Adaptive learning method and system that matches keywords using a parsed keyword data structure having a hash index based on an unicode value

• US 6,321,192 B1
• Filed: 10/22/1998
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wood, Douglas Andrew, Houchin, Alice Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US09/177,033
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 704/1, 704/8, 704/9, 704/10, 707/531, 707/532, 707/533, 707/535, 707/536, 707/1, 707/2, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/6, 707/100, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3334 Selection or weighting of terms from queries, including natural language queries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

An adaptive learning system and method. This method begins when a problem description provided by the user is received. This problem description may include non-tokenized text. The description is then searched character-by-character against a unique keyword data structure for any user-defined keywords. During this matching process, the routine examines each character in the description and compares it to the keywords in the data structure. Once all keywords are identified, the routine generates a set of solutions associated with at least one of the matching keywords. These solutions are then ranked, for example, based on how many times a respective solution has been used (to solve the problem previously) or how may matching keywords are associated with a respective solution.

Claims

1. A method for searching and retrieving solutions to user problems, comprising the steps of:

matching keywords in a user problem to valid keywords using a parsed keyword data structure having a hash index based on a Unicode value; and

responsive to identification of a set of matching keywords, determining a set of solutions associated with at least one of the matching keywords.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further including the step of ranking the set of solutions.

3. The method as described in claim 2 wherein the set of solutions are ranked based on a number of times a respective solution has been previously used.

4. The method as described in claim 2 wherein the set of solutions are ranked based on a number of matching keywords associated with a respective solution.

5. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the user problem comprises a non-tokenized text string.

6. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the user problem comprises a tokenized text string.

7. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the data structure is organized as a set of keyword objects.

8. The method as described in claim 7 wherein at least one keyword object is a root of a second keyword object.

9. An adaptive learning system for searching and retrieving solutions to user problems, comprising:

an internationalized search means for matching keywords in a user problem to valid keywords, the search means comprising a parsed keyword data structure with a hash index based on a Unicode value;

means responsive to the search means returning a set of matching keywords for determining a set of solutions associated with at least one of the matching keywords; and

means for ranking the set of solutions.

10. The adaptive learning system as described in claim 9 wherein the user problem comprises a non-tokenized text string.

11. The adaptive learning system as described in claim 9 wherein the user problem comprises a tokenized text string.

12. The adaptive learning system as described in claim 9 wherein the means for ranking the set of solutions includes means for ranking solutions based on a number of times a respective solution has been previously used.

13. The adaptive learning system as described in claim 9 wherein the means for ranking the set of solutions includes means for ranking solutions based on a number of matching keywords associated with a respective solution.

14. A computer program in a computer readable medium for use on a computer for searching and retrieving a solution to a user problem described by a non-tokenized text string, comprising:

means for matching keywords in the non-tokenized text string to valid keywords using a parsed keyword data structure having a hash index based on a Unicode value; and

means responsive to identification of a set of matching keywords for determining a set of solutions associated with at least one of the matching keywords.

15. The computer program as described in claim 14 further including:

means for ranking the set of solutions.

16. The computer program as described in claim 15 wherein the set of solutions are ranked based on a number of times a respective solution has been previously used.

17. The computer program as described in claim 15 wherein the set of solutions are ranked based on a number of matching keywords associated with a respective solution.

18. The computer program as described in claim 14 wherein the data structure is organized as a set of keyword objects.

19. The computer program as described in claim 14 wherein at least one keyword object is a root of a second keyword object.