User interface for translating natural language inquiries into database queries and data presentations

• US 6,701,294 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2000
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Ball, Thomas J., Grinter, Rebecca Elizabeth, Hibino, Stacie Lynn, Mantilla, David Alejandro, Cox, Kenneth Charles, Jagadeesan, Lalita Jategaonkar
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): Storm, Donald L.
• Application Number:
  US09/487,684
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• Field of Search: 704/257, 704/9, 704/270, 707/4, 707/5
• US Class Current: 704/257
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2423 Interactive query statement specification based on a database schema
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/243 Natural language query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results

Abstract

A natural language-based interface data presentation system interfaces, for example, information visualization system interfaces, is realized by employing so-called open-ended natural language inquiries to the interface that translates them into database queries and a set of information to be provided to a user. More specifically, a natural language inquiry is translated to database queries by determining if any complete database queries can be formulated based on the natural language inquiry and, if so, specifying which complete database queries are to be made. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, knowledge of the information visualization presentation is advantageously employed in the interface to guide a user in response to the user'"'"'s natural language inquiries. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, knowledge of the database and knowledge of the information visualization presentation are advantageously employed in the interface to guide a user in response to the user'"'"'s natural language inquiries. In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, knowledge of the database, knowledge of the information visualization presentation and context information about the query dialogue are advantageously employed in the interface to guide a user in response to the user'"'"'s natural language inquiries. In one or more first prescribed embodiments of the invention, the set of data presentation information can be in audio, visual, or both audio-visual form. In one or more other prescribed embodiments of the invention, the inquiry and data presentation information delivery process can be interactive between the user and the interface. In one or more still other prescribed embodiments of the invention, one or more modes of user-interface interaction can be utilized. These modes of interaction can include text, speech, point and click, or the like.

Claims

1. A method for use in a user interface, together with a set of associated databases in which data may be represented as data tables with fields representing different classes of data, comprising the steps of:

receiving a natural language user inquiry;

translating said natural language inquiry to one or more database queries to be made, said step of translating including

using knowledge of semantics of fields of one or more prescribed databases of said set of associated databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about a relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases to determine whether a set of complete database queries can be formulated and,

if so, using knowledge of the semantics of the fields of the database, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases to specify one or more database queries to be made;

evaluating results of said translating and knowledge of the semantics of the fields of the database, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases to determine if at least one prescribed database query has resulted;

if so, querying said one or more prescribed databases;

in response to results including retrieved data of said prescribed database query, employing knowledge about the semantics of the retrieved data, knowledge of the semantics of the fields of the database populated by the retrieved data, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more databases to formulate information to be supplied to said user; and

supplying said formulated information to be presented to said user, said step of supplying includes

in response to the query, employing knowledge of semantics of the retrieved data, knowledge of the semantics of the fields populated by the retrieved data, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases to determine one or more presentation formats and

presenting said formulated information to the user in said determined one or more presentation formats using one or more presentation modes.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, if said step of evaluating indicates that at least one prescribed database query has not resulted from said step of translating, further including a step of informing said user that the user inquiry is not supported.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein said step of informing includes a step of using one or more presentation modes to inform the user that said user inquiry is not supported.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of receiving said natural language inquiry includes a step of receiving said user inquiry in one or more input modes.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein if said step of evaluating indicates that no prescribed database query resulted from said step of translating, further including the steps of prompting said user, by employing knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases and context information from a dialogue with the user, to input additional information and/or to correct previously received information, receiving said additional information and/or corrections to previously received information, employing knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases the context information from the dialogue with the user including the received additional information and/or corrections to previously received information to translate said natural language inquiry to one or more database queries to be made, and if the natural language query translates completely into an information visualization command on previously presented data, changing the presentation of the data in accordance with the information visualization command.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein said step of receiving said natural language inquiry includes a step of receiving said user inquiry in one or more input modes and said step of receiving said additional information and/or corrections to previously received information includes a step of receiving said additional information and/or corrections to previously received information in one or more input modes.

