Report:MicroPatent PatentWeb/Search History Interface/Stacking Queries
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Stacking Queries
An important feature of any provider’s search functionality is the ability to combine queries. After a query is created, the user has the option to save the query to the search strategy without actually running it through the database (thereby saving time if the goal is to combine multiple queries). Once saved, the user can construct more advanced search logic from the Search History page by combining queries.
The search history functionality enables combining queries using AND, OR, or NOT. These functions are all useful to searchers, in a number of various scenarios. The “NOT” function is useful when a searcher has reviewed the hits from a first query, and would like to subtract those hits from a second query, so they are not reviewed twice. The “AND” operator is useful when two potentially interesting queries returned huge results sets, and the searcher would like to review only that cross-section of hits that are common to both. Finally, the “OR” function is useful for creating one giant results set out of multiple queries of interest, so they can all be reviewed at once.
In MicroPatent PatSearch, the “combine queries” field is provided at the top of the search history page, and queries are referred to by their associated line number. The line numbers of interest are added along with the desired operator in the “Combine queries” field, e.g. “5 NOT 4,” and a comment may be added by the user before the action is completed. Once created, the combined query will appear as a new line number at the top of the search history page. From there, the user may choose to run the combined query, or he/she may stay on the search history page and complete further query construction or edits.
Editor's Note:Overall, in keeping with the flexible search history features, the ability to combine queries in MicroPatent using all three Boolean operators represents another important advantage for the system.
