Method and system to combine keyword and natural language search results

• US 7,668,889 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2004
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Edwards, Gregory W., Miller, Mary C., Niemeyer, Jeffrey Michael, Jia, Yongmei
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleurantin, Jean B
• Application Number:
  US10/975,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20060100998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,945 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 704 2- 4, 704/9, 704/10
• US Class Current: 707/766
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/358 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web

Abstract

A search query is received from a single input field of a user interface. A keyword search is performed based on the search query to generate keyword search results. A natural language search is performed of a frequently-asked question (FAQ) database based on the search query to generate FAQ search results. The keyword search results and the FAQ search results are combined in a display page.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a search query from a single input field of a user interface;

performing a keyword search based on the search query to generate keyword search results;

performing a natural language search of a frequently-asked question (FAQ) database based on the search query to generate FAQ search results;

outputting a first display page that combines the keyword search results and the FAQ search results;

wherein the first display page categorizes the keyword search results and the FAQ search results into a plurality of categories including a first category and a second category;

wherein the first display page displays the first category and the second category in a particular order, wherein the particular order is based on the keyword search results and the FAQ search results for the first category and for the second category and based on a correlation between the search query, the keyword search results, and the FAQ search results for the first category and for the second category; and

outputting for display at a computer display device a second display page that expands the keyword search results and the FAQ search results that are displayed for the first category in the first display page, wherein the expanded keyword search results include a plurality of lines of text for at least one keyword search result.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of categories include a products and services category, a billing and account category, and a help and support category.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first display page includes a first user-selectable command to display portions of the keyword search results and the FAQ search results that are in the first category but are not displayed in the first display page.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

outputting the second display page in response to a selection of the first user-selectable command.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the first display page and the second display page each include a respective header having a user-selectable option to view questions in a user-selected category.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the second display page includes a drop-down menu to receive a user-selection of any of the plurality of categories for which an expanded number of the keyword search results and the FAQ results are to be displayed together on a subsequent display page.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first category and the second category are determined before receiving the search query using a card sort method.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the keyword search results are provided in a first column of the first display page, and the FAQ results are provided in a second column of the first display page.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user interface accompanies the single input field with a display of “

search or ask a question.”

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said performing the keyword search comprises performing a keyword search of contents of a Web site based on the search query to generate the keyword search results.

11. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising operational instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

display a user interface having a single input field to receive a search query;

perform a keyword search via a keyword search engine based on the search query to generate keyword search results;

perform a natural language search of a frequently-asked question (FAQ) database based on the search query to generate FAQ search results;

display a first display page that combines the keyword search results and the FAQ search results, wherein the first display page categorizes the keyword search results and the FAQ search results into a plurality of categories including a first category and a second category, wherein the first display page displays at least one of the keyword search results and at least one of the FAQ search results for the first category and for the second category, wherein the first display page displays the first category and the second category in a particular order, and wherein the particular order is based on the keyword search results and the FAQ search results for the first category and for the second category and based on a correlation between the search query, the keyword search results, and the FAQ search results for the first category and for the second category; and

output for display at a computer display device a second display page that expands the keyword search results and the FAQ search results that are displayed in the first display page, wherein the expanded keyword search results include a plurality of lines of text for at least one keyword search result.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the plurality of categories include a products and services category, a billing and account category, and a help and support category.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the first display page includes a first user-selectable command to display portions of the keyword search results and FAQ results that are in the first category but are not displayed in the first display page.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to display a second display in response to a selection of the first user-selectable command.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the first display page and the second display page each include a respective header having a user-selectable option to view questions in a user-selected category.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the second display page includes a drop-down menu to receive a user-selection of any of the plurality of categories for which an expanded number of the keyword search results and the FAQ results are to be displayed together on a subsequent display page.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the first category and the second category are determined before receiving the search query using a card sort method.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the keyword search results are provided in a first column of the first display page, and the FAQ results are provided in a second column of the first display page.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the user interface accompanies the single input field with a display of “

search or ask a question.”

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the keyword search engine performs the keyword search of contents of a Web site based on the search query to generate the keyword search results.