JPH1139328A - Information retrieval method and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information retrieval method and device which can shorten connection time with a network server, can suppress communication cost and can improve the quality of a retrieval result. SOLUTION: Communication between an agent client 10 and an agent server 30 is executed by an electronic mail through a mail server 20. When the agent server 30 receives a retrieval request mail by the electronic mail from the agent client 10, WWW(world wide web) servers 40-1 to 40-3 are accessed based on the retrieval request mail, and the retrieval result and the evaluation are transmitted to the agent client by the electronic mail as a retrieval result notice mail.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information search method and apparatus, and more particularly, to a WWW (World Wide).
The present invention relates to an information search method and apparatus for performing information search such as Web).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, as an information search agent for searching for information such as WWW, an agent employing the following method has been known.

[0003] 1) A file is obtained from a WWW server to a client machine, and file analysis is performed on the client machine.

2) A program is sent to a WWW server to search for information. The client machine controls the progress and receives the results.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional WWW agent, the client is a W
Since it is necessary to constantly communicate with the WW server, it is necessary to be connected to the network during information search regardless of the traffic.

For this reason, P via a public line such as mobile
PP (Point to Point Protocol)
There is a problem that the connection time is long in the environment connected to 1), and the cost is high.

In a conventional WWW agent, a so-called keyword search is performed when searching for information. However, the search result in the conventional keyword search becomes enormous, and this results in an environment where the line speed is low. This causes the communication time to be extended.

Therefore, the present invention reduces the communication cost by shortening the connection time with the network server,
An object of the present invention is to provide an information search method and apparatus capable of improving the quality of search results.

[0009]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information search method for searching for information of a network server by accessing the network server via a communication network. Sends an e-mail to the agent server requesting a search for information, and the agent server accesses the network in response to the search request from the agent client and obtains the target information of the search request. A search is performed, and a search result notification mail indicating the result of the search is returned from the agent server to the agent client by electronic mail.

Here, the agent client requests the agent server to search for information on the network server. The agent server searches for information on the network server in response to a search request from the agent client. Things.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the agent server analyzes the search request mail transmitted from the agent client, and by performing the analysis, the sender of the search request mail and The domain is extracted, and a service is limited according to the extracted sender and the domain.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the search request mail includes a search condition for searching for information from the network server, and the agent server transmits the search request mail from the agent client. A search condition included in the search request mail is extracted by analyzing the search request mail, and information of the network server is searched based on the extracted search condition.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first or third aspect, the agent server analyzes the e-mail transmitted from the agent client and groups related words included in the e-mail. And searching for the information of the network server using the grouped related words.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the agent server evaluates the degree of conformity of the search result, and includes the evaluation result in the search result notification mail so as to include the agent client. Reply to

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information search apparatus for searching for information of a network server by accessing the network server via a communication network.
An agent client for sending an information search request e-mail to the network server by e-mail,
The search request mail transmitted from the agent client is received, and the search target mail is searched for information by accessing the network, and a search result notification mail indicating the search result is sent by e-mail. And an agent server for returning to the agent client.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect of the present invention, the agent server comprises: a mail analyzing means for analyzing the electronic mail transmitted from the agent client; and an electronic mail analyzed by the mail analyzing means. Extract the sender and its domain from
Security management means for limiting services in accordance with the sender of the extracted email and its domain;
It is characterized by having.

In the invention according to claim 8, in the invention according to claim 6, the agent server is a mail analyzing means for analyzing the electronic mail transmitted from the agent client, and the search is performed by the mail analyzing means. Search means for extracting a search condition included in the request mail and searching for information of the network server based on the extracted search condition.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the eighth aspect, the agent server comprises: a mail analyzing means for analyzing the electronic mail transmitted from the agent client; and an electronic mail analyzed by the mail analyzing means. Document analysis means for extracting related words included in the document, keyword database creation means for grouping the related words extracted by the document analysis means, and creating a keyword database using the grouped related words as keywords, and the keyword creation means And a keyword database unit for storing the keyword database created in the step (a), wherein the search unit searches for information of the network server by referring to the keyword database stored in the keyword database unit. .

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect of the present invention, the agent server includes an evaluation means for evaluating the fitness of the search result, and an evaluation result by the evaluation means for the search result notification mail. And a search result creating means for creating the search result notification mail.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of an information search method and apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an information search system configured by applying the information search method and apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the information search system includes:
An agent client 10, a mail server 20, an agent server 30, a plurality of WWW servers 40-1,
40-2 and 40-3.

Here, the agent client 10,
Agent server 30, multiple WWW servers 40-
1, 40-2 and 40-3 physically exist in different places, respectively, and are connected by the Internet.

Information is exchanged between the agent client 10 and the agent server 30 by e-mail via the mail server 20, and the agent server 30 and the plurality of WWW servers 40-1 and 40-
HTT which is a WWW protocol between 2, 40-3
Communication is performed by P.

Here, the agent client 10
Sends to the agent server 30 via the mail server 20 1) a search request 2) a document used for generating and updating a keyword database 3) sending a program to be executed by the agent server 30 and the agent server 30 via the mail server 20 From the search result.

The exchange of electronic mail between the agent client 10 and the agent server 30 via the mail server 20 includes: 1) a function of transmitting / receiving character information mail; and 2) a general function of encoding a program into character information. Email software can be used.

The mail server 20 is a system that allows any user to send and receive electronic mail to and from any user on the Internet.
A UNIX mail system, a Notes mail system, or the like can be used.

Further, the WWW servers 40-1, 40-2,
Reference numeral 40-3 denotes a server for transmitting information on the WWW, for example, Microsoft's IIS (Internet).
Information Server) and Netsc
ape's Enterprise Server) can be used.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of the agent server shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, the agent server 30
Are a mail interface (mail I / F) 31, a mail analysis device 32, a security management device 33, a document analysis device 34, a keyword database creation device (keyword DB creation device) 35, a keyword database (keyword DB) 35a, and a search result creation. Device 36, search result holding device 37, search device 38, search request creation device 39
It comprises.

Here, the mail interface 31
This is an interface with the mail server 20 shown in FIG. That is, the electronic mail is transmitted to and received from the mail server 20 shown in FIG. Here, mail server 2
The electronic mails transmitted / received to / from 0 include 1) reception of search request mail from mail server 20 2) reception of general mail from mail server 20 3) transmission of search results to mail server 20, and the like.

The mail analyzing device 32 is provided for the mail server 20.
The security management device 33 and the document analysis device 34 extract information used by the security management device 33 and the document analysis device 34, respectively.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of a search request mail received from an agent client.

The search request mail shown in FIG. 3 is composed of a “field” and its “content”. That is, in the example of the request mail shown in FIG. 3, "To:", "Su"
object: "," From: "," X-Maile "
r: "," X-Query: "," X-WwwStar "
tPoint "," X-WwwwDepth: "," X-
WWWSite "," Date: "," Mime-Ve "
“rsion”, “Content-Type:” and the like indicate a “field”, and data following this indicates the contents of the “field”.

FIG. 4 is a table showing the relationship between the field names of the fields of the search request mail received from the agent client and their contents.

As shown in FIG. 4, the field name "none"
In the case of, the content of the field name “To:” indicates the “mail destination”, and the content of the field name “Cc:” indicates the “mail copy destination”. And the field name "Fro
The contents for “m:” indicate “sender of the mail”, the contents for the field name “Subject:” indicate “the title of the mail”, and the field name “X”
The content for “-Query:” indicates a “search formula for document search”, and the field name “X-WwwSta”
The content for “rtPoint:” is “URL of search start point”.
(UniformResourceLocator) "
And the field name “X-WwwwDepth”
Indicates the “depth of search”, and the content for the field name “X-WWWSite:” indicates “search range (specifies whether to search outside the site specified by the starting point)”. I have.

