Search engine method and apparatus

A query method for searching stored data items, the method comprising:

• i) receiving a query comprising at least a first search term,
• ii) expanding the query by adding to said query, terms related to said at least first search term,
• iii) retrieving data items corresponding to at least one of said terms,
• iv) using attribute values applied to said retrieved data items to formulate prompts for said user,
• v) asking said user at least one of said formulated prompts as a prompt for focusing said query,
• vi) receiving a response thereto, and
• vii) using said received response to compare to values of said attributes to exclude ones of said retrieved items, thereby to provide a subset of said retrieved data items as a query result.

A query method for searching stored data items, the method comprising:

• receiving a query comprising at least a first search term from a user,
• expanding the query by adding to said query, terms related to said at least first search term,
• analyzing said query for ambiguity,
• formulating at least one ambiguity-resolving prompt for said user, such that an answer to said prompt resolves said ambiguity,
• modifying said query in view of an answer received to said ambiguity resolving prompt,
• retrieving data items corresponding to said modified query,
• formulating results-restricting prompts for said user,
• selecting at least one of said results-restricting prompts to ask said user, and receiving a response thereto
• using said received response to exclude ones of said retrieved items, thereby to provide to said user a subset of said retrieved data items as a query result.

A query method for searching stored data items, the method comprising:

• receiving a query comprising at least two search terms from a user,
• analyzing the query by determining a semantic relationship between the search terms thereby to distinguish between terms defining an item and terms defining an attribute value thereof,
• retrieving data items corresponding to at least one of identified items,
• using attribute values applied to said retrieved data items to formulate prompts for said user,
• asking said user at least one of said formulated prompts and receiving a response thereto
• using said received response to compare to values of said attributes to exclude ones of said retrieved items, thereby to provide to said user a subset of said retrieved data items as a query result.

A query method for searching stored data items, the method comprising:

• receiving a query comprising at least a first search term from a user,
• parsing said query to detect noun phrases,
• retrieving data items corresponding to said parsed query,
• formulating results-restricting prompts for said user,
• selecting at least one of said results-restricting prompts to ask a user, and receiving a response thereto
• using said received response to exclude ones of said retrieved items, thereby to provide to said user a subset of said retrieved data items as a query result.

An automatic method of classifying stored data relating to a set of objects for a data retrieval system, the method comprising:

• defining at least two object classes,
• assigning to each class at least one attribute value,
• for each attribute value assigned to each class assigning an importance weighting,
• assigning objects in said set to at least one class, and
• assigning to said object, an attribute value for at least one attribute of said class.