PROCEDE ET SYSTEME SERVANT A GENERER UNE MISE EN CORRESPONDANCE ENTRE UNE QUESTION ET UN CONTENU RENFERMANT UNE REPONSE PERTINENTE

METHOD AND SYSTEM TO GENERATE MAPPING AMONG A QUESTION AND CONTENT WITH RELEVANT ANSWER

Abrégé français

Il est décrit une méthode et un système visant à générer une cartographie en lien avec une question normalisée et un contenu comprenant une réponse. La méthode comprend les étapes de réception du contenu fourni par un auteur de contenu, danalyse du contenu reçu, de production de suggestions de questions normalisées et denvoi desdites questions à lauteur de contenu (à des fins dapprobation), détablissement du nombre de questions normalisées approuvées auxquelles le contenu reçu répond (dans le but de générer une cartographie entre les questions normalisées approuvées et le contenu en question, si le nombre de questions normalisées approuvées dépasse une question ou damorcer un processus dapprobation visant à générer une nouvelle question normalisée en lien avec le contenu, si le nombre de questions approuvées est de zéro.

Abrégé anglais

A method and system for generating mapping among a standard question and a
content containing
an answer is provided. The method comprising the steps of: receiving content
from an author of the
content, analyzing the received content, producing suggestions for standard
questions and
transmitting the suggested standard questions to the author of the content
producer for approval,
determining a number of approved standard questions for which the said
received content provides
answer for generating mapping between the said at least one approved standard
question and the
said content if the number of approved standard questions is more than one, or
initiating an
approval process for generating a new standard question related to the content
if the number of
approved questions is zero.

Revendications

Listing of Claims :
1. A mapping system, the mapping system comprising:
one or more processors coupled to a memory;
the memory further comprising computer-readable instructions that, when
executed by the
one or more processors coupled to the memoiy, cause the mapping system to:
a. analyze an electronic content contained in the memory and identifying, by
the one
or more processors coupled to the memory, one or more relevant keywords and
one or more
relevant phrases from the analyzed electronic content;
1 0 b. determine, by the one or more processors coupled to the memory,
one or more
uniquely identified Question IDs by cross-referencing a plurality of standard
questions
contained in the memory and the identified one or more relevant keywords and
the identified
one or more relevant phrases wherein a standard question in the plurality of
standard
questions comprising:
a uniquely identified Question ID,
one or more question full expressions associated with the uniquely identified
Question ID;
c. retrieve an approval indication from the memory, by the one or more
processors
coupled to the memory, wherein the approval indication indicates approval or
disapproval
for the determined one or rnore uniquely identified Questions IDs;
d. evaluate, by the one or more processors coupled to the memory, a first
condition
and a second condition based on the retrieved approval indication indicating
disapproval or
approval for the determined one or rnore uniquely identified Questions IDs;
e. when the first condition is satisfied:
generate in the memory, by the one or more processors coupled to the
memory, a proposal for at least one new standard question by using the
identified
one or more relevant keywords and the identified one or more relevant phrases;
retrieve from the rnemory, by the one or more processors coupled to the
memory, an approval indicator for the at least one generated proposed new
standard question or a replacement for the at least one generated proposed new
standard question;
add to the memory, by the one or more processors coupled to the memory, the
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at least one generated proposed new standard question or the replacement for
the at
least one generated proposed new standard question for approval;
retrieve from the mernory, by the one or more processors coupled to the
memory, a first approval status of the generated at least one proposed new
standard
question contained in the memory or a second approval status of the
replacement for
the generated at least one proposed new standard question contained in the
memory;
add, by the one or more processors coupled to the memory, in the plurality of
standard questions contained in the memory, at least one new standard question
when
the first approval status for the generated proposed at least one new standard
question
or the second approval status for the replacement for the generated proposed
at least
one new standard question indicates approval;
f. when the second condition is satisfied, generate in the memory, by the one
or
more processors coupled to the memory, a mapping between the electronic
content and the
determined one or more uniquely identified Question IDs.
2. The mapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the memory thrther
contains a
set of keywords associated with the uniquely identified Question ID.
