Method and system to combine keyword and natural language search results

• US 9,047,377 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Edwards, Gregory W., Niemeyer, Jeffrey Michael, Miller, Mary C., Jia, Yongmei
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleurantin, Jean B
• Application Number:
  US14/157,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20140149377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 707/713, 707/731, 707/765, 707/766, 707/769, 707/770, 707/773, 707/793, 707/796, 707/804, 707/999.004, 707/999.005, 704 2- 4, 704/9, 704/10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/358 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• 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 16/95 Retrieval from the web

Abstract

A method includes receiving a search query from a user interface. The method includes performing a keyword search at a computer device based on the search query to generate keyword search results. The method includes performing a natural language search of a frequently-asked question database based on the search query to generate frequently-asked question search results. The method also includes outputting a display page for display at a display device. The display page categorizes the keyword search results and the frequently-asked question search results into a plurality of categories.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a search query from a user interface;

performing a keyword search at a computer device based on the search query to generate keyword search results, wherein performing the keyword search comprises;

searching contents of a web site based on the search query; and

searching contents of multiple web sites that have been indexed by a search service;

performing a natural language search of a frequently-asked question database based on the search query to generate frequently-asked question search results; and

outputting a display page for display at a display device, wherein the display page categorizes the keyword search results and the frequently-asked question search results into a plurality of categories, wherein each category of the display page includes a category title, a first column, and a second column adjacent to the first column, wherein the first column includes a keyword search result associated with the category, and wherein the second column includes a frequently-asked question search result associated with the category, the frequently-asked question search result including a link to a question or an answer accessible from the frequently-asked question database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein indicia of the user interface associated with an input field of the user interface indicates that a keyword, keywords, and a question are valid input types associated with the input field.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the category title for a particular category includes a selectable command to display additional results associated with the particular category, where the additional results include keyword search results and frequently-asked question search results.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising outputting a second display page for display at the display device in response to selection of the selectable command, wherein the second display page includes a pull-down menu that enables selection of a different category.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the display page includes an option that enables display of top questions from the frequently-asked question search results for all categories of the plurality of categories and options to display top questions for particular categories.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the display page includes a header, and wherein the header displays the search query.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the categories are determined based on user input prior to receiving the search query.

8. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising instructions executable by the processor to perform operations including;

sending a user interface to a device;

receiving a search query to search a web site from an input field of the user interface;

performing a keyword search based on the search query to generate keyword search results, wherein performing the keyword search comprises;

searching contents of a web site based on the search query; and

searching contents of multiple web sites that have been indexed by a search service;

performing a natural language search of a frequently-asked question database based on the search query to generate frequently-asked question search results; and

sending an output to the device, wherein the output includes a display page that categorizes the keyword search results and the frequently-asked question search results into categories, wherein each category of the display page includes a category title, a first column, and a second column adjacent to the first column, wherein the first column includes a keyword search result associated with the category, and wherein the second column includes a frequently-asked question search result associated with the category, the frequently-asked question search result including a link to a question or an answer accessible from the frequently-asked question database.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the categories are determined using a card sorting process prior to receiving the search query.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein indicia of the user interface associated with the input field indicates that a keyword, keywords, or a question can be entered in the input field.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the keyword search result includes a link to a corresponding web page, and wherein the first column for each category includes a limited number of keyword search results associated with the category.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the second column for each category includes a limited number of frequently-asked question search results associated with the category.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the categories include a product and services category.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the categories include a corporate information category.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the categories include a help and customer support category.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further include determining the categories based on user input prior to receiving the search query.

17. A computer-readable storage hardware device comprising instructions executable by a processor to perform operations including:

receiving a search query to search a web site from a user interface;

performing a keyword search based on the search query to generate keyword search results, wherein performing the keyword search comprises;

searching contents of a web site based on the search query; and

searching contents of multiple web sites that have been indexed by a search service;

performing a natural language search of a frequently-asked question database based on the search query to generate frequently-asked question search results; and

sending an output to a device, wherein the output includes a display page that categorizes the keyword search results and the frequently-asked question search results into categories, wherein each category of the display page includes a category title, a first column, and a second column adjacent to the first column, wherein the first column includes a keyword search result associated with the category, and wherein the second column includes a frequently-asked question search result associated with the category, the frequently-asked question search result including a link to a question or an answer accessible from the frequently-asked question database.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the operations further include sending a second output to the device in response to receipt of selection of a selectable option associated with the output, wherein the second output displays results for a particular category, including keyword search results in a first column of the second output adjacent to frequently-asked question search results in a second column of the second output.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein indicia of the user interface associated with an input field indicates that a keyword, keywords, or a question can be entered in the input field.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the operations further include prioritizing the categories based on a match result of each category of the categories to the search query.