초록

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate image search query reformulation patterns in relation to image attribute categories. A total of 592 sessions and 2,445 queries from the Excite Web search engine log data were analyzed by utilizing Batley’s visual information types and two facets and seven sub-facets of query reformulation patterns. The results of this study are organized with two folds: query reformulation and categorical transition. As the most dominant categories of queries are specific and general/nameable, this tendency stays over various search stages. From the perspective of reformulation patterns, while the Parallel movement is the most dominant, there are slight differences depending on initial or preceding query categories. In examining categorical transitions, it was found that 60-80% of search queries were reformulated within the same categories of image attributes. These findings may be applied to practice and implementation of image retrieval systems in terms of assisting users’ query term selection and effective thesauri development.

초록

본 연구는 특허 및 상표 검색 개선을 위한 방법을 제안하고자 하는 목적에서 출발하였다. 이를 위해 193일간 한국특허정보원의 특허기술정보서비스를 이용한 17,559명의 이용자가 작성한 100,016개의 질의문에 대한 로그 데이터를 분석하였다. 개별적인 질의로그 분석 이외에, 2,202개의 복수 질의문을 이용한 탐색세션을 분석함으로써 검색 개선을 위한 추가적인 단서를 발견하였다. 분석결과에 의하면, 특허 및 상표검색은 일반적인 웹 검색의 유형과 유사한데, 특히 질의문의 길이가 짧다는 측면에서 매우 흡사하다. 그러나 특허 및 상표검색의 경우, 일반 웹 검색보다 불리언 연산자를 많이 사용하고 있었다. 복수 질의문 분석을 통해 이용자들이 질의문을 재작성하는데 도움이 될 수 있는 탐색기능을 제안할 수 있었다. 복수의 질의문으로 구성된 탐색세션을 분석한 결과, 이용자들은 질의문을 재작성하기 위하여 부연하기, 특정화하기, 일반화하기, 교체하기, 중단하기와 같은 방법을 사용하고 있음을 알 수 있었다.

Abstract

To come up with the recommendations to improve the patent & trademark retrieval efficiency, 100,016 patent & trademark search requests by 17,559 unique users over a period of 193 days were analyzed. By analyzing 2,202 multi-query sessions, where one user issuing two or more queries consecutively, we discovered a number of retrieval efficiency improvements clues. The session analysis result also led to suggestions for new system features to help users reformulating queries. The patent & trademark retrieval users were found to be similar to the typical web users in certain aspects especially in issuing short queries. However, we also found that the patent & trademark retrieval users used Boolean operators more than the typical web search users. By analyzing the multi-query sessions, we found that the users had five intentions in reformulating queries such as paraphrasing, specialization, generalization, alternation, and interruption, which were also used by the web search engine users.