Providing answers to questions using hypothesis pruning
First Claim
1. A system for generating answers to questions, comprising:
- a computer device comprising at least one distinct software module, each distinct software module being embodied on a tangible computer-readable medium;
a memory; and
at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative for;
receiving an input query;
conducting a search through one or more data sources to identify a plurality of candidate answers to the input query, wherein each of the candidate answers is found in an associated supporting passage having identified content;
providing each of the candidate answers with a content independent preliminary score based on one or more defined criterion and independent of the content of the supporting passage in which said each candidate answer was found;
filtering out any of the candidate answers with a content independent preliminary score that does not satisfy a defined condition, wherein the candidate answers having content independent preliminary scores that satisfy said defined condition form a subset of the candidate answers;
for each of the candidate answers in said subset, processing said each of the candidate answers to produce a plurality of further scores for said each of the candidate answers, said further scores including a content dependent score based on the content of the supporting passage in which said each candidate answer was found;
applying a candidate ranking function to said plurality of further scores to determine a ranking for said each of the candidate answers in said subset; and
after the applying the candidate ranking function, selecting one or more of the candidate answers as one or more final answers to the input query; and
wherein;
the computer device includes a pre-filter context independent candidate answer processing module, and a hypothesis filtering module;
the pre-filter context independent candidate answer processing module performs the providing each of the candidate answers with a content independent preliminary score; and
the hypothesis filtering module receives the content independent preliminary scores from the pre-filter context independent candidate answer processing module and filters the candidate answers based on said content independent preliminary scores.
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Abstract
A method, system and computer program product for generating answers to questions. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a query, conducting a search through one or more data sources to identify candidate answers to the query, and providing each of the candidate answers with a preliminary score. The method further comprises filtering out any of the candidate answers with a preliminary score that does not satisfy a defined condition. The candidate answers having preliminary scores that satisfy this condition form a subset of the candidate answers. Each of the candidate answers in this subset is processed to produce further scores. A ranking function is applied to these further scores to determine a ranking for each of the candidate answers in the subset; and after this ranking function is applied, one or more of the candidate answers are selected as one or more final answers to the query.
103 Citations
2 Claims
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1. A system for generating answers to questions, comprising:
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a computer device comprising at least one distinct software module, each distinct software module being embodied on a tangible computer-readable medium;
a memory; and
at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative for;receiving an input query; conducting a search through one or more data sources to identify a plurality of candidate answers to the input query, wherein each of the candidate answers is found in an associated supporting passage having identified content; providing each of the candidate answers with a content independent preliminary score based on one or more defined criterion and independent of the content of the supporting passage in which said each candidate answer was found; filtering out any of the candidate answers with a content independent preliminary score that does not satisfy a defined condition, wherein the candidate answers having content independent preliminary scores that satisfy said defined condition form a subset of the candidate answers; for each of the candidate answers in said subset, processing said each of the candidate answers to produce a plurality of further scores for said each of the candidate answers, said further scores including a content dependent score based on the content of the supporting passage in which said each candidate answer was found; applying a candidate ranking function to said plurality of further scores to determine a ranking for said each of the candidate answers in said subset; and after the applying the candidate ranking function, selecting one or more of the candidate answers as one or more final answers to the input query; and
wherein;the computer device includes a pre-filter context independent candidate answer processing module, and a hypothesis filtering module; the pre-filter context independent candidate answer processing module performs the providing each of the candidate answers with a content independent preliminary score; and the hypothesis filtering module receives the content independent preliminary scores from the pre-filter context independent candidate answer processing module and filters the candidate answers based on said content independent preliminary scores. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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Specification