Method and system for using natural language to generate widgets

A system comprising one or more computing devices configured to:

• prompt, via an NL query interface, a first user to submit a natural language (NL) query;
• receive the NL query via the NL query interface, the NL query having first query parameters;
• generate a user interface application according to the NL query, wherein the user interface application is operable separately from the NL query interface and is configured to
• prompt the first user or a second user to provide second query parameters via the generated user interface application, the second query parameters specifying a second query related to the NL query, and the second query parameters different than the first query parameters,
• receive the second query parameters via the generated user interface application,
• generate a computer-generated query based on the NL query and the received second query parameters,
• provide the computer-generated query to an NL query answering system,
• receive answer information from the NL query answering system in response to the computer-generated query, and
• cause a display device to display a portion of the answer information.

A method for retrieving answer information from a natural language (NL) query answering system, the method comprising:

• prompting, in a user interface application generated according to an NL query having first query parameters, using one or more computing devices, a user to provide second query parameters regarding a second query, the second query related to the NL query, and the second query parameters different than the first query parameters;
• determining one or more respective values of one or more variables using the received second query parameters;
• and
• generating a computer-generated query that is based on the NL query, wherein the computer-generated query is generated to include the one or more respective values of the one or more variables;
• providing the computer-generated query to the NL query answering system;
• receiving, from the NL query answering system, answer information responsive to the computer-generated query;
• and
• causing a display device to display the answer information.

A system for retrieving answer information from a natural language (NL) query answering system, the system comprising one or more computing devices configured to:

• prompt a user to provide, via a user interface application generated according to an NL query having first query parameters, second query parameters regarding a second query, the second query related to the NL query, and the second query parameters different than the first query parameters;
• determine one or more respective values of one or more variables using the received second query parameters;
• generate a computer-generated query that is based on the NL query, wherein the computer-generated query is generated to include the one or more respective values of the one or more variables;
• provide the computer-generated query to the NL query answering system;
• receive, from the NL query answering system, answer information responsive to the computer-generated query;
• and
• cause the answer information to be displayed on a display device.

A computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

• prompt, in an NL query interface, using one or more computing devices, a first user to submit a natural language (NL) query;
• receive the NL query via the NL query interface, the NL query having first query parameters;
• generate, using one or more computing devices, a user interface application according to the NL query, wherein the user interface application is operable separately from the NL query interface and is configured to:
• prompt the first user or a second user to provide second query parameters via the generated user interface application, the second query parameters specifying a second query related to the NL query, and the second query parameters different than the first query parameters,
• receive the second query parameters via the generated user interface application,
• generate a computer-generated query based on the NL query and the received second query parameters,
• provide the computer-generated query to an NL query answering system,
• receive answer information from the NL query answering system in response to the computer-generated query, and
• cause a display device to display a portion of the answer information.

A computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

• prompt, in a user interface application generated according to an NL query having first query parameters, using one or more computing devices, a user to provide second query parameters regarding a second query, the second query related to the NL query, and the second query parameters different than the first query parameters;
• determine one or more respective values of one or more variables using the received second query parameters;
• and
• generate a computer-generated query that is based on the NL query, wherein the computer-generated query is generated to include the one or more respective values of the one or more variables;
• provide the computer-generated query to a NL query answering system;
• receive, from the NL query answering system, answer information responsive to the computer-generated query;
• and
• cause a display device to display the answer information.