Data retrieval using user evaluation of data presented to construct interference rules and calculate range of inputs needed for desired output and to formulate retrieval queries

摘要

A data retrieval apparatus capable of performing a high-speed data retrieval action in accordance with the subjective criteria of the user, e.g. human concepts of "convenient" and "proper", even if the amount of data stored in a database is large. The data retrieval apparatus includes: a data storage device for storing data; a dialogue device for displaying at least one data and allowing the user to enter an evaluation data corresponding to the displayed data; an inference rule construction device for generating an inference rule which can approximate the input- output relation between the displayed data designated as an input and the user evaluation data designated as an output; an input range calculation device for calculating a range of inputs which produce an output that satisfies given conditions under the inference rules constructed by the inference rule construction device; a retrieval command generation device for generating a data retrieval command according to the input range calculated by the input range calculation device; a retrieval execution device for performing a retrieval of data from the data storage device in response to the data retrieval command; and a data display device for displaying the retrieval result of the retrieval execution device.