Method and Apparatus for Semantic Just-In-Time-Information-Retrieval

• US 20110153639A1
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ross, Steven I., Rasmussen, Jamie C., Christensen, James E., Levy, Stephen E., Patterson, John F., Gruen, Daniel M., Hupfer, Susanne
• Granted Patent: US 8,244,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

A computer-based method and system for just-in-time semantic information retrieval is disclosed. A user interface detects user interaction with a displayed semantic entity. In response, a search member uses semantic information about the displayed entity and automatically searches for information about the subject entity. The search employs system and/or external knowledge bases and returns highly relevant results and information with increased specificity due to the semantic basis. A sidebar unobtrusively displays to the user the search results initially obtained without user request or demand, i.e., on the user'"'"'s behalf. The sidebar enables the user to dismiss the search results and to effectively copy or export the search results as desired.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of retrieving information comprising:

detecting user interaction with a displayed entity representing a real world item;

obtaining semantic data of the displayed entity;

using the semantic data and searching one or more knowledge bases for information about the displayed entity, resulting in search results having information about the displayed entity based on semantic data; and

automatically displaying to a user the information about the displayed entity from the search results, wherein the searching and displaying are free of user request.

2. A computer method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the displayed entity is a semantic entity representing any one of a person, an organization, a place and event.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of detecting includes providing an operative work area in which relevant semantic entities are displayed, the work area enabling relevant semantic entities and claims about the semantic entities to be represented and arranged by a user.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein user interaction with a displayed entity includes graphical user indication of selection of a portion of the operative work area, where the portion contains one or more semantic entities then the user interaction is considered to be with respect to each of the contained semantic entities.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein detecting user interaction includes detecting any of:

user selection of an entity,

user creation of an entity, and

user selection of a textual note identifying an entity.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein user interaction includes user selection of a textual note identifying multiple entities;

and

the step of searching includes searching for information about the multiple entities.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user interaction is part of a user task, and the step of obtaining semantic data includes drawing semantic data from the user task.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the searching is of any combination of an internal datastore and external datastore.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein at least one of the external data stores is internet-mediated.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the displaying includes:

providing a sidebar displaying the information about the displayed entity from the search results, the sidebar being configured to enable any one or combination of;

user dismissal of the search results, user copying of the search results, and user disambiguation of the displayed entity to obtain semantic data.

11. A computer apparatus for retrieving information comprising:

a user interface enabling user interaction with a displayed entity representing a real world item, and the displayed entity having semantic data; and

a search member responsive to user interaction with the displayed entity and, using the semantic data, searching a knowledge base for information about the displayed entity, resulting in search results having information about the displayed entity based on semantic data,

the user interface automatically displaying to a user the information about the displayed entity from the search results wherein the searching and displaying are free of user request.

12. A computer apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the displayed entity is a semantic entity representing any one of a person, an organization, a place and event.

13. A computer apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the user interface provides an operative work area in which relevant semantic entities are displayed, the work area enabling relevant semantic entities and claims about the semantic entities to be represented and arranged by a user.

14. A computer apparatus as claimed in 13 wherein user interaction with a displayed entity includes graphical user indication of selection of a portion of the operative work area, where the portion contains one or more semantic entities then the user interaction is considered to be with respect to each of the contained semantic entities.

15. A computer apparatus as claimed in 11 wherein user interaction includes any one of:

selection of an entity,

user creation of an entity, and

user selection of a textual note identifying an entity.

16. A computer apparatus as claimed in 11 wherein user interaction includes user selection of a textual note identifying multiple entities;

and

the search member searches for information about the multiple entities.

17. A computer apparatus as claimed in 11 wherein the user interaction is part of a user task, and the displayed entity has semantic data from the user task.

18. A computer apparatus as claimed in 17 wherein the user interface prompts user disambiguation of the displayed entity from other entities.

19. A computer apparatus as claimed in 11 wherein the search member searches any combination of an internal data store and an external data store.

20. A computer apparatus as claimed in 19 wherein the search member searches at least one internet-mediated data store.

21. A computer apparatus as claimed in 11 wherein the user interface automatically displaying the information includes providing a sidebar displaying the information from the search results.

22. A computer apparatus as claimed in 21 wherein the sidebar enables user dismissal of the search results.

23. A computer program product for retrieving information comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith;

the computer readable program code including program code configured to cause a computer to;

detect user interaction with a displayed entity representing a real world item,

using semantic data of the displayed entity, search one or more knowledge bases for information about the displayed entity, resulting in search results having information about the displayed entity based on semantic data, and

display information about the displayed entity from the search results, wherein the searching and displaying are automatic and free of user request.