Natural language search method and system for electronic books

• US 20020120651A1
• Filed: 09/12/2001
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LingoMotors, Inc.
• Original Assignee: LingoMotors, Inc.
• Inventors: Ingria, Robert, Pustejovsky, James D.
• Application Number:
  US09/954,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20020120651A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/513
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

A method for querying information based upon a publication on a portable electronic display. The display has a microprocessing device coupled to memory. The display also has a region for outputting a portion or portions of the publication. The method includes displaying an electronic page from a plurality of pages on the display. The electronic page is a complete or portion of one of the plurality of pages. The method also includes selecting a term on the electronic page for which a query is to be performed; and querying the plurality of pages to uncover additional information about the term; and displaying a portion of or all of the additional information about the term.

Claims

1. A method for querying information based upon a publication on a portable electronic display, the display comprising a microprocessing device coupled to memory, the display also comprising a display for outputting a portion or portions of the publication, the method comprising:

displaying an electronic page from a plurality of pages on the display, the electronic page being a complete or portion of one of the plurality of pages;

selecting a term on the electronic page for which a query is to be performed;

querying the plurality of pages to uncover additional information about the term; and

displaying a portion of or all of the additional information about the term.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of pages define a document selected from a text book, a technical book, a tutorial, a fiction story, or a non-fiction story.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic page comprises XML annotation.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic page comprises tags to annotate the electronic page.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the querying comprising identifying a tag directed to the additional information and displaying a content associated with the tag on the display.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the querying comprises searching for a tag and content related to the additional information.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the querying comprises entering a natural language logic form for the query.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the querying comprises using a look up table for identifying the additional information.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional information comprises a time line of events of a character or feature through the plurality of pages.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional information comprises one or more relations of the term.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the display and the plurality of pages define an electronic book.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the querying searches data in the memory.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting is provided by a touch screen element coupled to the display.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting is provided by a key pad coupled to the display.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting is provided by a pen computing interface coupled to the display.

16. A user interface on a portable electronic display, the user interface comprising:

a display coupled to a microprocessing device and memory for storing text and graphics information, the text and graphics information being directed to an integrated document;

a content portion coupled to the display, the content portion being capable of visually displaying a portion of the text and graphics information;

a process portion for entering data for searching, the process portion including a search field and a display field, the search field being coupled to the display field.