Method and system of providing a search tool

• US 8,782,069 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2010
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Inventors: ODonnell, Eugene Murphy, Jockish, Jeffrey, Burroughs, Michael B., Friend, Esther M., Jones, Scott A., Malseed, Mark Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US12/813,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 707705-708, 707722-723, 707/769, 707759-760, 707/731, 704/257, 709/201, 709/203, 709/213, 709/217
• US Class Current: 707/759
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/334 Query execution G06F16/335 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system and method of providing information to improve efficiency of human searchers obtaining information on behalf of users is described. A first responder to a request is provided with specialized tools for responding to a request. An initial evaluation of a query may be used to determine the responder and the type of tools which will be provided initially. A toolset which allows rapid responses based on data resources, common queries, and contextual information of a user, a request, partially matching queries and previous responses to previous queries is used to improve the probability that a first responder may provide a suitable response to a query.

Claims

1. A method of responding to a request, comprising:

receiving the request;

determining automatically a type associated with the request; and

providing a portion of the request to a human assistant in an interface selected based on the type and providing information of a query in an order based on a ranking of the query.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

providing the portion of the request to the human assistant when a category confidence function of the request is below a predetermined value.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

providing the portion of the request to the human assistant when an automation confidence function of the request is above a predetermined value.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

providing the portion of the request to the human assistant when a geographic confidence function of the request is below a predetermined value.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

selecting a GUI associated with an automated response matched to a highest ranking automated resource for the request as the interface.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising;

computing a matching function for the query and the request;

comparing the matching function to a predetermined value; and

providing the interface including information of the query when the matching function exceeds the predetermined value.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising:

computing a rating of a response associated with the query;

ranking the response based on the rating;

suggesting the response to the human assistant based on the ranking; and

increasing the rating when the human assistant elects to deliver the response.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

evaluating a confidence function of the type; and

choosing an opinion functionality comprising a comment generator as the interface if the confidence function is below a predetermined value.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

presenting a plurality of comment generators in the opinion functionality;

providing an adlib response facility in the opinion functionality;

providing historical information of a user submitting the request in the opinion functionality; and

receiving a confirmation from the human assistant when a response is selected.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising:

selecting automatically a categorization associated with the request;

presenting an automatically generated phrase in the interface;

receiving from the human assistant a modification to the phrase; and

presenting the query when the query matches the phrase.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising:

evaluating a rating of an answer associated with the query;

setting the rating to a minimum value when the answer is not associated with a category; and

presenting the answer in the interface if the rating is above a predetermined value greater than the minimum value.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising:

increasing the rating of the answer if the answer includes a named entity of the request.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising:

providing the portion of the request to the human assistant when a category confidence function of the request is below a first predetermined value;

providing the portion of the request to the human assistant when an automation confidence function of the request is above a second predetermined value;

selecting a GUI associated with an automated response matched to a highest ranking automated resource for the request as the interface;

computing a matching function for the query and the request;

comparing the matching function to a third predetermined value;

providing the interface including information of the query in an order based on a ranking of the query when the matching function exceeds the predetermined value;

computing a rating of a response associated with the query;

ranking the response based on the rating;

suggesting the response to the human assistant based on the ranking;

increasing the rating when the human assistant elects to deliver the response;

presenting an automatically generated phrase in the interface;

receiving from the human assistant a modification to the phrase;

evaluating a similarity between the phrase and the query;

ranking the query based on the similarity;

displaying the query in an order based on the ranking;

receiving an indication from the human assistant that the response is rejected;

confirming that the response is rejected; and

setting the rating of the response to a minimum value.

14. A query processing system, comprising:

a search system receiving information of a request, selecting a human assistant, delivering an interface to the human assistant, presenting a phrase in the interface, receiving a modification to the phrase, presenting a query in an order based on a ranking of the query based on the modification and providing a response;

a user system submitting a request for information; and

an expediter system receiving information of the request, selecting a resource, and processing the request.

15. The system of claim 14, comprising:

a resource system receiving formatted information and providing the response; and

a searcher system receiving the query and providing a search result.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing therein a program for causing a computer to execute an operation including providing a reply to a request:

receiving the request;

determining automatically a type associated with the request; and

providing a portion of the request to a human assistant in an interface selected based on the type and providing information of a query in an order based on a ranking of the query.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, comprising:

associating a location, a category, and a search resource with the request; and

providing a tool to a specialist when the location, the category, and the search resource are determined with a specific confidence.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, comprising:

determining whether the request matches the query;

providing a tool to an expediter when the request does not match the query; and

providing the request, the query and a reply associated with the request to the expediter.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, comprising:

parsing the request;

displaying an indicator associated with a word of the request; and

transferring the word to an automated resource responsive to selection of the indicator by a guide.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, comprising:

receiving a selection of a tool from a guide;

providing information of previous requests filtered based on a plurality of parameters;

displaying to the guide an interactive activity based on a ranking of the interactive activity;

selecting by the guide the interactive activity;

determining a profile and a category associated with the interactive activity;

personalizing automatically the interactive activity based on the profile and the category;

delivering the interactive activity as a reply to the request;

taking by a user an action indicated by the interactive activity;

transmitting to the user an advertisement selected automatically by the action;

choosing by the guide a search resource;

receiving a response from the search resource;

personalizing the response based on the guide, the response, the profile and the category; and

sending the personalized response.