Natural Language Interaction with Large Databases

Abstract

A method includes applying at least one tag to at least one data element stored in a database the tag having at least one associated rule, utilizing the at least one associated rule to generate at least one variant of the data element, and storing the at least one variant in the database.

1 . A method comprising:
 applying at least one tag to at least one data element stored in a database, said tag having at least one associated rule;   utilizing said at least one associated rule to generate at least one variant of said data element; and   storing said at least one variant in said database.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said at least one tag and said at least one associated rule are generated in an automated fashion. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  comprising utilizing statistical one of said data elements. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  comprising altering said at least one rule in response to said generated at least one variant. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said at least one data element comprises a text string. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  comprising editing at least one of said variants. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 receiving a request for at least one of said at least one data element and said at least one variant;   comparing said request to said at least one data element and said at least one variant; and   selecting at least one of said at least one data element and said at least one variant corresponding to said request.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said request comprises text. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said text comprises natural language. 
   
   
       10 . A system comprising:
 a database in which is stored at least one data element;   means for applying at least one tag to said at least one data element said tag having at least one associated rule;   means for utilizing said at least one associated rule to generate at least one variant of said data element; and   means for storing said at least one variant on said database.   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said means for applying comprises a user interface. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said at least one tag is applied to said at least one data element manually. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 10  comprising:
 means for receiving a request for at least one of said at least one data element and said at least one variant;   means for comparing said request to said at least one data element and said at least one variant of said data element; and   selecting at least one of said at least one data element and said at least one variant corresponding to said request.   
   
   
       14 . A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform operations to generate variants of data elements, the operations comprising:
 manually applying at least one tag to at least one data element stored in a database said tag having at least one associated rule;   utilizing said at least one associated rule to generate at least one variant of said data element; and   storing said at least one variant in said database.   
   
   
       15 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 14  comprising defining said at least one tag and said at least one associated rule. 
   
   
       16 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 15  wherein said at least one tag and said at least one associated rule are generated in an automated fashion. 
   
   
       17 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 14  comprising utilizing statistical parsing to apply at least one of said tags to at least one of said data elements. 
   
   
       18 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 14  wherein said at least one data element is a text string. 
   
   
       19 . The signal bearing medium of  claim 14  comprising:
 receiving a request for at least one of said at least one data element and said at least one variant;   comparing said request to said at least one data element and said at least one variant; and   selecting at least one of said at least one data element and said at least one variant corresponding to said request.   
   
   
       20 . A data structure for storage in a memory for use by a text selection function, said data structure comprising at least one data element and at least one variant of said data element wherein said at least one variant is generated from said at least one data element via the application of at least one tag having at least one associated rule to said at least one data element.