System and method for natural language generation
View Patent ↗A system, method and computer-readable medium for generating natural language utilizes a stochastic process to choose a derivation tree according to a predetermined grammar, such as tree-adjoined grammar (TAG). A word lattice is created from a single semi-specified derivation tree and the proper path (i.e., desired output string) is selected from the lattice using a least cost, or other appropriate algorithms.
1. A method for translating an input dependency syntax tree into a natural language output, the method comprising:
responsive to an input dependency syntax tree, stochastically selecting tree-adjoining grammar trees for each node in the input dependency syntax tree to create a semi-specified derivation tree;
responsive to the stochastically selected tree-adjoining grammar trees, creating from syntactic realizations a lattice of all possible linearizations of the trees using a reference grammar; and
selecting a most likely traversal path through the lattice as a natural language output.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of stochastically selecting tree-adjoining grammar trees utilizes a tree model database.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference grammar is from a reference grammar database.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the reference grammar database comprises an XTAG grammar database.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the step of stochastically selecting tree-adjoining grammar trees is performed by a tree choosing module;
the step of creating a lattice is performed by an unraveling module; and
the step of selecting a most likely traversal path is performed by a linear precedence chooser module.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting a most likely traversal path utilizes a Viterbi algorithm.
7. A computer-readable medium storing instructions for controlling a computing device to translate an input dependency syntax tree into a natural language output, the instructions comprising:
responsive to an input dependency syntax tree, stochastically selecting tree-adjoining grammar trees for each node in the input dependency syntax tree to create a semi-specified derivation tree;
responsive to the stochastically selected tree-adjoining grammar trees, creating from syntactic realizations a lattice of all possible linearizations of the trees using a reference grammar; and
selecting a most likely traversal path through the lattice as a natural language output.
8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the step of stochastically selecting tree-adjoining grammar trees utilizes a tree model database.
9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the reference grammar is from a reference grammar database.
10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the reference grammar database comprises an XTAG grammar database.
11. The computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein:
the step of stochastically selecting tree-adjoining grammar trees is performed by a tree choosing module;
the step of creating a lattice is performed by an unraveling module; and
the step of selecting a most likely traversal path is performed by a linear precedence chooser module.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein selecting a most likely traversal path utilizes a Viterbi algorithm.
13. A computing device for translating an input dependency syntax tree into a natural language output, the computing device comprising:
a module configured, responsive to an input dependency syntax tree, to stochastically select tree-adjoining grammar trees for each node in the input dependency syntax tree to create a semi-specified derivation tree;
a module configured, responsive to the stochastically selected tree-adjoining grammar trees, to create from syntactic realizations a lattice of all possible linearizations of the trees using a reference grammar; and
a module configured to select a most likely traversal path through the lattice as a natural language output.
14. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the reference grammar is from a reference grammar database.
15. The computing device of claim 14 , wherein the reference grammar database comprises an XTAG grammar database.
16. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein:
the module configured to stochastically select tree-adjoining grammar trees is a tree choosing module;
the module configured to create a lattice an unraveling module; and
the module configured to select a most likely traversal path a linear precedence chooser module.
17. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the module configured to select a most likely traversal path utilizes a Viterbi algorithm.