Using geographic data to identify correlated geographic synonyms

• US 8,484,188 B1
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Upstill, Trystan G., Baker, Steven D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US13/275,265
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/707, 707/708, 707/758, 707/759, 707/919
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/919 Geographic

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that that uses geographic data to identify correlated geographic synonyms in search queries. A correlated geographic synonym occurs when two terms that are possible synonyms should not be considered synonyms because they are associated with related geographic context. During operation, the system receives a term and a possible synonym for the term. The system then determines whether the term and the possible synonym are both present in a geographic data set. If so, the system uses the geographic data set to determine whether the possible synonym is a correlated geographic synonym for the term.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a query that includes a geographic entity name;

identifying a different geographic entity name that is a candidate synonym of the geographic entity name;

determining a relationship between the geographic entity name and the different geographic entity name in a geographic data set that includes a plurality of names of geographic entities and respective relationships between pairs of geographic entities; and

determining not to revise the query based on the relationship between the geographic entity name and the different geographic entity name.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic data set is a tree structure wherein different positions in the tree structure that share a same level correspond to different geographic locations that share a same geographic region type.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining a relationship between the geographic entity name and the different geographic entity name comprises determining that a first position for the geographic entity name in the tree structure and a second position for the different geographic entity name in the tree structure share a parent in the tree structure.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein determining a relationship between the geographic entity name and the different geographic entity name comprises determining that a first position for the geographic entity name in the tree structure and a second position for the different geographic entity name in the tree structure are at a same level in the tree structure.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein determining a relationship between the geographic entity name and the different geographic entity name comprises determining that a first position for the geographic entity name in the tree structure is an ancestor of a second position for the different geographic entity name in the tree structure.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein determining a relationship between the geographic entity name and the different geographic entity name comprises determining that a second position for the geographic entity name in the tree structure is an ancestor of a first position for the different geographic entity name in the tree structure.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a search query;

translating a first term of the search query in a first language to a different second language; and

using the translated first term as the query term.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the query term and the possible synonym for the query term are synonyms, obtaining search results for the query using the geographic entity name and not the different geographic entity name.

9. A system comprising:

one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

receiving a query that includes a geographic entity name;

identifying a different geographic entity name that is a candidate synonym of the geographic entity name;

determining a relationship between the geographic entity name and the different geographic entity name in a geographic data set that includes a plurality of names of geographic entities and respective relationships between pairs of geographic entities; and

determining not to revise the query based on the relationship between the geographic entity name and the different geographic entity name.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the geographic data set is a tree structure wherein different positions in the tree structure that share a same level correspond to different geographic locations that share a same geographic region type.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein determining a relationship between the geographic entity name and the different geographic entity name comprises determining that a first position for the geographic entity name in the tree structure and a second position for the different geographic entity name in the tree structure share a parent in the tree structure.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein determining a relationship between the geographic entity name and the different geographic entity name comprises determining that a first position for the geographic entity name in the tree structure and a second position for the different geographic entity name in the tree structure are at a same level in the tree structure.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein determining a relationship between the geographic entity name and the different geographic entity name comprises determining that a first position for the geographic entity name in the tree structure is an ancestor of a second position for the different geographic entity name in the tree structure.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein determining a relationship between the geographic entity name and the different geographic entity name comprises determining that a second position for the geographic entity name in the tree structure is an ancestor of a first position for the different geographic entity name in the tree structure.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a search query;

translating a first term of the search query in a first language to a different second language; and

using the translated first term as the query term.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to determining that the query term and the possible synonym for the query term are synonyms, obtaining search results for the query using the geographic entity name and not the different geographic entity name.