Patent ID: 7831583

Claim:
A document retrieval system, which performs a retrieval of at least one document from documents stored in a plurality of storage devices in accordance with a retrieval condition input by a user, comprising: (A) a selection unit configured to select at least one storage device, in which the retrieval is carried out, from the plurality of storage devices; (B) an input unit configured to input the retrieval condition; (C) a management unit configured to manage information indicating a number of documents which satisfy the retrieval condition based on a result of the retrieval, the information being managed for each storage device; (D) a determination unit configured to determine, based on the information managed by the management unit, whether a number of documents which are expected to be obtained as a result of the retrieval carried out in the at least one selected storage device is larger than a predetermined number, the determination being performed in response to an instruction from a user to carry out the retrieval and being performed before the retrieval is carried out; (E) a display unit configured to display, in a case where it is determined that the number of documents which are expected to be obtained as a result of the retrieval carried out in the at least one selected storage device is larger than the predetermined number, (F) Display of a warning message for notifying a user that the retrieval should not be carried out; (G) a setting unit configured to set a first number and a second number, which is smaller than the first number, wherein a control unit prohibits carrying out the retrieval in a case where it is determined that the number of documents which are expected to be obtained as a result of the retrieval carried out in the at least one selected storage device is larger than the first number, and notify a user that the retrieval should not be carried out in a case where it is determined that the number of documents which are expected to be obtained as a result of the retrieval carried out in the at least one selected storage device is larger than the second number and smaller than the first number; and (H) an updating unit configured to update the managed information which has not been used for longer than a predetermined period.