Searching apparatus and methods

A method for creating and maintaining a user profile for a user for improving database searching by the user, said method comprising a learning phase and an updating phase, wherein said learning phase comprises the steps of:

• accessing a predetermined set of documents containing a plurality of keywords;
• analysing said documents and identifying, according to predetermined rules, groups of related keywords therein;
• assigning attributes indicative of relatedness to said groups of keywords;
• and
• storing said relatedness attributes as a user profile;
• and wherein said updating phase comprises the steps of:
• updating the set of documents by adding documents to or subtracting documents from the set;
• analysing the updated set of documents and identifying existing and additional groups of related keywords therein, according to predetermined rules;
• assigning attributes indicative of relatedness to said additional groups of keywords;
• updating the relatedness attributes of said existing groups of keywords;
• and
• updating the user profile in accordance with the relatedness attributes of said existing and additional groups of keywords.

Apparatus for improving database searching, comprising:

• user profile means, having access to a predetermined set of documents, arranged to provide data indicative of relatedness criteria between keywords from the set of documents;
• means for receiving a search query comprising one or more search keywords from a user;
• means arranged to access said user profile means and to identify therefrom, for the or each search keyword, potentially-related keywords according to predetermined criteria;
• means arranged to provide said potentially-related keywords to the user;
• means for receiving information from the user confirming that any potentially-related keywords are considered to be related keywords;
• means arranged to incorporate such potentially-related keywords as keywords in an improved search query in the event that they are confirmed by the user to be related keywords;
• and
• means for submitting the improved search query to a search engine.

A method for improving database searching, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a search query comprising one or more search keywords from a user;
• accessing a user profile means arranged to provide data indicative of relatedness criteria between keywords from a set of documents, and identifying from said user profile means, for the or each search keyword, potentially-related keywords according to predetermined criteria;
• providing said potentially-related keywords to the user;
• receiving information from the user confirming that any potentially-related keywords are considered to be related keywords;
• in the event that any potentially-related keywords are confirmed by the user to be related keywords, incorporating such potentially-related keywords as keywords in an improved search query;
• and
• submitting the improved search query to a search engine.