Query meaning determination through a grid service

• US 7,266,547 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Company (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Richards, Patrick J. Jr., Bao, Zhendong, Shaouy, William P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam; Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAAB, CHRISTOPHER J
• Application Number:
  US10/865,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20050278287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3334 Selection or weighting of terms from queries, including natural language queries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method, system, and program for query meaning determination through a grid service are provided. A search service within a grid environment receives a free text string as a search query, wherein the free text string includes multiple specifications. The search service controls distribution of the free text string to a selection of grid components, wherein each of the selection of grid components is enabled to interpret a particular aspect of the meaning of the multiple specifications in the free text string. Multiple aspect interpretations of the free text string are received at the search service from the selection of grid components. Next, the search service synthesizes the aspect interpretations into a search-ready query, such that the search request is first interpreted by the selection of grid components to determine a thorough meaning of the free text string before submission to a search engine.

Claims

1. A system for handling a free text search query, comprising:

a grid environment comprising a plurality of computing systems each comprising at least one resource and communicatively connected over a network to share each said at least one resource through at least one grid service implemented within an open grid services architecture enabling interfacing with each said at least one resource through at least one web service;

a grid management system for receiving a plurality of separate job requests from a plurality of client systems over said network and for managing distribution of said plurality of separate job requests to at least one grid service from among said plurality of grid services;

said grid management system, responsive to said grid management system receiving a particular job request from a particular client system with a free text string comprising a plurality of specifications as a search query, for invoking a search service from among said plurality of grid services to perform said job request; and

said search service comprising;

means for controlling distribution of said free text string to a selection of a plurality of grid components, wherein each of said selection of said plurality of grid components is enabled to interpret a meaning of a particular aspect of said plurality of specifications in said free text string, wherein each of said plurality of grid components comprises at least one of said at least one resource;

means for receiving a plurality of aspect interpretations of said free text string from said selection of said plurality of grid components;

means for synthesizing said plurality of aspect interpretations into a search-ready query;

means for passing said search-ready query to a search engine within said grid environment; and

means, responsive to receiving at least one search result for said search-ready query from said search engine, for returning said at least one search result to said particular client system.

2. The system according to claim 1 for handling a free text search query, wherein said search-ready query further comprises a search query formatted for submission to said search engine.

3. The system according to claim 1 for handling a free text search query, wherein at least one of said plurality of specifications within said free text string comprises a symbol.

4. The system according to claim 1 for handling a free text search query, said search service further comprising:

means for distributing each separate aspect within said plurality of specifications to a separate grid component within said selection of said plurality of grid components in parallel to facilitate concurrent receipt of a plurality of aspect interpretations for each said separate aspect received by said search service from said selection of said plurality of grid components.

5. The system according to claim 1 for handling a free text search query, each of said plurality of grid components further comprising:

a mean database comprising at least one rule for interpreting a separate particular aspect; and

an aspect interpretation controller for interpreting said separate particular aspect of at least one said plurality of specifications of said free text string.

6. The system according to claim 1 for handling a free text search query, said search service further comprising:

means for scheduling said selection of said plurality of grid components, wherein each of said selection of said plurality of grid components meets a performance requirement for handling said search request.

7. The system according to claim 1 for handling a free text search query, wherein said selection of said plurality of grid components are reusable by said grid management system across any of a plurality of search services invoked for interpreting job requests comprising search queries.

8. A method for handling a free text search query, comprising:

enabling a grid environment comprising a plurality of computing systems each comprising at least one resource and communicatively connected over a network to share each said at least one resource through at least one grid service implemented within an open grid services architecture enabling interfacing with each said at least one resource through at least one web service;

receiving a plurality of separate job requests from a plurality of client systems over said network at a grid management system;

managing distribution from said grid management system of said plurality of separate job requests to at least one grid service from among said plurality of grid services;

responsive to said grid management system receiving a particular job request from a particular client system with a free text string comprising a plurality of specifications as a search query, invoking a search service from among said plurality of grid services to perform said job request;

controlling distribution of said free text string from said search service to a selection of a plurality of grid components, wherein each of said selection of said plurality of grid components is enabled to interpret a meaning of a particular aspect of said plurality of specifications in said free text string, wherein each of said plurality of grid components comprises at least one of said at least one resource;

receiving at said search service a plurality of aspect interpretations of said free text string from said selection of said plurality of grid components;

synthesizing said plurality of aspect interpretations at said search service into a search-ready query;

passing said search-ready query from said search service to a search engine within said grid environment; and

responsive to receiving at least one search result for said search-ready query from said search engine at said search service, returning said at least one search result from said search service to said particular client system.

