELECTRONICS- 821130
`HP-9000
`32-PROCESSOR-CHIP-BY-HP
`HP taps Unix for 211
`its lines
`
`3001
`
`NO
`
`I f-.-
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`
`Minicomputer
`
`HP taps Unix
`
`for all its
`
`lines
`
`)()()(XXX J( X X)(
`l< )(X X l<
`l< X l<)(XX X
`X X x X l<
`l< X lC X X)(
`XXXX)()(X
`
`3051
`
`X If)()( )O()t)()C
`lOCX X)()( )C>CWX)()C)C'X X X X )()(')C.)(
`ltX X X X'Jr ')(
`
`023
`
`

`

`NO ~Oij S LPERM IN ICOMPU TER
`f
`IS-A
`I
`2
`;::::::s:::_3 0 3 3
`3
`HP. HEWLETT
`HP·9000 ~ -PACKARD-CO
`
`ARTICLE#0014
`IS-A
`IS -AI'JNOUNCED- BY
`IS- PART-OF
`SUBJECT-IS
`SUBJECT-IS
`TITLE-IS
`
`HP-9000
`IS-A
`HAS-PART·OF
`IS- DEVELOPED· AT
`IS -PRODUCED-BY
`IS- SUBJECT- OF
`RUNS-UNDER
`
`UNIX
`IS-A
`IS-DEVELOPED- AT
`IS-SUBJECT-OF
`RESEHBLES
`RUNS
`RUNS-ON
`RUNS -ON
`
`CONCEPT
`
`NEWS. ARTICLE
`HP. HEWLETT-PACKARD-CO
`ELECTRONICS- 821130
`
`32-PROCESSOR-CHIP-BY-HP
`its lines
`HP tops Unix for 211
`
`5
`6
`
`L3oo2
`
`3031
`
`CONCEPT
`
`3032
`NO
`G>
`SUPERMINICOMPUTER
`32-PROCESSOR-CHIP-BY- HP
`2
`HP. HEWLETT- PACKARD· CO @
`HP. HEWLETT- PACKARD -CO
`4
`ARTICLE#0014
`5
`UNIX
`
`i@r~
`/_3006 ~
`
`CONCEPT
`OS. OPERATING- SYSTEM
`ATLT Bell Lab
`ARTICLE #0002
`CPIX
`c
`HP- 900
`VAX -II
`
`NO
`I
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`
`IS -A
`HAS-ANNOUNCED
`HAS -DE VEL OPED
`HAS -!l:VELOPED
`HAS-DEVELOPED
`IS-LOCATED-IN
`PRODUCES
`PRODUCES
`PRODUCES
`
`PALO- ALTO
`IS-A
`IS-LOCATION- OF
`IS -PART-OF
`
`' 36
`
`CALIFORNIA
`IS-A
`HAS-PART- OF
`HAS-PARTLOF
`HAS- PART- OF
`HAS-PART-OF
`HAS- PART- OF
`HAS-PART-OF
`HAS- PART- OF
`HAS-PART- OF
`IS-PART-OF
`
`r-3007
`CDNCEPT
`PREFECTURE. STATE
`CUPERTINO
`LOS-GATOS
`SAN-FRANCISCO
`MOUNTAIN- VIEW
`PALO-ALTO
`HENLO-PARK
`LOS-ANGELS
`SUNNYVALE
`USA
`
`NO
`
`I
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`
`~
`~
`~
`ft a
`.p
`
`rJ1
`
`~ ....
`QO
`~ ....
`~
`
`I CONCEPT
`\NO FIG. 24
`I COMPUTER I I
`~3003
`_,.---3004
`CONCEPT
`COMPANY
`ARTICLE #0014
`HP-9000
`32-PROCESSOR-CHIP-BY- HP
`HP-3000
`PALO-ALTO
`HP-9000
`32-PROCESSCR-CHIP-BY· HP
`HP- 3000
`~3005
`CONCEPT
`CITY
`I
`HP. HEWLETT-PACKARD-CO 2
`CALIFORNIA
`
`NO
`
`I
`2
`3
`4
`
`®-
`
`7
`8
`9
`
`\
`
`4
`
`,-~
`
`1-o"
`~
`1-o"
`~
`~~
`rJ1 :r
`Sl
`~
`~
`~
`
`024
`
`

