Categorized document bases

Abstract

A method of managing information comprises generating a categorized document base. Generating the document base comprises providing a pre-existing classification of things other than documents, providing a source collection of documents, and automatically assessing the documents using Information Retrieval techniques to assign at least some of the documents to one or more taxa of the classification. For each taxon in the classification one or more numerical scores are assigned, based at least in part on a composition, makeup or constitution of the documents assigned to the taxon of the categorized document base.

1 . A method of managing information comprising generating a categorized document base, comprising:
 providing a source collection of documents;   automatically assessing the documents using Information Retrieval (IR) techniques to assign at least some of the documents to one or more first categories; and   assigning for each first category one or more numerical scores based at least in part on a composition, makeup or constitution of the documents assigned to the category.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the assigned numerical scores to extract information. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein analyzing the assigned numerical scores comprises searching for patterns in the scores assigned to different categories. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising providing a first pre-existing classification of things other than documents; and
 wherein assigning at least some of the documents to one or more first categories further comprises assigning at least some of the documents to one or more taxa of the first classification to form a classified document base.   
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the classification is a classification of goods, a classification of services, or a classification of goods and services. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the pre-existing classification is a publicly available classification. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 4 , further comprising providing a second pre-existing classification of things other than documents;
 assigning at least some of the documents in the classified document base to taxa of the second pre-existing classification;   generating at least one of an array of documents and an array of data relating to documents, wherein the taxa of the first and second classifications provide axes of the array.   
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein providing the source collection comprises accessing the World Wide Web. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein assigning at least some of the documents to one or more first categories further comprises:
 selecting one or more first queries;   selecting an Information Retrieval System;   searching the source collection using the Information Retrieval System according to the one or more first queries; and   assigning at least some of the documents to first categories defined with reference to the one or more first queries.   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting one or more second queries;   selecting an Information Retrieval System;   searching the source collection using the Information Retrieval System according to the one or more second queries;   assigning at least some of the documents in the first categories to a plurality of second categories defined with reference to the one or more second queries; and   generating at least one of an array of documents and an array of data relating to documents, wherein the first categories and the second categories provide axes of the array.   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the queries describe properties or combinations of properties of a commodity, and wherein searching comprises using information retrieval methods and algorithms in conjunction with search terms and patterns of search terms and phrases used to describe the properties or combinations of properties. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising comparing the numbers of hits in different taxa, and reviewing taxa with higher numbers of hits. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein generating an array comprises generating a human-readable array image in which the cells display the number of documents in the taxon and category that intersect at the respective cell. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 selecting one or more sets of one or more additional queries;   selecting at least one Information Retrieval System;   searching the classified document base using the at least one Information Retrieval System according to the one or more sets of one or more additional queries;   assigning at least some of the documents in the classified document base to one or more sets of additional categories, each set of additional categories defined with reference to a set of one or more additional queries; and   generating the at least one of an array of documents and an array of data relating to documents, wherein the taxa, the categories, and the sets of additional categories provide axes of the array.   
     
     
         15 . A method for analyzing documents, comprising:
 providing at least first and second sets of categories;   providing a source collection of documents, at least some of the documents being assigned to one or more categories of each set of categories; and   generating at least one of an array of documents and an array of data relating to documents, wherein the categories provide axes of the array.   
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising analyzing the contents of the array to extract information. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein analyzing the contents of the array comprises searching for patterns in the array of data. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 15  for creating categorized document bases, wherein providing the documents assigned to at least one of the sets of categories comprises automatically assessing documents in the source collection using Information Retrieval (IR) techniques to assign at least some of the documents to one or more categories of the set of categories. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein assigning at least some of the documents to categories of at least one of the sets of categories further comprises:
 providing at least one pre-existing classification wherein taxa of the classification provide categories of one of the sets of categories; and   assigning documents to one or more categories comprises assigning documents to one or more taxa of the classification.   
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein assigning at least some of the documents to categories of at least one of the sets of categories further comprises:
 selecting one or more queries;   selecting an Information Retrieval System;   searching the documents using the Information Retrieval System according to the one or more queries; and   assigning at least some of the documents in the classified document base to a plurality of categories defined with reference to the one or more queries.