Method and system for document collection final search result by arithmetical operations between search results sorted by multiple ranking metrics

A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer-executable instructions embodied therein to perform a method for processing a collection of documents derived from a query of an associated database to acquire a final search result by an arithmetic operation performed on search results sorted by different ranking metrics, the method comprising:

• using a first ranking metric Mj, associating each element di of said collection of documents with a degree of relevance Ri to said first ranking metric Mi to create a first ranked ordering of said collection of documents;
• using a second ranking metric Mk, associating each element of i of said collection of documents with a degree of relevance Rk to said second ranking metric Mk to create a second ranked ordering of said collection of documents;
• and,
• performing an arithmetic operation on the first ranked ordering and the second ranked ordering to derive a third ranked ordering of the collection of documents as said final search result.

A system for processing a collection of documents comprising means for implementing a method for processing a collection of documents derived from a query of an associated database to acquire a final search result by an arithmetic operation performed on search results sorted by different ranking metrics, the system comprising:

• using a first ranking metric Mi, associating each element di of said collection of documents with a degree of relevance Ri to said first ranking metric Mi to create a first ranked ordering of said collection of documents;
• using a second ranking metric Mi, associating each element of i of said collection of documents with a degree of relevance Ri to said second ranking metric Mk to create a second ranked ordering of said collection of documents;
• and,
• performing an arithmetic operation on the first ranked ordering and the second ranked ordering to derive a third ranked ordering of the collection of documents as said final search result.

A method for searching documents related to prescribed information from a collection of documents, comprising the steps of:

• sorting said collection of documents with multiple ranking metrics to generate sorted collections of documents;
• determining a new collection of documents in higher-ranking positions of said sorted collections of documents;
• selecting an arithmetic operation from a group including a sum of said sorted and new collections of documents, an intersection of said sorted and new collections of documents, and a difference between said sorted and new collections of documents;
• performing said arithmetic operation between said new collection of documents and said sorted collection of documents;
• and
• determining documents in higher-ranking positions of a result of said arithmetic operation as a search result.

A system for searching documents related to prescribed information from a collection of documents, comprising:

• means for creating ranking data for said collection of documents by sorting the collection of documents with multiple ranking metrics to generate a search result;
• means for searching from said collection of documents based on a query from a user of the system;
• means for selecting multiple ranking metrics for said search result based on said ranking data;
• means for, according to the selected multiple ranking metrics, sorting said search result and determining higher-ranking positions of said collection of documents;
• means for selecting an arithmetic operation for said higher-ranking positions of said collection of documents from a group including a sum of said search result and said collection of documents, an intersection of said search result and said collection of documents, and a difference between said search result and said collection of documents;
• and
• means for, according to the selected arithmetic operation, outputting a final result of said search.

A medium including a program executable by a computer to search documents related to prescribed information from a collection of documents, said program causing the computer to perform the steps of:

• sorting said collection of documents with multiple ranking metrics to generate a set of sorted collections of documents;
• determining a new collection of documents in higher-ranking positions of said set of sorted collections of documents;
• selecting an arithmetical operation from a group including a sum of said sorted and new collections of documents, an intersection of said sorted and new collections of documents, and a difference between said sorted and new collections of documents;
• performing said arithmetic operation between said new collection of documents and said set of sorted collections of documents;
• and
• determining documents in higher-ranking positions of a result of said arithmetic operation as a search result.