3. The mapping system according to Claim 2, wherein the memory further
contains
one or more importance indicators associated with the set of keywords.
4. The mapping system according to Clairn 1, wherein the memory further
contains a
set of phrases associated with the uniquely identified Question ID.
5. The mapping system according to Claim 4, wherein the memory further
contains
one or more importance indicators associated with the set of phrases.
6. The mapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the memory further
contains a
set of keywords associated with the one or more question full expressions.
7. The mapping system according to Claim 6, wherein the rnemory further
contains
one or more importance indicators associated with the set of keywords.
8. The mapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the memory further
contains a
set of phrases associated with the one or more question full expressions.
9. The mapping system according to Claim 8, wherein the rnemory further
contains
one or more importance indicators associated with the set of phrases.
10. The mapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the memory further
contains
one or more parts of the question full expressions associated with the one or
more question full
expressions.
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11. The mapping system according to Claim 10, wherein the memory further
contains
one or more importance indicators associated with the one or more parts of the
question full
expressions.
12. The mapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the mernory further
contains
one or more domains associated with the standard question.
13. The mapping system according to Claim 12, wherein the memory further
contains
one or more parent child relationship information among members of the one or
more domains
associated with the standard question.
14. The rnapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the memory further
contains
one or more matching rules which match and rank the one or more standard
questions contained in
the memory with a question received.
15. The mapping system according to Claim 1; wherein the memory further
contains
one or more metadata associated with the standard question.
16. The mapping system according to Claim 1, further comprising a network
interface.
17. The mapping system according to Claim 16, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to receive in the memory, the electronic
content, through the
network interface.
18. The mapping system according to Claim 16, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to receive in the memory, the approval
indication indicating
approval or disapproval for the determined one or more uniquely identified
Questions IDs through
the network interface.
19. The rnapping system according to Clairn 16, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to receive in the memory, the first approval
status for the
generated proposed at least one new standard question through the network
interface.
20. The rnapping system according to Claim 16, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to set in the memory the second approval
status indicating
approval or disapproval to replacement for the generated proposed new standard
question through
the network interface.
21. The mapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
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mernory, cause the mapping system to receive in the membly, the plurality of
standard questions
from a database.
22. The mapping system according to Claim 21, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to process queries related to the plurality
of standard questions
stored in the database.
23. The mapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to receive in the memory, the plurality of
standard questions
frorri one or rnore operating system level files.
24. The mapping system accoreing to Claim 23, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to process queries related to the plurality
of standard questions
stored in the one or more operating system level files.
25. The mapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to determine one or more exact locations of
one or more
answers related to the determined one or more uniquely identified Question IDs
by analyzing the
electronic content contained in the memory.
26. The mapping system according to Claim 25, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to associate the one or more exact locations
of the one or more
answers to the mapping contained in the memory.
27. The mapping systern according to Claim 25, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to associate a URL associated with the
electronic content to the
mapping contained in the memory.
28. The mapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to control access to the plurality of
standard questions
contained in the memory.
29. The mapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
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memory, cause the mapping system to:
receive in the memory, by the one or more processors coupled to the memory,
one or more
search system identifiers;
determine, by the one or more processors coupled to the metnory, one or more
network
locations associated with the one or more search system identifiers;
electronically transfer, by the one or more processors coupled to the memory,
the generated
mappings frorn the memory to the determined one or more network locations.
30. The mapping system according to Claim 1 wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to record usage of the plurality of standard
questions contained
in the memory.
31. The mapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to perform life cycle management of the
plurality of standard
questions contained in the memory.
32. The mapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by thq one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to manage cost of using the plurality of
standard questions
contained in the memory.
33. The mapping system according to Claim 16, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to manage a plurality of external interfaces
to communicate
with one or more external clients through the network interface.
34. The mapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to receive search requests for the standard
questions through a
graphical user interface.
