Low-dimensional information discovery and presentation system, apparatus and method

A method in a search system, comprising:

• receiving an information search request for a new search or for updating an earlier search;
• and
• in response to the receiving of the search request automatically:
• performing a first information search based on first information search criteria to produce a first set of search features and associated relevance and divergence quantifiers;
• determining second information search criteria for divergent further searches based results of the first information search;
• performing a plurality of further searches based on the second information search criteria to produce at least one second set of search features and associated relevance and divergence quantifiers;
• and
• replying to the information search request with at least a subset of:
• the first set and the at least one second output set.

An apparatus, comprising:

• an input configured to receive a current search request from a user for new or updated search of information, the current search request comprising user input that comprises at least one of:
• a search query feature;
• an indication of interest in particular search features;
• and a request to resume to any preceding search state;
• a bookmark identifying a file;
• and a bookmark identifying an earlier search feature;
• an output configured to send information;
• a memory configured to store computer executable program code;
• at least one processor configured to execute the program code and accordingly receive the current search request from the input and in response to the receiving of the current search request to automatically:
• form an intent model of a current search intent of the user based on:
• the user input of the current search request;
• any earlier received search request from the user that was refined by the current search request;
• and a database of searchable files;
• wherein the intent model comprises or identifies at least one search feature;
• wherein the intent model further comprises a measure of the user's interest in the at least one of the search features;
• wherein the intent model further comprises a measure of uncertainty of the user's interest in the at least one of the search features;
• identify and rank a plurality of potential further search features according to the intent model;
• determine for each of the search features ability of the search feature in question to change the intent model based on the database of searchable files;
• establish a summarized representation of the intent model and search features predicted as potentially relevant by the model and a summarized representation of the determined ability of the predicted potentially relevant search features to change the intent model;
• identify and rank a plurality of files according to their estimated relevance according to the intent model and the uncertainty of the estimated relevance;
• and
• send, by controlling the output according to the program code, to the user an output set comprising at least one of:
• a representation of the intent model;
• a representation of the search features predicted as potentially relevant by the model;
• a representation of the predicted relevance of the one or more search features;
• a representation of predicted relative relevance of the one or more search features;
• a representation of ability of the predicted potentially relevant search features to change the intent model;
• an identification of one or more of the identified files;
• a representation of relevance of the one or more identified files;
• a representation of relative relevance of the one or more identified files;
• a representation of the ranking of the one or more identified files.

An apparatus, comprising:

• an input configured to receive a search request for a new search or for updating an earlier search;
• an output configured to send information to external devices;
• at least one processor configured to detect the receiving of the search request and responsively to:
• perform a first information search based on first information search criteria to produce a first set of search features and associated relevance and divergence quantifiers;
• determine second information search criteria for divergent further searches based on the first information search;
• perform a plurality of further searches based on the second information search criteria to produce at least one second set of search features and associated relevance and divergence quantifiers;
• and
• reply using the output to the information search request with at least a subset of:
• the first set and the at least one second output set.

A method for interfacing with a low-dimensional search system, comprising:

• issuing an information search request to the low-dimensional search system;
• and responsively:
• receiving search results that identify a plurality of search features classified at least by their relevance and mutual divergence;
• and
• displaying at least a subset of the search results to a user so that relevance of individual search features is indicated by a first dimension and relationship of the individual search features is indicated by a second dimension.

User equipment for interfacing with a low-dimensional search system, comprising:

• a memory configured to store computer executable program code;
• at least one processor;
• a communication circuitry;
• and
• a user interface;
• the at least one processor being configured to perform under control of the program code:
• issuing an information search request to the low-dimensional search system;
• and responsively:
• receiving search results that identify a plurality of search features classified at least by their relevance and mutual divergence;
• and
• displaying the search results by the user interface to a user so that relevance of individual search features is indicated by a first dimension and relationship of the individual search features is indicated by a second dimension.