Attribute scoring for unstructured content

A computer implemented method for scoring of an attribute exhibited in a corpus of unstructured documents, the method comprising:

• storing a plurality of scoring models, each of the scoring models associated with a different method of combining subdocument scores for a document;
• for each of a plurality of information needs, associating the information need with one of the scoring models for determining a document attribute score from the subdocument attribute scores of the subdocuments of the document, wherein the information needs comprise:
• determining an average degree to which the attribute is present in the document;
• determining a maximum degree to which the attribute is present in the document;
• determining a total degree to which the attribute is present in the document;
• and
• determining an amount of change in the attribute in the subdocuments of the document over a period of time;
• decomposing each unstructured document into subdocuments;
• determining an attribute score for each subdocument in the corpus corresponding to the level the subdocument exhibits a feature associated with the attribute;
• and
• combining subdocument attribute scores for each document to produce a document attribute score, wherein combining subdocument attribute scores for each document to produce a document attribute score, further comprising:
• determining a current information need with respect to the attribute;
• and
• for each document, applying the scoring model associated with the current information need to the subdocument attribute scores of the document to determine the document attribute score.

A computer readable medium containing computer readable instructions executable by a processor for scoring of an attribute exhibited in a corpus of unstructured documents, the computer readable instructions comprising:

• a training component for determining weights of features are associated with the attribute;
• an attribute scoring component for determining attribute scores by:
• decomposing each unstructured document into subdocuments;
• determining an attribute score for each subdocument in said corpus in response to the weights of features associated with the attribute and present in the subdocument;
• and
• a document scoring component for combining the subdocument attribute scores for each document to produce a document attribute score, the document scoring component including for each of a plurality of information needs, a scoring model for determining the document attribute score from the subdocument attribute scores of the subdocuments of the document, wherein the information needs comprise:
• determining an average degree to which the attribute is present in the document;
• determining a maximum degree to which the attribute is present in the document;
• determining a total degree to which the attribute is present in the document;
• and
• determining an amount of change in the attribute in the subdocuments of the document over a period of time.

A computer implemented method for scoring a document with respect to an attribute, the method comprising:

• identifying a plurality of subdocuments which comprise the document;
• for each subdocument, determining a subdocument score as a function of features of the subdocument that match features associated with the attribute, to produce a plurality of subdocument scores for the document;
• providing a plurality of scoring models, wherein each scoring model is associated with a different method of combining the subdocument scores and wherein each scoring model is associated with an information need, the scoring models comprising:
• a first scoring model for determining an average degree to which the attribute is present in the document;
• a second scoring model for determining a maximum degree to which the attribute is present in the document;
• a third scoring model for determining a total degree to which the attribute is present in the document;
• and
• a fourth scoring model for determining an amount of change in the attribute in the subdocuments of the document over a period of time;
• selecting one of the scoring models by determining a current information need, and selecting the scoring model associated with the current information need;
• and
• determining a document score for the document using by applying the selected scoring model to the subdocument scores of the subdocuments.

A computer implemented method for scoring a document with respect to an attribute, the method comprising:

• identifying a plurality of subdocuments which comprise the document;
• for each subdocument, determining a subdocument score as a function of features of the subdocument that match features associated with the attribute, to produce a plurality of subdocument scores for the document;
• providing a plurality of scoring models, wherein each scoring model is associated with a different method of combining the subdocument scores and wherein each scoring model is associated with an information need, the scoring models comprising:
• a first scoring model for determining an average degree to which the attribute is present in the document;
• a second scoring model for determining a maximum degree to which the attribute is present in the document;
• a third scoring model for determining a total degree to which the attribute is present in the document;
• and
• a fourth scoring model for determining an amount of change in the attribute in the subdocuments of the document over a period of time;
• selecting one of the scoring models;
• and
• determining a document score for the document using by applying the selected scoring model to the subdocument scores of the subdocuments.