# US 2019/0318014 A1 · Facilitating identification of an intended country associated with a query

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- Number: US 2019/0318014 A1
- Document ID: US20190318014A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/953,118
- Filed: 2018-04-13
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-13
- Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
- Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
- Inventors: Kumarswamy VALEGEREPURA; Minghui LIU
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190318014A1

## CPC

- G06F 16/9537: Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
- G06F 16/2246: {Trees, e.g. B+trees}
- G06F 16/29: Geographical information databases
- G06F 16/90324: {using system suggestions}
- G06F 16/9038: Presentation of query results
- G06N 5/022: Knowledge engineering; Knowledge acquisition
- G06N 7/01: Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
- G06N 20/00: Machine learning
- G06N 20/20: Ensemble learning
- G06N 3/006: based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
- G06N 5/01: Dynamic search techniques; Heuristics; Dynamic trees; Branch-and-bound
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS

## Abstract

Aspects of the technology described herein are directed towards, among other things, identifying a country(s) likely intended in association with a query. In embodiments, a query is analyzed to identify a set of place entities that each indicate a specific location and a set of location labels that each indicate an aspect of a location. Additionally, map view data is analyzed to identify a set of location candidates that each indicate a country presented within a map view. The map view data indicates at least a portion of a boundary of the map view. Thereafter, a machine learned model is used to identify a set of countries likely to be intended in association with the query based on the set of place entities, the set of location labels, and the set of location candidates. The set of countries can be provided for use in identifying information related to the query.

## Claims

### Claim 1

One or more computer storage media that, when executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform a method for determining countries associated with queries, the method comprising:
analyzing a query to identify a set of place entities that each indicate a specific location and a set of location labels that each indicate an aspect of a location;
analyzing map view data to identify a set of location candidates that each indicate a country presented within a map view, the map view data indicating at least a portion of a boundary of the map view;
using a machine learned model to identify a set of countries likely intended in association with the query based on the set of place entities, the set of location labels, and the set of location candidates; and
providing the set of countries for use in identifying information related to the query.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving the query from a user device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The media of claim 1, wherein identifying the set of place entities from the query comprises scanning the query for a token that matches an entity token in an index.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The media of claim 1, wherein identifying the set of location labels from the query comprises using conditional random fields to determine a probability that one or more tokens from the query corresponds with a pattern.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises identifying a user location and applying the user location to the machine learned model to identify the set of countries likely intended in association with the query.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The media of claim 1, wherein the map view data indicates coordinates that correspond with a plurality or corners of the map view.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The media of claim 1, wherein analyzing map view data comprises comparing the map view data to an index of country polygons to identify the set of location candidates that each indicate the country presented within the map view.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The media of claim 7, wherein the index of country polygons comprises an R-tree structure.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises normalizing the set of place entities, the set of location candidates, and the set of location labels to generate a set of features for applying to the machine learned model to identify the set of countries likely intended in association with the query.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The media of claim 1, wherein utilizing the set of countries to identify information related to the query comprises executing a call to each geocoder associated with the set of countries.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The media of claim 1, wherein utilizing the set of countries to identify information related to the query comprises providing candidate query rewrite suggestions for the set of countries.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The media of claim 1, wherein the set of countries likely intended in association with the query exceed a threshold of likelihood of being intended or exceed a similarity threshold of being intended.

### Claim 13

A method for determining countries associated with queries, the method comprising:
analyzing a query to identify a set of place entities that each indicate a specific location and a set of location labels that each indicate an aspect of a location;
analyzing map view data to identify a set of location candidates that each indicate a country presented within a map view, the map view data indicating at least a portion of a boundary of the map view;
identifying a user location;
converting the set of place entities, the set of location labels, the set of location candidates, and the user location to a set of features;
applying the set of features to a machine learned model to identify a one or more countries likely intended in association with the query; and
providing the one or more countries for use in identifying information related to the query.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein identifying the set of place entities from the query comprises scanning the query for a token that matches an entity token in an index.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein identifying the set of location labels from the query comprises using conditional random fields to determine a probability that one or more tokens from the query corresponds with a pattern.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein analyzing map view data comprises comparing the map view data to an index of country polygons to identify the set of location candidates that each indicate the country presented within the map view, the index of country polygons comprising an R-tree structure.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the set of features are a normalized set of features.

### Claim 18

One or more computer storage media that, when executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform a method determining countries associated with queries, the method comprising:
analyzing a query to identify a set of place entities that each indicate a specific location and a set of location labels that each indicate an aspect of a location;
analyzing map view data to identify a set of location candidates that each indicate a country presented within a map view, the map view data indicating at least a portion of a boundary of the map view;
using a machine learned model to identify a set of countries likely intended in association with the query based on the set of place entities, the set of location labels, and the set of location candidates; and
providing for presentation a set of query suggestions related to the set of countries likely intended in association with the query.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The media of claim 18, wherein the set of query suggestions relate to countries in the set of countries having an intended likelihood that exceeds a threshold.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The media of claim 18, wherein the set of query suggestions are presented via a graphical user interface within a search results page or via a virtual assistant in an audio format.