9. The method according to claim 8 for handling a free text search query, further comprising:

formatting said search-ready query into a particular search query format required for submission to said search engine.

10. The method according to claim 8 for handling a free text search query, wherein at least one of said plurality of specifications within said free text string comprises a symbol.

11. The method according to claim 8 for handling a free text search query, further comprising:

distributing by said search service each separate aspect within said plurality of specifications to a separate grid component within said selection of said plurality of grid components in parallel to facilitate concurrent receipt of a plurality of aspect interpretations for each said separate aspect received by said search service from said selection of said plurality of grid components.

12. The method according to claim 8 for handling a free text search query, further comprising:

interpreting a separate particular aspect at each of said plurality of grid components by a separate aspect interpreter controller based on at least one rule accessed from a separate meaning database specified for interpreting said separate particular aspect.

13. The method according to claim 8 for handling a free text search query, further comprising:

scheduling said selection of said plurality of grid components, wherein each of said selection of said plurality of grid components meets a performance requirement for handling said search request.

14. The method according to claim 8 for handling a free text search query, wherein said selection of said plurality of grid components are reusable by said grid management system across any of a plurality of search services invoked for interpreting job requests comprising search queries.

15. A computer program product, stored on a volatile or non-volatile computer readable medium, for handling a free text search query, which when executed by a processor comprises:

enabling a grid environment comprising a plurality of computing systems each comprising at least one resource and communicatively connected over a network to share each said at least one resource through at least one grid service implemented within an open grid services architecture enabling interfacing with each said at least one resource through at least one web service;

receiving a plurality of separate job requests from a plurality of client systems over said network at a grid management system;

managing distribution from said grid management system of said plurality of separate job requests to at least one grid service from among said plurality of grid services;

responsive to said grid management system receiving a particular job request from a particular client system with a free text string comprising a plurality of specifications as a search query, invoking a search service from among said plurality of grid services to perform said job request;

controlling distribution of said free text string from said search service to a selection of a plurality of grid components, wherein each of said selection of said plurality of grid components is enabled to interpret a meaning of a particular aspect of said plurality of specifications in said free text string, wherein each of said plurality of grid components comprises at least one of said at least one resource;

receiving a plurality of aspect interpretations of said free text string from said selection of said plurality of grid components;

synthesizing said plurality of aspect interpretations at said search service into a search-ready query;

passing said search-ready query from said search service to a search engine within said grid environment; and

responsive to receiving at least one search result for said search-ready query from said search engine at said search service, returning said at least one search result from said search service to said particular client system.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15 for handling a free text search query, further comprising

formatting said search-ready query into a particular search query format required for submission to said search engine.

17. The computer program product according to claim 15 for handling a free text search query, wherein at least one of said plurality of specifications within said free text string comprises a symbol.

18. The computer program product according to claim 15 for handling a free text search query, further comprising:

distributing by said search service each separate aspect within said plurality of specifications to a separate grid component within said selection of said plurality of grid components in parallel to facilitate concurrent receipt of a plurality of aspect interpretations for each said separate aspect received by said search service from said selection of said plurality of grid components.

19. The computer program product according to claim 15 for handling a free text search query, further comprising:

interpreting a separate particular aspect at each of said plurality of grid components by a separate aspect interpreter controller based on at least one rule accessed from a separate meaning database specified for interpreting said separate particular aspect.

20. The computer program product according to claim 15 for handling a free text search query, further comprising:

scheduling said selection of said plurality of grid components, wherein each of said selection of said plurality of grid components meets a performance requirement for handling said search request.