US 9,317,589 B2 · Semantic search by means of word sense disambiguation using a lexicon

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for analyzing a “context window” of a search query to determine a semantic meaning of a search word and to filter search results based upon the semantic meaning. Generally, a lexicon may be used to store forms, meanings, and usages of words and phrases. When a user specifies a query, a semantic analyzer obtains all of the word senses for a search word. The semantic analyzer applies lexical analysis techniques to the search word and context window to obtain a total score for each word sense and selects the word sense with the highest total score. After query results such as documents containing the search words are obtained, the semantic analyzer applies lexical analysis techniques to filter the results so that only documents which use the search terms, according to the selected word sense are returned.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method of filtering search results returned for a search query, wherein the search results include one or more documents, the method comprising:

identifying at least a first search term included in the search query;
determining, by operation of one or more computer processors, a plurality of word usage senses associated with the first search term;
selecting a first word usage sense from the plurality of word usage senses associated with the first search term for use in filtering the search results;
filtering the search results to include only documents in which the first search term is used in a word usage sense matching the selected first word usage sense, wherein at least one document in which the first search term is used in a different word usage sense is filtered out of the search results;
and
returning the set of filtered search results as the search results for the search query.

3 more elements

A computer readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation for filtering search results returned for a search query based upon a word usage sense, wherein the search results include one or more documents, the operation comprising:

identifying at least a first search term included in the search query;
determining a plurality of word usage senses associated with the first search term;
selecting a first word usage sense from the plurality of word usage senses associated with the first search term for use in filtering the search results;
filtering the search results to include only documents in which the first search term is used in a word usage sense matching the selected first word usage sense, wherein at least one document in which the first search term is used in a different word usage sense is filtered out of the search results;
and
returning the set of filtered search results as the results for the search query.

3 more elements

A system, comprising:

a processor;
and
a memory containing a program, which, when executed by the processor is configured to perform an operation for filtering search results returned for a search query based upon a word usage sense, wherein the search results include one or more documents, the operation comprising:
identifying at least a first search term included in the search query;
determining a plurality of word usage senses associated with the first search term;
selecting a first word usage sense from the plurality of word usage senses associated with the first search term for use in filtering the search results;
filtering the search results to include only documents in which the first search term is used in a word usage sense matching the selected first word usage sense, wherein at least one document in which the first search term is used in a different word usage sense is filtered out of the search results;
and
returning the set of filtered search results as the results for the search query.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Semantic search by means of word sense disambiguation using a lexicon

Life of this patent

Semantic search by means of word sense disambiguation using a lexicon

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25