Probability-based state modification for query dialogues
First Claim
1. A method of updating a query state according to a query received from a user of a device having a processor, the method comprising:
- executing on the processor instructions configured to;
receive a query;
generate a query state based on the received query;
receive a follow-up query;
parse the follow-up query to identify at least zero query terms;
for each query state modification in a query state modification set, calculate a query state modification probability intended by the user for the follow-up query;
using the query state modification probabilities, identify at least two candidate query state modifications for modifying the query state;
among the at least two candidate query state modifications, identify a selected query state modification having a highest associated query state modification probability;
modify the query state according to the selected query state modification;
combine the follow-up query with the modified query state to create a modified follow-up query; and
provide search results based on the modified follow-up query.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device may facilitate a query dialog involving queries that successively modify a query state. However, fulfilling such queries in the context of possible query domains, query intents, and contextual meanings of query terms may be difficult. Presented herein are techniques for modifying a query state in view of a query by utilizing a set of query state modifications, each representing a modification of the query state possibly intended by the user while formulating the query (e.g., adding, substituting, or removing query terms; changing the query domain or query intent; and navigating within a hierarchy of saved query states). Upon receiving a query, an embodiment may calculate the probability of the query connoting each query state modification (e.g., using a Bayesian classifier), and parsing the query according to a query state modification having a high probability (e.g., mapping respective query terms to query slots within the current query intent).
11 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of updating a query state according to a query received from a user of a device having a processor, the method comprising:
executing on the processor instructions configured to; receive a query; generate a query state based on the received query; receive a follow-up query; parse the follow-up query to identify at least zero query terms; for each query state modification in a query state modification set, calculate a query state modification probability intended by the user for the follow-up query; using the query state modification probabilities, identify at least two candidate query state modifications for modifying the query state; among the at least two candidate query state modifications, identify a selected query state modification having a highest associated query state modification probability; modify the query state according to the selected query state modification; combine the follow-up query with the modified query state to create a modified follow-up query; and provide search results based on the modified follow-up query. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for modifying a query state using a query received from a user of a device having a processor, the system comprising:
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a query term identifying component configured to identify query terms in the query and in a follow-up query; a query state modification identifying component configured to; identify a query state modification set comprising at least two candidate query state modifications respectively having a query state modification probability, and from the query state modification set, identify a selected query state modification having a higher query state modification probability for the follow-up query than the query state modifications of other candidate query state modifications; and a query state modifying component configured to modify the query state according to the selected query state modification and the query terms identified in the follow-up query. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system comprising:
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at least one processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor perform the following actions; receive an initial query from a user; generate an initial query state based on the initial query; receive a follow-up query from a user; and upon receiving the follow-up query; parse the follow-up query to identify at least zero follow-up query terms; calculate query state modification probabilities of the follow-up query for at least two candidate query state modifications in the query state modification set; modify the query state according to the follow-up query terms and the query state modification having a highest query state modification probability among the candidate query state modifications; and fulfill the query in view of the query state. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification