Simplifying query terms with transliteration

• US 20070288230A1
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Datta, Ruchira
• Granted Patent: US 7,835,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3337 Translation of the query language, e.g. Chinese to English
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/126 Character encoding
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/263 Language identification

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, operable to perform operations including receiving from a user a search query; and receiving an indication of a user preference to apply transliteration in simplifying the query terms of the search query. Alternatively, the operations include receiving from a user a search query of query terms; applying transliteration in simplifying the query terms; and using the simplified query terms to identify synonyms to use in augmenting the search query. Alternatively, the operations include receiving from a user a search query; identifying the user interface language as a small language or not a small language; simplifying each query term to a simplified form; and if the user interface language is a small language, for each original query term that has a simplified form different from the original term, using the original query term as-is and not providing any synonyms for the query term.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving from a user through a user interface a search query comprising one or more query terms; and

receiving an indication of a user preference to apply transliteration in simplifying the query terms of the search query.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying transliteration in simplifying the query terms of the search query to generate simplified query terms if the user preference is to apply transliteration and otherwise not applying transliteration in simplifying the query terms of the search query to generate simplified query terms; and

using the simplified query terms to identify synonyms to use in augmenting the search query.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the indication of a user preference to apply transliteration in simplifying the search query is a user selection of one of a number of particular interface languages.

4. A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving from a user through a user interface a search query comprising one or more query terms;

applying transliteration in simplifying the query terms of the search query to generate simplified query terms; and

using the simplified query terms to identify synonyms to use in augmenting the search query.

5. A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving from a user through a user interface a search query comprising one or more original query terms for searching a collection of documents, the user interface having a user interface language;

identifying the user interface language as a small language or not a small language, a small language being a natural language having a relatively small representation in the collection of documents;

simplifying each query term to a simplified form; and

if the user interface language is a small language, for each original query term that has a simplified form that is different from the original term, using the original query term as-is and not providing any synonyms for the query term, and for each original query term that is identical to its simplified form, using the simplified form to identify synonyms for the original query term for use in augmenting the search query.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein simplifying each query term comprises transliterating.

7. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving from a user through a user interface a search query comprising one or more query terms; and

receiving an indication of a user preference to apply transliteration in simplifying the query terms of the search query.

8. The product of claim 7, the operations further comprising:

applying transliteration in simplifying the query terms of the search query to generate simplified query terms if the user preference is to apply transliteration and otherwise not applying transliteration in simplifying the query terms of the search query to generate simplified query terms; and

using the simplified query terms to identify synonyms to use in augmenting the search query.

9. The product of claim 7, wherein:

the indication of a user preference to apply transliteration in simplifying the search query is a user selection of one of a number of particular interface languages.

10. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving from a user through a user interface a search query comprising one or more query terms;

applying transliteration in simplifying the query terms of the search query to generate simplified query terms; and

using the simplified query terms to identify synonyms to use in augmenting the search query.

11. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving from a user through a user interface a search query comprising one or more original query terms for searching a collection of documents, the user interface having a user interface language;

identifying the user interface language as a small language or not a small language, a small language being a natural language having a relatively small representation in the collection of documents;

simplifying each query term to a simplified form; and

if the user interface language is a small language, for each original query term that has a simplified form that is different from the original term, using the original query term as-is and not providing any synonyms for the query term, and for each original query term that is identical to its simplified form, using the simplified form to identify synonyms for the original query term for use in augmenting the search query.

12. The product of claim 11, wherein simplifying each query term comprises transliterating.

13. A system comprising:

means for receiving from a user through a user interface a search query comprising one or more query terms; and

means for receiving an indication of a user preference to apply transliteration in simplifying the query terms of the search query.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for applying transliteration in simplifying the query terms of the search query to generate simplified query terms if the user preference is to apply transliteration and otherwise not applying transliteration in simplifying the query terms of the search query to generate simplified query terms; and

means for using the simplified query terms to identify synonyms to use in augmenting the search query.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the indication of a user preference to apply transliteration in simplifying the search query is a user selection of one of a number of particular interface languages.

16. A system comprising:

means for receiving from a user through a user interface a search query comprising one or more query terms;

means for applying transliteration in simplifying the query terms of the search query to generate simplified query terms; and

means for using the simplified query terms to identify synonyms to use in augmenting the search query.

17. A system comprising:

means for receiving from a user through a user interface a search query comprising one or more original query terms for searching a collection of documents, the user interface having a user interface language;

means for identifying the user interface language as a small language or not a small language, a small language being a natural language having a relatively small representation in the collection of documents;

means for simplifying each query term to a simplified form; and

means for performing operations if the user interface language is a small language, for each original query term that has a simplified form that is different from the original term, using the original query term as-is and not providing any synonyms for the query term, and for each original query term that is identical to its simplified form, using the simplified form to identify synonyms for the original query term for use in augmenting the search query.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein simplifying each query term comprises transliterating.