STRUCTURED NATURAL LANGUAGE QUERY AND KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of translating an imperative natural language sentence into formal query text, the method comprising:
- receiving a natural language sentence;
parsing the natural language sentence to identify one or more verb phrases of the sentence;
parsing the natural language sentence to identify one or more noun phrases of the sentence;
determining from each parsed natural language verb phrase one or more defined general methods;
determining from each parsed natural language noun phrase one or more data source elements; and
using the one or more determined general methods and the one or more determined data source elements to create a formal query text in an object relational algebra.
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Abstract
A structured natural language query and knowledge system is provided to allow a user who lacks programming skills to enter a database query or a rule in the form of a structured natural language sentence. The scope of the sentence is preferably defined by an improved object relational query language, an object relational algebra, or both. Command and conditions that appear in natural language form are defined with corresponding formal query texts. A user is prompted to compose a structured natural language sentence using the defined commands and conditions. The user-selected command and its arguments appear as the verb phrase of a structured natural language sentence. The user-selected conditions and their parameters appear as the adjective phrases of the sentence. The sentence is parsed and changed into a translated formal query text for formal database query and rule processing.
73 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of translating an imperative natural language sentence into formal query text, the method comprising:
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receiving a natural language sentence;
parsing the natural language sentence to identify one or more verb phrases of the sentence;
parsing the natural language sentence to identify one or more noun phrases of the sentence;
determining from each parsed natural language verb phrase one or more defined general methods;
determining from each parsed natural language noun phrase one or more data source elements; and
using the one or more determined general methods and the one or more determined data source elements to create a formal query text in an object relational algebra. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for translating an imperative natural language sentence into formal query text, the system comprising:
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a database comprising a plurality of data objects, the database further comprising a plurality of user-defined general methods, a plurality of data source elements, and a plurality of user-defined conditions;
a parsing module, the parsing module configured to parse a natural language sentence to identify one or more verb phrases of the sentence, one or more noun phrases and an optional one or more adjective phrases; and
a translation module in communication with the database, the translation module configured to (a) determine from a natural language verb phrase one or more defined general methods, (b) determine from each noun phrase one or more data source elements, and (c) determine from each optional adjective phrase one or more defined conditions, the translation module further configured to create formal query text in an object relational algebra from the one or more determined general methods, the one or more determined data source elements, and the optional one or more determined conditions. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer-implemented method of creating a query in an object-relational algebra, the method comprising:
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prompting a user to choose one or more previously defined object-relational algebra general methods and/or one or more object-relational algebra operators;
prompting the user to choose from a list of defined data source elements as one or more arguments to the one or more methods selected and/or the one or more operators selected;
prompting the user to choose an optional one or more conditions from at least a set of defined conditions, and prompting the user to specify one or more parameters for each selected condition; and
using object-relational algebra to create a query with the responses received from the user. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for creating a query in an object-relational algebra, the system comprising:
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a database comprising previously defined general methods, object-relational algebra operators, defined data source elements, defined conditions;
a user interface adapted to prompt a user to choose one or more previously defined object-relational algebra general methods and/or one or more object-relational algebra operators;
the user interface further adapted to prompt the user to choose from a list of defined data source elements as one or more arguments to the one or more methods selected and/or the one or more operators selected;
the user interface further adapted to prompt the user to choose an optional one or more conditions from at least a set of defined conditions, and prompting the user to specify one or more parameters for each selected condition; and
a query translation module configured to use object-relational algebra to create a query with the responses received from the user. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification