Abstract:
A method and a system for providing a search service automatically including a search result for hierarchically subordinated lower IPC(International Patent Classification) codes through range search are provided to output a search result including the lower IPC codes hierarchical subordinated to the IPC code without decreasing a search speed when the IPC code is included in a query. A hierarchical IPC code database(130) stores modified IPC codes modified to respectively matched with each IPC code of an IPC code system based on information related to parent-child relation between the IPC codes having a hierarchical structure. A modified IPC code database(142) generating module generates the hierarchical IPC code database. A lower IPC code processing module(144) receives information for a lower IPC code or the modified IPC code of the received IPC code when the IPC code is included in a query and dots are included in title information corresponding to the IPC code. A modified query generating module(146) modifies the query by including the information for the lower modified IPC codes, which is found by the lower IPC code processing module corresponding to the lower IPC code of the IPC code including the dots.