Attribution using semantic analysis

• US 9,141,605 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2014
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boyle, Currie P., Javahery, Homa, Rozsa, Eniko I.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US14/494,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20150019209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 707/705, 707/739
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3331 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3344 using natural language analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/367 Ontology
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/00 Handling natural language data speech analysis or synthesis, speech recognition G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/30 Semantic analysis

Abstract

A method and system for semantic attribution of a request. Source data statements for the request are received. A selection of a domain for the received source data statements is received. The received source data statements are semantically analyzed, which includes matching elements in the received source data statements to respective one or more entries in an ontology associated with the selected domain. The ontology includes items and relationships that define the selected domain. Each element in the received source data statements is a word or a phrase. The one or more entries are assigned to the matched elements, respectively, to annotate each matched element with a respective annotation consisting of the respective one or more entries. The annotated elements are saved with the respective annotations. The annotations are used to generate a search query for the request.

Claims

1. A method for semantic attribution of a request, said method implemented by a processor of a computer system, said method comprising:

said processor receiving source data statements for the request;

said processor receiving a selection of a domain for the received source data statements;

said processor semantically analyzing the received source data statements, said semantically analyzing comprising matching elements in the received source data statements to respective one or more entries in an ontology associated with the selected domain, wherein the ontology comprises items and relationships that define the selected domain, and wherein each element in the received source data statements is a word or a phrase;

said processor assigning the one or more entries to the matched elements, respectively, to annotate each matched element with a respective annotation consisting of the respective one or more entries, wherein the annotation that annotates one matched element of the matched elements is a domain term that expresses that the one matched element is a noun defining a particular domain;

said processor saving the annotated elements with the respective annotations; and

said processor using the annotations to generate a search query for the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

after said matching is performed for one matched element of the matched elements, said processor determining that at least one condition is indicated for the one matched element;

responsive to determining that at least one condition is indicated for the one matched element, said processor fulfilling each condition of the at least one condition for the one matched element,

wherein the at least one condition is selected from the group consisting of specificity, proximity, both specificity and proximity, both specificity and completeness, and both proximity and completeness,

wherein fulfilling specificity for the one matched element comprises identifying an activity associated with the at least one matched element,

wherein fulfilling completeness for the one matched element comprises obtaining additional information associated with the at least one matched element, and

wherein fulfilling proximity for the one matched element comprises identifying proximity relationships for the one matched element.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one condition consists of specificity.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one condition consists of proximity.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one condition consists of both specificity and proximity.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one condition consists of specificity and completeness.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one condition consists of both proximity and completeness.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said semantically analyzing comprises:

performing a lexical analysis of the source data statements to determine whether form and structure errors exist in the source data statements.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more entries of the annotation that annotates one matched element of the matched elements consists of a plurality of entries.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the annotation that annotates one matched element of the matched elements is a pillar which is a main structural element of the ontology, wherein the pillar expresses:

an activity and refers to what changed, a product and an associated environment to identify main products of concern, a situation to identify symptoms associated with a specific situation or incident, or a component to define where a situation occurs.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the annotation that annotates one matched element of the matched elements expresses a negation of the one matched element.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the annotation that annotates one matched element of the matched elements expresses that the one matched element is a power action word that is too vague to be actionable.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the annotation that annotates one matched element of the matched elements expresses that the one matched element is an acronym.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the annotation that annotates one matched element of the matched elements expresses that the one matched element is a trash action word which is an action word that is an unwanted token to be discarded.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the annotation that annotates one matched element of the matched elements expresses that the one matched element is a trash situation word which is a generic situation word that is an unwanted token to be discarded.

16. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device having a computer readable program code stored therein, said program code configured to be executed by a processor of a computer system to implement a method for semantic attribution of a request, said method comprising:

said processor receiving source data statements for the request;

said processor receiving a selection of a domain for the received source data statements;

said processor semantically analyzing the received source data statements, said semantically analyzing comprising matching elements in the received source data statements to respective one or more entries in an ontology associated with the selected domain, wherein the ontology comprises items and relationships that define the selected domain, and wherein each element in the received source data statements is a word or a phrase;

said processor assigning the one or more entries to the matched elements, respectively, to annotate each matched element with a respective annotation consisting of the respective one or more entries, wherein the annotation that annotates one matched element of the matched elements is a domain term that expresses that the one matched element is a noun defining a particular domain;

said processor saving the annotated elements with the respective annotations; and

said processor using the annotations to generate a search query for the request.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

after said matching is performed for one matched element of the matched elements, said processor determining that at least one condition is indicated for the one matched element;

responsive to determining that at least one condition is indicated for the one matched element, said processor fulfilling each condition of the at least one condition for the one matched element,

wherein the at least one condition is selected from the group consisting of specificity, proximity, both specificity and proximity, both specificity and completeness, and both proximity and completeness,

wherein fulfilling specificity for the one matched element comprises identifying an activity associated with the at least one matched element,

wherein fulfilling completeness for the one matched element comprises obtaining additional information associated with the at least one matched element, and

wherein fulfilling proximity for the one matched element comprises identifying proximity relationships for the one matched element.

18. A computer system comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a computer readable storage device coupled to the processor, said storage device containing program code configured to be executed by the processor via the memory to implement a method for semantic attribution of a request, said method comprising:

said processor receiving source data statements for the request;

said processor receiving a selection of a domain for the received source data statements;

said processor semantically analyzing the received source data statements, said semantically analyzing comprising matching elements in the received source data statements to respective one or more entries in an ontology associated with the selected domain, wherein the ontology comprises items and relationships that define the selected domain, and wherein each element in the received source data statements is a word or a phrase;

said processor assigning the one or more entries to the matched elements, respectively, to annotate each matched element with a respective annotation consisting of the respective one or more entries, wherein the annotation that annotates one matched element of the matched elements is a domain term that expresses that the one matched element is a noun defining a particular domain;

said processor saving the annotated elements with the respective annotations; and

said processor using the annotations to generate a search query for the request.

19. The computer system claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

after said matching is performed for one matched element of the matched elements, said processor determining that at least one condition is indicated for the one matched element;

responsive to determining that at least one condition is indicated for the one matched element, said processor fulfilling each condition of the at least one condition for the one matched element,

wherein the at least one condition is selected from the group consisting of specificity, proximity, both specificity and proximity, both specificity and completeness, and both proximity and completeness,

wherein fulfilling specificity for the one matched element comprises identifying an activity associated with the at least one matched element,

wherein fulfilling completeness for the one matched element comprises obtaining additional information associated with the at least one matched element, and

wherein fulfilling proximity for the one matched element comprises identifying proximity relationships for the one matched element.