Searching and Browsing of Contextual Information

• US 20120022855A1
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radiant Logic Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Radiant Logic Incorporated
• Inventors: Prompt, Michel, Samuelson, Claude Yves Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,924,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/256 in federated or virtual databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/56 Natural language generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Systems and methods for searching and browsing a data store of contextually related data objects. The system includes a search/browse module that receives a search query. The search/browse module identifies data objects that match the search query and generates sentences from data objects that are contextually related to the matching data objects. The sentences are human-readable sentences, for example in subject-verb-object format, where each sentence represents the relationship between two data objects. The sentences are output for display as a hierarchy of sentences. Additionally, a user can browse the data store of contextually related data objects by selecting a sentence that is displayed to the user. The search/browse module then outputs attributes of the data object represented by the sentence for display in two separate regions of a user interface.

Claims

1. A method for searching a datastore of data objects, the method comprising;

receiving a search query;

identifying, from the datastore of data objects, a first data object that matches the search query;

generating a first sentence that includes a subject, verb and object, the object of the first sentence representing the first data object, the subject of the first sentence representing a second data object from the datastore that is related to the first data object;

generating a second sentence that includes a subject, verb and object, the object of the second sentence representing the second data object, the subject of the second sentence representing a third data object from the datastore that is related to the second data object; and

providing the first and second sentences for display as a hierarchy of sentences that includes a plurality of levels, wherein the first sentence is in a subordinate level of the hierarchy and the second sentence is in a superior level of the hierarchy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first sentence comprises generating the first sentence to include a verb that represents a relationship between the first and second data objects.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the second sentence comprises generating the second sentence to include a verb that indicates a relationship between the second and third data objects.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a first data object that matches the search query comprises identifying a first data object with one or more attributes that match the search query.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first sentence comprises generating the object of the first sentence to include at least one attribute of the first data object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first sentence comprises generating the object of the first sentence to include an identifier for a class of data objects that the first data object belongs to.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first sentence comprises generating the subject of the first sentence to include one or more attributes of the second data object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first sentence comprises generating the object of the first sentence to include an identifier for a class of data objects that the second data object belongs to.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the second sentence comprises generating the second sentence from the parent context of the first data object.

10. A computer readable medium configured to store instructions for searching a datastore of data objects, the instructions when executed by a processor perform steps comprising:

receiving a search query;

identifying, from the datastore of data objects, a first data object that matches the search query; and

generating a first sentence that includes a subject, verb and object, the object of the first sentence representing the first data object, the subject of the first sentence representing a second data object from the datastore that is related to the first data object;

generating a second sentence that includes a subject, verb and object, the object of the second sentence representing the second data object, the subject of the second sentence representing a third data object from the datastore that is related to the second data object;

providing the first and second sentences for display as a hierarchy of sentences that includes a plurality of levels, wherein the first sentence is in a subordinate level of the hierarchy and the second sentence is in a superior level of the hierarchy.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein generating the first sentence comprises generating the first sentence to include a verb that represents a relationship between the first and second data objects.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein generating the second sentence comprises generating the second sentence to include a verb that indicates a relationship between the second and third data objects.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein identifying a first data object that matches the search query comprises identifying a first data object with one or more attributes that match the search query.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein generating the first sentence comprises generating the object of the first sentence to include at least one attribute of the first data object.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein generating the first sentence comprises generating the object of the first sentence to include an identifier for a class of data objects that the first data object belongs to.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein generating the first sentence comprises generating the subject of the first sentence to include one or more attributes of the second data object.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein generating the first sentence comprises generating the object of the first sentence to include an identifier for a class of data objects that the second data object belongs to.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein generating the second sentence comprises generating the second sentence from the parent context of the first data object.