`

`FIG. 25
`
`NEWS. ARTICLE
`
`BROWSE> tab *
`
`NO RELATIONSHIP
`
`IS -ANNOUNCED- BY
`I
`IS-A
`2
`3 AUTHOR-IS
`IS- PART-OF
`4
`5 SUBUJECT-IS
`6 TITLE-IS
`
`NUMBERS> 6 5 0
`I TITLE- IS
`
`NEWS. ARTICLE
`
`SUBJECT- IS
`
`ARTICLE#OOOI All-optical. bidirectional
`
`local network OB-LAN-0001
`
`•
`
`~ r.n
`~ ........
`~ a
`
`~ -~ -~
`
`I.e
`
`ARTICLE# 100 I The coming surge in dolo- base systems DBMS. DATABASE- HANAGEMENT -SYSTE M
`ARTICLE #ooce Bell. DEC announce supprt
`
`for Unix
`
`UNIX
`
`ARTICLE#00031New Apples might. compete head on
`
`ARTICLE#0004,Desktop OCR reads six fonts
`ARTICLE#0005 Ethernet data
`link controller is single
`chip
`ARTICLE#0006 Optical check
`processing
`ARTICLE#0007 Graphic Station Can S land Alone
`
`reader speeds bank
`
`APPLE-LISA
`APPLE-MACINTOSH
`T0-5000
`THE-8001
`
`SERIES-BOO
`
`METAPHOR-WORK-STATION
`
`ARTICLE#OOOB S-100 peripheral card converts
`input into
`text
`
`CP- 5100
`
`F-B-E:O
`
`\JJ ::r a
`
`~
`~
`~
`
`\.11
`
`...
`~ \.11
`~ w
`
`025
`
`