Here, the field name "X-Query:" having the content of "search formula for document search" is a field extended in this embodiment.

The security management device 33 limits the contents of the service by the mail issuer. That is, the security management device 33 has a registration table of the mail address and the domain, and uses the information of the field name “From:” analyzed by the mail analysis device 32 to determine whether or not to accept the search request.

The judgment element based on the above-mentioned registration table is not limited to whether or not a search request is accepted. In addition, when a program execution on a server or a function of accepting a server setting change mail is added, a table for each is determined. It can be handled by adding an entry.

If the address or domain of the mail issuer is registered in the registration table, the search request from this mail issuer is accepted, a search request is created by the search request creation device 39, and the search is executed. You.

If the address or domain of the mail issuer is not registered in the registration table, the search request from the mail issuer is rejected, and a request reject mail is returned.

FIG. 5 is a table showing a specific example of a registration table provided in the security management device.

In the registration table shown in FIG. 5, three items of 1) search request mail permission, 2) setting change mail permission, and 3) program execution permission are registered.

Here, for example, “search request mail permission”
"@ Omron.co.jp, 123 @ mb
ox. kyoto-inet. or. jp ”, the latter half of the email address is \ omron. co. jp and all the people who have the mail address, mail address 123 @ mbo
x. kyoto-inet. or. jp is permitted to be searched through the agent server 30.

The document analyzer 34 is a mail analyzer 32
The keyword used in the search is extracted from the information of the “mail body” corresponding to the field name “none” analyzed in the above.
That is, words are extracted from the “mail body”, and unnecessary words are deleted, and the inflected forms and the time expressions are normalized. here,
Deletion of a word that is not suitable as a search key is performed by using part of speech information obtained as a result of morphological analysis used for word extraction and using a list in which unnecessary words are registered.

The keyword database creation device 35
The keywords extracted by the literary analyzer 34 are stored in the keyword database 35a. Here, when the keyword is stored in the keyword database 35a, the number of appearances of the keyword is recorded together with the keyword to be stored.

That is, the keyword database creating device 35 learns keywords by grouping frequently used words from the body information of the mail analyzed by the mail analyzing device 32. A known method can be used for learning the keyword.
The learning result of the keyword is stored in the keyword database 35a for each individual.

The type of the learning e-mail and the search request e-mail is determined based on which of the field names "To;" and "Cc" designates the agent server 30. That is, if the agent server 30 is specified by the field name “To;”, it is determined as a search request mail, and if it is specified by the field name “Cc”, it is determined as a learning mail.

The search request creation device 39 sends the field name “X-Query:” extracted by the mail analysis device 32,
“X-WwwStartPoint:”, “X-Wwww
A search request is created from the information of “Depth:” and “X-WWWSite:”, and a search request is issued to the search device 38.

Upon receiving the search request issued from the search request creation device 39, the search device 38 accesses the WWW site to perform a search, and evaluates whether the data obtained by the search matches the search request. The search result is sent to the search result holding device 37.

The search result holding device 37 holds the search result received from the search device 38.

The search result creating device 36 creates a search result report from the search results held in the search result holding device 37, and uses the created search result report as a result mail (search result notification mail) to send the mail interface 31. And send it to the search request mail sender.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a specific example of a search result notification mail sent from the search result creation device.

In FIG. 6, the result mail is also composed of a “field” and its “contents” similarly to the request mail shown in FIG.
It is composed of In addition, in the case of this result email,
The relationship between the field names and their contents is the same as that shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a sequence chart showing the operation of the information search system of this embodiment.

In the sequence chart (agent basic flow) shown in FIG. 7, the agent client 10 first creates a search request mail, and sends the created search request mail as an electronic mail via the mail server (mail system) 20. Send it to the agent server 30.

The agent server 30 receives the search request mail via the mail interface 31 shown in FIG. 2, and performs a security check as to whether the search request mail can be processed. This security check is performed by the security management device 33 shown in FIG.

