Methods and systems for categorizing and indexing human-readable data

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing content packages such as human-readable documents identify and analyze content type. Structural and logical evaluation of a content package is performed, followed by analysis and indexing of concepts within the package. Analysis and identification of concepts and sub-concepts may be an iterative process. Concepts are indexed in accordance with different rule sets representing different consumer needs and perspectives. Customers can then use the indices to navigate large groups of content packages based on the concepts contained within those packages and also on keywords associated with concepts.

1 . A method operable on a computer for processing a content package to identify concepts, comprising the steps of: 
 identifying a content package type;    identifying a plurality of logical components within said content package;    identifying at least one concept zone relating to a concept within at least one of said plurality of logical components;    identifying at least one sub-concept within said at least one concept zone;    indexing said at least one concept in accordance with at least one rule set; and    indexing the at least one sub-concept in accordance with said at least one rule set.    
   
   
       2 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said step of identifying a plurality of logical components within said content package includes the steps of: 
 identifying structural identifiers for said content package;    parsing said content package, using said structural identifiers, into structural components;    parsing said structural components into said plurality of logical components.    
   
   
       3 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said step of identifying at least one concept zone comprises the steps of: 
 establishing a directory of key-words identifying anticipated concepts; and    searching said content package for said key-words identifying anticipated concepts.    
   
   
       4 . A method in accordance with  claim 3  wherein said step of identifying at least one sub-concept within said at least one concept zone comprises the steps of: 
 establishing a directory of key-words identifying anticipated sub-concepts; and    searching said at least one content zone for said key-words identifying anticipated sub-concepts.    
   
   
       5 . A method in accordance with  claim 4  and further including the steps of: 
 searching said content package to identify entities within concept zones;    searching said content package to identify entities within sub-concept zones; and    associating identified entities with the concept and sub-concept zones in which they are contained.    
   
   
       6 . A method in accordance with  claim 2  wherein said step of indexing said at least one concept includes the step of mapping said at least one concept into an XML format document.  
   
   
       7 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  and further including the step of searching at least one of the indexed concepts or sub-concepts to identify the content package.  
   
   
       8 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said content package is a human-readable document  
   
   
       9 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said content package is selected from the group consisting of audio content and video content.  
   
   
       10 . A system for processing a content package to identify concepts, comprising: 
 a processor;    a data input source connected to said processor;    a memory connected to said processor;    said processor operative with instructions in said memory to perform the steps of: 
 receiving a content package  
 identifying the content package type;  
 identifying a plurality of logical components within the content package;  
 identifying at least one concept zone relating to a concept within at least one of the plurality of logical components;  
 identifying at least one sub-concept within said at least one concept zone;  
 indexing the at least one concept in accordance with at least one rule set; and  
   indexing the at least one sub-concept in accordance with said at least one rule set.    
   
   
       11 . A system in accordance with  claim 10  wherein said step of identifying a plurality of logical components within said content package includes the steps of: 
 identifying structural identifiers for said content package;    parsing said content package, using said structural identifiers, into structural components;    parsing said structural components into said plurality of logical components.    
   
   
       12 . A system in accordance with  claim 10  wherein said step of identifying at least one concept zone comprises the steps of: 
 establishing a directory of key-words identifying anticipated concepts; and    searching said content package for said key-words identifying anticipated concepts.    
   
   
       13 . A system in accordance with  claim 12  wherein said step of identifying at least one sub-concept within said at least one concept zone comprises the steps of: 
 establishing a directory of key-words identifying anticipated sub-concepts; and    searching said at least one content zone for said key-words identifying anticipated sub-concepts.    
   
   
       14 . A system in accordance with  claim 13  wherein said processor is further operative to perform the steps of: 
 searching said content package to identify entities within concept zones;    searching said content package to identify entities within sub-concept zones; and    associating identified entities with the concept and sub-concept zones in which they are contained.    
   
   
       15 . A system in accordance with  claim 11  wherein said step of indexing said at least one concept includes the step of mapping said at least one concept into an XML format document.  
   
   
       16 . A system in accordance with  claim 10  wherein said processor is further operative to perform the step of searching at least one of the indexed concepts or sub-concepts to identify the content package.  
   
   
       17 . A system in accordance with  claim 10  wherein said content package is a human-readable document.  
   
   
       18 . A system in accordance with  claim 10  wherein said content package is selected from the group consisting of audio content and video content.  
   
   
       19 . A method for processing a content package to identify concepts, comprising the steps of: 
 identifying a content package type;    identifying a plurality of logical components within said content package;    identifying at least one concept zone relating to a concept within at least one of said plurality of logical components;    identifying at least one sub-concept within said at least one concept zone;    indexing said at least one concept in accordance with at least one rule set; and indexing sat at least one sub-concept in accordance with said at least one rule set.    
   
   
       20 . Apparatus for processing a content package to identify concepts, comprising: 
 means for identifying a content package type;    means for identifying a plurality of logical components within said content package;    means for identifying at least one concept zone relating to a concept within at least one of said plurality of logical components;    means for identifying at least one sub-concept within said at least one concept zone;    means for indexing said at least one concept in accordance with at least one rule set; and    means for indexing sat at least one sub-concept in accordance with said at least one rule set.    
   
   
       21 . A method operable on a computer for processing a human-readable document to generate an index for facilitating a search for concepts and sub-concepts in the human-readable document, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a human-readable document;    identifying the human-readable document type;    identifying a plurality of logical components within said human-readable document;    identifying at least one concept zone relating to a concept within at least one of said plurality of logical components;    identifying at least one sub-concept within said at least one concept zone;    indexing said at least one concept in a key-word searchable format in accordance with at least one rule set; and    indexing the at least one sub-concept in a key-word searchable format in accordance with the at least one rule set.    
   
   
       22 . A method in accordance with  claim 21  wherein said step of identifying a plurality of logical components within said human-readable document includes the steps of: 
 identifying structural identifiers for said human-readable document;    parsing said human-readable document, using said structural identifiers, into structural components;    parsing said structural components into said plurality of logical components.    
   
   
       23 . A method in accordance with  claim 21  wherein said step of identifying at least one concept zone comprises the steps of: 
 establishing a directory of key-words identifying anticipated concepts; and    searching said human-readable document for said key-words identifying anticipated concepts.    
   
   
       24 . A method in accordance with  claim 23  wherein said step of identifying at least one sub-concept within said at least one concept zone comprises the steps of: 
 establishing a directory of key-words identifying anticipated sub-concepts; and    searching said at least one content zone for said key-words identifying anticipated sub-concepts.    
   
   
       25 . A method in accordance with  claim 24  and further including the steps of: 
 searching said human-readable document to identify entities within concept zones;    searching said human-readable document to identify entities within sub-concept zones; and    associating said entities with the concept and sub-concept zones in which they are contained.    
   
   
       26 . A method in accordance with  claim 22  wherein said step of indexing said at least one concept includes the step of mapping said at least one concept into an XML format document.  
   
   
       27 . A method in accordance with  claim 21  and further including the step of searching at least one of the indexed concepts or sub-concepts to identify the human-readable document.  
   
   
       28 . A system for processing a human-readable document to generate an index for facilitating a search for concepts and sub-concepts in the human-readable document, comprising: 
 a processor;    an input device connected to said processor;    a memory connected to said processor storing instructions for controlling the operation of said processor;    said processor operative with the instructions in said memory to perform the steps of:    receiving from said input device a human-readable document;    identifying the human-readable document type;    identifying a plurality of logical components within said human-readable document;    identifying at least one concept zone relating to a concept within at least one of said plurality of logical components;    identifying at least one sub-concept within said at least one concept zone;    indexing said at least one concept in a key-word searchable format in accordance with at least one rule set; and    indexing the at least one sub-concept in a key-word searchable format in accordance with the at least one rule set.    
   
   
       29 . A system in accordance with claim  28 wherein said step of identifying a plurality of logical components within said human-readable document includes the steps of: 
 identifying structural identifiers for said human-readable document;    parsing said human-readable document, using said structural identifiers, into structural components;    parsing said structural components into said plurality of logical components.    
   
   
       30 . A system in accordance with  claim 28  wherein said step of identifying at least one concept zone comprises the steps of: 
 establishing a directory of key-words identifying anticipated concepts; and    searching said human-readable document for said key-words identifying anticipated concepts.    
   
   
       31 . A system in accordance with  claim 30  wherein said step of identifying at least one sub-concept within said at least one concept zone comprises the steps of: 
 establishing a directory of key-words identifying anticipated sub-concepts; and    searching said at least one content zone for said key-words identifying anticipated sub-concepts.    
   
   
       32 . A system in accordance with  claim 31  wherein said processor is further operative to perform the steps of: 
 searching said human-readable document to identify entities within concept zones;    searching said human-readable document to identify entities within sub-concept zones; and    associating said entities with the concept and sub-concept zones in which they are contained.    
   
   
       33 . A method in accordance with  claim 29  wherein said step of indexing said at least one concept includes the step of mapping said at least one concept into an XML format document.  
   
   
       34 . A method in accordance with claim  28 wherein said processor is further operative to perform the step of searching at least one of the indexed concepts or sub-concepts to identify the human-readable document.  
   
   
       35 . A method for processing a human-readable document to generate an index for facilitating a search for concepts and sub-concepts in the human-readable document, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a human-readable document;    identifying the human-readable document type;    identifying a plurality of logical components within said human-readable document;    identifying at least one concept zone relating to a concept within at least one of said plurality of logical components;    identifying at least one sub-concept within said at least one concept zone;    indexing said at least one concept in a key-word searchable format in accordance with at least one rule set; and    indexing the at least one sub-concept in a key-word searchable format in accordance with the at least one rule set.    
   
   
       36 . Apparatus for processing a human-readable document to generate an index for facilitating a search for concepts and sub-concepts in the human-readable document, comprising: 
 means for receiving a human-readable document;    means for identifying the human-readable document type;    means for identifying a plurality of logical components within said human-readable document;    means for identifying at least one concept zone relating to a concept within at least one of said plurality of logical components;    means for identifying at least one sub-concept within said at least one concept zone;    means for indexing said at least one concept in a key-word searchable format in accordance with at least one rule set; and    means for indexing the at least one sub-concept in a key-word searchable format in accordance with the at least one rule set.    
   
   
       37 . A program product operable with a computer for processing a human-readable document to generate an index for facilitating a search for concepts and sub-concepts in the human-readable document, comprising: 
 the program product storing instructions operable with the computer to cause said computer to perform the steps of receiving a human-readable document; 
 identifying the human-readable document type;  
 identifying a plurality of logical components within said human-readable document;  
 identifying at least one concept zone relating to a concept within at least one of said plurality of logical components;  
 identifying at least one sub-concept within said at least one concept zone;  
 indexing said at least one concept in a key-word searchable format in accordance with at least one rule set; and  
 indexing the at least one sub-concept in a key-word searchable format in accordance with the at least one rule set.