Patent ID: 6470337
Filing Date: 2002-10-22
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
An information retrieval system for retrieving desired data from a retrieved subject database with data to be retrieved stored therein, comprising:retrieval condition expression creating means for creating a retrieval condition expression by use of an entered retrieval condition; retrieval executing means for executing retrieval processing through access to the retrieved subject database based on a retrieval condition expression created by said retrieval condition expression creating means; index storing means for storing each hierarchical index as for retrieved subject data stored in the retrieved subject database; retrieved subject retrieval probability storing means for storing record of retrieval times of each retrieved subject data stored in the retrieved subject database; and narrowing means of obtaining the index corresponding to the retrieved subject data obtained by said retrieval executing means as a retrieval result, from said index storing means, computing expected value of acquired information based on the retrieval times of the retrieval result data stored in said retrieved subject retrieval probability storing means, and presenting to a user the index information corresponding to the retrieval results, in decreasing order of the expected value of the computed acquired information as for the retrieved subject data that is the retrieval result, for narrowing down a retrieval result obtained by said retrieval executing means, in reply to a user's narrowing request.