A patent search and classification system

We present a system for searching and classifying U.S. patent documents, based on Inquery. Patents are distributed through hundreds of collections, divided up by general area. The system selects the best collections for the query. Users can search for patents or classify patent text. The user interface helps users search in fields without requiring the knowledge of Inquery query operators. The system includes a unique "phrase help" facility, which helps users find and add phrases and terms related to those in their query.