US 6,701,294 B1Granted

User interface for translating natural language inquiries into database queries and data presentations

AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.

InventorsThomas J. Ball, Kenneth Charles Cox, Rebecca Elizabeth Grinter, Stacie Lynn Hibino, Lalita Jategaonkar Jagadeesan, David Alejandro Mantilla

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Abstract

A natural language-based interface data presentation system interfaces, for example, information visualization system interfaces, is realized by employing so-called open-ended natural language inquiries to the interface that translates them into database queries and a set of information to be provided to a user. More specifically, a natural language inquiry is translated to database queries by determining if any complete database queries can be formulated based on the natural language inquiry and, if so, specifying which complete database queries are to be made. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, knowledge of the information visualization presentation is advantageously employed in the interface to guide a user in response to the user's natural language inquiries. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, knowledge of the database and knowledge of the information visualization presentation are advantageously employed in the interface to guide a user in response to the user's natural language inquiries. In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, knowledge of the database, knowledge of the information visualization presentation and context information about the query dialogue are advantageously employed in the interface to guide a user in response to the user's natural language inquiries. In one or more first prescribed embodiments of the invention, the set of data presentation information can be in audio, visual, or both audio-visual form. In one or more other prescribed embodiments of the invention, the inquiry and data presentation information delivery process can be interactive between the user and the interface. In one or more still other prescribed embodiments of the invention, one or more modes of user-interface interaction can be utilized. These modes of interaction can include text, speech, point and click, or the like.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method for use in a user interface, together with a set of associated databases in which data may be represented as data tables with fields representing different classes of data, comprising the steps of:

receiving a natural language user inquiry;
translating said natural language inquiry to one or more database queries to be made, said step of translating including
using knowledge of semantics of fields of one or more prescribed databases of said set of associated databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about a relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases to determine whether a set of complete database queries can be formulated and,
if so, using knowledge of the semantics of the fields of the database, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases to specify one or more database queries to be made;
evaluating results of said translating and knowledge of the semantics of the fields of the database, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases to determine if at least one prescribed database query has resulted;
if so, querying said one or more prescribed databases;
in response to results including retrieved data of said prescribed database query, employing knowledge about the semantics of the retrieved data, knowledge of the semantics of the fields of the database populated by the retrieved data, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more databases to formulate information to be supplied to said user;
and
supplying said formulated information to be presented to said user, said step of supplying includes
in response to the query, employing knowledge of semantics of the retrieved data, knowledge of the semantics of the fields populated by the retrieved data, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases to determine one or more presentation formats and
presenting said formulated information to the user in said determined one or more presentation formats using one or more presentation modes.

8 more elements

Apparatus for use in a user interface, together with a set of associated databases in which data may be represented as data tables with fields representing different classes of data, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a natural language user inquiry;
a first translator unit for translating said natural language inquiry to one or more database queries to be made, said first translator includes
a first apparatus using knowledge of semantics of fields of one or more prescribed databases of said set of associated databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about a relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of one or more prescribed databases and being adapted to determine whether a set of complete database queries can be formulated and
a specifier unit, using knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, and being responsive to an indication from said first apparatus that a set of complete database inquiries can be formulated, for specifying one or more database queries to be made;
an evaluator unit for evaluating results of said translating and knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases to determine if at least one prescribed database query has resulted;
an interrogator unit for querying said one or more prescribed databases;
a formulator unit, responsive to results including retrieved data of said prescribed database query from said one or more prescribed databases, employing knowledge of the semantics of the retrieved data, knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases populated by the retrieved data, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases for formulating information to be supplied to said user;
and
a supplier unit to supply said formulated information to be presented to said user, said supplier includes
a second apparatus, responsive to the query and employing knowledge of semantics of the retrieved data, knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases populated by the retrieved data, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases to determine one or more presentation formats and
a presenter unit adapted to present said formulated information to the user in said determined one or more presentation formats using one or more presentation modes.

8 more elements

Apparatus for use in a user interface, together with a set of associated databases in which data may be represented as data tables with fields representing different classes of data, comprising:

means for receiving a natural language user inquiry;
first means for translating said natural language inquiry to one or more database queries to be made, said first means for translating includes
means, supplied with and using knowledge of semantics of fields of one or more prescribed databases of said set of associated databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about a relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, and being adapted for determining whether a set of complete database queries can be formulated and
means, supplied with and using knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, knowledge about information visualization technology and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, and being responsive to an indication that said set can be formulated, for specifying one or more database queries to be made;
means for evaluating results of said translating and knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases to determine if at least one prescribed database query has resulted;
means for querying said one or more prescribed databases;
means, responsive to results including retrieved data from said one or more prescribed databases of said prescribed database query, and employing knowledge of semantics of the retrieved data knowledge of the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases populated by the retrieved data, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, for formulating information to be supplied to said user;
and
means for supplying said formulated information to be presented to said user, said means for supplying includes
means, responsive to the query, and employing knowledge of the semantics of the retrieved data, knowledge of the semantics of the fields populated in said one or more prescribed databases by the retrieved data, knowledge about information visualization technology, and knowledge about the relationship of information visualization to the semantics of the fields of said one or more prescribed databases, for determining one or more presentation formats and
means for presenting said formulated information to the user in said determined one or more presentation formats using one or more presentation modes.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.