Systems and methods for answering user questions

• US 8,756,245 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2006
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IAC Search & Media Incorporated (IAC/InterActiveCorp)
• Original Assignee: IAC Search & Media Incorporated (IAC/InterActiveCorp)
• Inventors: Imielinski, Tomasz, Mittal, Rohit, Zola, Scot, Goyal, Jay Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Ehichioya, Fred I
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mobin, Hasanul
• Application Number:
  US11/435,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20070022109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,954 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/243 Natural language query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3344 using natural language analysis

Abstract

Systems and methods for answering user questions using databases annotated with answerable questions are disclosed. The database includes database items organized into columns. Each of the columns may have a question annotated thereto. The question is a parameterized question that is answerable by the database items in the column. A question answering algorithm is used to search the database for an annotated question corresponding to a question that needs to be answered.

Claims

1. A method for natural language searching comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a search query in the form of a natural language question;

normalizing, by the processor, the search query;

searching, by the processor, a database to locate a question that matches the normalized search query, the database having a plurality of database items that are matched to the normalized search query and a question tagged to the database associated with the database items, wherein the question is a parameterized question having a plurality of parameters, the parameters replaceable by the database items;

matching, by the processor, the question to a parameterized answer, the parameterized answer having a plurality of parameters corresponding to the plurality of parameters in the parameterized question, the parameters replaceable by the database items and the parameterized answer being matched to the parameterized question by replacing the parameters in the parameterized question with the database items; and

providing, by the processor, an answer corresponding to the parameterized answer and the database items in response to the search query.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the database items are arranged into a plurality of columns and each of the columns has a question tagged to the column.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the question tagged to the column is a question answerable by the database items in the column.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the search query and the tagged question are exact matches.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the tagged question has the answer associated therewith.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein normalizing the search query comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of removing unnecessary words from the search query, rephrasing the question into an answerable question, identifying and replacing words with synonyms, and modifying pluralities into singularities.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the search query is matched to the tagged question by:

automatically, by the processor, extracting features from the search query;

identifying, by the processor, a database to be searched from the features; and

identifying, by the processor, a column with a tagged question from the features.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the search query is matched to the tagged question by:

automatically, by the processor, extracting features from the search query;

mapping, by the processor, at least one of the features to a concept corresponding to the database; and

mapping, by the processor, the question that needs to be answered to a matching tagged question.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a database to search.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying a database to search comprises comparing concepts extracted from the search query with concepts related to the database items in the database.

11. A natural language search system comprising:

a processor;

a computer readable medium connected to the processor; and

a set of instructions on the computer readable medium that are executable by the processor, including;

a search engine to receive a search query in the form of a natural language question;

a database to store a plurality of database items that are matched to the search query organized into columns and a question annotated to each of the columns, the question being a parameterized question that is answerable by the database items in the column, the parameterized question having a plurality of parameters replaceable by the database items, and a parameterized answer annotated to each of the columns, the parameterized answer having a plurality of parameters corresponding to the plurality of parameters in the parameterized question, the parameters replaceable by the database items and the parameterized answer being matched to the parameterized question by replacing the parameters in the parameterized question with the database items; and

a server to search the database for a question that matches the search query and provide an answer corresponding to the database item, parameterized question and parameterized answer to the search engine.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the answer is a parameterized answer, and the server substitutes database items corresponding to the answer to the search query into the parameterized answer before the answer is provided to the search engine.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is further to normalize the search query.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the search query and annotated question are an exact match.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is further to identify a database to search.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a question answering interface, in communication with the database, the question answering interface having a question answering algorithm that searches the database for an annotated question corresponding to a question that needs to be answered and answers the question that needs to be answered with the parameterized answer and the database items.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the annotated question and the question that needs to be answered are an exact match.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the question answering algorithm automatically extracts features from the question that needs to be answered, extracts a table name from the features, and extracts a parameterized question from the features.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the question answering algorithm automatically extracts features from the search query, maps at least one of the features to a concept corresponding to the database;

and maps the question that needs to be answered to a matching tagged question.

20. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium that provides executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for natural language searching comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a search query in the form of a natural language question;

normalizing, by the processor, the search query;

searching, by the processor, a database to locate a question that matches the normalized search query, the database having a plurality of database items that are matched to the normalized search query and a question tagged to the database associated with the database items, wherein the question is a parameterized question having a plurality of parameters, the parameters replaceable by the database items;

matching, by the processor, the question to a parameterized answer, the parameterized answer having a plurality of parameters corresponding to the plurality of parameters in the parameterized question, the parameters replaceable by the database items and the parameterized answer being matched to the parameterized question by replacing the parameters in the parameterized question with the database items; and

providing, by the processor, an answer corresponding to the parameterized answer and the database items in response to the search query.

21. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the database items are arranged into a plurality of columns and each of the columns has a question tagged to the column.

22. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the question tagged to the column is a question answerable by the database items in the column.

23. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the search query and the tagged question are exact matches.

24. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the tagged question has the answer associated therewith.

25. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein normalizing the search query comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of removing unnecessary words from the search query, rephrasing the question into an answerable question, identifying and replacing words with synonyms, and modifying pluralities into singularities.

26. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the search query is matched to the tagged question by:

automatically extracting features from the search query;

identifying a database to be searched from the features; and

identifying a column with a tagged question from the features.

27. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the search query is matched to the tagged question by:

automatically extracting features from the search query;

mapping at least one of the features to a concept corresponding to the database; and

mapping the question that needs to be answered to a matching tagged question.

28. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises identifying a database to search.

29. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein identifying a database to search comprises comparing concepts extracted from the search query with concepts related to the database items in the database.