Methods and systems for identifying an information resource for answering natural language queries

1. A method for identifying information resources for answering natural language queries, the method comprising:

receiving a first and a second natural language query from a user;

in response to determining that the second natural language query is related to the first natural language query:

identifying a target media asset type corresponding to the second natural language query,

identifying a target media name corresponding to the second natural language query;

accessing a database of information resources, wherein each information resource is associated with a media asset type, a media name, and an information resource locator;

retrieving, from the database of information resources, a target information resource associated with the target media asset type and target media asset name, wherein retrieving the target information resource further comprises:

retrieving, using the database of information resources, a first potential target information resource associated with the target media asset type and target media asset name;

retrieving, using the database of information resources, a second potential target information resource associated with the target media asset type and target media asset name;

calculating a first significance value associated with the first potential target information resource, wherein the first significance value predicts whether the second natural language query will be answered correctly and promptly using the first potential target information resource;

calculating a second significance value associated with the second potential target information resource wherein the second significance value predicts whether the second natural language query will be answered correctly and promptly using the second potential target information resource;

determining whether the first significance value is greater than the second significance value; and

retrieving the first potential target information resource when the first significance value is greater than the second significance value;

transmitting, to the first potential target information resource, the second natural language query using a target information resource locator associated with the target information resource; and

retrieving and generating for display an answer to the second natural language query from the first potential target information resource.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the second natural language query is related to the first natural language query further comprises:

computing a string distance metric between the first natural language query and the second natural language query; and

determining that the second natural language query is related to the first natural language query by calculating a ratio of the computed string distance metric with respect to at least one of the string length of the first natural language query and the string length of the second natural language query.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the second natural language query is related to the first natural language query further comprises:

determining a first set of keywords present in the first natural language query;

determining a second set of keywords present in the second natural language query; and

determining that the second natural language query is related to the first natural language query by determining a number of keywords in common between the first set of keywords and the second set of keywords.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first potential target information resource locator is an IP address of a second user, and wherein transmitting the second natural language query further comprises:

determining whether the second user is active by pinging the first potential target information resource;

receiving a message, from the first potential target information resource, indicating that the second user is not active;

selecting a second target resource associated with a third user in response to receiving the message; and

transmitting, to the second target resource, the second natural language query using a second target information resource locator associated with the second target resource.

5. The method of claim 1 , where the first significance value is calculated based on at least one of a membership count associated with the target information resource, a question-answer rate associated with the target information resource, an average answer time associated with the target information resource, and a user preference value associated with the target information resource.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the second natural language query further comprises:

determining that the first potential target information resource requires authentication;

identifying an authentication key associated with the first potential target information resource;

transmitting the authentication key using the target information resource locator; and

receiving a confirmatory message from the target information resource in response to transmitting the authentication key; and

in response to receiving the confirmatory message, transmitting, to the first potential target information resource, the second natural language query using the target information resource locator associated with the target information resource.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein identifying the authentication key further comprises searching a profile associated with the user to identify a username and password combination associated with the first potential target information resource.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein retrieving and generating for display the answer to the second natural language query further comprises:

detecting, using the target information resource locator, a submission of the answer to the second natural language query at the first potential target information resource;

in response to detecting the submission of the answer, calculating a reliability metric of the answer;

determining whether the reliability metric meets a reliability threshold; and

in response to determining that the reliability metric meets or exceeds the reliability threshold:

retrieving the answer from the first potential target information resource, and

generating for display the answer to the second natural language query.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the reliability threshold is based on at least one of a number of up-votes associated with the answer, a total number of queries previously answered by a user associated with the answer, and a number of replies posted to the answer.

