Natural query interface based on concept selection

• US 6,839,699 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2001
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Longhorn Automotive Group LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC), Robert D. Lindner Jr
• Original Assignee: Mindfabric Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Chan, Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, George B.
• Application Number:
  US09/976,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20020135567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 706/45, 707/5
• US Class Current: 706/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24522 Translation of natural language queries to structured queries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

A computer-aided method and apparatus to access information is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the apparatus includes a selector, a mapper and a generator. Through the selector, a person can select concepts and/or elements in the concepts. The mapper maps the selected concepts and elements to an inquiry. Then, the generator generates a response to the inquiry. The response can remain the same, independent of the order of the concepts selected by the person.

Claims

1. A computer-aided method to access information comprising:

mapping, by a mapper, using one or more rules, to an inquiry based on one or more concepts selected from a group of concepts by a person using a selector; and

generating, by a generator, a response to the inquiry;

wherein the response remains the same independent of the order of at least two of the concepts selected by the person.

2. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the concepts includes elements that are related to each other, and an element can be a concept, and

wherein the inquiry that is mapped is also based on an element selected.

3. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein the group of concepts is a subset of a domain of concepts.

4. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least two concepts are included in the group of concepts due to at least one of the following reasons:

their relationship to each other, previous selection of the two concepts, and at least one characteristic of the person.

5. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein the group of concepts is a subset of a domain of concepts, and

wherein at least one concept is included in the group dynamically based on a concept just selected by the person.

6. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein the concepts have an order, and at least the order of one concept changes relative to another concept dynamically based on a concept just selected by the person.

7. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein a concept includes more than one related element, and an element is included dynamically in the concept by the selector in view of a concept just selected by the user.

8. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein concepts are included in the group to facilitate easy selection of concepts.

9. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selector is in an Internet appliance.

10. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selector is in a mobile phone.

11. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selector is in a television.

12. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selector is in a personal digital assistant.

13. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selector includes a screen, and the group of concepts is displayed on the screen.

14. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selector includes a pointing mechanism to help the person select the concepts.

15. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selector includes a voice recognizer to help the person select the concepts.

16. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selector includes a voice synthesizer to indicate to the person at least one concept selected.

17. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein more than one inquiry is mapped;

and

wherein the selector allows the person to select one of the inquiries to have a response generated.

18. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selector allows the person to confirm that the inquiry mapped is correct.

19. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein the response is presented to the person in a visual manner.

20. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selector includes a voice synthesizer, and

wherein the response is presented to the person in an audible manner.

21. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein in view of the response, an operation is performed.

22. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1,

wherein a concept includes more than one related element, and

wherein an element is included dynamically in the concept by the selector in view of a concept just selected by the user.

23. A computer-aided method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least two concepts selected are in different languages.

24. A computing apparatus to access information, comprising:

a selector configured to allow a person to select concepts from a group of concepts,

wherein the selector is coupled to a mapper and a generator, with the mapper configured to use one or more rules to map to an inquiry based on at least two concepts selected by the person, and the generator configured to generate a response to the inquiry, and

wherein the response remains the same independent of the order of at least two of the concepts selected by the person.

25. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24,

wherein a concept includes a plurality of elements that are related to each other,

wherein an element can be a concept, and

wherein the inquiry that is mapped is also based on an element selected.

26. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the group of concepts is a subset of a domain of concepts.

27. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein at least two concepts are included in the group of concepts due to at least one of the following three reasons, namely, their relationship to each other, previous selection of the two concepts by the person, and at least one characteristic of the person.

28. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24,

wherein the group of concepts is a subset of a domain of concepts, and

wherein at least one concept is included in the group dynamically based on a concept just selected by the person.

29. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24,

wherein the concepts have an order, and

wherein at least the order of one concept changes relative to another concept dynamically based on a concept just selected by the person.

30. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the selector is in an Internet appliance.

31. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the selector is in a mobile phone.

32. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the selector is in a television.

33. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the selector is in a personal digital assistant.

34. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24,

wherein the selector includes a screen, and

wherein the group of concepts is displayed on the screen.

35. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the selector includes a pointing mechanism to help the person select the concepts.

36. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the selector includes a voice recognizer to help the person select the concepts.

37. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the selector includes a voice synthesizer to indicate to the person at least one concept selected.

38. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24,

wherein more than one inquiry is mapped, and

wherein the selector allows the person to select one of the inquiries to have a response generated.

39. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the selector allows the person to confirm that the inquiry mapped is correct.

40. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the response is presented to the person in a visual manner.

41. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the selector includes a voice synthesizer;

and

wherein the response is presented to the person in an audible manner.

42. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein in view of the response, an operation is performed.

43. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the selector is in a first apparatus which is wirelessly coupled to the mapper and the generator.

44. A computing apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein at least two concepts selected are in different languages.

45. A computer-aided method to access information comprising:

mapping, by a mapper, using one or more rules, to an inquiry based on a concept selected from a group of concepts by a person using a selector; and

generating, by a generator, a response to the inquiry,

wherein the inquiry includes a plurality of options for the person to select, with each option giving rise to a different response.

46. A computing apparatus to access information comprising:

a selector configured to allow a person to select concepts from a group of concepts,

wherein the selector is coupled to a mapper and a generator, with the mapper configured to use one or more rules to map to an inquiry based on a concept selected by the person, and the generator configured to generate a response to the inquiry, and

wherein the inquiry includes a plurality of options for the person to select, with each option giving rise to a different response.

47. A computer-aided method to access information comprising:

mapping, by a mapper, using one or more rules, to an inquiry based on two or more concepts selected from a group of concepts by a person using a selector; and

generating, by a generator, a response to the inquiry.

48. A method for accessing information on a computing device having a display screen, said method comprising:

displaying a plurality of concepts on the display screen of the computing device;

receiving selections of two or more of the displayed concepts;

mapping the selected two or more of the displayed concepts to an inquiry;

generating a response to the inquiry; and

presenting the response on the display screen.

49. A method as recited in claim 48, wherein said mapping operates to map the selected two or more of the displayed concepts to a particular inquiry chosen from a plurality of predetermined inquiries.

50. A method as recited in claim 49, wherein the predetermined inquiries comprise at least one predetermined template for an inquiry.

51. A method as recited in claim 49, wherein the predetermined inquiries comprise at least one determinable portion.

52. A method as recited in claim 51, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving a selection for the at least one determinable portion.

53. A method as recited in claim 48, wherein said mapping is performed using one or more rules.

54. A method as recited in claim 48, wherein said presenting comprises:

displaying a plurality of responses on the display screen; and

receiving a selection of one of the responses.

55. A method as recited in claim 48, wherein said method further comprises:

transmitting, following said receiving (c) and before said presenting (d), the selections of two or more of the presented concepts to a remote device via a network, and

wherein said receiving (c) operates to receive the response from the remote device via the network.

56. A method as recited in clam 55, wherein the network comprises at least a wireless portion.

57. A method for accessing information on a computing device having a display screen, said method comprising:

displaying a plurality of concepts on the display screen of the computing device;

receiving selections of two or more of the displayed concepts;

receiving a response associated with the selections of the two or more of the displayed concepts; and

displaying the response on the display screen.

58. A method as recited in claim 57, wherein the response is further dependent on one or more of:

user history, user preference, association, context, and application.

59. A method for accessing information on a computing device, said method comprising:

(a) presenting a plurality of concepts to a user of the computing device;

(b) receiving selections of two or more of the presented concepts;

(c) receiving a response associated with the selections of the two or more of the presented concepts; and

(d) presenting the response to the user of the computing device.

60. A method as recited in claim 59, wherein one or both of said presenting (a) and (d) operate to display information on a display screen of the computing device.

61. A method as recited in claim 59, wherein one or both of said presenting (a) and (d) operate to use sound to present information via the computing device.

62. A computer readable medium including at least computer program code for accessing information on a computing device, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for presenting a plurality of concepts to a user of the computing device;

computer program code for receiving selections of two or more of the presented concepts; and

computer program code for receiving a response associated with the selections of the two or more of the presented concepts; and

computer program code for presenting the response to the user of the computing device.