IP Library Granted Patent US 11,010,413
Granted Patent B2
US 11,010,413 · App. 15/864,712 · Granted May 18, 2021

Generation of support data records using natural language processing

Inventors: Jonathan William Hall (Deal, GB); Sun Chun Chu (Richmond Hill, CA); Troy Cline (Leander, TX); Nilesh Phadke (Pune, IN)
Assignee: BMC Software, Inc.
G06F16/3344G06F16/3346G06F16/345G06F16/353G06F40/174G06F40/216G06F40/295G06F40/30G06N7/005G06Q10/06315G06Q10/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,010,413
App. No.
15/864,712
Granted
May 18, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A view generator receives support text characterizing a support requirement for available information technology (IT) support, the support text being received in sentence form via a graphical user interface (GUI). A text analyzer performs natural language processing on the support text and thereby identifies at least one sentence part and at least one named entity within the support text. A support record generator relates each of the at least one sentence part and the at least one named entity to a support record type, and generates a support data record for the support requirement, including filling individual fields of the support data record using the at least one sentence part and the at least one named entity.

Claims (46)

1. A system including instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and executable by at least one processor, the system comprising:

a view generator configured to cause the at least one processor to receive support text characterizing a support requirement for at least one Information Technology (IT) support provider, the support text being received via a user interface (UI);

a text analyzer configured to cause the at least one processor to perform natural language processing on the support text and thereby identify at least one sentence part and at least one named entity within the support text; and

a support record generator configured to cause the at least one processor to relate each of the at least one sentence part and the at least one named entity to a support record type, and further configured to cause the at least one processor to generate a support data record for the support requirement, including filling individual fields of the support data record using the at least one sentence part and the at least one named entity, wherein the support record generator includes

a sentence part score calculator configured to provide a sentence part score for the at least one sentence part, the sentence part score representing a first probabilistic determination that the at least one sentence part is associated with each of a plurality of support record types, including the support record type,

a named entity score calculator configured to provide a named entity score for the at least one named entity, the named entity score representing a second probabilistic determination that the at least one named entity is associated with each of the plurality of support record types, including the support record type, and

a support record type identifier configured to determine the support record type based on a combination of the first probabilistic determination and the second probabilistic determination.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the view generator is further configured to provide the UI as a graphical user interface (GUI) with a single field dialog box for receiving the support text.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the text analyzer includes a sentence parser configured to identify individual sentences within the support text and parse the individual sentences to obtain individual words and numbers.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the text analyzer includes a sentence part identifier configured to identify and label the at least one sentence part within the support text, based on a context of a use thereof within the support text.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the text analyzer includes a named entity extractor configured to execute at least one query against support-related data to identify the at least one named entity of the at least one sentence part.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the support record generator is configured to present the support record type among a plurality of support record types, and to receive confirmation of correct association of the support record type with the support text, using the GUI.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the support record generator is configured to execute at least one machine learning algorithm to classify the at least one sentence part and the at least one named entity with respect to a plurality of support record types, including the support record type.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one IT support provider includes at least one IT support agent.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the support text is received in sentence form.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the support record generator is configured to generate an initial support record type, and includes a score modifier configured to receive a modification of the initial support record type, in response to a determination that the initial support record type does not correspond to the support text, wherein the score modifier is configured to adjust one or both of the sentence part score and the named entity score and thereby enable generation of the support record type based thereon.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the support record generator includes a support record field mapper configured to fill individual fields of the support data record using the at least one sentence part and the at least one named entity, including mapping a label identifying the at least one sentence part and a name of the at least one named entity, to corresponding ones of the individual fields of the support data record.

12. A method comprising:

receiving support text characterizing a support requirement for at least one Information Technology (IT) support provider, the support text being received via a user interface (UI);

identifying at least one sentence part within the support text;

calculating a sentence part score relating the at least one sentence part to at least one support type provided by the at least one IT support provider;

providing the sentence part score for the at least one sentence part, the sentence part score representing a likelihood that the at least one sentence part is associated with each of a plurality of support types, including the at least one support type;

identifying at least one named entity within the support text, including executing a query against support-related data, using the support text;

calculating a named entity score relating the at least one named entity to the at least one support type;

providing the named entity score for the at least one named entity, the named entity score representing a likelihood that the at least one named entity is associated with each of the plurality of support types, including the at least one support type;

combining the sentence part score and the named entity score to represent a likelihood that the support requirement is for the at least one support type; and

filling the at least one sentence part and the at least one named entity within corresponding fields of a support data record of the at least one support type, including mapping the at least one sentence part and the at least one named entity to populate the corresponding fields of the support data record.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the identifying at least one sentence part includes performing natural language processing of the support text.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one IT support provider includes at least one IT support agent.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the support text is received in sentence form.

16. A computer program product including instructions recorded on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and configured, when executed by at least one semiconductor processor, to cause the at least one semiconductor processor to:

receive support text characterizing a support requirement for at least one Information Technology (IT) support provider, the support text being received via a user interface (UI);

identify at least one sentence part within the support text;

calculate a sentence part score relating the at least one sentence part to at least one support type provided by the at least one IT support provider;

provide the sentence part score for the at least one sentence part, the sentence part score representing a likelihood that the at least one sentence part is associated with each of a plurality of support types, including the at least one support type;

identify at least one named entity within the support text, including executing a query against support-related data, using the support text;

calculate a named entity score relating the at least one named entity to the at least one support type;

provide the named entity score for the at least one named entity, the named entity score representing a likelihood that the at least one named entity is associated with each of the plurality of support types, including the at least one support type;

combine the sentence part score and the named entity score to represent a likelihood that the support requirement is for the at least one support type; and

fill the at least one sentence part and the at least one named entity within corresponding fields of a support data record of the at least one support type, including mapping the at least one sentence part and the at least one named entity to populate the corresponding fields of the support data record.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, are further configured to cause the at least one processor to:

execute at least one machine learning algorithm to classify the at least one sentence part and the at least one named entity with respect to a plurality of support types, including the at least one support type.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, are further configured to cause the at least one processor to:

fill individual fields of the support data record using the at least one sentence part and the at least one named entity, including mapping a label identifying the at least one sentence part and a name of the at least one named entity, to corresponding ones of the individual fields of the support data record.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, are further configured to cause the at least one processor to:

present the support type among a plurality of support types, and to receive confirmation of correct association of the support type with the support text, using the UI.

Assignments (14)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2025
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.
To: BMC HELIX, INC.
Reel/Frame 070442/0197 →
GRANT OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 13, 2024
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069352/0568 →
GRANT OF FIRST LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 13, 2024
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069352/0628 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052844/0646) Recorded Aug 6, 2024
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
Reel/Frame 068339/0408 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (052854/0139) Recorded Aug 6, 2024
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
Reel/Frame 068339/0617 →
OMNIBUS ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTERESTS IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Mar 4, 2024
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS RESIGNING COLLATERAL AGENT
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066729/0889 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 1, 2024
From: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
To: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
Reel/Frame 066567/0283 →
GRANT OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Sep 30, 2021
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 057683/0582 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2020
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052854/0139 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2020
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052844/0646 →
RELEASE OF PATENTS Recorded Oct 5, 2018
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.; BMC ACQUISITION L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 047198/0468 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2018
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE, AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047185/0744 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2018
From: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.; BLADELOGIC, INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046176/0477 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2018
From: HALL, JONATHAN W.; CHU, SUN CHUN; CLINE, TROY; PHADKE, NILESH
To: BMC SOFTWARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 045338/0682 →