35. The mapping system according to Claim 1, wherein the memory further
comprising
computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more
processors coupled to the
memory, cause the mapping system to:
retrieve from the memory, by the one or more processors coupled to the memory,
an
indication of the electronic content modification;
generate a modified version of the electronic content in the memory, by the
one or more
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processors coupled to the memory, which includes:
the uniquely identified Question ID related to the electronic content,
the one or more locations of one or more answers to the one or more uniquely
identified Question ID within the electronic content.
36. A computer-implemented mapping method executed on a computing device
comprising of one or more processors coupled to a memory, the computer-
implemented mapping
method comprising steps of:
a. analyzing an electronic content contained in the memory and identifying, by
the
one or more processors coupled to the memory, one or more relevant keywords
and one or more
relevant phrases from the analyzed electronic content;
b. determining, by the one or more processors coupled to the memory, one or
more
uniquely identified Question IDs by cross-referencing a plurality of standard
questions
contained in the memory and the identified one or more relevant keywords and
the identified
one or more relevant phrases wherein a standard question in the plurality of
standard
questions comprising:
a uniquely identified Question ID,
one or more question full expressions associated with the uniquely identified
Question ID;
c. retrieving an approval indication from the memory, by the one or more
processors
coupled to the memory, wherein the approval indication indicates approval or
disapproval
for the determined one or more uniquely identified Questions IDs;
d. evaluating, by the one or more processors coupled to the rnemory, a first
condition
and a second condition based on the retrieved approval indication indicating
disapproval or
approval for the determined one or more uniquely -identified Questions IDs;
e. when the first condition is satisfied:
generating in the memory, by the one or more processors coupled to the
memory, a proposal for at least one new standard question by using the
identified
one or more relevant keywords and the identified one or more relevant phrases;
retrieving from the memory, by the one or more processors coupled to the
memory, an approval indicator for the at least one generated proposed new
standard question or a replacement for the at least one generated proposed new

standard question;
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adding to the memory, by the one or more processors coupled to the memory,
the at least one generated proposed new standard question or the replacement
for the
at least one generated proposed new standard question for approval;
retrieving from the memory, by the one or more processors coupled to the
memory, a first approval status of the generated at least one proposed new
standard
question contained in the memory or a second approval status of the
replacement for
the generated at least one proposed new standard question contained in the
memory;
adding, by the one or more processors coupled to the memory, in the
plurality of standard questions contained in the memory, at least one new
standard
question when the first approval status for the generated proposed at least
one new
standard question or the second approval status for the replacement for the
generated
proposed at least one new standard question indicates approval;
f. when the second condition is satisfied, generating in the memory, by the
one or
more processors coupled to the memory, a mapping between the electronic
content and the
determined one or more uniquely identified Question IDs.
37. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 36, wherein
the
memory further contains a set of keywords associated with the uniquely
identified Question ID.
38. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 37, wherein
the
memory further contains one or more importance indicators associated with the
set of keywords.
39. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 36, wherein
the
memory further contains a set of phrases associated with the uniquely
identified Question ID.
40. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 39, wherein
the
memory firrther contains one or more importance indicatois associated with the
set of phrases.
41. The computer-implemented mapping rnethod according to Claim 36, wherein
the
memory further contains a set of keywords associated with the one or more
question full
expressions.
42. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 41, wherein
the
memory further contains one or more importance indicators associated with the
set of keywords.
43. The computer-implemented mapping rnethod according to Claim 36, wherein
the
memory further contains a set of phrases associated with the one or more
question full expressions.
44. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 43, wherein
the
memory further contains one or more importance indicators associated with the
set of phrases.
45. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 36, wherein
the
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memory further contains one or more parts of the question full expressions
associated with the one
or more question full expressions.
46. The computer-implemented rnapping method according to Claim 45, wherein
the
memory further contains one or more importance indicators associated with the
one or more parts of
the question full expressions.
47. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 36, wherein
the
memory further contains one or more domains associated with the standard
question.
48. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 47, wherein
the
memory further contains one or more parent child relationship information
arnong members of the
.. one or more domains associated with the standard question.
49. The computer-irnplemented mapping method according to Claim 36, wherein
the
rnernory further contains one or more matching rules which match and rank the
one or more
standard questions contained in the memory with a question received.
