Inferring attributes from search queries
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
- maintaining a collection of extract patterns, wherein each extract pattern specifies a text pattern that includes an entity placeholder and an attribute placeholder;
maintaining a collection of category definitions, wherein each category definition comprises a category identifier, one or more entity identifiers, and one or more attribute identifiers, each entity identifier comprises an entity-name text string representing a name of an entity in the category, and each attribute identifier comprises an attribute-name text string representing an attribute of the entities in the category;
determining that a first search query text string matches a first extract pattern in the collection of extract patterns, including;
determining that a first substring of the first search query text string matches an entity placeholder in the first extract pattern; and
determining that a second substring of the first search query text string matches an attribute placeholder in the first extract pattern; and
determining that the first substring matches an entity identifier in a first category definition in the collection of category definitions;
adding the second substring as an attribute identifier to a set of one or more first attribute identifiers in the first category definition, the set of one or more first attribute identifiers comprising at least one of the one or more attribute identifiers; and
generating a score for a particular attribute identifier included in the set of one or more first attribute identifiers in the first category definition, wherein the score reflects an extent to which the particular attribute identifier is relevant to characterizing the first category definition.
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Abstract
Systems, techniques, and machine-readable instructions for inferring attributes from search queries. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a description of a collection of search queries, inferring attributes of entities from the description of the collection of search queries, associating the inferred attributes with identifiers of entities characterized by the attributes, and making the associations of the attributes and entities available.
44 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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maintaining a collection of extract patterns, wherein each extract pattern specifies a text pattern that includes an entity placeholder and an attribute placeholder; maintaining a collection of category definitions, wherein each category definition comprises a category identifier, one or more entity identifiers, and one or more attribute identifiers, each entity identifier comprises an entity-name text string representing a name of an entity in the category, and each attribute identifier comprises an attribute-name text string representing an attribute of the entities in the category; determining that a first search query text string matches a first extract pattern in the collection of extract patterns, including; determining that a first substring of the first search query text string matches an entity placeholder in the first extract pattern; and determining that a second substring of the first search query text string matches an attribute placeholder in the first extract pattern; and determining that the first substring matches an entity identifier in a first category definition in the collection of category definitions; adding the second substring as an attribute identifier to a set of one or more first attribute identifiers in the first category definition, the set of one or more first attribute identifiers comprising at least one of the one or more attribute identifiers; and generating a score for a particular attribute identifier included in the set of one or more first attribute identifiers in the first category definition, wherein the score reflects an extent to which the particular attribute identifier is relevant to characterizing the first category definition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system comprising:
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one or more computers; and one or more storage devices in data communication with the one or more computers and storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising; maintaining a collection of extract patterns, wherein each extract pattern specifies a text pattern that includes an entity placeholder and an attribute placeholder; maintaining a collection of category definitions, wherein each category definition comprises a category identifier, one or more entity identifiers, and one or more attribute identifiers, each entity identifier comprises an entity-name text string representing a name of an entity in the category, and each attribute identifier comprises an attribute-name text string representing an attribute of the entities in the category; determining that a first search query text string matches a first extract pattern in the collection of extract patterns, including; determining that a first substring of the first search query text string matches an entity placeholder in the first extract pattern; and determining that a second substring of the first search query text string matches an attribute placeholder in the first extract pattern; and determining that the first substring matches an entity identifier in a first category definition in the collection of category definitions; adding the second substring as an attribute identifier to a set of one or more first attribute identifiers in the first category definition, the set of one or more first attribute identifiers comprising at least one of the one or more attribute identifiers; and generating a score for a particular attribute identifier included in the set of one or more first attribute identifiers in the first category definition, wherein the score reflects an extent to which the particular attribute identifier is relevant to characterizing the first category definition. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer program product, encoded on one or more non-transitory computer storage media, comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
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maintaining a collection of extract patterns, wherein each extract pattern specifies a text pattern that includes an entity placeholder and an attribute placeholder; maintaining a collection of category definitions, wherein each category definition comprises a category identifier, one or more entity identifiers, and one or more attribute identifiers, each entity identifier comprises an entity-name text string representing a name of an entity in the category, and each attribute identifier comprises an attribute-name text string representing an attribute of the entities in the category; determining that a first search query text string matches a first extract pattern in the collection of extract patterns, including; determining that a first substring of the first search query text string matches an entity placeholder in the first extract pattern; and determining that a second substring of the first search query text string matches an attribute placeholder in the first extract pattern; and determining that the first substring matches an entity identifier in a first category definition in the collection of category definitions; adding the second substring as an attribute identifier to a set of one or more first attribute identifiers in the first category definition, the set of one or more first attribute identifiers comprising at least one of the one or more attribute identifiers; and generating a score for a particular attribute identifier included in the set of one or more first attribute identifiers in the first category definition, wherein the score reflects an extent to which the particular attribute identifier is relevant to characterizing the first category definition. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification