Method and system to combine keyword results and natural language search results

• US 8,321,446 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2009
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Edwards, Gregory W., Niemeyer, Jeffrey Michael, Miller, Mary C., Jia, Yongmei
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleurantin, Jean B
• Application Number:
  US12/636,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20100094901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,081 Days
• Field of Search: 707600-831, 704 2- 4, 704/9, 704/10
• US Class Current: 707/766
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/358 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web

Abstract

A search query is received from a single input field of a user interface. A keyword search is performed based on the search query to generate keyword search results. A natural language search is performed of a frequently-asked question (FAQ) database based on the search query to generate FAQ search results. The keyword search results and the FAQ search results are combined in a display page.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a search query for a particular application from an input field of a user interface;

performing a keyword search based on the search query to generate keyword search results;

performing a natural language search of a frequently-asked question database based on the search query to generate frequently-asked question search results; and

outputting a first display page, wherein the first display page categorizes the keyword search results and the frequently-asked question search results into a plurality of categories, wherein each category of the first display page is associated with a category title, a first display region, and a second display region that is separate from the first display region, wherein the first display region of a particular category includes one or more keyword search results associated with the particular category and does not include any of the frequently-asked question search results, and wherein the second display region associated with the particular category includes one or more frequently-asked question search results associated with the particular category and does not include any of the keyword search results;

wherein a statistical cluster analysis is performed to determine the plurality of categories for the particular application based on group assignments and name assignments.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the group assignments and the name assignments are determined using a card sort method.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the group assignments and the name assignments are validated via a reverse card sort method.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the reverse card sort method is performed by a second set of individuals.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein an order of the categories shown in the first page is a fixed order.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein an order of the categories shown in the first page is a variable based on how well results in each category match the search query.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first display page includes a second user interface that enables refinement of the search query.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first display page includes a user-selectable option to output a second display page that displays additional keyword search results associated with at least one category and additional frequently-asked question search results associated with the at least one category.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the keyword search results of the second display page are displayed in a first column and the frequently-asked question search results of the second display page are displayed in a second column.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first display region associated with the particular category is a first column and wherein the second display region associated with the particular category is a second column adjacent to the first column.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein a keyword search result of the one or more keyword search results associated with the particular category that best matches the search query is in a first row of the first column.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a search query for a particular application from an input field of a user interface;

perform a keyword search based on the search query to generate keyword search results;

perform a natural language search of a frequently-asked question database based on the search query to generate frequently-asked question search results; and

output a first display page, wherein the first display page categorizes the keyword search results and the frequently-asked question search results into a plurality of categories, wherein each category of the first display page is associated with a category title, a first display region, and a second display region that is separate from the first display region, wherein the first display region of a particular category includes one or more keyword search results associated with the particular category and does not include any of the frequently-asked question search results, and wherein the second display region of the particular category includes one or more frequently-asked question search results associated with the particular category and does not any of the keyword search results;

wherein a statistical cluster analysis is performed to determine the plurality of categories for the particular application based on group assignments and name assignments.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein a card sort method is used to perform the group assignments and the name assignments.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the group assignment performed by the at least one set of individuals is validated via a reverse card sort method.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine a first category that best matches the search query and a second category with a next best match to the search query; and

display information associated with the first category in a row separate from information associated with the second category.

16. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory including computer program code executable by the processor to;

receive a search query for a particular application from an input field of a user interface;

perform a keyword search based on the search query to generate keyword search results;

perform a natural language search of a frequently-asked question database based on the search query to generate frequently-asked question search results; and

output a first display page, wherein the first display page categorizes the keyword search results and the frequently-asked question search results into a plurality of categories, wherein each category includes;

a category title associated with the category;

a first column with a first listing of one or more of the keyword search results associated with the category, wherein the first listing does not include any of the frequently-asked question search results; and

a second column with a second listing of one or more of the frequently-asked question search results associated with the category, wherein the second listing does not include any of the keyword search results;

wherein a statistical cluster analysis is performed to determine the plurality of categories for the particular application based on group assignments and name assignments.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a card sort method is used to perform the group assignments and the name assignments.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the group assignment performed by the at least one set of individuals is validated via a reverse card sort method.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the memory includes computer program code executable by the processor to output a second display page that displays additional keyword search results associated with a particular category from the keyword search results and additional frequently-asked question search results associated with the particular category from the frequently-asked question results in response to selection of a user-selectable option associated with the particular category.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein a frequently-asked question search result associated with the particular category is shown in a first row of the second column associated with the particular category when the frequently-asked question search result best matches the search query compared to other frequently-asked question search results associated with the particular category.