Rule-based system and method to associate attributes to text strings

• US 8,954,404 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leaf Group Ltd. (Graham Holdings Company)
• Original Assignee: Demand Media Incorporated (Graham Holdings Company)
• Inventors: Yehaskel, David M., Kjallbring, Henrik M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ehichioya, Fred I
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENG, JAU SHYA
• Application Number:
  US12/828,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20110208758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,686 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/694
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/33 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/247 Thesauruses; Synonyms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/24 Sorting, i.e. extracting data from one or more carriers, rearranging the data in numerical or other ordered sequence, and rerecording the sorted data on the original carrier or on a different carrier or set of carriers sorting methods in generalG06F7/36 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for selecting a title for content to be published online. A plurality of text strings are received. A plurality of rules are applied to the text strings. If a condition specified in one of the rules exists in a given text string, one or more attributes are associated to that text string as metadata. One or more of the text strings are selected, using the metadata, as a potential title for the content. A final title is prepared based on the potential title, and the content is published online under the final title.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing, in a data processing system, a plurality of rules, wherein, when applied to a text string, each respective rule of the plurality of rules identifies;

a condition of whether the text string contains a predetermined pattern, a predetermined part of speech, one or more predetermined words, or a predetermined word combination, and

a set of metadata to be attached to the text string in response to determining that the text string has the condition, wherein metadata of the plurality of rules identifies;

one or more tags for text strings having respective conditions of the plurality of rules,

indication of intent of text strings having respective conditions of the plurality of rules,

one or more query types of text string having respective conditions of the plurality of rules, and

indication of suitability of text strings having respective conditions of the plurality of rules for use as a title;

receiving, in the data processing system, a plurality of search queries as a plurality text strings;

applying, by the data processing system, the plurality of rules to the plurality text strings of the plurality of search queries, wherein when the respective rule is applied to each respective text string of a respective search query of the plurality of search queries,

in response to a determination that the respective text string representing the respective search query having the condition, associating, by the data processing system, the set of metadata with the respective search query;

selecting, by the data processing system, a text string as a potential title, based on processing the plurality of search queries in accordance with metadata that is associated with the plurality of search queries via the applying the plurality of rules, wherein the processing of the plurality of search queries includes sorting the plurality of text strings of the plurality of search queries based on a combination of two or more of metadata;

providing, by the data processing system, the potential title to arrange creating of content consistent with the potential title and predefined guidelines; and

publishing, by the data processing system in an electronic publication under a final title, the content created based on the potential title.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a first list of attributes in a first category, wherein the metadata of the plurality of rules further comprises a first attribute chosen from the first category.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing a second list of attributes in a second category, wherein the metadata of the plurality of rules further comprises a second attribute chosen from the second category.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first category corresponds to intended actions and the second category corresponds to items.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to the selecting of the one text string, sorting the plurality of text strings based on a combination of two or more of the respective metadata associated with each of the plurality of text strings.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rules comprises a first rule, and further comprising:

where a condition specified in the first rule exists in a first text string of the plurality of text strings, extracting one or more words from the first text string; and

associating the one or more extracted words to the first text string as one or more attributes for selecting the potential title.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to publishing the content, transforming the potential title to generate the final title using a second plurality of rules.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second plurality of rules comprises at least one rule that associates a plurality of similar word variations with a single attribute.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the plurality of rules to the plurality of text strings comprises identifying patterns in text strings, parts of speech, one or more specific words, and word combinations.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying one or more specific words comprises identifying one or more words found in one or more dictionaries.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more query types are selected from the following types:

informational, transactional, and navigational.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage media storing thereon computer readable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

store, in the computing device, a plurality of rules, wherein, when applied to a text string,

each respective rule of the plurality of rules identifies;

a condition of whether the text string contains a predetermined pattern, a predetermined part of speech, one or more predetermined words, or a predetermined word combination, and

a set of metadata to be attached to the text string in response to determining that the text string has the condition, wherein metadata of the plurality of rules identifies;

one or more tags for text strings having respective conditions of the plurality of rules,

indication of intent of text strings having respective conditions of the plurality of rules,

one or more query types of text string having respective conditions of the plurality of rules, and

indication of suitability of text strings having respective conditions of the plurality of rules for use as a title;

receive, in the computing device, a plurality of search queries as a plurality text strings;

apply, by the computing device, the plurality of rules to the plurality text strings of the plurality of search queries, wherein when the respective rule is applied to each respective text string of a respective search query of the plurality of search queries,

in response to a determination that the respective text string representing the respective search query having the condition, associate the set of metadata with the respective search query;

select, by the computing device, a text string as a potential title, based on processing the plurality of search queries in accordance with metadata that is associated with the plurality of search queries via the applying the plurality of rules, wherein the processing of the plurality of search queries includes sorting the plurality of text strings of the plurality of search queries based on a combination of two or more of metadata;

provide, by the computing device, the potential title to arrange creating of content consistent with the potential title and predefined guidelines; and

publish, by the computing device in an electronic publication under a final title, the content created based on the potential title.

13. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory storing instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to;

store a plurality of rules, wherein, when applied to a text string, each respective rule of the plurality of rules identifies;

a condition of whether the text string contains a predetermined pattern, a predetermined part of speech, one or more predetermined words, or a predetermined word combination, and

a set of metadata to be attached to the text string in response to determining that the text string has the condition, wherein metadata of the plurality of rules identifies;

one or more tags for text strings having respective conditions of the plurality of rules,

indication of intent of text strings having respective conditions of the plurality of rules,

one or more query types of text string having respective conditions of the plurality of rules, and

indication of suitability of text strings having respective conditions of the plurality of rules for use as a title;

receive a plurality of search queries as a plurality text strings;

apply the plurality of rules to the plurality text strings of the plurality of search queries, wherein when the respective rule is applied to each respective text string of a respective search query of the plurality of search queries,

in response to a determination that the respective text string representing the respective search query having the condition, associate the set of metadata with the respective search query;

select a text string as a potential title, based on processing the plurality of search queries in accordance with metadata that is associated with the plurality of search queries via the applying the plurality of rules, wherein the processing of the plurality of search queries includes sorting the plurality of text strings of the plurality of search queries based on a combination of two or more of metadata;

provide the potential title to arrange creating of content consistent with the potential title and predefined guidelines; and

publish, in an electronic publication under a final title, the content created based on the potential title.