`

`1
`
`4,868,733
`
`DOCUMENT FILING SYSTEM WITH
`KNOWLEDGE-BASE NETWORK OF CONCEPT
`INTERCONNECI'ED BY GENERIC,
`SUBSUMPTION, AND SUPERCLASS RELATIONS
`
`2
`keywords have heretofore been relied on by those
`skilled in the art.
`Moreover, difficulty is often encountered in recalling
`the keyword itself. By way of example, upon prepara-
`5 tion of the retrieval formula composed of the keywords
`for the retrieval of a document, literatures having a
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`resemblance to the desired one are searched out from a
`general list for picking up their keywords, which are
`1. Field of the Invention
`then referred to for determining the keywords possibly
`The present invention relates to an information stor-
`age and retrieval system which permits storage, re- 10 allocated to the desired document. Such procedure is
`trieval and display of information such as documents,
`not rare and tells how difficult it is to recall the key-
`drawings, photographs and the like in such a manner in
`word.
`In the case offtling documents through classification,
`which common users can easily manipulate the system
`for the storage and/or retrieval of information.
`ambiguity of the taxonomic tree (hierarcal tree) as well
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`IS as confusion of the taxonomic trees (i.e. multiple classifi-
`Heretofore, management of a data base which per-
`cations of one document) provide problems. Further,
`mits storage and retrieval of an enormous amount of
`standards for the classification vary as passes. A span of
`information has been relied on by those skilled in the
`several years will make the classification standards use-
`art. The information is available to the end user only
`less, giving rise to another problem.
`through the medium of experts. However, in accompa- 20 Under the circumstance, easy management and re-
`trieval of information for the user provide extremely
`niment to the development of small size storage devices
`of a large capacity such as optical disks, there are real-
`important problems remaining to be solved in the hith-
`ized document ftling systems for office use which can be
`erto known document ftling systems.
`As n attempt to cope with the above problems, there
`directly manipulated by the end users. Further, word
`processors have increasingly come into wide use. Under 2~ has been proposed a method of diagraming the retrieval
`the circumstances, there is an increasing tendency that a
`conditions and deriving a formal query formula for the
`retrieval by using natural language, as disclosed in J. F.
`large amount of documents are stored in electronic
`devices.
`h
`d
`d .
`Sowa's "Cohceptual graphs for a Data Base Interface"
`'terns
`ta
`ere o ore, 1
`, sue as ocumen...., are manage m
`H
`t fi
`tabular form listing bibliographic data such as identifi- 30 IBM J. Research and Development, Vol. 20, 1976, p.p.
`336-357. Furthermore, a method of assisting creation of
`cation names, titles and author's names attached to the
`documents, and attempts have been made to facilitate
`the conditional formula for retrieval by presenting
`the retrieval of information by assigning keywords or
`knowledge concerning the contents of a data base from
`classification codes thereto. Nevertheless, there arise
`a computer is known, as disclosed in F. N. Tou et al's
`problems mentioned below.
`35 "RABBIT: An Intelligent Database Assistant", Pro-
`In most of the computer me systems, the me manage-
`ceedings of National Conference of AAAI, 1982, p.p.
`mentis performed with the aid of identification names
`314-318. These methods are intended only for assisting
`(each composed of ca. 20 characters). However, diffi-
`the retrieval from the data base. No teachings are dis-
`culty is often encountered in naming the document or
`closed as to the assistance of storage of information for
`ftle so that it can be readily recalled. Besides, searching 40 the updating purpose.
`the ftle on the basis of the character string which consti-
`In the filing of documents by the end user, registra-
`tutes the name while inferring the contents from the
`tion of new documents as well as maintenance of the ftle
`name is an extremely difficult job even for the user who
`system (e.g. reexamination as to pertinency of classifica-
`has prepared the name himself.
`tion) is important for realizing the facilitated retrieval.
`Since the bibliographic data are objective items, re- 45 The approaches mentioned above do not meet this re-
`gistration thereof .can be easily made. However, there
`quirement.
`scarcely arises the situation in which the bibliographic
`Finally, the retrieval is accompanied by still another
`data are made use of as means for retrieval. Utilization
`problem. Namely, no measures are available for re-
`of the bibliographic data as the aid for the retrieval is
`examining the old information from the view point of a
`restricted to the rare case in which the document to be 50 new concept which has not yet been clearly defined at
`retrieved is clearly known to the user as the source or
`the time the old information was stored or for retrieving
`from the new point of view. By way of example, there
`reference literature.
`In most cases of the retrieval of documents, the title
`often occurs such case in which classification is to be
`ambigously memorized by user or the contents thereof modified from the new viewpoint or in a manner spe-
`provides a clue for the retrieval. To this end, keywords SS cific to the user himself after lapse of several years. In
`and classification codes are employed. However, diffi-
`this way, possibility of rearrangement of information as
`culty is encountered in assigning the keywords or classi-
`well as alteration of retrieval also provide important
`factors for enhancing the easy usability of the informa-
`tication codes to the documents upon registration
`thereof. In other words, it is difficult to determine the
`tion storage and retrieval system.
`keyword which makes it possible to retrieve properly 60
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`the associated document later on. By way of example, it
`An object of the present invention is to solve the
`is assumed that many keywords are attached to a docu(cid:173)
`problems mentioned above and provide an information
`ment so that it can be retrieved, as viewed from various
`storage and retrieval system which allows the user to
`perspective. This however means that a number of key(cid:173)
`retrieve the desired document from ambiguous or vague
`words which are useless for retrieval are employed. If 65
`and fragmentary (partial) information in a facilitated
`the number of the keywords is decreased, uncertainty
`and simplified manner while making it easy to enter or
`arises as to the correct selection for retrieval. In the data
`register documents and other information.
`base for literatures, preparation and allocation of the
`
`026
`
`

