Query meaning determination through a grid service

• US 7,921,133 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2007
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Richards, Patrick J. Jr., Shaouy, William P., Bao, Zhendong
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali; Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Darno; Patrick A
• Application Number:
  US11/767,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20070250489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,382 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3334 Selection or weighting of terms from queries, including natural language queries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method, system, and program for query meaning determination through a grid service are provided. A search service within a grid environment receives a free text string as a search query, wherein the free text string includes multiple specifications. The search service controls distribution of the free text string to a selection of grid components, wherein each of the selection of grid components is enabled to interpret a particular aspect of the meaning of the multiple specifications in the free text string. Multiple aspect interpretations of the free text string are received at the search service from the selection of grid components. Next, the search service synthesizes the aspect interpretations into a search-ready query, such that the search request is first interpreted by the selection of grid components to determine a thorough meaning of the free text string before submission to a search engine.

Claims

1. A system for handling a free text search query, comprising:

a microprocessor connected to a memory;

a particular grid component of a grid environment, wherein the grid environment comprises a plurality of computing systems each comprising at least one resource communicatively connected over a network to share each said at least one resource through a plurality of web services implemented within a web services layer extended by an open grid services infrastructure atop a grid service layer comprising at least one grid service implemented within the open grid services architecture enabling interfacing with each at least one resource, wherein the particular grid component comprises at least one of said at least one resource;

the particular grid component specified to interpret a meaning of a particular aspect of at least one of a plurality of specifications within at least one search query distributed by at least one search service from among the at least one grid service;

the particular grid component, responsive to receiving a free text string with a particular plurality of specifications for a particular search query from the at least one search service, for interpreting, using the microprocessor, the meaning of the particular aspect of at least one specification within the particular plurality of specifications within the free text string; and

the particular grid component for returning, using the microprocessor, the interpreted meaning to the search service to synthesize with other interpreted meanings for other aspects of the free text string returned to the search service by other grid components from among the plurality of grid components.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the particular grid component is specified to interpret the aspect of a price by detecting at least one indicator a particular price within at least one of a plurality of specifications and returning an interpreted meaning comprising a price range for the particular price.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the particular grid component is specified to interpret the aspect of a clothing style by detecting at least one word indicating a particular clothing style and returning an interpreted meaning comprising a plurality of words describing the particular clothing style.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the particular grid component is specified to interpret the aspect of a color by detecting at least one word indicating a particular color and returning an interpreted meaning comprising a color family for the particular color.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the free text string of the particular search query comprises a plurality of specifications which are interpretable for a plurality of separate aspects, wherein one of the plurality of specifications is interpretable according to the particular aspect of the particular grid component.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the free text string of the particular search query comprises at least one specification comprising at least one symbol.

7. A method for handling a free text search query, comprising:

enabling a particular grid component within a grid environment, wherein the grid environment comprises a plurality of computing systems each comprising at least one resource communicatively connected over a network to share each said at least one resource through a plurality of web services implemented within a web services layer extended by an open grid services infrastructure atop a grid service layer comprising at least one grid service implemented within the open grid services architecture enabling interfacing with each at least one resource, wherein the particular grid component comprises at least one of said at least one resource;

specifying, using a processor, the particular grid component to interpret a meaning of a particular aspect of at least one of a plurality of specifications within at least one search query distributed by at least one search service from among the at least one grid service;

responsive to receiving a free text string with a particular plurality of specifications for a particular search query from the at least one search service, interpreting, using the processor, by the particular component the meaning of the particular aspect of at least one specification within the particular plurality of specifications within the free text string; and

returning, using the processor, from the particular grid component the interpreted meaning to the search service to synthesize with other interpreted meanings for other aspects of the free text string returned to the search service by other grid components from among the plurality of grid components.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

specifying the particular grid component to interpret a meaning of a particular aspect of at least one of a plurality of specifications within at least one search query distributed by at least one search service from among the at least one grid service further comprises specifying the particular grid component to interpret the aspect of a price by detecting at least one indicator a particular price within at least one of a plurality of specifications and returning an interpreted meaning comprising a price range for the particular price.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein

specifying the particular grid component to interpret a meaning of a particular aspect of at least one of a plurality of specifications within at least one search query distributed by at least one search service from among the at least one grid service further comprises specifying the particular grid component to interpret the aspect of a clothing style by detecting at least one word indicating a particular clothing style and returning an interpreted meaning comprising a plurality of words describing the particular clothing style.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein

specifying the particular grid component to interpret a meaning of a particular aspect of at least one of a plurality of specifications within at least one search query distributed by at least one search service from among the at least one grid service further comprises specifying the particular grid component to interpret the aspect of a color by detecting at least one word indicating a particular color and returning an interpreted meaning comprising a color family for the particular color.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein interpreting by the particular component the meaning of the particular aspect of at least one specification within the particular plurality of specifications within the free text string further comprises receiving at the particular grid component the free text string of the particular search query comprising a plurality of specifications which are interpretable for a plurality of separate aspects, wherein one of the plurality of specifications is interpretable according to the particular aspect of the particular grid component.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the free text string of the particular search query comprises at least one specification comprising at least one symbol.

13. A computer program product, stored on a volatile or non-volatile computer readable medium, for handling a free text search query which when executed by a processor, comprises:

enabling a particular grid component within a grid environment, wherein the grid environment comprises a plurality of computing systems each comprising at least one resource communicatively connected over a network to share each said at least one resource through a plurality of web services implemented within a web services layer extended by an open grid services infrastructure atop a grid service layer comprising at least one grid service implemented within the open grid services architecture enabling interfacing with each at least one resource, wherein the particular grid component comprises at least one of said at least one resource;

specifying the particular grid component to interpret a meaning of a particular aspect of at least one of a plurality of specifications within at least one search query distributed by at least one search service from among the at least one grid service;

responsive to receiving a free text string with a particular plurality of specifications for a particular search query from the at least one search service, interpreting by the particular component the meaning of the particular aspect of at least one specification within the particular plurality of specifications within the free text string; and

returning from the particular grid component the interpreted meaning to the search service to synthesize with other interpreted meanings for other aspects of the free text string returned to the search service by other grid components from among the plurality of grid components.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein specifying the particular grid component to interpret a meaning of a particular aspect of at least one of a plurality of specifications within at least one search query distributed by at least one search service from among the at least one grid service further comprises specifying the particular grid component to interpret the aspect of a price by detecting at least one indicator a particular price within at least one of a plurality of specifications and returning an interpreted meaning comprising a price range for the particular price.

15. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein specifying the particular grid component to interpret a meaning of a particular aspect of at least one of a plurality of specifications within at least one search query distributed by at least one search service from among the at least one grid service further comprises specifying the particular grid component to interpret the aspect of a clothing style by detecting at least one word indicating a particular clothing style and returning an interpreted meaning comprising a plurality of words describing the particular clothing style.

16. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein specifying the particular grid component to interpret a meaning of a particular aspect of at least one of a plurality of specifications within at least one search query distributed by at least one search service from among the at least one grid service further comprises specifying the particular grid component to interpret the aspect of a color by detecting at least one word indicating a particular color and returning an interpreted meaning comprising a color family for the particular color.

17. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein interpreting by the particular component the meaning of the particular aspect of at least one specification within the particular plurality of specifications within the free text string further comprises receiving at the particular grid component the free text string of the particular search query comprising a plurality of specifications which are interpretable for a plurality of separate aspects, wherein one of the plurality of specifications is interpretable according to the particular aspect of the particular grid component.

18. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the free text string of the particular search query comprises at least one specification comprising at least one symbol.