초록 ▼

An improved system and method for name searching. The system and method comprise software routines and a database of names with special indexes to support name-based searches. The special indexes are created using phonetic, nicknames and misspelling algorithms. A software search routine applies prog

An improved system and method for name searching. The system and method comprise software routines and a database of names with special indexes to support name-based searches. The special indexes are created using phonetic, nicknames and misspelling algorithms. A software search routine applies progressively fuzzier searches, and ranks the intermediate results according to popularity of names and closeness of names in the query to name records in the database, eliminating unsuitable names, until a predetermined number of candidate names have been found. Highly relevant results are returned even when the user provides incomplete, errant, or exactly matching search queries for the name as indexed. The system and method may be used in any information retrieval system or service that indexes and presents names in search results.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A computerized method for optimizing name search results for a computer user comprising:(a) creating at a computer for a name database indices comprising:(i) a phonetic index with terms generated from application of at least one phonetic algorithm to first names and to l

The invention claimed is: 1. A computerized method for optimizing name search results for a computer user comprising:(a) creating at a computer for a name database indices comprising:(i) a phonetic index with terms generated from application of at least one phonetic algorithm to first names and to last names in said database;(ii) a nickname index with terms generated from application of at least one nickname algorithm to first names in said database;(b) creating at said computer for said name database a misspelling index with keys for finding names in said database by applying a misspelling algorithm to first names and to last names wherein the algorithm:(i) alphanumerically sorts the letters in said first names and last names;(ii) generates a first key for each of said first names and said last names comprising letters for said first name or last name in alphanumeric sorted order; and(iii) removes each letter of said first name or last name in alphanumeric sorted order to generate additional keys comprising said first key with said letters removed from said first key;(c) receiving at said computer a search request comprising a first name and a last name;(d) receiving at said computer a candidate number of names from said database;(e) creating at said computer a search results set by adding names to said search results set for said first name and said last name up to said candidate number of names according to the following steps:(i) searching said name database for an exact match of said first name and said last name;(ii) searching said name database for names that have all words from said last name and said first name but not in said search results set;(iii) searching said name database for names that have all words from said last name and a fuzzy version of said first name using said phonetic, nickname, and misspelling indices but not in said search results set;(iv) searching said name database for names that have all words from said first name and a fuzzy version of said last name using said phonetic and misspelling indices but not in said search results set;(v) searching said name database for names that have fuzzy versions of said first name and said last name using said phonetic, misspelling, and nickname indices but not in said search results set;(vi) ranking intermediate results at each step (i)-(v) and eliminating a plurality of names from said search results set according to said rankings for said names; and(f) presenting to said computer user on a computer display names from said search results set up to said candidate number of names.