Information retrieval system

An information retrieval system for providing information to a user, comprising:

• a computing device in communication with a database;
• the computing device further including:
• a searching part configured to extract a matched data group satisfying a search condition from a data group to be searched;
• a screen generator configured to generate a list display screen for displaying a list of information of the matched data group extracted by said searching part using, as said search condition, a first search condition entered by the user, and configured to generate a plurality of selection display screen groups displaying information including detailed information of data selected by the user from said matched data group;
• the screen generator configured to display a first selection display screen corresponding to first information included in said selected data, and the first selection display screen prompts the user to select a second search condition;
• the screen generator configured to display a second selection display screen corresponding to second information, which provides greater detail than is included in said first information and corresponds to said selected data;
• a storage portion configured to store first relation information as information of the relation between said first search condition and said selected data, wherein
• a screen to be displayed on said display is switched among said list display screen and said plurality of selection display screen groups in response to a screen transition instruction given from the user, said screen transition instruction providing an indication of a level of user satisfaction regarding desired search results,
• said first relation information is updated in response to said screen transition instruction to strengthen a relation between the first search condition and the selected data for use in said searching process or said screen generating process in a next search session in which said first searching condition is designated by the user again, and wherein the strengthened relation is assigned to said next search session whereby said list display screen in the next search session is generated in response to the strengthened relation.

A database system, comprising:

• a database configured to store a data group of a predetermined category;
• a first screen generator configured to generate a first screen to prompt a user to designate a searching condition;
• a search engine configured to search said database to extract a plurality of data matching said searching condition among said data group;
• a second screen generator configured to generate a second screen for displaying a list of hyperlinks to said plurality of data;
• a manual selection tool manually operable by the user to arbitrarily select a target data among the list of hyperlinks to said plurality of data;
• a third screen generator configured to generate a third screen displaying contents of said target data and further hyperlinks in response to a manual selection by the user using said manual selection tool and the list of hyper links;
• and
• a matching score controller configured to store respective matching scores of said plurality of data with said searching condition, and to increase the matching score of said target data for said searching condition in response to said manual selection, whereby said search engine is operable to extract said target data at a higher matching score, and said second screen generator is operable to generate said second screen in response to said higher matching scores when said searching condition is designated again for searching said database than previously designated, and wherein the increased matching score is assigned to said next search session whereby said list of hyperlinks in said next search session is generated in response to the increased matching score.