If it is determined by the security check that the search request mail is "refused", an e-mail indicating "search request rejection" is transmitted to the agent client 10, and the process is terminated.

If it is determined in the security check that the search request mail is "acceptable", "mail analysis" and "search request creation" are performed. Here, “mail analysis” is performed by the mail analysis device 32 and the document analysis device 35 of FIG. 2, and “search request creation” is performed by the search request creation device 39 of FIG.

Next, the WWW server 40 (40) shown in FIG.
"Search" and "Evaluation" of the information of -1 to 40-3) are performed.

That is, the agent server 30 passes the search request created by the search request creation device 39 to the search device 38 of FIG. 2, and the search device 38 accesses the WWW server 40 based on the search request, and Server 4
By receiving a response from 0, search for desired information of the WWW server 40 is performed.

Then, the search result is evaluated, and
A result mail including the search result and the evaluation result is created by the search result creation device 36 in FIG.

The result mail is sent to the agent client 10 from the agent server 30 by e-mail as a “search result notification” by a mail server (mail system)
20.

According to such a configuration, the communication between the agent client 10 and the agent server 30 is performed by e-mail, and the communication between the agent client 10 and the agent server 30 is performed by e-mail. Will be connected only between
As a result, the inconvenience of keeping the client unnecessarily connected to the WWW server 40 as in the related art is solved.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing details of the processing of the agent server shown in FIG.

In FIG. 8, the agent server 30
Is a request mail (search request mail) from the agent client 10 via the mail interface 31
Upon receipt of the request (step 301), the security management device 33 checks the security of the request mail (step 302).

In this security check, if it is determined that this request mail is "rejected" (step 302)
NG), a search rejection process, that is, a process of transmitting a “search request rejection” e-mail from the agent server 30 to the agent client 10 and terminating the process (step 303).

If it is determined in step 303 that the request mail is "acceptable" (O in step 302)
K) Next, the mail analysis of the request mail is performed by the mail analysis device 32 (step 304), and the mail body analysis of the request mail is further performed as necessary.
(Step 305).

Next, a search request is created by the search request creation device 39 (step 306), and the WWW server 40 based on the search request created by the search request creation device 39.
Is searched for and the search result is evaluated (step 307). Details of the search for the information of the WWW server 40 and the evaluation of the search result will be described later with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the search in step 307 and the evaluation of the search result are completed, a result mail is created by the search result creation device 36 (step 308), and the result mail created by the search result creation device 36 is sent to the mail interface 31. It is transmitted to the agent client 10 via the server (step 309).

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing details of the search and search result evaluation processing shown in FIG.

In FIG. 9, first, search conditions for the WWW server 40 are set (step 311). This search condition can be obtained from the analysis of the request mail, and includes information of 1) URL of search start point 2) search depth 3) search range.

Next, it is checked whether or not the search condition set in step 311 is satisfied (step 312). If the search condition is satisfied (OK in step 312), access is made to WWW server 40 (step 313), and WWW server 40 is accessed. (Step 314).

This process is repeated until it is determined in step 312 that the search condition is not satisfied.
When it is determined that the search condition is not satisfied (step 31)
This search is terminated, and the result of the search is evaluated (step 315).

As described above, the evaluation of the search result is performed based on 1) the search formula included in the request mail and 2) the keyword.

[0076]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the agent server of the client is configured to transmit and receive the search request and the result via the mail server, the following effects can be obtained. . 1) The client does not need to connect to the network during the search. 2) Since the client is not directly connected to the WWW server, the client can search without being affected by the firewall. 3) Since access control can be performed using a mail address, security can be secured without providing a special mechanism. 4) The search is performed in the agent server, and the search result is stored in the mail server. Therefore, the client machine may be provided with minimum necessary resources, that is, a CPU, a storage device, and the like. 5) Use of a popular infrastructure called e-mail reduces the cost of installation and operation.

