SCENARIO BASED INSIGHTS INTO STRUCTURE DATA

• US 20150120711A1
• Filed: 01/09/2015
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Liensberger, Christian, Zhang, Qunshu, Uritsky, Maxim
• Granted Patent: US 10,853,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2452 Query translation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24522 Translation of natural language queries to structured queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/20 Natural language analysis semantic analysis of natural language G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/30 Semantic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services

Abstract

Obtaining a single unified result for a query over a plurality of data sources. A query specifies an identity of a type of data that the query is providing, and an identity of a format and type of data the query is looking for as a specific answer to the query. The query is mapped to a query pattern from among a plurality of available query patterns. A set of two or more different data sources are queried using one or more queries that correspond to the query pattern. At least two results of querying the particular set of two more different data sources are received. A single unified result is derived from at least one of the results. The single unified result has the format and type of data query specified that the query was looking for as a specific answer to the query.

Claims

1. A method, implemented at a computer system that includes one or more processors, for obtaining a single unified result for a query over a plurality of data sources, the method comprising:

receiving a query from a user, the query including a hint specifying (i) an identity of a type of data that the query is providing, and (ii) an identity of a format and type of data the query is looking for as a specific answer to the query;

mapping the query to a particular query pattern from among a plurality of available query patterns, each available query pattern comprising a first query portion and a second parameter portion, each available query pattern defining one or more queries over a set of two or more different data sources, mapping the query to the particular query pattern comprising matching the type of data that the query is providing to the second parameter portion of each of the plurality of available query patterns;

querying a particular set of two or more different data sources using the one or more queries that correspond to the particular query pattern, including receiving at least two results of querying the particular set of two more different data sources using the one or more queries that correspond to the particular query pattern; and

deriving a single unified result from at least one of the results, the single unified result having the format and type of data the hint specified that the query was looking for as a specific answer to the query.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving input data, and wherein querying the particular set of two more different data sources using the one or more queries that correspond to the particular query pattern comprises supplying the input data as part of the one or more queries.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein mapping the query to a particular query pattern from among a plurality of available query patterns comprises:

identifying a set of two or more available query patterns from the plurality of available query patterns, each query pattern of the set of two or more available query patterns having a different first query portion but the same second parameter portion; and

receiving a selection of the particular query pattern from among the identified set of two or more available query patterns.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein mapping the query to a particular query pattern from among a plurality of available query patterns also comprises presenting the set of two or more available query patterns to a user for selection by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein querying the particular set of two more different data sources comprises querying a first data source and a second data source in parallel, and wherein deriving a single unified result includes combining first results of querying the first data source with second results of querying the second data source.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein querying the particular set of two more different data sources comprises a chained query, including querying a first data source, and then querying a second data source using results of querying the first data source.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein mapping the query to a particular query pattern from among a plurality of available query patterns also comprises selecting a query pattern that queries data sources that return results of the requested result data type.

8. A computer program product comprising one or more hardware storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the computer system obtain a single unified result for a query over a plurality of data sources, including at least the following:

receiving a query from a user, the query including a hint specifying (i) an identity of a type of data that the query is providing, and (ii) an identity of a format and type of data the query is looking for as a specific answer to the query;

mapping the query to a particular query pattern from among a plurality of available query patterns, each available query pattern comprising a first query portion and a second parameter portion, each available query pattern defining one or more queries over a set of two or more different data sources, mapping the query to the particular query pattern comprising matching the type of data that the query is providing to the second parameter portion of each of the plurality of available query patterns;

querying a particular set of two or more different data sources using the one or more queries that correspond to the particular query pattern, including receiving at least two results of querying the particular set of two more different data sources using the one or more queries that correspond to the particular query pattern; and

deriving a single unified result from at least one of the results, the single unified result having the format and type of data the hint specified that the query was looking for as a specific answer to the query.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising computer-executable instructions that also cause the computer system to receive input data, and wherein querying the particular set of two more different data sources using the one or more queries that correspond to the particular query pattern comprises supplying the input data as part of the one or more queries.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein mapping the query to a particular query pattern from among a plurality of available query patterns comprises:

identifying a set of two or more available query patterns from the plurality of available query patterns, each query pattern of the set of two or more available query patterns having a different first query portion but the same second parameter portion; and

receiving a selection of the particular query pattern from among the identified set of two or more available query patterns.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein mapping the query to a particular query pattern from among a plurality of available query patterns also comprises presenting the set of two or more available query patterns to a user for selection by the user.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein querying the particular set of two more different data sources comprises querying a first data source and a second data source in parallel, and wherein deriving a single unified result includes combining first results of querying the first data source with second results of querying the second data source.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein querying the particular set of two more different data sources comprises a chained query, including querying a first data source, and then querying a second data source using results of querying the first data source.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein mapping the query to a particular query pattern from among a plurality of available query patterns also comprises selecting a query pattern that queries data sources that return results of the requested result data type.

15. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more hardware storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer system to obtain a single unified result for a query over a plurality of data sources, including at least the following;

receiving a query from a user, the query including a hint specifying (i) an identity of a type of data that the query is providing, and (ii) an identity of a format and type of data the query is looking for as a specific answer to the query;

mapping the query to a particular query pattern from among a plurality of available query patterns, each available query pattern comprising a first query portion and a second parameter portion, each available query pattern defining one or more queries over a set of two or more different data sources, mapping the query to the particular query pattern comprising matching the type of data that the query is providing to the second parameter portion of each of the plurality of available query patterns;

querying a particular set of two or more different data sources using the one or more queries that correspond to the particular query pattern, including receiving at least two results of querying the particular set of two more different data sources using the one or more queries that correspond to the particular query pattern; and

deriving a single unified result from at least one of the results, the single unified result having the format and type of data the hint specified that the query was looking for as a specific answer to the query.

16. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising computer-executable instructions that also cause the computer system to receive input data, and wherein querying the particular set of two more different data sources using the one or more queries that correspond to the particular query pattern comprises supplying the input data as part of the one or more queries.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein mapping the query to a particular query pattern from among a plurality of available query patterns comprises:

identifying a set of two or more available query patterns from the plurality of available query patterns, each query pattern of the set of two or more available query patterns having a different first query portion but the same second parameter portion; and

receiving a selection of the particular query pattern from among the identified set of two or more available query patterns.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein querying the particular set of two more different data sources comprises querying a first data source and a second data source in parallel, and wherein deriving a single unified result includes combining first results of querying the first data source with second results of querying the second data source.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein querying the particular set of two more different data sources comprises a chained query, including querying a first data source, and then querying a second data source using results of querying the first data source.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein mapping the query to a particular query pattern from among a plurality of available query patterns also comprises selecting a query pattern that queries data sources that return results of the requested result data type.