Subject-matter analysis of tabular data

Abstract

A method for subject-matter analysis of tabular data is provided in the illustrative embodiments. A first document including the tabular data is received. A library of functional signatures for a first subject-matter domain is selected. A determination is made whether a threshold number of functional signatures from the selected library are applicable to the tabular data, wherein a functional signature is applicable to the tabular data when values in the tabular data correspond to an operation and a table structure specified in the functional signature. Responsive to the threshold number of functional signatures from the selected library being applicable to the tabular data, a processor and a memory process the first document according to a process for the first subject matter domain selected from a plurality of processes for respective subject matter domains.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for subject-matter analysis of tabular data, the method comprising:
 receiving a first document including the tabular data;   selecting a library of functional signatures for a first subject-matter domain;   determining whether a threshold number of functional signatures from the selected library are applicable to the tabular data, wherein a functional signature is applicable to the tabular data when values in the tabular data correspond to an operation and a table structure specified in the functional signature; and   processing, according to a process for the first subject matter domain selected from a plurality of processes for respective subject matter domains, using a processor and a memory, the first document responsive to the threshold number of functional signatures from the selected library being applicable to the tabular data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting a portion of tabular data in a second document;   analyzing a functional relationship between at least two values in the portion;   representing table-specific information in the functional relationship using generic equivalent information from the first subject-matter domain, forming the functional signature; and   adding the functional signature to a collection of functional signatures corresponding to the second document, forming a first collection.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 selecting the first collection and a second collection of functional signatures corresponding to a third document;   clustering those functional signatures from the first and the second collections that are similar to each other within a threshold measure of similarity, forming a cluster of functional signatures; and   adding the cluster of functional signatures to the library of functional signatures.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 storing a combination of the table-specific information in the functional relationship and the generic equivalent information from the first subject-matter domain in a knowledge repository corresponding to the first subject-matter domain.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 discarding, as being document-specific functional signatures, those functional signatures from the first and the second collections that are not similar to each other within the threshold measure of similarity.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a query to be answered using the first document;   parsing the query using a knowledge repository corresponding to the library of functional signatures for the first subject-matter domain;   selecting a functional signature that fits the query according to the parsing;   extracting data from a portion of the tabular data of the first document where the selected functional signature applies;   responding to the query using the extracted data.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the responding further comprises sending the extracted data to a natural language processing application where the extracted data is formed into a natural language response to the query. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing the first document comprises:
 classifying the first document as belonging to the first subject-matter domain.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein responsive to the threshold number of functional signatures from the selected library not being applicable to the tabular data, further comprising:
 selecting a second library of functional signatures for a second subject-matter domain;   determining whether a threshold number of functional signatures from the second library are applicable to the tabular data; and   processing the first document responsive to the threshold number of functional signatures from the second library being applicable to the tabular data.