Further, since the use frequency information is added to the keyword used for the search and stored, and the search key having a high use frequency is used for evaluating the search result,
The following effects can be obtained. 1) An appropriate search result can be obtained for each user with a small number of keywords. 2) Since many key evaluations are performed, search results can be narrowed down, and the data transfer amount can be reduced. 3) No new work is required to obtain the effects of 1) and 2).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an information search system including an information search method and apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of an agent server shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a specific example of a search request mail received from the agent client shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a table showing a relationship between field names of search request mail fields received from the agent client shown in FIG. 1 and their contents;

FIG. 5 is a table showing a specific example of a registration table provided in the security management device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a specific example of a search result notification mail sent from the search result creation device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a sequence chart showing an operation of the information search system of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing details of processing of the agent server shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing details of the search and search result evaluation processing shown in FIG. 8;

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 agent client 20 mail server (mail system) 30 agent server 31 mail interface (mail I / F) 32 mail analysis device 33 security management device 34 document analysis device 35 keyword database creation device (keyword DB creation device) 35a keyword database (keyword) DB) 36 search result creation device 37 search result holding device 38 search device 39 search request creation device 40, 40-1, 40-2, 40-3 WWW server

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An information search method for searching for information of a network server by accessing the network server through a communication network, wherein a search request mail requesting information search from the agent client to the agent server is transmitted by e-mail. In response to the search request from the agent client, the agent server accesses the network to search for information targeted for the search request, and sends a search result notification mail indicating a result of the search to the agent server. An information search method wherein the information is sent back to the agent client by e-mail. 2. The agent server analyzes the search request mail transmitted from the agent client, extracts a sender and a domain of the search request mail by the analysis, and extracts the sender and the extracted sender. 2. The information search method according to claim 1, wherein the service is limited according to the domain. 3. The search request mail includes a search condition for searching for information from the network server, and the agent server analyzes the search request mail transmitted from the agent client to execute the search request mail. 2. The information search method according to claim 1, further comprising: extracting a search condition included in the search condition; and searching for information of the network server based on the extracted search condition. 4. The agent server analyzes an e-mail transmitted from the agent client, groups and manages related words included in the e-mail, and uses the grouped related words to manage the network. 2. A search for server information is performed.
Or the information search method according to 3. 5. The information according to claim 1, wherein the agent server evaluates the degree of conformity of the search result, and returns the evaluation result included in the search result notification mail to the agent client. Search method. 6. An information search apparatus for searching for information of a network server by accessing the network server via a communication network, the agent client transmitting an information search request mail for the network server by e-mail, Receiving the search request mail transmitted from the agent client, searching for information targeted for the search request mail by accessing the network, and sending the search result notification mail indicating the search result by e-mail to the agent An information search device comprising: an agent server for returning to a client. 7. The agent server, comprising: a mail analyzing means for analyzing an electronic mail transmitted from the agent client; and a sender and a domain thereof extracted from the electronic mail analyzed by the mail analyzing means. 7. The information search apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: security management means for limiting services according to the sender of the e-mail and its domain. 8. The agent server according to claim 1, further comprising: a mail analyzing unit configured to analyze the electronic mail transmitted from the agent client; and a search condition included in the search request mail analyzed by the mail analyzing unit. 7. The information search apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a search unit configured to search for information of the network server based on a search condition. 9. The agent server, comprising: a mail analyzing unit that analyzes an electronic mail transmitted from the agent client; a document analyzing unit that extracts a related word included in the electronic mail analyzed by the mail analyzing unit; Keyword database creation means for grouping related words extracted by the document analysis means and creating a keyword database using the grouped related words as keywords, and keyword database means for storing the keyword database created by the keyword creation means. 9. The information search apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said search means searches for information of said network server by referring to a keyword database stored in said keyword database means. 10. The agent server, comprising: an evaluation unit that evaluates a degree of conformity of the search result; and a search result generation unit that includes the search result notification mail by including an evaluation result obtained by the evaluation unit in the search result notification mail. 7. An information search apparatus according to claim 6, comprising: means.