10. A system for identifying information resources for answering natural language queries, the system comprising control circuitry configured to:

receive a first and a second natural language query from a user;

in response to determining that the second natural language query is related to the first natural language query:

identify a target media asset type corresponding to the second natural language query,

identify a target media name corresponding to the second natural language query; accessing a database of information resources, wherein each information resource is associated with a media asset type, a media name, and an information resource locator;

retrieve, from the database of information resources, a target information resource associated with the target media asset type and target media asset name, wherein the control circuitry, when retrieving the target information resource, is further configured to:

retrieve, using the database of information resources, a first potential target information resource associated with the target media asset type and target media asset name;

retrieve, using the database of information resources, a second potential target information resource associated with the target media asset type and target media asset name;

calculate a first significance value associated with the first potential target information resource, wherein the first significance value predicts whether the second natural language query will be answered correctly and promptly using the first potential target information resource;

calculate a second significance value associated with the second potential target information resource wherein the second significance value predicts whether the second natural language query will be answered correctly and promptly using the second potential target information resource;

determine whether the first significance value is greater than the second significance value; and

retrieve the first potential target information resource when the first significance value is greater than the second significance value;

transmit, to the first potential target information resource, the second natural language query using a target information resource locator associated with the first potential target information resource; and

retrieve and generating for display an answer to the second natural language query from the first potential target information resource.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when determining whether the second natural language query is related to the first natural language query, to:

compute a string distance metric between the first natural language query and the second natural language query; and

determine that the second natural language query is related to the first natural language query by calculating a ratio of the computed string distance metric with respect to at least one of the string length of the first natural language query and the string length of the second natural language query.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when determining whether the second natural language query is related to the first natural language query, to:

determine a first set of keywords present in the first natural language query;

determine a second set of keywords present in the second natural language query; and

determine that the second natural language query is related to the first natural language query by determining a number of keywords in common between the first set of keywords and the second set of keywords.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first potential target information resource locator is an IP address of a second user, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when transmitting the second natural language, to:

determine whether the second user is active by pinging the first potential target information resource;

receive a message, from the first potential target information resource, indicating that the second user is not active;

select a second target resource associated with a third user in response to receiving the message; and

transmit, to the second target resource, the second natural language query using a second target information resource locator associated with the second target resource.

14. The system of claim 10 , where the first significance value is calculated based on at least one of a membership count associated with the target information resource, a question-answer rate associated with the target information resource, an average answer time associated with the target information resource, and a user preference value associated with the target information resource.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when transmitting the second natural language query, to:

determine that the first potential target information resource requires authentication;

identify an authentication key associated with the first potential target information resource;

transmit the authentication key using the target information resource locator; and

receiving a confirmatory message from the first potential target information resource in response to transmitting the authentication key; and

in response to receiving the confirmatory message, transmit, to the first potential target information resource, the second natural language query using the target information resource locator associated with the target information resource.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when identifying the authentication key, to search a profile associated with the user to identify a username and password combination associated with the first potential target information resource.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when retrieving and generating for display the answer to the second natural language query, to:

detect, using the target information resource locator, a submission of the answer to the second natural language query at the first potential target information resource;

in response to detecting the submission of the answer, calculate a reliability metric of the answer;

determine whether the reliability metric meets a reliability threshold; and

in response to determining that the reliability metric meets or exceeds the reliability threshold:

retrieve the answer from the first potential target information resource, and

generate for display the answer to the second natural language query.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the reliability threshold is based on at least one of a number of up-votes associated with the answer, a total number of queries previously answered by a user associated with the answer, and a number of replies posted to the answer.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the first natural language query is related to the second natural language query comprises:

receiving the first natural language query from the user;

retrieving a first search result for the first natural language query;

generating for display the first search result;

receiving the second natural language query from the user;

determining an association metric relating to a similarity between the first natural language query and the second natural language query;

determining whether the association metric meets or exceeds a threshold; and

determining that the first natural language query is related to the second natural language query in response to determining that the association metric meets or exceeds the threshold.

20. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when determining whether the first natural language query is related to the second natural language query, to:

receive the first natural language query from the user;

retrieve a first search result for the first natural language query;

generate for display the first search result;

receive the second natural language query from the user;

determine an association metric relating to a similarity between the first natural language query and the second natural language query;

determine whether the association metric meets or exceeds a threshold; and

determine that the first natural language query is related to the second natural language query in response to determining that the association metric meets or exceeds the threshold.