Knowledge archival and recollection systems and methods

Abstract

A method of extracting knowledge comprising: initiating a search application; displaying a user search interface; receiving input parameters via the search interface; identifying a query type based on received input parameters; formulating a database query based on the received input parameters; transmitting the database query to a database, the database being in communication with a file archive indexer for indexing a file archive for storing files and data regarding the files; obtaining database query results from the database, the database storing the user activity data and actual content accessed by the user; providing database query results to a result analyzer module; and displaying search result analyzer module results to a user.

1 . A computer implemented method of extracting knowledge about a computer user's activity, said method comprising:
 initiating a search application on a computer;   displaying a user search interface;   receiving input parameters via said search interface, the input parameters including at least one of a keyword, date range, user activity data, file enhancement, and criteria and graph options from the user, the user activity data including data of activity of the user accessing online data, being provided to the computer from a network, and offline data, being locally available on the computer;   formulating a database query based on the received input parameters;   transmitting said database query to a database;   obtaining database query results from said database, the database storing the user activity data and actual content accessed by the user;   providing said database query results to a result analyzer module; and   displaying search result analyzer module results to a user based on the input parameters and at least one of the user activity data and actual content accessed by the user.   
     
     
         2 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 formulating a keyword query based on said received input parameters;   transmitting said keyword query to an indexer;   obtaining said keyword query results from said indexer;   determining an intersection of said keyword query results and said database query results; and   providing said intersection to a post-processing module.   
     
     
         3 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 generating a rank for each database query result; and   obtaining a click stream for each database query result.   
     
     
         4 . The method as in  claim 3 , further comprising the step of:
 displaying said click stream visualization module results to a user.   
     
     
         5 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein said actuation is selected from the group consisting of toolbar selection, hot key activation, and context menu selection. 
     
     
         6 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein said input parameters are related to user activity, file content, system information, environment information and file enhancement. 
     
     
         7 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of displaying the intersection as at least one of thumbnails, click stream visualization, archived web-pages, actual online content and file enhancement. 
     
     
         8 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: transmitting said database query results, said keyword query results, and said input parameters to a report module; providing a report to said user from information obtained from said report module. 
     
     
         9 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein said query is transmitted to said database server via a database connectivity module according to a protocol selected from the group consisting of ODBC, JDBC and HTTP/PHP. 
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein a database connectivity module transmits the query according to a protocol selected from the group consisting of ODBC, JDBC, and HTTP/PHP. 
     
     
         11 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the steps of:
 dynamically modifying said report;   saving a report in memory on a local computer; and   saving said report on a file archive.   
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 1 , the database being in communication with a file archive indexer for indexing a file archive for storing files and data regarding said files, the file archive indexer including a front-end indexer for processing queries and a background indexer for generating and updating indexes. 
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 1 , the search result analyzer module results including a customizable user activity report based on the input parameters and the user activity data. 
     
     
         14 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the steps of:
 transmitting said report to a mail server;   dynamically modifying said report;   saving said report in memory on a local computer;   saving said report on a file archive.   
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 collecting file enhancement data, associating the file enhancement data with a file being currently accessed by the user, and transmitting the file enhancement data, wherein the file enhancement data includes annotations and file insertions.   
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
 storing the actual content accessed by the user and the file enhancement data as stored material.   
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
 indexing the stored material using a front-end indexer and a background indexer, wherein the front-end indexer processes queries and the background indexer generates and updates indexes.   
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 17 , further comprising the step of:
 receiving a command, including input parameters, for conducting a search of the stored material.   
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 18 , the input parameters of the command including at least one of keyword, date range, the user activity, the file enhancement data, criteria and graph options from the user.