Distributed document retrieval method and device, and distributed document retrieval program and recording medium recording the program

A distributed document retrieval device comprising plural retrieval servers that each perform document retrieval for a database storing plural documents, and an integrating retrieval server that is connected to the plural retrieval servers over communication and issues retrieval orders to the retrieval servers, wherein:

• said retrieval servers each include:
• retrieving means for performing retrieval operation on the databases;
• means for holding intermediate results obtained as a result of said retrieval operation;
• statistical information outputting means for creating and outputting statistical information from said intermediate results;
• and score calculating means for giving scores to each of retrieved documents;
• said integrating retrieval server includes statistical information compiling means for compiling statistical information delivered from plural retrieval servers;
• and
• said integrating retrieval server creates global statistical information and delivers it to the retrieval servers, and the retrieval servers each calculate scores, based on said global statistical information, and send retrieval results matching retrieval conditions back to said integrating retrieval server.

A recording medium recording a distributed document retrieval program for performing document retrieval by plural retrieval servers that each perform document retrieval for a database storing plural documents, and an integrating retrieval server that is connected to the plural retrieval servers over communication and issues retrieval orders to the retrieval servers, the distributed document retrieval program comprising the steps of:

• instructing each retrieval server to deliver statistical information created based on intermediate results obtained by retrieval operation to the integrating retrieval server;
• instructing the integrating retrieval server to compile said statistical information to create global statistical information and deliver it to each retrieval server;
• and
• instructing each retrieval server to calculate scores based on said global statistical information and send retrieval results matching retrieval conditions back to the integrating retrieval server.

A distributed document retrieval program for performing document retrieval by plural retrieval servers that each perform document retrieval for a database storing plural documents, and an integrating retrieval server that is connected to the plural retrieval servers over communication and issues retrieval orders to the retrieval servers, the distributed document retrieval program comprising the steps of:

• instructing each retrieval server to deliver statistical information created based on intermediate results obtained by retrieval operation to the integrating retrieval server;
• instructing the integrating retrieval server to compile said statistical information to create global statistical information and deliver it to each retrieval server;
• and
• instructing each retrieval server to calculate scores based on said global statistical information and send retrieval results matching retrieval conditions back to the integrating retrieval server.