Method and apparatus for frame-based search

• US 9,047,285 B1
• Filed: 07/21/2008
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Netbase Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Netbase Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Li, Wei, Osofsky, Michael Jacob, Bajaj, Lokesh Pooranmal
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleurantin, Jean B
• Application Number:
  US12/177,122
• Time in Patent Office: 2,507 Days
• Field of Search: 707600-831, 704/4, 704/9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/243 Natural language query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3344 using natural language analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

A frame represents a concept with a set of roles and a set of linguistic rules. If a linguistic rule is satisfied, by a unit of natural language discourse (UNLD), the frame is invoked and a frame instance produced. A frame instance specifies how the UNLD, with particular values drawn from the UNLD, fulfills the roles of the frame. A frame-based search, of target content, is accomplished in response to a frame-based user query. The search result is comprised of records, where each record is a result of a match, of the frame-based query, at a location in the target content. If the frame-based query is implicit, a match requires only that the location of the target content invokes the appropriate frame. If the frame-based query is role-specific, in addition to invoking the appropriate frame, a query search term needs to be found in the value for a role of the frame instance produced.

Claims

1. A method for frame-based search to identify content of interest, comprising the following steps:

determining, as a result of computing hardware and programmable memory, a set of logical forms, each logical form representative of a unit of natural language discourse in a first source of computer-accessible content, wherein each logical form, of the set of logical forms, is arranged as a tree, at least some trees including a logical verb root, a logical subject, and a logical object;

determining, for each logical form of the set of logical forms, as a result of computing hardware and programmable memory, whether a first frame extraction rule is satisfied by a logical form and, if a frame extraction rule is satisfied, producing a first instance of a first frame;

determining, for each unit of natural language discourse that invokes the first frame, as a result of computing hardware and programmable memory, a locality that includes the unit of natural language discourse;

including, as a result of computing hardware and programmable memory, each locality as a record of a first database; and

searching, as a result of computing hardware and programmable memory, the first database, to identify a first set of records, by identifying those records that contain at least one match to a first keyword query.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first source of computer-accessible content is Internet-accessible content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first set of records identifies a first set of Internet-accessible locations of potential interest.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the following step:

providing the first set of Internet-accessible locations, as represented by the first set of records, as a search result to a user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first source of computer-accessible content is an Intranet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first source of computer-accessible content is a document repository.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first source of computer-accessible content is single-user computer system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first source of computer-accessible content is a single document.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of including further comprises:

indexing the records, for the first database, according to at least one role of the first frame.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of search further comprises:

identifying records that match, within a first portion of each record representative of a first role of the first frame, the first keyword query.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the each locality is a snippet.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frame is a benefit frame.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the content of interest is information regarding existing technologies.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the content of interest is useful as part of a technology scouting process.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the benefit frame captures the semantics of something “

Good”

happening.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the benefit frame comprises a benefit role.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the benefit frame comprises a benefactor role.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the benefit frame comprises an instrument role.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the benefit frame comprises a gain role.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the benefit frame comprises a problem role.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the benefit frame comprises a beneficiary role.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a first logical form rule, of the first frame extraction rule, is satisfied by the first logical form and, if the first logical form rule is not satisfied, not determining whether other logical form rules, of the first frame extraction rule, are satisfied.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frame is a problem frame.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the content of interest is information regarding problems to which an already-known technology can be applied.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the content of interest is useful as part of a market scouting process.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the problem frame captures the semantics of something “

Bad”

happening.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frame is a technology frame.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the content of interest is information useful for evaluating an already-identified technology.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the technology frame comprises a pro role.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the technology frame comprises a con role.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the technology frame comprises a performance metric role.

32. A system for frame-based search to identify content of interest, comprising the following:

a system configured, as a result of computing hardware and programmable memory, to determine a set of logical forms, each logical form representative of a unit of natural language discourse in a first source of computer-accessible content, wherein each logical form, of the set of logical forms, is arranged as a tree, at least some trees including a logical verb root, a logical subject, and a logical object;

a system configured, as a result of computing hardware and programmable memory, to determine, for each logical form of the set of logical forms, whether a first frame extraction rule is satisfied by a logical form and, if a frame extraction rule is satisfied, producing a first instance of a first frame;

a system configured, as a result of computing hardware and programmable memory, to determine, for each unit of natural language discourse that invokes the first frame, a locality that includes the unit of natural language discourse;

a system configured, as a result of computing hardware and programmable memory, to include each locality as a record of a first database; and

a system configured, as a result of computing hardware and programmable memory, to search the first database, to identify a first set of records, by identifying those records that contain at least one match to a first keyword query.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the system to include further comprises:

a system configured, as a result of computing hardware and programmable memory, to index the records, for the first database, according to at least one role of the first frame.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the system to search further comprises:

a system configured, as a result of computing hardware and programmable memory, to identify records that match, within a first portion of each record representative of a first role of the first frame, the first keyword query.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the first frame is a benefit frame.

36. The system of claim 32, further comprising the following system:

a system configured, as a result of computing hardware and programmable memory, to determine whether a first logical form rule, of the first frame extraction rule, is satisfied by the first logical form and, if the first logical form rule is not satisfied, not determining whether other logical form rules, of the first frame extraction rule, are satisfied.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the first frame is a problem frame.