`

`3
`In view of the above and other objects which will be
`more apparent as description proceeds, there is pro(cid:173)
`vided according to a general aspect of the invention an
`information storage system in which a mechanism of
`storing information in the machine is so arranged as to 5
`be compatible or comparable to the user's memorization
`mechanism and thinking process so that the end user
`can easily understand manipulation of the system to
`thereby enhance the facilitated usability thereof.
`More specifically, the invention contemplates to 10
`make it possible to facilitate registration of new infor(cid:173)
`mation and the inputting of conditions for retrieval,
`realizing semantically meaningful retrieval, and adapt(cid:173)
`ing the retrieval for diversity of viewpoints.
`To this end, the system according to the invention is 15
`imparted with the novel functions mentioned below:
`
`(1) Supporting function for registration.
`For registration of new documents, it is necessary to
`input the subject matter and the nature or class thereof 20
`in addition to the entry of the bibliographic items (au(cid:173)
`thor's name, title, the sources and others). Further in
`order to realize semantic retrieval, it is required to addi(cid:173)
`tionally provide more detailed or concrete information.
`By way of example, suppose that the subject matter is a 25
`computer. Then, there may be required such informa(cid:173)
`tion as "what kind of computer it is", "what characteris(cid:173)
`tics it has", "what company has developed it", "where
`the company is located", "which country the location
`belongs to", and so forth. When the information men- 30
`tioned above is stored, it is possible to retrieve with the
`aid of inference function "the document concerning a
`computer developed by a certain company located in a
`country A and having characteristic features B".
`According to the teachings of the invention, knowl- 35
`edge about the concepts "computer", "company" and
`others is stored in the storage system, wherein upon
`addition of new information, the user is given instruc(cid:173)
`tion as to what kind of property data should be inputted
`through dialogical procedure, so that he or she can 40
`input the data within a short time without being accom(cid:173)
`panied with entry of erroneous or false information.
`In the case where information or similar property has
`been already registered, such function is realized which
`allows only the property differing from that of the 45
`above information to be inputted without need for en(cid:173)
`tering all the property data of information to be newly
`inputted, to thereby facilitate the inputting procedure.
`By way of example, suppose a case in which a man
`named "John Smith" has been already registered and 50
`his brother named "George Smith" is to be newly regis(cid:173)
`tered. In that case, by selecting "John Smith" as a simi-
`lar concept, the system displays a list of the properties
`of this concept, for example, in a manner as follows:
`
`(FATHER-IS "Davise Smith")
`
`(MOTHER-IS "Samanser Smith")
`
`(BIRTHDAY-IS "May 4, 19ll0")
`
`(SEX-IS "male")
`
`(HOBBY-IS "music")
`
`55
`
`60
`
`(I)
`
`Then, the user can input the properties of the concept 65
`"George Smith" that differ from the above, e.g.
`(BIRTHDAY-IS "June 7, 1963") and (HOBBY-IS
`"sport").
`
`4
`(2) Supporting Function for retrieval condition input.
`When the end user is going to perform the retrieval of
`a document. it is common that he or she has only an
`ambiguous image or concept of the document and has
`difficulty in expressing it in the natural language.
`According to the teaching of the present invention,
`the retrieval is started from the most important concept
`and information is sequentially added through dialogi-.
`cal procedure or interaction. To this end, the knowl(cid:173)
`edge of the world model conserving the content of the
`flied documents is stored in the system as is the case
`with the registration assistance function~ On the basis of
`the knowledge, the names of properties which can be
`inputted and the concept (class of things) to which the
`properties may belong are presented to the user.
`By way of example, suppose that what the user wants
`is "technical paper". Then, the user inputs "technical
`paper". The system knows that "technical paper" has
`properties such as "author", "title", "subject matter"
`and others. Accordingly, the system displays on a termi(cid:173)
`nal CRT sets of names of such properties and concepts
`such as (author, name), (title, text) .. and (subject, con(cid:173)
`cept). The user who observes the display in tum inputs
`the selected data which the user memorizes as the rele(cid:173)
`vant information. For example, "subject" is selected
`and "computer" is inputted. This process can be recur(cid:173)
`sively repeated. In the above example, when the "com(cid:173)
`puter" is inputted as the selected subject, the system in
`turn displays (DEVELOPED-BY ORGANIZATION
`COMPANY), (RUNS COMPUTER-LANGUAGE),
`(RUNS-UNDER OS) and others. In response thereto,
`the user will input (RUNS LISP) as the additional con(cid:173)
`dition for retrieval.
`By virtue of the assistance function mentioned above,
`there can be established the retrieval condition as fol(cid:173)
`lows:
`
`''Technical paper about computer in which LISP
`nms and which is written by an employee of company A"
`
`(2)
`
`As will be described in detail hereinafter, the above
`retrieval condition is expressed in the formula or expres(cid:173)
`sion as follows:
`
`(TECHNICAL-PAPER
`(SUBJECT-IS
`(COMPUTER (RUNS LISP))
`(AUTHOR-IS
`(EMPLOYEE (WORKS-AT COMPANY A))))
`
`(3)
`
`The above expression is based on symbolic expression
`(S-expression) in LISP Language (refer toP. H. Win(cid:173)
`ston "LISP" Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., 1981, p.
`18).
`(3) Semantic retrieval function.
`It is common that a user who wants to retrieve a
`certain item has only fragmentary and ambiguous infor(cid:173)
`mation thereof. On the other hand, the computer mem(cid:173)
`ory (e.g. data base) stores that item in a concrete name.
`The gap between the user's fragmentary information
`and the precise data stored in the computer memory
`must be bridged.
`In this connection, the ambiguity may be generally
`classified into five varieties mentioned below:
`
`027
`
`

`

`5
`(i) Incompleteness of name
`Only a part of the name of an item or concept is
`memorized.
`
`(ii) Synonym
`The same thing is often memorized or recalled in
`terms of different words. By way of example, words
`"arti