Domain-specific searching using concepts

在专利数据库或医疗收藏等领域内进行搜索可能很困难，无论是在设计有效的查询还是在评估结果方面都是如此。搜索者使用的术语通常不同于文件集合中使用的术语，许多不相关的文件可能包含在搜索结果中。在我们之前的研究中，我们探索了使用概念知识库来支持网络搜索者构建查询并随后搜索排名靠前的搜索结果。本研究的目标是将基于概念的搜索框架从先前的研究扩展到特定领域集合内的搜索。最初的目标信息域在专利数据库中。将利用现有的专利分类建立一个新的概念知识库。以前为支持用户的交互式查询改进和交互式搜索结果探索过程而开发的技术将成为进一步研究开发界面以支持这些任务的基础。一个主要的研究目标是进一步了解搜索者如何利用概念信息和表示这些信息的界面来满足他们的信息需求。完成的研究的预期结果包括：(1)描述专利知识的概念知识库；(2)支持查询的交互精化和搜索结果的交互探索的原型系统，使用该概念知识库；(3)完成原型系统的用户评估；(4)保护在研究过程中创建的任何新知识产权的专利申请；以及(5)通过会议演示和期刊出版物公开传播研究成果。这项工作可以很容易地扩展到其他文档集合，例如医疗数据库、公司文档集合等。

Searching within domains such as patent databases or medical collections can be difficult, in both crafting effective queries and in evaluating the results. Searchers often use terminology that is different from what is used within the document collection and many non-relevant documents may be included in the search results. In our previous research, we explored the use of a concept knowledge base to support Web searchers in crafting a query and subsequently exploring the top search results.The goal of this research is to extend the framework of concept-based searching from our previous research to searching within domain-specific collections. The initial target information domain is within patent databases. A new concept knowledge base will be constructed using existing classifications of patents. Previously developed techniques for supporting users in their interactive query refinement and interactive search results exploration processes will form the basis for further research in the development of interfaces to support these tasks. A primary research goal is to further understand how searchers can make use of the conceptual information and the interfaces for representing this information to fulfill their information needs.The anticipated outcomes of the completed research include: (1) a concept knowledge base describing patent knowledge; (2) a prototype system that supports the interactive refinement of queries and the interactive exploration of search results, using the concept knowledge base; (3) completed user evaluations of the prototype systems; (4) patent applications to protect any new intellectual property created in the course of this research; and (5) public dissemination of the research outcomes through conference presentations and journal publications. This work may be readily extended to other document collections such as medical databases, corporate document collections, ect.