Search suggestions of related entities based on co-occurrence and/or fuzzy-score matching

Abstract

A method for generating search suggestions of related entities based on co-occurrence and/or fuzzy score matching is disclosed. The method may be employed in a search system that may include a client/server type architecture. The search system may include a user interface for a search engine in communication with one or more server devices over a network connection. The server device may include an entity extraction module, a fuzzy-score matching module, and an entity co-occurrence knowledge base database. In one embodiment, the search system may process a partial search query from a user and present search suggestions to complete the partial query. In another embodiment, the complete search query may be used as a new search query. The search system may process the new search query, run an entity extraction, find related entities from the entity co-occurrence knowledge base, and present said related entities in a drop down list.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 identifying, by a server, a first entity in an incomplete search query parameter based on querying a local in-memory database for an entity type corresponding to the first entity;   searching, by the server, the local in-memory database via a fuzzy matching process corresponding to the entity type such that a record is located, wherein the record is associated with the incomplete search query parameter based on a confidence score and a ranking based on the confidence score;   sending, by the server, a first suggested search query parameter to the client as formed based on the record;   forming, by the server, a completed search query parameter based on a selection from the client, wherein the selection selects the first suggested search query parameter;   extracting, by the server, a second entity from the completed search query parameter;   identifying, by the server, a third entity in the local in-memory database, wherein the third entity is related to the second entity; and   sending, by the server, a second suggested search query parameter to the client, wherein the second suggested search query parameter is based on the third entity.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 extracting, by the server, a feature from the local in-memory database; and   assigning, by the server, a score to the feature, wherein the score indicates a level of certainty of the feature being extracted with a correct attribute.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the searching is before a search query is finalized, wherein the search query includes the incomplete search query parameter. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the record comprises a conceptual feature. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first suggested search query parameter comprises a plurality of first suggested search query parameters, wherein the method further comprising:
 sorting, by the server, the first suggested search query parameters in a descending order based on a proximity of a match to the incomplete search query parameter.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the sending of the first suggested search query parameter to the client is such that the first suggested search query parameter is presented on the client in a drop down list. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the local in-memory is indexed. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the local in-memory includes an entity-to-entity index. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the local in-memory includes an entity-to-topic index. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the local in-memory includes an entity-to-facts index. 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 a server configured to:
 identify a first entity in an incomplete search query parameter based on querying a local in-memory database for an entity type corresponding to the first entity; 
 search the local in-memory database via a fuzzy matching process corresponding to the entity type such that a record is located, wherein the record is associated with the incomplete search query parameter based on a confidence score and a ranking based on the confidence score; 
 send a first suggested search query parameter to the client as formed based on the record; 
 form a completed search query parameter based on a selection from the client, wherein the selection selects the first suggested search query parameter; 
 extract a second entity from the completed search query parameter; 
 identify a third entity in the local in-memory database, wherein the third entity is related to the second entity; and 
 send a second suggested search query parameter to the client, wherein the second suggested search query parameter is based on the third entity. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the server is configured to:
 extract a feature from the local in-memory database;   assign a score to the feature, wherein the score indicates a level of certainty of the feature being extracted with a correct attribute.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the server is configured to perform the search before a search query is finalized, wherein the search query includes the incomplete search query parameter. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the record comprises a conceptual feature. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first suggested search query parameter comprises a plurality of first suggested search query parameters, wherein the server is configured to:
 sort the first suggested search query parameters in a descending order based on a proximity of a match to the incomplete search query parameter.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the server is configured to send the first suggested search query parameter to the client such that the first suggested search query parameter is presented on the client in a drop down list. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the local in-memory database is indexed. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the local in-memory database includes an entity-to-entity index. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the local in-memory database includes an entity-to-topic index. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the local in-memory database includes an entity-to-facts index.