Method and system for query generation in a task based dialog system

• US 20060167848A1
• Filed: 01/26/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Hang S., Thompson, William K.
• Application Number:
  US11/043,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20060167848A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2452 Query translation

Abstract

A method for querying a database (106) in a task based dialog system (102) is provided. The task based dialog system (102) comprises a task model (110), a user model (114), a dialog manager (112), a query generator (116), and a mapper (120). The method interprets a user input required b complete a task. A query is generated for querying the database (106). If the generated query is not suitable for querying the database (106) it is converted to a suitable query. The suitable query is executed to complete the task.

Claims

1. A method for querying a database, the database storing data for completion of a task in a task based dialog system, the method comprising:

interpreting a user input based on a task model and a dialog context to form an interpretation of the user input the dialog context comprising information provided by at least one of the user and the task based dialog system;

generating a first query based on the interpretation of the user input; and

when the first query is not directly suitable for querying the database, converting the first query to a second query that is directly suitable for querying the database.

2. The method for querying a database according to claim 1 wherein the method is domain independent.

3. The method for querying a database according to claim 1 wherein the database is from a group of databases consisting of an XML database and a relational database.

4. The method for querying a database according to claim 1 wherein the first query is in XQuery.

5. The method for querying a database according to claim 1 wherein the second query is in Structured Query Language SQL).

6. The method for querying a database according to claim 1 wherein interpreting the user input further comprises:

checking whether the first query can be generated based on the user input; and

deciding the type of the first query to generate based on the user input

7. The method for querying a database according to claim 1 wherein the first query is from a group of queries consisting of a template search query and a parameter completion query.

8. The method for querying a database according to claim 1 wherein generating the first query further comprises using a template.

9. A method for querying a database, the database storing data for completion of a task in a task based dialog system, the method comprising:

interpreting a user input based on a task model and a dialog context to form an interpretation of the user input the dialog context comprising information provided by at least one of the user and the task based dialog system; and

generating a query in XQuery based on the interpretation of the user input

10. A task based dialog system, the task based dialog system querying a database, the task based dialog system comprising:

a task model, the task model modeling a task in the task based dialog system;

a dialog manager, the dialog manager managing a dialog;

a query generator, the query generator generating a first query for the dialog; and

a mapper, the mapper converting the first query to a second query.

11. The task based dialog system according to claim 10 further comprising means for determining whether the first query is suitable for querying the database.

12. The task based dialog system according to claim 10 wherein the system is domain independent.

13. The task based dialog system according to claim 10 wherein the database is from a group of databases consisting of an XML database and a relational database.

14. The task based dialog system according to claim 10 wherein the dialog manager further comprises:

an interpreter, the interpreter interpreting a user input based on a task model and a dialog context to form an interpretation of the user input, the dialog context comprising information provided by at least one of the user and the task based dialog system; and

means for deciding when to generate the first query and what type of the first query to generate.

15. The task based dialog system according to claim 10 wherein the first query is in XQuery.

16. The task based dialog system according to claim 10 wherein the second query is in Structured Query Language (SQL).

17. The task based dialog system according to claim 10 wherein the fist query is from a group of queries consisting of a template search query and a parameter completion query.

18. The task based dialog system according to claim 10 wherein the query generator generates the first query using a template.

19. An electronic equipment for querying a database, the database storing data for completion of a task in a task based dialog system, the electronic equipment comprising:

means for interpreting a user input based on a task model and a dialog context to form an interpretation of the user input the dialog context comprising information provided by at least one of the user and the task based dialog system;

means for generating a first query based on the interpretation of the user input; and

means for converting the first query to a second query.