Effectively Ingesting Data Used for Answering Questions in a Question and Answer (QA) System

• US 20150356181A1
• Filed: 06/04/2014
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dubbels, Joel C., Freed, Andrew R., Petri, John E., Schroeder, Michael W., Dettman, Elizabeth T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,542,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

A mechanism is provided, in a data processing system comprising a processor and a memory configured to implement a question and answer (QA) system, for effectively ingesting data for answering questions in the QA system. A received input question having a set of question characteristics is parsed, which are compared to question characteristics associated with a set of previous questions. Responsive to the set of question characteristics matching the question characteristics associated with one or more previous questions above a related-question predetermined threshold, identification is made as to whether answers to the one or more previous questions were obtained from static information sources or real-time information sources. Responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions being obtained from the real-time information sources above the predetermined real-time threshold, real-time information sources related to the characteristics of the input question are initially utilized to answer the input question.

Claims

1. A method, in a data processing system comprising a processor and a memory configured to implement a question and answer (QA) system, for effectively ingesting data for answering questions in the QA system, the method comprising:

parsing, by a processor in the QA system, a received input question having a set of question characteristics;

comparing, by the processor, the set of question characteristics found in the received input question to question characteristics associated with a set of previous questions;

responsive to the set of question characteristics found in the received input question matching the question characteristics associated with one or more previous questions in the set of previous questions above a related-question predetermined threshold, identifying, by the processor, whether answers to the one or more previous questions were obtained from static information sources or real-time information sources; and

responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions being obtained from the real-time information sources above the predetermined real-time threshold, initially utilizing, by the processor, real-time information sources related to the characteristics of the input question to answer the input question.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions failing to be obtained from the real-time information sources above the predetermined real-time threshold and responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions being obtained from the static information sources above a predetermined static threshold, initially utilizing, by the processor, static information sources related to the characteristics of the input question to answer the input question.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions failing to be obtained from the real-time information sources above the predetermined real-time threshold and responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions failing to be obtained from the static information sources above a predetermined static threshold, initially utilizing, by the processor, both real-time information sources and static information sources related to the characteristics of the input question to answer the input question.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein static information sources are information sources that exhibit permanence.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein real-time information sources are information sources that exhibit impermanence.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the set of question characteristics found in the received input question failing to matching the question characteristics associated with one or more previous questions in the set of previous questions above the related-question predetermined threshold, analyzing, by the processor, the input question for relevance to trending topics; and

responsive to a topic of the input question matching a trending topic, initially utilizing, by the processor, real-time information sources related to the topic of the input question to answer the input question.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

responsive to a topic of the input question failing to match a trending topic, initially utilizing, by the processor, both real-time information sources and static information sources related to the topic of the input question to answer the input question.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, an indication of an external event; and

ingesting, by the processor, data related to the external event prior to receiving the input question.

9. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

parse a received input question having a set of question characteristics;

compare the set of question characteristics found in the received input question to question characteristics associated with a set of previous questions;

responsive to the set of question characteristics found in the received input question matching the question characteristics associated with one or more previous questions in the set of previous questions above a related-question predetermined threshold, identify whether answers to the one or more previous questions were obtained from static information sources or real-time information sources; and

responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions being obtained from the real-time information sources above the predetermined real-time threshold, initially utilize real-time information sources related to the characteristics of the input question to answer the input question.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions failing to be obtained from the real-time information sources above the predetermined real-time threshold and responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions being obtained from the static information sources above a predetermined static threshold, initially utilize static information sources related to the characteristics of the input question to answer the input question.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions failing to be obtained from the real-time information sources above the predetermined real-time threshold and responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions failing to be obtained from the static information sources above a predetermined static threshold, initially utilize both real-time information sources and static information sources related to the characteristics of the input question to answer the input question.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

responsive to the set of question characteristics found in the received input question failing to matching the question characteristics associated with one or more previous questions in the set of previous questions above the related-question predetermined threshold, analyze the input question for relevance to trending topics; and

responsive to a topic of the input question matching a trending topic, initially utilize real-time information sources related to the topic of the input question to answer the input question.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

responsive to a topic of the input question failing to match a trending topic, initially utilize both real-time information sources and static information sources related to the topic of the input question to answer the input question.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

receive an indication of an external event; and

ingest data related to the external event prior to receiving the input question.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

parse a received input question having a set of question characteristics;

compare the set of question characteristics found in the received input question to question characteristics associated with a set of previous questions;

responsive to the set of question characteristics found in the received input question matching the question characteristics associated with one or more previous questions in the set of previous questions above a related-question predetermined threshold, identify whether answers to the one or more previous questions were obtained from static information sources or real-time information sources; and

responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions being obtained from the real-time information sources above the predetermined real-time threshold, initially utilize real-time information sources related to the characteristics of the input question to answer the input question.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions failing to be obtained from the real-time information sources above the predetermined real-time threshold and responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions being obtained from the static information sources above a predetermined static threshold, initially utilize static information sources related to the characteristics of the input question to answer the input question.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions failing to be obtained from the real-time information sources above the predetermined real-time threshold and responsive to the answers to the one or more previous questions failing to be obtained from the static information sources above a predetermined static threshold, initially utilize both real-time information sources and static information sources related to the characteristics of the input question to answer the input question.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

responsive to the set of question characteristics found in the received input question failing to matching the question characteristics associated with one or more previous questions in the set of previous questions above the related-question predetermined threshold, analyze the input question for relevance to trending topics; and

responsive to a topic of the input question matching a trending topic, initially utilize real-time information sources related to the topic of the input question to answer the input question.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

responsive to a topic of the input question failing to match a trending topic, initially utilize both real-time information sources and static information sources related to the topic of the input question to answer the input question.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive an indication of an external event; and

ingest data related to the external event prior to receiving the input question.