JPH0728833A - Information retrieving device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an information retrieving device which is capable of easily changing and deleting the attribute recorded on a data base or newly adding an attribute to the data base. CONSTITUTION:This information retrieving device has a data base device 5 recording various kinds of data and composing a data base, a data base control part 4 controlling the reading/writing from/to this data base device 5, an input device 1 instructing the change and deletion of the attribute recorded on the data base or the new addition of an attribute to the data base and a retrieval control part 3 performing the control retrieving the contents of the data base. As for the change, etc., of the attribute designated by the input device 1, the processing according to the instruction of the input device 1 is performed after the actual state within the data base is confirmed in the attribute name list control part 21 and the information attribute control part 22 within an attribute control part 2. The processing result is displayed on a display device 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to information retrieval using attributes in an information processing apparatus for storing and managing a plurality of information in a database.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The amount of information that must be managed has increased day by day, and has become huge, and the types of information have become diverse. At present, it is common practice to store this enormous amount of information in a database, and at this time, most devices add attributes such as titles, dates, and keywords to the information before storing it. . The reason for adding an attribute to information in this way is that we are considering using this attribute when searching for information later.

[0003]

However, in the conventional information retrieval apparatus, the attributes that can be added to the information are limited to the fixed attributes prepared in advance in the apparatus, and the attributes that are always present when a document is created. It was impossible to add a new attribute even if the user forced to set it or wanted to use an attribute other than the one prepared for the device. In today's society where a large amount of information is handled and diversified, not only the amount of information that must be stored in a database is increasing, but also the type of information is increasing. On the other hand, the attributes that are effective when used when searching the information stored in the database differ depending on the type of information to be stored. In such a case, in the conventional information retrieval device, since only fixed attributes prepared for the device can be added to the information, it is not possible to flexibly respond to changes in the information stored in the database.
We run into the problem that attributes cannot be used efficiently to retrieve information.

As described above, the conventional information retrieval device cannot flexibly change the attribute to be added depending on the type of information. Therefore, when storing a wide variety of information,
There was a problem that effective search using attributes could not be performed.

In view of the above problems, the present invention realizes not only fixed attributes already prepared in the information retrieval apparatus but also attributes that the user can freely add, delete and select. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information search device capable of handling a wide variety of information that can be effectively used for a search by adding an appropriate attribute according to the type of information to the information.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems and achieve the above object, the present invention uses means for adding attributes to information and saving the information in a database, and using the saved information by attributes. The information search device is provided with a search unit and a unit for adding or deleting the type of attribute to be added to the information.

Specifically, the means for adding, deleting, and changing the attribute determines whether the specified attribute exists in the database and is a target of addition, deletion, or change, and when it is effective, It has means for adding, deleting and changing attributes in the database via means for storing the information in the database. Further, specifically, the means for adding, deleting, or changing the attribute determines whether the specified attribute exists in the database and is to be added, deleted, or changed,
When valid, it has means for adding, deleting or changing attribute values in the database via means for storing the information in the database.

[0008] Preferably, it has means for displaying the result of addition, deletion, and modification of attributes and attribute values in the database.

[0009]

[Function] The means for adding or deleting the type of attribute to be added to the information is the means for searching the stored information using the attribute, confirming the contents of the database according to the condition specified by the user, and checking the type of the attribute in the database. Perform the process of adding or deleting. The means for adding an attribute to the information and storing it in the database changes the content of the database according to the means for adding or deleting the type of the attribute added to the information. This allows the user to freely add new attributes or delete attributes that are no longer needed so that more appropriate attributes can be selected and added according to the type of information stored in the database. It is possible to effectively use the attribute at the time of later information retrieval, and it is possible to perform an efficient retrieval.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an information retrieval apparatus as an embodiment of the present invention. The information search device includes an input device 1 such as a mouse and a keyboard, an attribute management unit 2, a search control unit 3, a database management unit 4, a database device 5, and a display device 6. The above-described database is realized by the database device 5, the means for adding an attribute to information and storing it in the database corresponds to the database management unit 4, and the means for searching the stored information using the attribute corresponds to the search control unit 3. The means for adding or deleting the type of attribute added to the information corresponds to the attribute management unit 2.