50. The computer-implemented !napping method according to Claim 36, wherein
the
.. memory further contains one or inore metadata associated with the standard
question.
51. The computer-implemented !napping method according to Claim 36, further

comprising a network interface.
52. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 51, further
comprising the step of receiving in the memory, the electronic content,
through the network
interface.
53. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 51, further
comprising the step of receiving in the memory, the approval indication
indicating approval or
disapproval for the determined one or more uniquely identified Questions IDs
through the network
interface.
54. The computer-implemented rnapping method according to Claim 51, further
comprising the step of receiving in the memory, the first approval status for
the generated proposed
at least one new standard question through the network interface.
55. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 51, further
comprising the step of receiving in the memory the second approval status
indicating approval or
disapproval to replacement for the generated proposed new standard question
through the network
interface.
56. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 36, further
comprising step of receiving in the memory, the plurality of standard
questions from a database.
57. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 56, further
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comprising of processing queries related to the plurality of standard
questions stored in the
database.
58. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Clahn 36, further
comprising the step of receiving in the memory, the plurality of standard
questions from one or
more operating system level files.
59. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 58, further
comprising the step of processing queries related to the plurality of standard
questions stored in the
one or more operating system level files.
60. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 36, further
comprising step of determining one or more exact locations of one or more
answers related to the
determined one or more uniquely identified Question IDs by analyzing the
electronic content
contained in the memory.
61. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 60, further
comprising step of associating the one or more exact locations of the one or
more answers to the
mapping contained in the memory.
62. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 60, further
comprising step of associating a URL associated with the electronic content to
the mapping
contained in the memory.
63. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 36, further
comprising the step of controlling access to the plurality of standard
questions contained in the
memory.
64. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 36, further
comprising steps of:
receiving in the memory, by the one or more processors coupled to the memory,
one or more
search system identifiers;
determining, by the one or more processors coupled to the memory, one or more
network
locations associated with the one or more search system identifiers;
electronically transferring, by the one or more processors coupled to the
memory, the
generated mappings from the memory to the determined one or more network
locations.
65. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 36, further
comprising the step of recording usage of the plurality of standard questions
contained in the
memory.
66. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 36, further
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comprising the step of performing life cycle management of the plurality of
standard questions
contained in the memory.
67. The computer-implemented mapping rnethod according to Claim 36, further

comprising the step of managing cost of using the plurality of standard
questions contained in the
memory.
68. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 52, further
comprising step of managing a plurality of external interfaces to cornmunicate
with one or more
external clients through the network interface.
69. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 36, further
comprising step of receiving search requests for the standard questions
through a graphical user
interface.
70. The computer-implemented mapping method according to Claim 36, further
comprising step of:
retrieving from the memory, by the one or more processors coupled to the
memory, an
indication of the electronic content modification;
generating a modified version of the electronic content in the memory, by the
one or rnore
= processors coupled to the memory, which includes:
the uniquely identified Question ID related to the electronic content,
the one or more locations of one or more answers to the one or more uniquely
identified Question ID within the electronic content.
71. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium with an
executable program
stored thereon, wherein the executable program is configured to instruct one
or more processors to
perform the mapping method of any of Claims 36 to 70.
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Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM TO GENERATE MAPPING AMONG A QUESTION AND
CONTENT WITH RELEVANT ANSWER
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a method and system to generate mapping among a
question and
content with relevant answer, and a machine readable medium containing
instructions to perform
such method.
BACKGROUND
Search system typically matches a user's question to contents available on the
network that
may contain answer to the user's question. A search system contain a
collection of standard
questions and a mapping from standard questions to contents with relevant
answers. Such search
system allows user select a standard question by suggesting standard
question(s) based on words
forming the submitted question. Mapping from standard questions to contents
with relevant answers
is produced by converting a standard question into relevant keywords, using
these relevant
keywords to search relevant contents available on the network, ranking the
found relevant contents
on the network and selecting the top ranked contents as contents with answers.
Containing the same
relevant keywords in content on the network and in the submitted question,
does not mean that the
content on the network always satisfies the need of a user. For instance, a
user selects a standard
question "How to make a birthday cake" to a search system. The search system
returns a reference
to the content with title "How to make a birthday cake" as the most relevant
page. However, the
content that this reference refers to, is a detailed introduction of 10 books
about baking cakes. After
going through significant number of contents, the user discovers a content
which details recipes of
delicious birthday cakes by a not well-known content producer. The content
producer wanted to
share his cake recipes for free for user connected to the network. This
content did not contain the
phrase "How to make a birthday cake" and word "recipes" in the page title or
in the content itself.
The search system did not rank this content as the top, although it contained
the most relevant
answer to the user's question. Thus, there is a need for a system and method
which generate a
mapping between a standard question and content containing the answers to
standard question in an
effective way.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method and system for generating mapping among a standard question and
content
includes; receiving content from a link received from the client of the
content producer, analyzing
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the received content, producing suggestions for standard questions and
transmitting to the client of
the content producer for approval, determining the number of standard
questions for which the said
received content provides answer for, generating mapping between the said at
least one standard
question and the said content if the number of approved questions is more than
one, initiating an
approval processing of generating a new standard question related to the
content if the number of
approved questions is zero.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings together with the description, serve to explain the
principles of
the invention.
FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually illustrating an exemplary search system which
prepares a
document with answers/search results responsive to a question/search query.
FIG. 2 is an exemplary flow chart illustrating operation of an exemplary
search system
which prepares a document with references to answers to user submitted
questions using mapping.
FIG. 3 is an exemplary flow chart illustrating operation of an exemplary
mapping system
500 which maps references to contents containing answers and a question
according to present
invention.
FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary computer system on which
the computer
instructions can be executed to implement the methods of the present
invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary client-server environments which shows mapping
server
according to present invention.
FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary data model for standard questions stored in
mapping
database/OS level files according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary mapping management module according to the
present
invention.
FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary code which is included in the header of the
content by using
metadata tags.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually illustrating an exemplary search system 100
which
prepares a document with answers/search results responsive to a
question/search query. The search
system 100 uses database/OS level files 101 for storing and retrieving
information. The search
system 100 consists of multiple modules 102 103 104 105 106. Question query
parsing module 102
parses the question/search query received from the client and transforms it
into a search query
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which can be executed to retrieve information from database/OS level files
101. Query execution
module 103 executes the search query and manages the result of the executed
search query.
Indexing module 104 indexes contents available on the network. Ranking module
105 ranks the
indexed contents. The ranking module 105 may use different algorithms to rank
the contents.
Presentation module 106 prepares a document containing the search result and
the advertisement
FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating operation of an exemplary search system
which prepares a
document with references to contents containing answers responsive to a
question. The operation
starts when the search system receives a question/search query from the client
(act 201). The search
system parses the question/search query into keyword(s)/phrase(s) (act 202).
The search system
searches the database/OS level files 101 for already defined standard
questions (act 203). In case, an
already defined standard question exists (act 204), the search system suggests
the standard question
for selection to the client (act 205). In case, the suggested standard
question is selected at the client,
the search system finds references to contents containing standard answers
using an index based
mapping from standard questions to contents with relevant answers mapping (act
206 act 207). In
case, the end user does not select the suggested standard question, the search
system finds relevant
references to the contents using relevant keywords and already defined indexes
(act 206 act 208).
The search system ranks the references to the contents (act 209). The search
system prepares a
document containing the ranked references to the contents (act 210) and sends
the prepared
document to the client (act 211).
FIG. 3 is an exemplary flow chart illustrating operation of an exemplary
mapping system
500 which maps references to contents containing answers and a question
according to present
invention. FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary mapping system 500 in details. The
mapping system 500
receives a reference such as a URL for content or it receives content itself
from the client (act 301).
The mapping system 500 analyzes the content (act 302) and produces list of
keyword(s)/phrase(s)
relevant to the content (act 303). Based on the list of keyword(s)/phrase(s),
the mapping system 500
produces standard question suggestion(s) (act 304). The mapping system 500
sends standard
question suggestion(s) to the client (act 305). In case, the mapping system
500 receives an approval
for standard question suggestion(s), the mapping system 500 generates mapping
between standard
question suggestion(s) and the reference to the content (act 306 and act 307).
This generated
mapping is transferred to the search system 100 506 and stored in the
database/OS level files of the
search system 101 (act 307). The mapping system 500 also generate code that
can be added to the
content and is used to identify the standard answer the content provides (act
308). In case, the
mapping system 500 generates proposal for a new standard question which is not
already a standard
question and sends it to the client for approval (act 306 and act 309). In
case, the mapping system
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500 receives an approval for proposed new question, the mapping system 500
stores the proposal
for new question for approval process (act 310 and act 311). In case, the
mapping system 500 does
not receive an approval for proposed new question, the mapping system 500
receives a proposal for
new question from the client (act 312). The proposal for new question from the
client is stored in
the database/OS level files of the mapping system 500 for approval process
(act 311). After
approval process is complete, the newly approved question is available as
question suggestion at act
304.
FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an example computer system 400 on which the
computer
instructions can be executed to implement the methods of the present
invention. Computing devices
such as laptop, desktop, server, cluster, virtual machine, mainframe, wireless
telephone, wired
telephone, a personal digital assistance are examples of such computer system
400. Processor 401
can be microprocessor, digital signal processor, a conventional processor,
micro-controller, virtual
machine or any logic that executes computer instructions. Memory 402 can be
any kind of memory
device such as read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM) and flash
memory.
Storage device 403 can be any medium which can be used as persistence storage.
For example, hard
drive, tape drive, optical disk drive and disk arrays. Input device 404 is
used to input external data
and can be any kind of device such as mouse, trackball, light pen, biometric
mechanism including
voice recognition. Output device 405 can be any kind of device used for data
output. For example,
cathode-ray-tube (CRT) monitor, plasma display, crystal display, projector,
printer and speaker.
Communication interface 406 can be a interface to any kind of network such as
internet, intranet,
local area network, wide area network, a telephone network such as Public
Switched Telephone
Network, or combination of different kinds of networks. Bus 407 is used to
communicate
information and commands between different sub systems 401 402 403 404 405
406. Bus 407 may
be implemented using any kind of data transfer technology such as USB, serial
connection, parallel
connection and circuit board connections. In some embodiments, the storage
device 403 may
connect to the example computer system 400 using communication interface 406.
FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary client-server environment which maps a
standard question to
contents containing answers according to present invention. The standard
questions are managed by
mapping system 500 which stores standard questions in the mapping database/OS
level files 501.
The mapping system 500 contains mapping management module 502 and mapping
query
processing module 503 to process information stored in the mapping database/OS
level files 501.
The mapping management module 502 manages the data in the mapping database/OS
level files
501. The mapping query processing module 503 processes queries related to the
standard
questions stored in the database or OS level files. The
mapping management module 502 and
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the mapping query processing module 503 implements the flow chart in FIG. 3.
The mapping
management client 504 connects to the mapping system 500 through network 505.
The mapping
management client 504 manages the mapping database/OS level files 501 and is
mainly used by the
mapping system 500 system administrators. Client/server of content provider
507, client/server of
content creator 508, client/server of other users 509 and search systems 506
connect with the
mapping system 500 through network 505 and exchanges information.
FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary data model 600 for standard questions stored
in mapping
database/OS level files 501 according to the present invention. Question IDs
601 is a collection of
unique question IDs and their metadata. Question full expressions 602 is a
collection of different
questions looking for the same information. At least one question full
expression in the Question
full expressions 602 is associated with a question ID in Question IDs 601. For
instance: expressions
"What is autism?", and "Tell me something about autism!" and "Do you know
anything about
autism?" are three question full expressions associated with the same question
IT) in Question IDs
601. A question full expression stored in the Question full expressions 602 is
a collection of
question expression parts stored in Question expression parts 603. For
instance; the a question full
expression "Tell me something about autism!" is a collection of two question
expression parts: "Tell
me something about" and "autism". The question expression parts importance 604
stores the
importance of question expression parts stored in Question expression parts
603. For example:
question expression part "autism" has higher importance than question
expression part "Tell me
something about". Relevant domains 605 contains the name of the domain of a
question id stored in
Question IDs 601 or a question full expression stored in Question full
expressions 602. For
example: the question full expression "Tell me something about autism!"
belongs to relevant
domain "medical". A relevant domain stored in Relevant domain 605 can have
hierarchical
structure. For example: relevant domain 605 "medical:mental health" refers to
a parent-child
relationship between relevant domain "medical" and relevant domain "mental
health". Sets of
keywords/phrases 606 are keywords/phrases that are associated with a question
ID stored in
Question IDs 601 or a question full expression stored in Question full
expression 602. For
example: "definition, autism" is a set of keywords that is associated with a
question full expression
"Tell me something about autism!". Keyword/phrase importance 607 stores the
importance
information for a set of keywords/phrases stored in Set of keywords/phrases
606. For example: for
a set of keywords "definition, autism" both keywords "definition" and "autism"
have high
importance. Matching rules 608 contains rules that can be used to match and
rank standard
questions in the mapping database/OS level files 501 with a question received
through the client.
The user of the mapping system 500 searches the data model 600 for standard
questions using a
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1
graphical user interface.
FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary mapping management module 502 700 according to
the
present invention. Access control logic 701 defines and control the access to
data in the mapping
database/OS level files 501. Change approval logic 702 approves the review and
approval process
of proposal for new questions. Modification logic 703 controls the
modification to data in the
mapping database/OS level files 501. Life cycle management logic 704 controls
the life cycle of the
standard questions in the mapping database/OS level files 501. Trend analysis
logic 705 analyzes
the usage of the already defined standard questions and newly created standard
questions in the
mapping database/OS level files 501. Payment logic 706 manages the cost of
using the mapping
system 500. Interface management logic 707 manages the interface with the
external clients 504
506 507 508.
FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary code 800 which is included in the header of
the content. The
exemplary code 800 uses meta tags. Meta tags are used to associate metadata to
the content. The
mapping system 500 may include this exemplary code 800 in the content. The
name attribute
SEARCH ENGINE NAME _1 801 of first meta tag indicates that this meta tag is
used for selecting
search systems for which the metadata is intended for. "* -C" as value for
content attribute of first
meta tag indicates that the metadata is intended for all search system except
search system C. The
name attribute SEARCH ENGINE_QUESTION_ ID_ 1 802 of second meta tag indicates
that the
second meta tag is used for indicating questions for which the content
provides answers for. The
value of "ABCD123456::ANCHOR1 EFGH789012::ANCHOR2 " for content attribute of
second
meta tag indicates that the answer to standard question ABCD123456 is located
at anchor
ANCHOR1, while answer to standard question EFGH789012 is located at ANCHOR2.
"::" is used
as a separator. The use of _1 at the end of name attribute
"SEARCH_ENGINE_NAME_1" 801
and name attribute "SEARCH ENGINE QUESTION ID 1" 802 indicate that these name
_ _
attributes of meta tag belongs to group 1 of metadata. The question IDs 601
such as ABCD123456
and EFGH789012 are generated at act 308, while the content creator/provider
has supplemented
the anchor information to the meta tag. In this example, meta tag is used to
add standard question
information to add to the content to allow a search system determine what is
the question this
content provides answer for. When multiple contents provide the answer to the
same questions, the
search system uses the ranking module to rank the contents. However, in other
embodiments,
standard question information may be associated to the content in different
format. Such association
may be located at the same local location as the content or located at another
network location.
Term "set" means one or more of something.
All computers stores information as string of characters (It is a prior art
and an essential
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Nit
feature of computers running a software).
It is to be understood that while the detailed description describes the
present invention, the
foregoing description is for illustrative purpose and does not limit the scope
of the present invention
which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. Other embodiments,
arrangements and
equivalents will be evident to those skilled in the art. Such other
embodiments, arrangements and
equivalents are within the scope of the present invention as defined by the
appended claims.
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