Database retrieval system having a natural language interface
First Claim
1. A database retrieval system having a natural language interface, said system comprising:
- a computer processor;
a natural language interface coupled to said computer processor;
first means operatively associated with said computer processor for producing a database-independent, canonical, internal meaning representation of a natural language query entered into said natural language interface;
second means operatively associated with said computer processor for identifying database elements that are necessary to satisfy the query represented by said internal meaning representation;
third means operatively associated with said computer processor for generating a database query among database elements identified by said second means, said database query enabling the retrieval and aggregation of data from a database to satisfy said natural language query; and
debugging means for deriving an external meaning representation from said internal meaning representation, wherein said external meaning representation is provided in a form that can be easily understood by a database developer;
said external meaning representation enabling a database developer to comprehend the internal meaning representation and verify that a natural language query entered into the natural language interface is properly interpreted to enable the correct retrieval and aggregation of data from said database.
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Abstract
A database retrieval system having a natural language interface is provided. A database developer creates a knowledge base containing a structural description and semantic description of an application database from which data is to be retrieved. A database independent, canonical internal meaning representation of a natural language query is produced. An expert system accesses structural and semantic description information in the knowledge base and, in accordance with predefined rules, identifies database elements from said information that are necessary to satisfy the query represented by the internal meaning representation. A database query is generated among the database elements, enabling the retrieval and aggregation of data from the database to satisfy the natural language query. A debugging facility derives an external meaning representation from the internal meaning representation. The external meaning representation is database-independent, canonical, and easily understandable to the database developer. The external meaning representation enables the database developer to comprehend the internal meaning representation and verify that a natural language query is properly interpreted by the system to effect the accurate retrieval and aggregation of data from the database. The external meaning representation comprises entities and constraints relating to the entities, without reference to factual or linguistic relationships between entities that would prevent the external meaning representation from being easily understood.
520 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A database retrieval system having a natural language interface, said system comprising:
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a computer processor; a natural language interface coupled to said computer processor; first means operatively associated with said computer processor for producing a database-independent, canonical, internal meaning representation of a natural language query entered into said natural language interface; second means operatively associated with said computer processor for identifying database elements that are necessary to satisfy the query represented by said internal meaning representation; third means operatively associated with said computer processor for generating a database query among database elements identified by said second means, said database query enabling the retrieval and aggregation of data from a database to satisfy said natural language query; and debugging means for deriving an external meaning representation from said internal meaning representation, wherein said external meaning representation is provided in a form that can be easily understood by a database developer; said external meaning representation enabling a database developer to comprehend the internal meaning representation and verify that a natural language query entered into the natural language interface is properly interpreted to enable the correct retrieval and aggregation of data from said database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A database retrieval system having a natural language interface, said system comprising:
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a computer processor; tool kit means coupled to said computer processor for enabling a database developer to create a knowledge base containing a structural description and a semantic description of a database from which data is to be retrieved; a natural language interface coupled to said computer processor; means operatively associated with said computer processor for producing a database-independent, canonical, internal meaning representation of a natural language query entered into said natural language interface; expert system means for accessing structural and semantic description information in the knowledge base, and using said information to identify database elements that are necessary to satisfy the query represented by said internal meaning representation; and means operatively associated with said computer processor for generating a database, query among database elements identified by said expert system means, said database query enabling the retrieval and aggregation of data from a database to satisfy said natural language query. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for retrieving data from a database comprising the steps of:
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inputting a natural language query to a computer processor; processing said query in said processor to produce an internal meaning representation thereof; identifying database elements that are necessary to satisfy the query represented by said internal meaning representation; generating a database query among the identified database elements, for use in the retrieval and aggregation of data from an application database to satisfy said natural language query; and deriving an external meaning representation from said internal meaning representation, to enable a database developer to comprehend the internal meaning representation and verify that a natural language query is properly processed to enable the correct retrieval of data from said database. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for deriving, from an internal meaning representation produced by a natural language computer interface, an external meaning representation for use in debugging said interface by allowing a human being to comprehend a query interpretation represented by said internal meaning representation, comprising the steps of:
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identifying entities contained in the internal meaning representation; identifying constraints associated with the entities in the internal meaning representation; and combining said entities and constraints into an external meaning representation that can be easily comprehended by a human being. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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Specification