diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
index 814a6168663..7985cd517ba 100644
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ New features
  1. LUCENE-496: Command line tool for modifying the field norms of an
     existing index; added to contrib/miscellaneous.  (Chris Hostetter)
 
+ 2. LUCENE-577: SweetSpotSimilarity added to contrib/miscellaneous.
+    (Chris Hostetter)
+    
 Bug fixes
 
  1. LUCENE-330: Fix issue of FilteredQuery not working properly within
diff --git a/contrib/miscellaneous/src/java/org/apache/lucene/misc/SweetSpotSimilarity.java b/contrib/miscellaneous/src/java/org/apache/lucene/misc/SweetSpotSimilarity.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a2a9030727f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/miscellaneous/src/java/org/apache/lucene/misc/SweetSpotSimilarity.java
@@ -0,0 +1,237 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2006 The Apache Software Foundation
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.apache.lucene.misc;
+
+import org.apache.lucene.search.Similarity;
+import org.apache.lucene.search.DefaultSimilarity;
+
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+
+/**
+ * A similarity with a lengthNorm that provides for a "platuea" of
+ * equally good lengths, and tf helper functions.
+ *
+ * <p>
+ * For lengthNorm, A global min/max can be specified to define the
+ * platuea of lengths that should all have a norm of 1.0.
+ * Below the min, and above the max the lengthNorm drops off in a
+ * sqrt function.
+ * </p>
+ * <p>
+ * A per field min/max can be specified if different fields have
+ * different sweet spots.
+ * </p>
+ *
+ * <p>
+ * For tf, baselineTf and hyperbolicTf functions are provided, which
+ * subclasses can choose between.
+ * </p>
+ *
+ */
+public class SweetSpotSimilarity extends DefaultSimilarity {
+
+  private int ln_min = 1;
+  private int ln_max = 1;
+  private float ln_steep = 0.5f;
+
+  private Map ln_mins = new HashMap(7);
+  private Map ln_maxs = new HashMap(7);
+  private Map ln_steeps = new HashMap(7);
+
+  private float tf_base = 0.0f;
+  private float tf_min = 0.0f;
+
+  private float tf_hyper_min = 0.0f;
+  private float tf_hyper_max = 2.0f;
+  private double tf_hyper_base = 1.3d;
+  private float tf_hyper_xoffset = 10.0f;
+    
+  public SweetSpotSimilarity() {
+    super();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Sets the baseline and minimum function variables for baselineTf
+   *
+   * @see #baselineTf
+   */
+  public void setBaselineTfFactors(float base, float min) {
+    tf_min = min;
+    tf_base = base;
+  }
+  
+  /**
+   * Sets the function variables for the hyperbolicTf functions
+   *
+   * @param min the minimum tf value to ever be returned (default: 0.0)
+   * @param max the maximum tf value to ever be returned (default: 2.0)
+   * @param base the base value to be used in the exponential for the hyperbolic function (default: e)
+   * @param xoffset the midpoint of the hyperbolic function (default: 10.0)
+   * @see #hyperbolicTf
+   */
+  public void setHyperbolicTfFactors(float min, float max,
+                                     double base, float xoffset) {
+    tf_hyper_min = min;
+    tf_hyper_max = max;
+    tf_hyper_base = base;
+    tf_hyper_xoffset = xoffset;
+  }
+    
+  /**
+   * Sets the default function variables used by lengthNorm when no field
+   * specifc variables have been set.
+   *
+   * @see #lengthNorm
+   */
+  public void setLengthNormFactors(int min, int max, float steepness) {
+    this.ln_min = min;
+    this.ln_max = max;
+    this.ln_steep = steepness;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Sets the function variables used by lengthNorm for a specific named field
+   *
+   * @see #lengthNorm
+   */
+  public void setLengthNormFactors(String field, int min, int max,
+                                   float steepness) {
+    ln_mins.put(field, new Integer(min));
+    ln_maxs.put(field, new Integer(max));
+    ln_steeps.put(field, new Float(steepness));
+  }
+    
+  /**
+   * Implimented as:
+   * <code>
+   * 1/sqrt( steepness * (abs(x-min) + abs(x-max) - (max-min)) + 1 )
+   * </code>
+   *
+   * <p>
+   * This degrades to <code>1/sqrt(x)</code> when min and max are both 1 and
+   * steepness is 0.5
+   * </p>
+   *
+   * <p>
+   * :TODO: potential optimiation is to just flat out return 1.0f if numTerms
+   * is between min and max.
