An approach to database searching that combines keyword intelligence with attribute-based filtering to deliver more intuitive and comprehensive search results.
Patent Overview
- Assignee
- HAL Laboratory, Inc. and Nintendo Co., Ltd.
- Filed
- November 15, 2013
- Granted
- 2014
- Application Number
- 14/081,952
The Challenge
The Challenge
The problem this patent addresses comes from limits in how earlier systems handled the underlying signal. Several specific gaps motivated the new approach.
- The Search Challenge — Traditional database search systems rely on exact keyword matching against specific fields, typically searching only user names or titles. This approach creates significant limitations when users want to find data based on characteristics, attributes, or synonymous terms. For...
- Traditional Search Result — A conventional system searching for "man" would only return: Only 2 results where "man" appears in the name field.
- Results Display Window — Shows extracted data sets, typically displaying 10 items at a time. In the avatar example, displays user images with associated information.
Innovation
How The System Works
The patent introduces a multi-step mechanism that turns the input signal into a usable ranking output. Each step builds on the previous one.
- Filing Information — Application Number: 14/081,952 Filing Date: November 15, 2013 Publication Date: May 22, 2014 Priority Date: November 16, 2012 (Japan)
- Enhanced Results — Returns data sets matching both attribute values and text matches The system uses a secondary "keyword database" that stores groups of synonymous keywords alongside their corresponding attribute items and values. When an user's search keyword matches an...
- Search Window — Primary input field where users enter their search keywords. Accepts any text input and provides real-time feedback.
- Execute Button — Triggers the search process. When touched or clicked, initiates the keyword analysis and database extraction sequence.
Technical Foundation
Technical Foundation
The implementation rests on a specific set of components and data structures. These are the parts the patent claims and the engineering that ties them together.
- First Database Structure — The primary database stores data sets with multiple attribute items. In the patent's example, user avatar images include attributes such as: Each attribute with predetermined options is stored as binary data for efficient processing.
- Keyword Database: The Intelligence Layer — The keyword database creates semantic bridges between natural language queries and structured data attributes. Each group of synonymous keywords maps to specific attribute items and their values, enabling the system to understand user intent beyond literal...
- Search Unit — Core processing component containing accessing unit (database queries) and extracting unit (result filtering). Implements the intelligent keyword mapping logic.
- Binary Data Storage Optimization — Attribute values selected from predetermined options are stored as binary data sets rather than text strings, significantly improving storage efficiency and search performance.
- Scalability — Architecture supports unlimited attributes and data sets without performance degradation
- Implementation Flexibility — The patent describes multiple implementation variations to accommodate different use cases and hardware configurations:
The Process
The Process
In production, the system executes a sequence of stages from query reception to result delivery. Each stage applies one transformation to the data.
- Optional Checkboxes — Advanced interface variant allows users to manually specify which attribute items to search, providing explicit control over search scope.
- Storage Unit — Houses both the primary database (data sets with attribute values) and the keyword database (keyword-to-attribute mappings). Implemented using RAM, ROM, or external memory interfaces.
- Input Unit — Receives search keywords from users through various input methods including touch screens, controllers, or keyboards. Transmits input to search unit for processing.
Quality Control
Quality Control
The system includes checks that defend against edge cases, manipulation, and degraded signal. Without these, the core mechanism would be exploitable.
- Display Control Unit — Manages presentation of search results to users. Formats extracted data sets and controls display device output, ensuring consistent visual presentation.
- Controller Device — The controller includes its own CPU, touch screen display, and communication module. It can both input search commands and display results, providing flexible interaction modes.
Real-World Application
The patent shapes how the search engine behaves in production. These are the visible outcomes for users and content publishers.
- 4 Enhanced Search Result — The intelligent system returns: 4 results combining text matches and attribute-based matches.
- Hybrid Result Sets — Search results combine both attribute-based matches and traditional text matches. This dual approach ensures comprehensive coverage while maintaining relevance to user intent.
- Application: Avatar Search System — The patent's primary example implements this search technology for user avatar images in a gaming or social service context. Each avatar is a data set with multiple customizable attributes.
What This Means for SEO
What This Means for SEO
A keyword-plus-attribute search system rewards content that exposes attributes the engine can match against, not just keywords it can index.
- Attributes Are Searchable Surface — Specifications, prices, ratings, dimensions, and other attributes can be matched as filters. Pages that expose attributes in structured form become eligible for attribute-filtered queries.
- Attribute Granularity Beats Keyword Density — A product page with five well-structured attributes outranks one with a paragraph mentioning the same five values. Schema is the canonical form.
- Attribute Diversity Captures Niche Queries — Each attribute opens a new long-tail query family. Audit which attributes your competitors expose and which they do not, the gaps are where the cheap traffic lives.