Automated generation of text analysis systems

• US 6,839,665 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2000
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Text Analysis International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Text Analysis International, Inc.
• Inventors: Meyers, Amnon
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARPER, V PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/604,836
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 707/6, 707/5, 707/4, 707/1, 706/59, 706/58, 706/45, 704/9, 382/229, 382/161, 382/157
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/205 Parsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/30 Semantic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program for automatically generating text analysis systems is disclosed. Individual passes of a multi-pass text analyzer are created by generating rules from samples supplied by users. Successive passes are created in a cascading fashion by performing partial text analyses employing existing passes. A complete text analyzer interleaves the generated passes with a framework of existing passes. The complete text analysis system can then process texts to identify patterns similar to samples added by users. Generation of rules from samples encompasses a wide range of constructs and granularities that occur in text, from individual words to intrasentential patterns, to sentential, paragraph, section, and other formats that occur in text documents.

Claims

1. A method for generating a text analysis program for recognizing patterns appearing in text and extracting information from said patterns, the method comprising the steps of

(a) providing a sample hierarchy, said sample hierarchy comprising samples of text wherein the samples are associated with offset values, said offset values identifying locations in a parse tree data structure, said parse tree containing concepts stored at locations identified by said offsets;

(b) extracting at least one rule from said sample hierarchy, said rule describing how to process a portion of text;

(c) generating a pass from said rule, said pass containing instructions to operate a text analyzer; and

(d) constructing a text analyzer containing said pass.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing a user to designate properties associated with said rules, said properties controlling rule generation for a portion of the sample hierarchy.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said concepts are retrieved from said parse tree and processed to form said rule.

4. A computer readable medium containing instructions which, when executed by a computer, generate a text analysis program for recognizing patterns appearing in text and extracting information from said patterns, by:

(a) providing a sample hierarchy, said sample hierarchy comprising samples of text, wherein the samples are associated with offset values, said offset values identifying locations in a parse tree data structure, said parse tree containing concepts stored at locations identified by said offsets;

(b) extracting at least one rule from said sample hierarchy, said rule describing how to process a portion of text;

(c) generating a pass from said rule, said pass containing instructions to operate a text analyzer; and

(d) constructing a text analyzer containing said pass.