SYSTEM AND METHOD TO PROVIDE QUERY LINGUISTIC SERVICE

• US 20100228762A1
• Filed: 03/05/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Petranov, Radoslav Valentinov, Mauge', Karin, Statelova, Antoniya T., Sundaresan, Neelakantan, Ruvini, Jean-David
• Granted Patent: US 8,949,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/766
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3338 Query expansion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/247 Thesauruses; Synonyms

Abstract

In various example embodiments, a system and method to provide query linguistic service is provided. An initial query term set is received. Phrase recognition is performed on the initial query term set to determine recognized phrases. Using the determined recognized phrases, one or more synonyms for each of the recognized phrases are determined. Results matching the initial query term set and any selected synonyms from the determined one or more synonyms are determined.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an initial query term set;

performing phrase recognition on the initial query term set to determine recognized phrases;

determining one or more synonyms for each of the recognized phrases; and

determining, using one or more processors, results matching the initial query term set and any synonyms selected from the determined one or more synonyms.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining one or more categories related to the initial query term set, the performing of the phrase recognition being based on a category selected from the one or more categories.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing of the phrase recognition comprises adding one word at a time to a blank phrase until a matching recognized phrase is found.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing of the phrase recognition comprises removing one word at a time from the initial query term set until a matching recognized phrase is found.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing of the phrase recognition comprises checking if a window of a number of words constitutes a matching recognized phrase.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing a number of the results to determine terms most frequently encountered in the number of the results;

receiving a refinement input based on the terms most frequently encountered; and

refining the results based on the refinement input.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the refinement input comprises one or more of the terms most frequently encountered to exclude when refining the results.

8. The method of claim 1, where the determining of the results further comprising applying an advanced query syntax input.

9. A system comprising:

a query tool module to receive an initial query term set;

a synonym lookup module to perform phrase recognition on the initial query term set to determine recognized phrases and to determine one or more synonyms for each of the recognized phrases; and

a listing finder module to determine, using one or more processors, results matching the initial query term set and any selected synonyms from the determined one or more synonyms.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a category identification module to determine one or more categories related to the initial search term set, the performing of the phrase recognition being based on a category selection from the one or more categories.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the listing finder module is further to analyze a number of the results to determine terms most frequently encountered in the number of the results, to receive a refinement input based on the terms most frequently encountered, and to refine the results based on the refinement input.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising a syntax module to provide an advanced query syntax option to be used when determining the results.

13. A machine-readable storage medium in communication with at least one processor, the machine-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, performs a method comprising:

receiving an initial query term set;

performing phrase recognition on the initial query term set to determine recognized phrases;

determining one or more synonyms for each of the recognized phrases; and

determining, using one or more processors, results matching the initial query term set and any selected synonyms from the determined one or more synonyms.

14. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises determining one or more categories related to the initial search term set, the performing of the phrase recognition being based on a category selection from the one or more categories.

15. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the performing of the phrase recognition comprises adding one word at a time to a blank phrase until a matching recognized phrase is found.

16. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the performing of the phrase recognition comprises removing one word at a time from the initial query term set until a matching recognized phrase is found.

17. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the performing of the phrase recognition comprises checking if a window of n words constitutes a matching recognized phrase.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises

analyzing a number of the results to determine terms most frequently encountered in the number of the results;

receiving a refinement input based on the terms most frequently encountered; and

refining the results based on the refinement input.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the refinement input comprises one or more of the terms most frequently encountered to exclude when refining the results.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, where the determining of the results further comprising applying an advanced query syntax input.