# US 9,519,688 B2 · Collection and storage of a personalized, searchable, unstructured corpora

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- Number: US 9,519,688 B2
- Document ID: US9519688B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/517,811
- Filed: 2014-10-18
- Published: 2016-04-21
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-18
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Daniel M. Jamrog; Jason D. LaVoie; Nicholas W. Orrick; Kristin A. Witherspoon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9519688B2

## CPC

- G06F 16/24578: {using ranking}
- G06F 16/24575: {using context}
- G06F 16/248: Presentation of query results
- G06F 16/334: Query execution (filtering based on additional data G06F16/335)
- G06F 16/337: {Profile generation, learning or modification}
- G06F 16/338: Presentation of query results
- G06F 16/9535: Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
- G06F 16/9536: Search customisation based on social or collaborative filtering
- G06F 21/31: User authentication
- G06F 21/62: Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
- G06F 21/6227: {where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries}
- H04L 63/08: {for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32)}
- H04L 63/10: {for controlling access to devices or network resources}
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

An approach is provided for utilizing unstructured corpora in a Question and Answer (QA) system. A question is received at the QA system. A private corpora is generated with the private corpora being associated with the user. The private corpora is generated from private data stores associated with the user as well as private data stores associated with other users. Access to the other user's private data sources is provided to the user by the other users. The system retrieves data responsive to the question from the private corpora. The responsive data is ranked based on its relevance to the question. Likely answers are identified based on the ranked responsive data and the likely answers are provided back to the user.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An information handling system that serves as a question and answering (QA) system, the system comprising:
one or more processors;
a memory coupled to at least one of the processors;
a network adapter that connects the information handling system to a computer network; and
a set of instructions stored in the memory and executed by at least one of the processors to utilize unstructured corpora, wherein the set of instructions perform actions of:
receiving, from a first user, a question at a question answering (QA) system; identifying a set of one or more second users that are subjects of the question;
generating a private corpora associated with the first user, wherein the private corpora is generated from a first set of one or more private data stores associated with a first user and a second set of one or more private data stores associated with the set of one or more second users, wherein access to the second set of private data stores is provided to the first user by the set of second users;
retrieving responsive data to the question from the private corpora, wherein the responsive data is ranked based on a relevance to the question;
identifying one or more likely answers based on the ranked responsive data; and
providing the one or more likely answers to the first user.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the actions further comprise:
prior to receiving the question:
receiving a set of access credentials from the first user and the set of second users, wherein the access credentials are used to access the first and second sets of private stores; and
utilizing the set of access credentials to access the first and second sets of private data stores during the generation of the private corpora.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the actions further comprise:
receiving one or more access restrictions from a selected one of the set of second users, wherein the access restrictions prevent the first user from accessing one or more types of data from the selected second user's private data stores.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the actions further comprise:
creating a security profile associated with a selected one of the set of the second users, wherein the security profile restricts access by the first user to one or more types of data from the selected second user's private data sources; and
inhibiting inclusion in the responsive data of the one or more types of data from the selected second user's private data sources.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The information handling system of claim 4 wherein the actions further comprise:
determining that the question is unanswerable due to the security profile restricting access to the type of data required by the question; and
informing the first user that the question is unanswerable due to the security profile.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The information handling system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second sets of private data stores is selected from the group consisting of a social media data store, a calendar data store, an email data store, and an instant message data store.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the actions further comprise:
retrieving the responsive data to the question from the private corpora and a public corpora.

### Claim 8

A computer program product stored in a computer readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions that, when executed by an information handling system, causes the information handling system to utilize unstructured corpora by performing actions comprising:
receiving, from a first user, a question at a question answering (QA) system; identifying a set of one or more second users that are subjects of the question;
generating a private corpora associated with the first user, wherein the private corpora is generated from a first set of one or more private data stores associated with a first user and a second set of one or more private data stores associated with the set of one or more second users, wherein access to the second set of private data stores is provided to the first user by the set of second users;
retrieving responsive data to the question from the private corpora, wherein the responsive data is ranked based on a relevance to the question;
identifying one or more likely answers based on the ranked responsive data; and
providing the one or more likely answers to the first user.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the actions further comprise:
prior to receiving the question:
receiving a set of access credentials from the first user and the set of second users, wherein the access credentials are used to access the first and second sets of private stores; and
utilizing the set of access credentials to access the first and second sets of private data stores during the generation of the private corpora.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the actions further comprise:
receiving one or more access restrictions from a selected one of the set of second users, wherein the access restrictions prevent the first user from accessing one or more types of data from the selected second user's private data stores.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the actions further comprise:
creating a security profile associated with a selected one of the set of the second users, wherein the security profile restricts access by the first user to one or more types of data from the selected second user's private data sources; and
inhibiting inclusion in the responsive data of the one or more types of data from the selected second user's private data sources.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the actions further comprise:
determining that the question is unanswerable due to the security profile restricting access to the type of data required by the question; and
informing the first user that the question is unanswerable due to the security profile.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The computer program product of claim 8 wherein at least one of the first and second sets of private data stores is selected from the group consisting of a social media data store, a calendar data store, an email data store, and an instant message data store.