HAYSTAQ(ID:6193/hay001)

Restricted input querying language 

for Have You Stored Answers to Questions

Patents-specific (especially chemical patents) querying system with highly constrained input, permitting the description of chemical structures.

U.S. Patent Office and National Bureau of Standards on SEAC (Standards Electronic Automatic Computer)
Places
References:
  • Koller, H. R., Marden, E., and Pfeffer, H., "The HAYSTAQ System: Past, Present, and Future" p1:143ff 1959. view details
          in Proceedings of the International Conference on Scientific Information, Washington, D. C.; November 16-21, 1958: National Academy of Sciences—National Research Council, Washington, D.C. 1959 view details
  • Data Preparation Routines for the Chemical Structure Search in the HAYSTAQ System. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards September 1961 view details
          in Proceedings of the International Conference on Scientific Information, Washington, D. C.; November 16-21, 1958: National Academy of Sciences—National Research Council, Washington, D.C. 1959 view details
  • Marden, E. C., and Koller, H. R., "A Survey of Computer Programs for Chemical Information Searching," NBS Technical Note 85; Feb., 1961: Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. 20402 view details
          in Proceedings of the International Conference on Scientific Information, Washington, D. C.; November 16-21, 1958: National Academy of Sciences—National Research Council, Washington, D.C. 1959 view details
  • Grems, Mandalay "A survey of languages and systems for information retrieval" pp43-46 view details Extract: HAYSTAQ
    Comprehensive HAYSTAQ system provides facilities for searching for chemical compounds, mixtures of materials, and processes. Present emphasis is on a detailed search for chemical structures; file being prepared by graduate chemisists from a collection of patents; all compounds embraced in each document are noted, structure diagrams drawn and structures encoded in pre-determined formats prescribed for various kinds of data; punched on paper tapes, data in tapes is checked for inconsistencies by a routine called SWEEP, corrections made by chemists inserted into data by the HADACOR routine, and correct data compressed, ordered and assembled into final formats by the SAND routine. Final file is on magnetic tapes. Similar programs provided for treating questions. Small amounts of debugging remain on a few of these routines. At presenr, the  preparation is on a continuing basis, dehugging is being completed, and tests are about to be run on the structure search routine. These tests are to determine the adequacy of various logical features and to determine how well real questions that potential users (patent examiners) want to put to the system can be handled.

          in [ACM] CACM 5(01) January 1962 "Design, Implementation and Application of IR-Oriented Languages," ACM Computer Language Committee on Information Retrieval on 20-21 October 1961 in Princeton, N. J. view details
  • Marden, E. C., "HAYSTAQ: A Mechanized System for Searching Chemical Information," NBS Technical Note 264 view details
          in [ACM] CACM 5(01) January 1962 "Design, Implementation and Application of IR-Oriented Languages," ACM Computer Language Committee on Information Retrieval on 20-21 October 1961 in Princeton, N. J. view details
  • Marden, E. C., and Koller, H. R., "The Present Status of Project HAYSTAQ" view details
          in Pfeffer, H. (Editor), "Information Retrieval Among Examining Patent Offices", Thomson Book Co., Wash., D.C. (1967). view details
  • [NBS] HAYSTAQ A Mechanized System for Searching Chemical Information U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards September 1965 view details
          in Pfeffer, H. (Editor), "Information Retrieval Among Examining Patent Offices", Thomson Book Co., Wash., D.C. (1967). view details
  • Tauber, S. J. "Information retrieval: digital handling of chemical structures and associated information" pp206-216 view details Abstract: THE NEED for ready access to chemical information is by now generally recognized as common to many different agencies within government as well as to industrial, academic, and other private organizations. A review of techniques available for finding chemical information and of work in progress toward improving and augmenting those techniques will not here be attempted1. This paper concentrates on our work at the National Bureau of Standards and our approach to developing the techniques required for a major chemical information system. Our group seeks to develop the necessary techniques but has no desire to establish or operate a chemical information center. We instead make the results of our work available to those organizations with responsibility for such an operation.
    DOI
          in [ACM] Proceedings of the 1965 20th National Conference 1965 , Cleveland, Ohio, United States view details
  • Pfeffer, H. (Editor), "Information Retrieval Among Examining Patent Offices", Thomson Book Co., Wash., D.C. (1967). view details
          in [ACM] Proceedings of the 1965 20th National Conference 1965 , Cleveland, Ohio, United States view details
  • Bloom, Burton H. "Some techniques and trade-offs affecting large data base retrieval times" pp83-95 view details
          in Proceedings of the twenty-fourth ACM national conference August 1969 view details
    Resources
    • Page at ASIS on NBS and HAYSTAQ
      The National Bureau of Standards (NBS) used the SEAC in conjunction with the Patent Office for a joint systems development program called HAYSTAQ. The two agencies wanted HAYSTAQ to be able to search the contents of a technical document in any field.


      Progress on the machine was slow and in 1961 a panel appointed by the commissioner of patents suggested that NBS should obtain funds to begin a R&D program in information storage and retrieval as well as establish a clearinghouse and coordinating center for information retrieval with the Patent Office. The R&D program, although limited by funds, undertook projects which improved searching techniques. The HAYSYAQ project increased and improved search strategies as well as performed various psychological and statistical studies.external link