Adaptive probabilistic query expansion
View Patent ↗A method, system and computer program for adaptively processing a query search. An expanding operation is utilized to expand the query into sub-queries, wherein at least one of the sub-queries is expanded probabilistically. A retrieving operation retrieves the results of the sub-queries, and a merging operation is used to merge the sub-query results into a search result. An adapting operation is configured to modify the search such that the relevance of the search result is increased when the search is repeated.
1. A method for adaptively processing a query search, the method comprising:
probabilistically expanding the query to sub-queries;
retrieving sub-query results;
merging the sub-query results into a search result;
adapting the search such that the relevance of the search result is increased when the search is repeated; and
storing the search result in tangible computer readable memory; and
wherein expanding the query to sub-queries includes assigning a confidence level to the at least one of the sub-queries, wherein the confidence level is based on a probability of relevance.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sub-queries is probabilistic.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein adapting the search includes modifying the operation of expanding the query to sub-queries.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein adapting the search includes modifying the operation of retrieving sub-query results.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein adapting the search includes modifying the operation of merging the sub-query results.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising translating a content sub-query to a textual sub-query.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising translating a textual sub-query to a content sub-query.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein merging the sub-query results of the sub-queries includes normalizing the sub-query results.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein adapting the search is performed iteratively based on user feedback.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein adapting the search further comprising iteratively repeating the expanding, retrieving, merging and adapting operations until the search result is accepted.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an initial search query from a user.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending the search result to the user.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving query feedback from the user.