Automatic data interpretation and answering analytical questions with tables and charts

• US 9,430,558 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bhat, Sandesh, Mustafi, Joy
• Primary Examiner(s): BAKER, MATTHEW H
• Application Number:
  US14/681,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20160078772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3344 using natural language analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/11 for solving equations , e.g. nonlinear equations, general mathematical optimization problems optimization specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/21 Design or setup of recognition systems or techniques; Extraction of features in feature space; Blind source separation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/544 for evaluating functions by calculation G06F7/4824 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/022 Knowledge engineering; Knowledge acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

A method providing an answer to at least one analytical question containing at least one table or at least one chart is provided. The method may include receiving an input question. The method may also include extracting a plurality of information from the input question based on a natural language analysis. The method may further include forming a well-defined sentence. The method may include extracting at least one table or at least one chart associated with the input question. The method may include forming at least one mathematical equation. The method may also include solving the at least one mathematical equation. The method may include determining the answer to the input question in natural language based on the solved at least one mathematical equation. The method may further include narrating the determined answer to the input question in natural language.

Claims

1. A method providing an answer to at least one analytical question containing at least one table or at least one chart, the method comprising:

receiving an input question containing at least one table or at least one chart, wherein the received input question is entered via a graphical user interface associated with a computer and the received input question is associated with the at least one analytical question;

extracting, by the computer, a plurality of information from the input question based on a natural language analysis of the input question;

forming a well-defined statement based on the extracted plurality of information;

extracting, by the computer, the at least one table or at least one chart associated with the input question;

extracting, by the computer, a plurality of information from the extracted at least one table or at least one chart, wherein the extracted plurality of information comprises a data value, a data label, a header, a footer, a legend, an overlay, a unit, a line, an edge, a contour, a shape, a length, a proportion, and an angle;

forming at least one mathematical equation based on the well-defined statement and the extracted plurality of information from the extracted at least one table or at least one chart;

solving the at least one mathematical equation;

determining the answer to the input question in natural language based on the solved at least one mathematical equation; and

narrating the determined answer to the input question in natural language, wherein narrating the determined answer to the input question comprises displaying the determined answer to the input question via the graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the extracted at least one table or at least one chart associated with the at least one analytical question is extracted in an image format.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the extracted image format includes extracted information associated with the extracted at least one table or at least one chart.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the extracted information comprises at least one of a data label, a header, a footer, a legend, an overlay, a data value or numeral, a unit, a line or an axis, a shape, a length, a proportion, and an angle.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the forming at least one mathematical equation comprises performing data interpretation on the extracted information.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the extracting the image format comprises the use of existing technology including at least one of pattern recognition technology and optical character recognition technology.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein solving the at least one formed mathematical equation comprises using a standard mathematical formula.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming at least one mathematical equation and solving the at least one formed mathematical equation comprises using a dictionary containing a mapping between verbs and math operators.