Hypothesis generation

1 . A hypothesis generation system, comprising:

a related concepts datastore recording relationships between core concepts in a field of study; and

a recognition module performing automatic recognition of a hypothesis recognition pattern respective of contents of the related concepts datastore, and recording a hypothetical relationship between core concepts of the datastore based on the recognition of the pattern.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a reliability assessment module performing an assessment of reliability of a hypothesis recognition pattern, and recording the hypothesis recognition pattern in a pattern datastore of predefined patterns based on the assessment.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein said reliability assessment module subjects the hypothesis recognition pattern to a logical analysis.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein said reliability assessment module determines whether known relationships exist in the related concepts datastore that contradict the hypothesis recognition pattern.

5 . The system of claim 3 , further comprising a pattern extraction module performing automatic extraction of a pattern of relationships between core concepts based on pattern extraction criteria, and formulating the hypothesis recognition pattern based on the pattern extraction criteria.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said recognition module distinguishes between hypothetical relationships and known relationships of the related concepts datastore.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein said recognition module records whether existence of the hypothetical relationship depends on confirmation of another hypothetical relationship.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a research supplies demand prediction module predicting demand for a new product based on the hypothetical relationship.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a hypotheses navigation module receiving user navigation selections respective of contents of the related concepts datastore, and communicating the hypothetical relationship to the user in response to the navigation selections.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a research strategy formulation module formulating a research strategy based on the hypothetical relationship.

11 . A hypothesis generation method, comprising:

accessing a related concepts datastore recording relationships between core concepts in a field of study;

performing automatic recognition of a hypothesis recognition pattern respective of contents of the related concepts datastore; and

recording a hypothetical relationship between core concepts of the datastore based on recognition of the hypothesis recognition pattern.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

performing an assessment of reliability of a hypothesis recognition pattern; and

recording the hypothesis recognition pattern in a pattern datastore of predefined patterns based on the assessment.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein performing the assessment includes subjecting the hypothesis recognition pattern to a logical analysis.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein performing the assessment includes determining whether known relationships exist in the related concepts datastore that contradict the hypothesis recognition pattern.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

performing automatic extraction of a pattern of relationships between core concepts in the datastore based on pattern extraction criteria; and

formulating the hypothesis recognition pattern based on the pattern extraction criteria.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein performing recognition includes distinguishing between hypothetical relationships and known relationships of the related concepts datastore.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein recording the hypothetical relationship includes recording whether existence of the hypothetical relationship depends on confirmation of another hypothetical relationship.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising designing new research supplies based on the hypothetical relationship.

19 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving user navigation selections respective of contents of the related concepts datastore; and

communicating the hypothetical relationship to the user in response to the navigation selections.

20 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising formulating a research strategy based on the hypothetical relationship.