Question answering framework for structured query languages
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
- causing an answering system to receive a user query posed in a natural language to a database;
causing the answering system to derive semantics from the user query and create a parse graph, wherein the semantics comprise a first dimension and a second dimension;
perform normalization and transformation of the semantics;
imposing constraints on the semantics to create artifacts by proposing a related measure connecting the first dimension and the second dimension in a database table;
mapping the artifacts into a plurality of structured queries;
ranking the plurality of structured queries according to a first scoring function considering a selectivity of the related measure, and a second scoring function considering a complexity of the structured query such that a more complex query structure indicates a higher relevance, a third scoring function comprising a confidence measure based on text retrieval metrics, and a fourth scoring function comprising a popularity of the first dimension, the second dimension, and the related measure; and
executing the plurality of structured queries on the database according to the ranking.
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Abstract
A framework for a question and answering (Q&A) system defines a mapping of recognized semantics of user questions, to a well structured query model that can be executed on arbitrary data warehouses. Embodiments may utilize a plugin-based architecture, with various elements responsible for: extracting information from a user'"'"'s question, formulating and executing a structured query, and post-processing a result by rendering a chart. Plugins within a certain processing step may be executed independently of one another, imparting a significant degree of parallelism. The framework may build on top of natural language processing technologies, and in particular embodiments may be based upon established standards (e.g. RDF and SparQL) thereby allowing adaptation to a variety of domains and use cases.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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causing an answering system to receive a user query posed in a natural language to a database; causing the answering system to derive semantics from the user query and create a parse graph, wherein the semantics comprise a first dimension and a second dimension; perform normalization and transformation of the semantics; imposing constraints on the semantics to create artifacts by proposing a related measure connecting the first dimension and the second dimension in a database table; mapping the artifacts into a plurality of structured queries; ranking the plurality of structured queries according to a first scoring function considering a selectivity of the related measure, and a second scoring function considering a complexity of the structured query such that a more complex query structure indicates a higher relevance, a third scoring function comprising a confidence measure based on text retrieval metrics, and a fourth scoring function comprising a popularity of the first dimension, the second dimension, and the related measure; and executing the plurality of structured queries on the database according to the ranking. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium embodying a computer program for performing a method, said method comprising:
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causing an answering system to receive a user query posed in a natural language to a database; causing the answering system to derive semantics from the user query and create a parse graph, wherein the semantics comprise a first dimension and a second dimension; perform normalization and transformation of the semantics; imposing constraints on the semantics to create artifacts by proposing a related measure connecting the first dimension and the second dimension in a database table; mapping the artifacts into a plurality of structured queries; ranking the plurality of structured queries according to a first scoring function considering a selectivity of the related measure, a second scoring function considering a complexity of the structured query such that a more complex query structure indicates a higher relevance, a third scoring function comprising a confidence measure based on text retrieval metrics, and a fourth scoring function comprising a popularity of the first dimension, the second dimension, and the related measure; and executing the plurality of structured queries on the database according to the ranking. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer system comprising:
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one or more processors; a software program, executable on said computer system, the software program configured to; cause an answering system to receive a user query posed in a natural language to a database; cause the answering system to derive semantics from the user query and create a parse graph, wherein the semantics comprise a first dimension and a second dimension; perform normalization and transformation of the semantics; impose constraints on the semantics to create artifacts by proposing a related measure connecting the first dimension and the second dimension in a database table; map the artifacts into a plurality of structured queries; rank the plurality of structured queries according to a first scoring function considering a selectivity of the related measure, a second scoring function considering a complexity of the structured query such that a more complex query structure indicates a higher relevance, a third scoring function comprising a confidence measure based on text retrieval metrics, and a fourth scoring function comprising a popularity of the first dimension, the second dimension, and the related measure; and execute the plurality of structured queries on the database according to the ranking. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification