초록 ▼

A system for retrieving multimedia information is provided using a computer coupled to a computer-based network, such as the Internet, and particularly the World Wide Web (WWW). The system includes a web browser, a graphic user interface enabled through the web browser to allow a user to input a que

A system for retrieving multimedia information is provided using a computer coupled to a computer-based network, such as the Internet, and particularly the World Wide Web (WWW). The system includes a web browser, a graphic user interface enabled through the web browser to allow a user to input a query representing the information the user wishes to retrieve, and an agent server for producing, training, and evolving first agents and second agents. Each of the first agents retrieves documents (Web page) from the network at a different first network address and at other addresses linked from the document at the first network address. Each of the second agents executes a search on different search engines on the network in accordance with the query to retrieve documents at network addresses provided by the search engine. The system includes a natural language processor which determines the subject categories and important terms of the query, and of the text of each agent retrieved document. The agent server generates and trains an artificial neural network in accordance with the natural language processed query, and embeds the trained artificial neural network in each of the first and second agents. During the search, the first and second agents process through their artificial neural network the subject categories and important terms of each document they retrieve to determine a retrieval value for the document. The graphic user interface displays to the user the addresses of the retrieved documents which are above a threshold retrieval value. The user manually, or the agent server automatically, selects which of the retrieved documents are relevant. Periodically, the artificial neural network of the first and second agents is expanded and retrained by the agent server in accordance with the selected relevant documents to improve their ability to retrieve documents which may be relevant to the query. Further, the agent server can evolve an artificial neural network based on the current artificial neural network, the retrieved documents, and their selected relevancy, by iteratively producing, training, and testing several generations of neural networks to produce an evolved agent. The artificial neural network of the evolved agent then replaces the current artificial neural network used by the agents to search the Internet. One or more concurrent search of the Internet may be provided.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [18.]18. A method for retrieving information on a computer coupled to a computer-based network, such as the Internet, in accordance with a query representing the information a user wishes to retrieve, said method comprising the steps of:producing a plurality of first agents an

[ What is claimed is:] [18.]18. A method for retrieving information on a computer coupled to a computer-based network, such as the Internet, in accordance with a query representing the information a user wishes to retrieve, said method comprising the steps of:producing a plurality of first agents and second agents in which said first agents each retrieve documents at a different first network address and at other addresses linked from the document at the first network address, and said second agents each execute a search on a different search engines via the network in accordance with said query and retrieves documents at network addresses provided by the executed search;generating a trained artificial neural network common to each of said first and second agents in accordance with said query for determining for each of the retrieved documents by said agents a retrieval value representing the proximity of the content of the retrieved documents to said query; anddisplaying to the user the addresses of the retrieved documents above a threshold retrieval value.