7. Apparatus for use in a user interface, together with a set of associated databases in which data may be represented as data tables with fields representing different classes of data, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a natural language user inquiry;

a first translator unit for translating said natural language inquiry to one or more database queries to be made, said first translator includes

a first apparatus using knowledge of semantics of fields of one or more prescribed databases of said set of associated databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about a relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of one or more prescribed databases and being adapted to determine whether a set of complete database queries can be formulated and

a specifier unit, using knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, and being responsive to an indication from said first apparatus that a set of complete database inquiries can be formulated, for specifying one or more database queries to be made;

an evaluator unit for evaluating results of said translating and knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases to determine if at least one prescribed database query has resulted;

an interrogator unit for querying said one or more prescribed databases;

a formulator unit, responsive to results including retrieved data of said prescribed database query from said one or more prescribed databases, employing knowledge of the semantics of the retrieved data, knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases populated by the retrieved data, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases for formulating information to be supplied to said user; and

a supplier unit to supply said formulated information to be presented to said user, said supplier includes

a second apparatus, responsive to the query and employing knowledge of semantics of the retrieved data, knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases populated by the retrieved data, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases to determine one or more presentation formats and

a presenter unit adapted to present said formulated information to the user in said determined one or more presentation formats using one or more presentation modes.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said formulator unit is responsive to said evaluator unit yielding an indication that at least one prescribed database query has not resulted for informing said user that the user inquiry is not supported.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said formulator unit uses a prescribed mode of or a combination of prescribed modes of a plurality of prescribed modes to inform said user that said user inquiry is not supported.

10. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said receiver includes reception apparatus for receiving said natural language user inquiry in one or more input modes.

11. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said evaluator unit includes an indicator unit for indicating whether a specified database query has resulted, and further including a prompter unit responsive to an indication from said indicator unit that no prescribed database query has been specified, for prompting said user by employing knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases and context information from a dialogue with the user, to input additional information and/or to correct previously received information, said receiver including reception apparatus for receiving said additional information and/or corrections to previously received information, and a second translator unit employing knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases and the context information from the dialogue with the user including said received additional information and/or corrections to previously received information for translating said natural language inquiry to one or more database queries to be made, and wherein said evaluator unit evaluates results of said second translating by said second translator unit to determine if at least one prescribed database query has resulted, and if the natural language query translates completely into an information visualization command on previously presented data, changing the presentation of the data in accordance with the information visualization command.

12. The invention as defined in claim 11 wherein said receiver includes reception apparatus for receiving said natural language user inquiry in one or more input modes and for receiving said additional information and/or corrections to previously received information in one or more input modes.

13. Apparatus for use in a user interface, together with a set of associated databases in which data may be represented as data tables with fields representing different classes of data, comprising:

means for receiving a natural language user inquiry;

first means for translating said natural language inquiry to one or more database queries to be made, said first means for translating includes

means, supplied with and using knowledge of semantics of fields of one or more prescribed databases of said set of associated databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about a relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, and being adapted for determining whether a set of complete database queries can be formulated and

means, supplied with and using knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, knowledge about information visualization technology and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, and being responsive to an indication that said set can be formulated, for specifying one or more database queries to be made;

means for evaluating results of said translating and knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases to determine if at least one prescribed database query has resulted;

means for querying said one or more prescribed databases;

means, responsive to results including retrieved data from said one or more prescribed databases of said prescribed database query, and employing knowledge of semantics of the retrieved data knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases populated by the retrieved data, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, for formulating information to be supplied to said user; and

means for supplying said formulated information to be presented to said user, said means for supplying includes

means, responsive to the query, and employing knowledge of the semantics of the retrieved data, knowledge of the semantics of the fields populated in said one or more prescribed databases by the retrieved data, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, for determining one or more presentation formats and

means for presenting said formulated information to the user in said determined one or more presentation formats using one or more presentation modes.

14. The invention as defined in claim 13 further including means, responsive to an indication from said means for evaluating that at least one prescribed database query has not resulted, for informing said user that the user inquiry is not supported.

15. The invention as defined in claim 14 wherein said means for informing includes means for using one or more presentation modes to inform said user that said user inquiry is not supported.

16. The invention as defined in claim 13 wherein said means for evaluating includes means for indicating whether a specified database query has resulted, and further including means, responsive to an indication from said means for indicating that no prescribed database query has been specified, for prompting said user by employing knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases and the context information from the dialogue with the user, to input additional information and/or to correct previously received information, said means for receiving, receiving said additional information and/or corrections to previously received information, and second means, employing knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases and the context information from the dialogue with the user including said received additional information and/or corrections to previously received information, for translating said natural language inquiry to one or more database queries to be made and wherein said means for evaluating evaluates results of said second translating by said second means for translating to determine if at least one prescribed database query has resulted, and if the natural language query translates completely into an information visualization command on previously presented data, changing the presentation of the data in accordance with the information visualization command.