+   * </p>
+   *
+   * @see #setLengthNormFactors
+   */
+  public float lengthNorm(String fieldName, int numTerms) {
+    int l = ln_min;
+    int h = ln_max;
+    float s = ln_steep;
+  
+    if (ln_mins.containsKey(fieldName)) {
+      l = ((Number)ln_mins.get(fieldName)).intValue();
+    }
+    if (ln_maxs.containsKey(fieldName)) {
+      h = ((Number)ln_maxs.get(fieldName)).intValue();
+    }
+    if (ln_steeps.containsKey(fieldName)) {
+      s = ((Number)ln_steeps.get(fieldName)).floatValue();
+    }
+  
+    return (float)
+      (1.0f /
+       Math.sqrt
+       (
+        (
+         s *
+         (float)(Math.abs(numTerms - l) + Math.abs(numTerms - h) - (h-l))
+         )
+        + 1.0f
+        )
+       );
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Delegates to baselineTf
+   *
+   * @see #baselineTf
+   */
+  public float tf(int freq) {
+    return baselineTf(freq);
+  }
+  
+  /**
+   * Implimented as:
+   * <code>
+   *  (x &lt;= min) ? base : sqrt(x+(base**2)-min)
+   * </code>
+   * ...but with a special case check for 0.
+   * <p>
+   * This degrates to <code>sqrt(x)</code> when min and base are both 0
+   * </p>
+   *
+   * @see #setBaselineTfFactors
+   */
+  public float baselineTf(float freq) {
+
+    if (0.0f == freq) return 0.0f;
+  
+    return (freq <= tf_min)
+      ? tf_base
+      : (float)Math.sqrt(freq + (tf_base * tf_base) - tf_min);
+  }
+
+
+    
+  /**
+   * Uses a hyperbolic tangent function that allows for a hard max...
+   *
+   * <code>
+   * tf(x)=min+(max-min)/2*(((base**(x-xoffset)-base**-(x-xoffset))/(base**(x-xoffset)+base**-(x-xoffset)))+1)
+   * </code>
+   *
+   * <p>
+   * This code is provided as a convincience for subclasses that want
+   * to use a hyperbolic tf function.
+   * </p>
+   *
+   * @see #setHyperbolicTfFactors
+   */
+  public float hyperbolicTf(float freq) {
+    if (0.0f == freq) return 0.0f;
+
+    final float min = tf_hyper_min;
+    final float max = tf_hyper_max;
+    final double base = tf_hyper_base;
+    final float xoffset = tf_hyper_xoffset;
+    final double x = (double)(freq - xoffset);
+  
+    final float result = min +
+      (float)(
+              (max-min) / 2.0f
+              *
+              (
+               ( ( Math.pow(base,x) - Math.pow(base,-x) )
+                 / ( Math.pow(base,x) + Math.pow(base,-x) )
+                 )
+               + 1.0d
+               )
+              );
+
+    return Float.isNaN(result) ? max : result;
+    
+  }
+
+}
+
diff --git a/contrib/miscellaneous/src/test/org/apache/lucene/misc/SweetSpotSimilarityTest.java b/contrib/miscellaneous/src/test/org/apache/lucene/misc/SweetSpotSimilarityTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d2f073b0cd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/miscellaneous/src/test/org/apache/lucene/misc/SweetSpotSimilarityTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,207 @@
+
+/**
+ * Copyright 2006 The Apache Software Foundation
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.apache.lucene.misc;
+
+import org.apache.lucene.index.Term;
+import org.apache.lucene.search.Similarity;
+import org.apache.lucene.search.DefaultSimilarity;
+import org.apache.lucene.search.Query;
+import org.apache.lucene.search.TermQuery;
+import org.apache.lucene.search.PhraseQuery;
+import org.apache.lucene.search.DisjunctionMaxQuery;
+import org.apache.lucene.search.BooleanQuery;
+import org.apache.lucene.search.BooleanClause;
+import org.apache.lucene.search.BooleanClause.Occur;
+
+import junit.framework.Test;
+import junit.framework.TestCase;
+import junit.framework.TestSuite;
+
+import java.io.File;
+import java.math.BigDecimal;
+import java.util.Random;
+import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Iterator;
+
+/**
+ * Test of the SweetSpotSimilarity
+ */
+public class SweetSpotSimilarityTest extends TestCase {
+
+  public void testSweetSpotLengthNorm() {
+  
+    SweetSpotSimilarity ss = new SweetSpotSimilarity();
+    ss.setLengthNormFactors(1,1,0.5f);
+
