Patent ID: 6976019

Claim:
A method of providing a user with a positive search result by querying a database system, the method comprising the steps of: (A) creating a phonetic database having a plurality of phonetically equivalent formulas stored therein, each of the phonetically equivalent formulas being associated with at least one respective pronounceable unit; (B) receiving a search string from the user; (C) querying a primary database with the search string, the primary database having a plurality of primary records stored therein; (D) if the search string exists in the primary database: (1) identifying a respective one of the primary records which matches the search string in the primary database as the positive search result; and (E) if the search string does not exist in the primary database: (1) querying an error memory database with the search string, the error memory database having a plurality of error memory records, each of the error memory records having at least one positive search result and at least one search string associated therewith; (2) if the search string exists in the error memory database: (a) identifying a respective one of the error memory records which matches the search string in the error memory database as the positive search result; and (3) if the search string does not exist in the error memory database: (a) parsing the search string into at least one pronounceable unit; (b) applying the phonetically equivalent formulas to the at least one pronounceable unit for outputting at least one phonetic search string; (c) comparing the at least one phonetic search string with the primary records and the error memory records; (d) if the at least one phonetic search string exists in the primary database: (i) identifying at least one result candidate which matches the at least one phonetic search string in the primary database as the positive search result; (e) if the at least one phonetic search string exists in the error memory database: (i) identifying at least one result candidate which matches the at least one phonetic search string in the error memory database as the positive search result; and (f) if the positive search result is confirmed by the user: (i) storing the search string, a confirmed phonetic search string and the positive search result in the error memory database as an error memory record.