Indexing and searching product identifiers
A method for indexing a product identifier and logical parts thereof according to one embodiment of the present invention includes receiving a product identifier; splitting the product identifier into logical parts; indexing the product identifier and the individual logical parts in association with a particular document or portion thereof in an index; and storing the index. A method for processing a search query according to another embodiment of the present invention includes receiving a search query containing one or more terms; searching a search index containing complete product identifiers and variations thereof for attempting to match the one or more terms to the product identifiers or the variations thereof; and if one or more of the terms matches a complete product identifier or variation thereof, selecting and outputting an indicator of a document, or portion thereof, associated with the matching product identifier.
1. A method for indexing a product identifier and logical parts thereof, comprising:
receiving a product identifier;
splitting the product identifier into logical parts;
indexing the product identifier and the individual logical parts in association with a particular document or portion thereof in an index; and
storing the index,
wherein the index is created by encoding context information into the particular document,
wherein the context information includes the product identifier and the individual logical parts of the product identifier,
wherein each of the product identifier and the individual logical parts of the product identifier are stored in separate fields in the context information,
wherein different weights are assigned to separate fields based on the field types such as product identifier or logical parts of the product identifier field,
wherein different weights are assigned to words based on the word types including bi-words,
wherein the fields and weights are encoded to word positions in the particular document,
wherein the weights affect a context score generated upon performing a query using the index.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein if the product identifier comprises multiple logical parts separated by a space, the context information further comprises at least some of the logical parts separated by a space as a single consecutive character string without a space.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein if the product identifier comprises multiple logical parts separated by a punctuation mark, the context information further comprises at least some of the logical parts separated by the punctuation mark as a single consecutive character string without a punctuation mark.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the context information further comprises bi-words in the product identifier, wherein a weight assigned to the bi-word is higher than a weight associated with an individual word of the product identifier or the logical parts of the product identifier.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein if the product identifier is an alphanumeric character string, the logical parts include a separate alphabetic-only part and a separate numeric-only part of the alphanumeric character string.
6. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the alphabetic part and the numeric part are stored in different fields.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the weight assigned to the product identifier is different from the weight assigned to the at least one of the individual logical parts.
8. A method for indexing a product identifier and logical parts thereof, comprising:
receiving a product identifier;
splitting the product identifier into logical parts;
creating alternate combinations of the logical parts;
indexing the product identifier and the individual logical parts in association with a particular document or portion thereof in an index; and
storing the index,
wherein the index is created by encoding context information into the particular document,
wherein the context information includes the product identifier, the individual logical parts of the product identifier, and the alternate combinations of the logical parts,
wherein each of the product identifier, the individual logical parts of the product identifier, and the alternate combinations of the logical parts of the product identifier are stored in separate fields in the context information,
wherein different fields and their weights are encoded to different word positions in the particular document,
the context information further comprising bi-words in the product identifier, the logical parts and the alternate combinations of the logical parts of the product identifier, wherein a weight assigned to the bi-word is higher than a weight associated with an individual word of the product identifier, the logical parts, or the alternate combinations of the logical parts of the product identifier,
wherein different weights are assigned to separate fields based on the field types such as product identifier or logical parts of the product identifier field,
wherein different weights are assigned to words based on the word types including bi-words,
wherein the fields and weights are encoded to word positions in the particular document, wherein the weights affect a context score generated upon performing a query using the index.
9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the weight associated with one of the at least one of the individual logical parts is different from a weight assigned to another of the at least one of the individual logical parts.
10. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein if the product identifier comprises multiple logical parts separated by a space, the context information further comprising at least some of the logical parts as a single consecutive character string without a space.
11. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein if the product identifier comprises multiple logical parts separated by a punctuation mark, the context information further comprising at least some of the logical parts as a single consecutive character string without punctuation.
12. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein if the product identifier is an alphanumeric character string, the logical parts include a separate alphabetic-only part and a separate numeric-only part of the alphanumeric character string.
13. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the alphabetic part and the numeric part are stored in different fields.
14. A system for indexing a product identifier and logical parts thereof, comprising:
a processor for:
receiving a product identifier;
splitting the product identifier into logical parts;
creating alternate combinations of the logical parts;
indexing the product identifier and the individual logical parts and/or alternate combinations of the logical parts in association with a particular document or portion thereof in an index; and
a storage device for storing the index,
wherein the index is created by encoding context information into the particular document,
wherein the context information includes the product identifier, the individual logical parts of the product identifier, and the alternate combinations of the logical parts,
wherein each of the product identifier, the individual logical parts of the product identifier, and the alternate combinations of the logical parts of the product identifier are stored in separate fields in the context information,
wherein different fields and their weights are encoded to different word positions in the particular document,
the context information further comprising bi-words in the product identifier, the logical parts and the alternate combinations of the logical parts of the product identifier, wherein a weight assigned to the bi-word is higher than a weight associated with an individual word of the product identifier, the logical parts, or the alternate combinations of the logical parts of the product identifier,
wherein different weights are assigned to separate fields based on the field types such as product identifier or logical parts of the product identifier field,
wherein different weights are assigned to words based on the word types including bi-words,
wherein the fields and weights are encoded to word positions in the particular document,
wherein the weights affect a context score generated upon performing a query using the index.
15. A computer program product for indexing a product identifier and logical parts thereof, comprising:
a computer readable:
receiving a product identifier;
splitting the product identifier into logical parts;
creating alternate combinations of the logical parts;
indexing the product identifier and the individual logical parts and/or alternate combinations of the logical parts in association with a particular document or portion thereof in an index; and
a storage device for storing the index,
wherein the index is created by encoding context information into the particular document,
wherein the context information includes the product identifier, the individual logical parts of the product identifier, and the alternate combinations of the logical parts,
wherein each of the product identifier, the individual logical parts of the product identifier, and the alternate combinations of the logical parts of the product identifier are stored in separate fields in the context information,
wherein different fields and their weights are encoded to different word positions in the particular document,
the context information further comprising bi-words in the product identifier, the logical parts and the alternate combinations of the logical parts of the product identifier, wherein a weight assigned to the bi-word is higher than a weight associated with an individual word of the product identifier, the logical parts, or the alternate combinations of the logical parts of the product identifier,
wherein different weights are assigned to separate fields based on the field types such as product identifier or logical parts of the product identifier field,
wherein different weights are assigned to words based on the word types including bi-words,
wherein the fields and weights are encoded to word positions in the particular document,
wherein the weights affect a context score generated upon performing a query using the index.