Pattern searching methods and apparatuses

1. A machine-implemented method for identifying patterns in text using structures defining types of patterns which are to be identified, wherein a structure comprises one or more definition items, the method comprising:

assigning a fixed weighting to each structure and each definition item in each structure, each fixed weighting being an integer multiple of the same integer;

searching the text for a pattern to be identified on the basis of a particular structure, a pattern being provisionally identified if it matches the definition given by said particular structure;

in a provisionally identified pattern, determining definition items making up said particular structure that have been identified in the provisionally identified pattern;

combining the fixed weightings of the determined definition items and the fixed weighting of the particular structure to a single quantity;

assessing whether the single quantity fulfils a given condition; and

depending on the result of said assessment, rejecting or confirming the provisionally identified pattern.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the given condition corresponds to the single quantity being above or below a given threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the single quantity is obtained by combining the fixed weightings using one or more arithmetic operations.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the arithmetic operation is a summation over all fixed weightings, the single quantity being the sum of all the fixed weightings.

5. The method of claim 1 , each fixed weighting taking the form of either a bonus in the form of a positive integer, or a malus in the form of a negative integer.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein a structure or definition item is assigned a bonus if it is well-defined, and a malus if it is ambiguous.

7. A program storage medium having a program stored therein for causing a data processing system to execute the method of any one of claims 1 - 4 or 5 - 6 .

8. An apparatus for identifying patterns in text using structures defining types of patterns which are to be identified, wherein a structure comprises one or more definition items, the apparatus comprising:

a processing system coupled to memory;

means for assigning a fixed weighting to each structure and each definition item in each

structure, each fixed weighting being an integer multiple of the same integer; means for searching the text for a pattern to be identified on the basis of a particular

structure, a pattern being provisionally identified if it matches the definition given by said particular structure;

in a provisionally identified pattern, means for determining definition items making up said particular structure that have been identified in the provisionally identified pattern;

means for combining the fixed weightings of the determined definition items and the

fixed weighting of the particular structure to a single quantity;

means for assessing whether the single quantity fulfils a given condition; and depending on the result of said assessment, means for rejecting or confirming the

provisionally identified pattern.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the given condition corresponds to the single quantity being above or below a given threshold.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the single quantity is obtained by the means for combining the fixed weightings using one or more arithmetic operations.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the arithmetic operation is a summation over all fixed weightings, the single quantity being the sum of all the weightings.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , each fixed weighting taking the form of either a bonus in the form of a positive integer, or a malus in the form of a negative integer.