Reed Technology and Information Services Inc. (Reed Tech), a LexisNexis company, has announced the advancement of the innovative semantic search technology used to power the LexisNexis® TotalPatent® research and retrieval service. An evolution in patent research, true semantic search differs fundamentally from traditional keyword or synonym-building searches. Semantic search through TotalPatent has been recently refined to deliver search results that are more relevant and precise than ever, and do not require Boolean searches. The latest release builds on the past six years of development of the LexisNexis semantic search technology.
Semantic search uses the science of meaning in language ('semantics') to produce highly relevant search results based on an analysis of the meaning of the language used in search queries-not just the words themselves-and relate that to specific technology fields. With the ability to identify multiple concepts contained within a single search query, the semantic 'brains' break complex subjects down into various possible ideas, allowing the researcher to review the concepts suggested, assign relative importance by weighting them, eliminate concepts that are not related and even add more concepts they think might be useful to the search project.
TotalPatent, a web-based patent research, retrieval and analysis service powered by what claims to be the world's largest collection of searchable full-text and bibliographic patent authorities, allows researchers to enter up to 32,000 characters (equivalent to more than 10 pages of text)—much more than the length of an entire patent abstract—into its search field. The newly upgraded semantic brains, pioneered by LexisNexis in 2009 and continuously improved upon using contextual information provided by the wealth of patent data available to the system, present results in the form of a user-adjustable word cloud, in which the weighting and positioning of terms can be controlled for more precise results. In addition to millions of full-text patent records, TotalPatent also utilizes scientific, technical and other non-patent literature to return the deepest, most thorough search results.
Semantic search through TotalPatent frees IP professionals from the need to learn Boolean search operators while also working in conjunction with standard Boolean search. Through its patent-pending 'Visualize & Compare' tool, TotalPatent displays results between Boolean, semantic and other searches, letting researchers compare the significance of results between different search types.
Other enhancements to semantic search in TotalPatent include the addition of more than three million full text applications and granted patents from the European Patent Office, as well as full text journals and conference proceedings from Elsevier, to continue to broaden the comprehensive database available from TotalPatent; and changes to the user interface as well as to the logic behind the weighting and positioning of the suggested terms to deliver more accuracy and precision for patent search queries.
Those interested in learning more about semantic search technology can register for an upcoming webinar hosted by LexisNexis on March 25, 2015, 10:00 AM Eastern / 3:00 PM GMT at https://reedelsevier.webex.com/reedelsevier/j.php?MTID=m771b25f97755379239d631090044f219.
