IP Library Granted Patent US 12,079,185
Granted Patent B2
US 12,079,185 · App. 17/084,201 · Granted Sep 3, 2024

Vector-based search result generation

Inventors: Michael Misiewicz (Brooklyn, NY); Michael Dunn (Arlington, VA); Maxwell Davish (Brooklyn, NY)
Assignee: Yext, Inc.
G06F16/2237G06F16/2438G06F16/287G06F16/288G06N3/045G06N5/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,079,185
App. No.
17/084,201
Granted
Sep 3, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method to generate search results in response to a search query based on comparisons of embedding vectors. The system and method receive, from an end user system, a search query including a set of keywords associated with the entity. Using a neural network, an embedding vector is identified based on the set of keywords of the search query. The system and method compares the embedding vector associated with the search query to a set of embedding vectors associated with a set of structured data elements relating to the entity. Based on the comparison, a set of matching structured data elements is identified. The system and method generate a search result in response to the search query, wherein the search result includes at least a portion of the set of matching structured data elements. The search result is displayed via an interface of the end user system.

Claims (50)

1. A method comprising:

selecting, during a training phase associated with a neural network, from one or more search logs, a set of pairs, wherein each pair comprises:

a query; and

a previously answered frequently asked question associated with the query;

generating, by the neural network executed by a processing device, a set of embedding vectors for each pair in the set of pairs, resulting in a plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries, wherein each set of embedding vectors comprises an embedding of the query and an embedding of the previously answered frequently asked question associated with the query;

generating an entity-specific index, wherein the entity-specific index comprises a set of indices for the plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries;

receiving, from an end user system, a search query associated with an entity associated with the entity-specific index;

generating, by the neural network, at least one query embedding based on the search query;

comparing, using the entity-specific index, the at least one query embedding to the plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries using a distance measurement, resulting in a ordered list of frequently asked questions corresponding to the search query based on the distance measurement between the at least one query embedding and the plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries; and

generating a search result in response to the search query, wherein the search result comprises the frequently asked question within the ordered list having a smallest distance.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating, based on the comparing, scores representing a level of matching between the the at least one query embedding and the plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing a display of the search result via an interface of the end user system.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing a display of the search result comprises a ranked listing of the frequently asked questions based on the ordered list.

5. A system comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory, to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising:

selecting, during a training phase associated with a neural network, from one or more search logs, a set of pairs, wherein each pair comprises:

a query; and

a previously answered frequently asked question associated with the query;

generating, by the neural network executed by a processing device, a set of embedding vectors for each pair in the set of pairs, resulting in a plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries, wherein each set of embedding vectors comprises an embedding of the query and an embedding of the previously answered frequently asked question associated with the query;

generating an entity-specific index, wherein the entity-specific index comprises a set of indices for the plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries;

receiving, from an end user system, a search query associated with an entity associated with the entity-specific index;

generating, by the neural network, at least one query embedding based on the search query;

comparing, using the entity-specific index, the at least one query embedding to the plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries using a distance measurement, resulting in a ordered list of frequently asked questions corresponding to the search query based on the distance measurement between the at least one query embedding and the plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries; and

generating a search result in response to the search query, wherein the search result comprises the frequently asked question within the ordered list having a smallest distance.

6. The system of claim 5 , the operations further comprising:

storing, in a data store, the entity-specific index.

7. The system of claim 5 , the operations further comprising:

generating scores representing a level of matching between the the at least one query embedding and the plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the display of the search result comprises a ranked listing of the frequently asked questions based on the ordered list.

9. The system of claim 7 , the operations further comprising:

identifying a first subset of the set of matching structured data elements having a corresponding score that is less than a threshold level; and

removing the first subset from the search result.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

selecting, during a training phase associated with a neural network, from one or more search logs, a set of pairs, wherein each pair comprises:

a query; and

a previously answered frequently asked question associated with the query;

generating, by the neural network executed by a processing device, a set of embedding vectors for each pair in the set of pairs, resulting in a plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries, wherein each set of embedding vectors comprises an embedding of the query and an embedding of the previously answered frequently asked question associated with the query;

generating an entity-specific index, wherein the entity-specific index comprises a set of indices for the plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries;

receiving, from an end user system, a search query associated with an entity associated with the entity-specific index;

generating, by the neural network, at least one query embedding based on the search query;

comparing, using the entity-specific index, the at least one query embedding to the plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries using a distance measurement, resulting in a ordered list of frequently asked questions corresponding to the search query based on the distance measurement between the at least one query embedding and the plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries; and

generating a search result in response to the search query, wherein the search result comprises the frequently asked question within the ordered list having a smallest distance.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , the operations further comprising generating, based on the comparing, scores representing a level of matching between the the at least one query embedding and the plurality of embedding vectors for previous queries.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the search result comprises a ranked listing of the frequently asked questions based on the ordered list.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , the operations further comprising:

identifying a first portion of the set of matching structured data elements having a corresponding score that is less than a threshold level; and

removing the first portion from the search result.

Assignments (4)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2025
From: YEXT, INC.
To: ACQUIOM AGENCY SERVICES LLC
Reel/Frame 071295/0620 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2025
From: FIRST-CITIZENS BANK & TRUST COMPANY (AS SUCCESSOR TO SILICON VALLEY BANK)
To: YEXT, INC.
Reel/Frame 071133/0247 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2022
From: YEXT, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 062213/0142 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2020
From: MISIEWICZ, MICHAEL; DUNN, MICHAEL; DAVISH, MAXWELL
To: YEXT, INC.
Reel/Frame 054667/0286 →
Cited By (5)
US 12,380,075 US 12,411,841 US 12,461,979 US 12,572,575 US 12,694,675