SEARCHING MIXED LANGUAGE DOCUMENT SETS

• US 20080281804A1
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Galande, Ashutosh, Zhao, Lei, Critchlow, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,117,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/31 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/335 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536

Abstract

Multilingual document searches are performed by ordering and filtering localized documents in different languages based on user preferences. Documents are indexed in a global search engine index using an identifier property and a language property permitting all relevant documents to be retrieved in a single search engine query. By storing documents with their identifier and language properties, documents from different cultures but with same content can be treated as equivalent. Results of the initial search include a multilingual set of documents ranked in order of relevance. Result sets are then post-processed using a data resource indicating for each multilingual user interface combination, which language version of each document should be returned. The initial search result are then transformed into a relevance based ordered list treating documents in different languages having same content as equivalent. Based on the ordered list, a final document list is prepared using localized and non-localized content.

Claims

1. A method to be executed at least in part in a computing device for searching multilingual documents, the method comprising:

receiving a search result set ranked in order of relevance in response to submitting a query based on a user request, for documents;

determining which language version of each document in the result set is to be returned based on a multilingual user interface (MUI) combination;

processing the result set based on the determination;

transforming the processed result set into a relevance based ordered list;

generating a final list based on the relevance based ordered list using localized and non-localized content of the documents; and

providing the final list to the requesting user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the result set includes one of de-prioritizing and eliminating documents in the result set based on a user language preference.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the user language preference includes a primary language selection and at least one other lower ranked language selection.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein processing the result set further includes one of de-prioritizing and eliminating documents in the result set based on a user credential.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the MUI combination includes a list of documents in a primary language supplements by documents in at least one localized language related based on their content.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to generating the final list, validating the documents in the result set against a global search index.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the documents are validated independent of their culture such that a higher ranked non-localized document is replaced by its localized counterpart.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming the processed result set into the relevance based ordered list includes treating document in different languages having same content, as equivalent.

9. A system for searching multilingual documents, the system comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute program modules including;

a global search index module that maintains a list of available documents based on a document identifier property and a document language property;

a search engine configured to;

submit a query based on a user request for documents;

receive search results ranked in order of relevance;

determine which language version of each document in the search results is to be returned based on a multilingual user interface (Mill) combination;

de-prioritize documents in the search results based on the determination;

transform the search results into a relevance based ordered list;

generate a final list based on the relevance based ordered list-using localized and non-localized content of the documents; and

provide the final list to the requesting user,

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the search engine is farther configured to:

limit the documents in the search results to those in languages of a desired MUI by filtering on a list of localizations specified at query time.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the search engine is further configured to submit the query to and receive search results from a plurality of data sources.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the search engine is further configured to employ a fallback approach such that a non-localized document is returned if a localized counterpart is not available.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the fallback approach is based on one of:

a random ordering and a predefined order.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the final list is generated based on a primary language selection and at least one other lower ranked language selection of the user language preference.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the global search index module is associated with at least one data store that stores a portion of the indexed documents.

16. A computer-readable storage medium with instructions encoded thereon for searching multilingual documents, the instructions comprising:

receiving a user search request;

submitting a query based on the user request for documents, wherein a list of available documents is maintained in a local search index based on a document identifier property and a document language property;

receiving a search result set ranked in order of relevance;

determining which language version of each document in the result set is to be returned based on a user language preference;

processing the result set based on the determination and the search index;

limiting the documents in the search result set to those in languages of a desired MUI by filtering on a list of localizations specified at query time;

transforming the processed result set into a relevance based ordered list;

generating a final list based on the relevance based ordered list using localized and non-localized content of the documents; and

providing the final list to the requesting user.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein processing the result set includes one of de-prioritizing and eliminating documents in the result set based on the user language preference.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further comprise:

validating the documents in the result set against the search index independent of their culture such that a higher ranked non-localized document is replaced by its localized counterpart.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further comprise:

updating the search index based on at least one of expiration of a predefined period and after a predefined number of user search requests.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein the instructions further comprise:

submitting the query to a plurality of data sources; and

combining the result sets from the plurality of data sources.