The input device 1 sends information on characters and events input by the user to the attribute management unit 2 or the search control unit 3. The attribute management unit 2 is an attribute name list management unit 2
1 and the information attribute management unit 22. The attribute name list management unit 21 adds a new attribute type or deletes an unnecessary attribute type according to a user's instruction from the input device 1. Specifically, the name of each attribute type is stored as a database in the database device 5 as a table as shown in FIG. 2, and the attribute name can be added to this table, or the attribute from this table can be added. Manage attribute types by deleting names. The details will be described later. That is, the attribute name list management unit 21 manages the type of attribute by the attribute name. The information attribute management unit 22
When information is stored in the database in the database device 5, an attribute is added to the information. At this time, the attribute is added to the information as a pair of attribute name and attribute value (described later). Here, in the following, when simply referred to as "attribute", it means that this attribute name and attribute value pair.

The search control unit 3 searches for information from the database in the database device 5 through the database management unit 4 using the search condition regarding the attribute input by the user via the input device 1. Database management unit 4
Performs processing or inquiry to the database in the database device 5 regarding the attribute name or attribute requested by the attribute management unit 2, or to the database in the database device 5 regarding information requested by the search control unit 3. Process or inquire. The database device 5 has a list of attribute names and also a database in which each information is stored (along with the added attributes).
The display device 6 displays a list of attribute names, a list of information search results, and the like.

FIG. 2 shows the database device 5 shown in FIG.
Attribute name list and information as a database stored in. As described above, the attribute name list is a table that manages the types of attributes that can be added to the current information. Adding a new attribute type can add an attribute name to this attribute name list, which is unnecessary. Deleting an attribute type can remove that attribute name from this attribute name list. Here, when adding the attribute name to the database, if the attribute name to be added already exists in the attribute name list, the same attribute name will not be duplicated. On the other hand, an attribute (a pair of an attribute name and an attribute value) can be freely added to the information, and it is also possible to add no attribute to the information as represented by the information 3 in FIG. That is, the attribute value is not put into a fixed number of spaces prepared in advance at a fixed position as a part of the information as in the conventional art, but in the present invention, the mechanism of information and attribute is separated and provided. , It is possible to flexibly add attributes to information.

FIG. 3 shows the attribute name list management unit 21 in the attribute management unit 2 in the flow of processing in one embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in FIG. The processing of the attribute name list management unit 21 will be described below. First, the case of adding attributes to the database will be described. Step S01 to Step S03: When a new attribute name is added (S01), first, the attribute name is input from the input device 1 (S02), and the attribute name obtained from the input device 1 is stored in the database in the database device 5. Is checked to see if it already exists in the attribute name list (S03). Steps S04 to S05: Only when the attribute name does not exist in the database, it is added to the attribute name list (S0
4), the attribute name is displayed on the display device 6 (S0
5). The added attribute name is additionally displayed in the list of attribute names displayed on the display device. Step S04: If the attribute name exists in the database in the database device 5, nothing is done and the process ends. This allows the attribute to be added to the database without error.

Next, the case of deleting the attribute name will be described. Steps S06 to S08: Even if the attribute name is deleted (S0
6) Input the attribute name to be deleted from the input device 1 (S0
7) It is checked whether the attribute name obtained from the input device 1 exists in the database in the database device 5 as an attribute name list (S08). Step S08: If the attribute does not exist in the database, it is an erroneous instruction that cannot be deleted, and the process ends without performing anything. Step S09S12: When the attribute name to be deleted in V exists in the database (S08), it is checked whether or not the document having the attribute with the attribute name exists in the database (S08).
09), if it exists, the user is asked whether deletion can be executed (S10), the attribute name is deleted only when the approval is obtained (S11), and the result is displayed on the display device 6
Is displayed (S012). That is, the deleted attribute name is
It is deleted from the list of attribute names displayed on the display device 6. As a result, the attribute name can be deleted without error.

Finally, the case where an already existing attribute name is changed to a different name will be described. Steps S13 to S15: It is confirmed whether the change instruction designated by the user is correct (S13), the attribute to be changed is input from the input device 1 (S14), and the attribute name obtained from the input device 1 is stored in the database. It is checked whether it exists in the attribute name list of the database in the device 5) S15). Step S15: If the attribute name to be changed does not exist in the database, nothing is done and the process ends. Steps S15 to S21: If the tape base has an attribute name to be changed (S15), it is checked whether or not a document having an attribute with the attribute name exists in the database (S15).
16) If it exists, the user is asked to confirm whether the attribute name can be changed (S17), and only when the approval is obtained, the attribute name is changed (S18-).
S20). Then, the list of attribute names displayed on the display device is displayed again as a new one (S21). However,
If the attribute name designated as the new attribute name exists in the attribute name list of the database (S19), nothing is done and the process ends. This allows you to change an existing attribute name to a different name without error.

FIG. 4 shows the flow of processing in the information attribute management unit 22 in the attribute management unit 2 among the flow of processing in one embodiment of the present invention. First, the addition of attributes will be described. Step S31: First, the user is asked to specify the attribute name to be processed from the displayed list of attribute names. Steps S32 to S34: In the case of processing for adding an attribute to information (S32), an attribute value is input from the input device 1 (S).
33), the specified attribute name and the input attribute value are paired and added to the database in the database device 5 (S34). As a result, the attribute can be added accurately.

Next, the deletion of attributes will be described. Steps S35 to S36: When the attribute added to the information is deleted (S35), the attribute having the specified attribute name is searched for from the information, removed from the information, and deleted (S36).

The process of changing the attribute value of the attribute added to the information will be described. Steps S37 to S39: When changing the attribute value (S
37), the attribute value is input from the input device 1 (S38), the attribute of the specified attribute name is searched from the information of the database in the database device 5, and the attribute value paired with the attribute name is input by the user. The new attribute value is changed (S39). This allows the attribute value to be changed without error.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, in addition to the attributes fixedly prepared in the information retrieval apparatus, the attributes required by the user can be arbitrarily added, and the information to be stored can be It becomes possible to flexibly add attributes that are appropriate for information. Then, by utilizing the attribute added to each piece of information in a later search, an effective search can be performed. In other words, according to the present invention, a user can freely add a new attribute or delete an unnecessary attribute, thereby selecting a more suitable attribute according to the type of information stored in the database. The attribute can be effectively used at the time of later information retrieval, and efficient retrieval can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a structure of data stored in a database according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process of an attribute name list management unit in an attribute management unit in the flow of processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing of an information attribute management unit in the attribute management unit in the flow of processing in the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Input device 2 ... Attribute management unit 21 ... Attribute name list management unit 22 ... Information attribute management unit 3 ... Search control unit 4 ... Database management unit 5 ... Database device 6 ... Display device

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A means for storing information in a database, a means for adding an attribute type to the information, and a means for searching the information in the database using the attribute, and means for adding, deleting, or changing the attribute. An information retrieval apparatus further comprising: 2. A means for adding, deleting, or changing the attribute is
If the specified attribute exists in the database and is valid by determining whether it is a target of addition, deletion, or change, the attribute is added to or deleted from the database via a means for storing the information in the database, The information retrieval apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a changing unit. 3. A means for adding, deleting, or changing the attribute is
If the specified attribute exists in the database and is added, deleted, or changed, it is determined whether the attribute is valid, and if it is valid, the attribute value is added to the database through the means for storing the information in the database, The information search apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means for deleting and changing. 4. The information search apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for displaying a result of adding, deleting, and changing an attribute and an attribute value in the database.