+    Similarity d = new DefaultSimilarity();
+    Similarity s = ss;
+
+
+    // base case, should degrade
+  
+    for (int i = 1; i < 1000; i++) {
+      assertEquals("base case: i="+i,
+                   d.lengthNorm("foo",i), s.lengthNorm("foo",i),
+                   0.0f);
+    }
+
+    // make a sweet spot
+  
+    ss.setLengthNormFactors(3,10,0.5f);
+  
+    for (int i = 3; i <=10; i++) {
+      assertEquals("3,10: spot i="+i,
+                   1.0f, s.lengthNorm("foo",i),
+                   0.0f);
+    }
+  
+    for (int i = 10; i < 1000; i++) {
+      assertEquals("3,10: 10<x : i="+i,
+                   d.lengthNorm("foo",i-9), s.lengthNorm("foo",i),
+                   0.0f);
+    }
+
+
+    // seperate sweet spot for certain fields
+
+    ss.setLengthNormFactors("bar",8,13, 0.5f);
+    ss.setLengthNormFactors("yak",6,9, 0.5f);
+
+  
+    for (int i = 3; i <=10; i++) {
+      assertEquals("f: 3,10: spot i="+i,
+                   1.0f, s.lengthNorm("foo",i),
+                   0.0f);
+    }
+    for (int i = 10; i < 1000; i++) {
+      assertEquals("f: 3,10: 10<x : i="+i,
+                   d.lengthNorm("foo",i-9), s.lengthNorm("foo",i),
+                   0.0f);
+    }
+    for (int i = 8; i <=13; i++) {
+      assertEquals("f: 8,13: spot i="+i,
+                   1.0f, s.lengthNorm("bar",i),
+                   0.0f);
+    }
+    for (int i = 6; i <=9; i++) {
+      assertEquals("f: 6,9: spot i="+i,
+                   1.0f, s.lengthNorm("yak",i),
+                   0.0f);
+    }
+    for (int i = 13; i < 1000; i++) {
+      assertEquals("f: 8,13: 13<x : i="+i,
+                   d.lengthNorm("foo",i-12), s.lengthNorm("bar",i),
+                   0.0f);
+    }
+    for (int i = 9; i < 1000; i++) {
+      assertEquals("f: 6,9: 9<x : i="+i,
+                   d.lengthNorm("foo",i-8), s.lengthNorm("yak",i),
+                   0.0f);
+    }
+
+
+    // steepness
+
+    ss.setLengthNormFactors("a",5,8,0.5f);
+    ss.setLengthNormFactors("b",5,8,0.1f);
+
+    for (int i = 9; i < 1000; i++) {
+      assertTrue("s: i="+i+" : a="+ss.lengthNorm("a",i)+
+                 " < b="+ss.lengthNorm("b",i),
+                 ss.lengthNorm("a",i) < s.lengthNorm("b",i));
+    }
+
+  }
+
+  public void testSweetSpotTf() {
+  
+    SweetSpotSimilarity ss = new SweetSpotSimilarity();
+
+    Similarity d = new DefaultSimilarity();
+    Similarity s = ss;
+    
+    // tf equal
+
+    ss.setBaselineTfFactors(0.0f, 0.0f);
+  
+    for (int i = 1; i < 1000; i++) {
+      assertEquals("tf: i="+i,
+                   d.tf(i), s.tf(i), 0.0f);
+    }
+
+    // tf higher
+  
+    ss.setBaselineTfFactors(1.0f, 0.0f);
+  
+    for (int i = 1; i < 1000; i++) {
+      assertTrue("tf: i="+i+" : d="+d.tf(i)+
+                 " < s="+s.tf(i),
+                 d.tf(i) < s.tf(i));
+    }
+
+    // tf flat
+  
+    ss.setBaselineTfFactors(1.0f, 6.0f);
+    for (int i = 1; i <=6; i++) {
+      assertEquals("tf flat1: i="+i, 1.0f, s.tf(i), 0.0f);
+    }
+    ss.setBaselineTfFactors(2.0f, 6.0f);
+    for (int i = 1; i <=6; i++) {
+      assertEquals("tf flat2: i="+i, 2.0f, s.tf(i), 0.0f);
+    }
+    for (int i = 6; i <=1000; i++) {
+      assertTrue("tf: i="+i+" : s="+s.tf(i)+
+                 " < d="+d.tf(i),
+                 s.tf(i) < d.tf(i));
+    }
+
+    // stupidity
+    assertEquals("tf zero", 0.0f, s.tf(0), 0.0f);
+  }
+
+  public void testHyperbolicSweetSpot() {
+  
+    SweetSpotSimilarity ss = new SweetSpotSimilarity() {
+        public float tf(int freq) {
+          return hyperbolicTf(freq);
+        }
+      };
+    ss.setHyperbolicTfFactors(3.3f, 7.7f, Math.E, 5.0f);
+    
+    Similarity s = ss;
+
+    for (int i = 1; i <=1000; i++) {
+      assertTrue("MIN tf: i="+i+" : s="+s.tf(i),
+                 3.3f <= s.tf(i));
+      assertTrue("MAX tf: i="+i+" : s="+s.tf(i),
+                 s.tf(i) <= 7.7f);
+    }
+    assertEquals("MID tf", 3.3f+(7.7f - 3.3f)/2.0f, s.tf(5), 0.00001f);
+    
+    // stupidity
+    assertEquals("tf zero", 0.0f, s.tf(0), 0.0f);
+    
+  }
+
+  
+}
+