US5283737A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Mechanism for generating linguistic expressions based on synonyms and rules derived from examples
Assignee: Prolab Software Inc
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Filing: 1990-09-21
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Granted: 1994-02-01
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Expires: 2010-09-21
Abstract
Abstract A computer tool that induces linguistic rules from particular examples and that can store and utilize these rules. A user of the tool provides examples from which the tool can induce rules, and provides feedback to guide the tool in formulating rules. The tool also can generate, store and utilize synonyms, and can learn to exclude objects from the induction process.
Inventors
- 👤 John Van Praag
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 11:01
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F40/00; G06F40/20; G06F40/237; G06F40/247; G06F40/253; G06F40/40; G06F40/55; G06F40/56; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99943
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 63
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A computer implemented method for deriving a rule from the combination of: a first formal language input, and a first arbitrary input which is indicative of said first formal language input, said method comprising, in combination, the steps of: accepting and storing said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input; comparing said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input to identify a first data element common to said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input,; and generating said rule by substituting at least one data object for at least one occurrence of said first data element in said first formal language input.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
A computer implemented method for deriving a rule from the combination of: a first formal language input, and a first arbitrary input which is indicative of said first formal language input, said method comprising, in combination, the steps of: accepting and storing said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input; comparing said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input to identify a first data element common to said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input,; and generating said rule by substituting at least one data object for at least one occurrence of said first data element in said first formal language input.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer implemented method of claim 1 further including the step of tokenizing said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input into tokens.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
The computer implemented method of claim 2 further including the steps of: applying synonyms by comparing said tokens of said first arbitrary input and said first formal language input with a set of synonyms wherein each synonym is comprised of first and second synonym members; and replacing said tokens that are similar to said first synonym member with said second synonym member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The computer implemented method of claim 3 wherein, when plural synonyms in said set of synonyms include a first synonym member which is similar to a given one of said tokens, replacing said given one of said tokens with the second synonym member of that one of said plural synonyms having the longest first synonym member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
The computer implemented method of claim 3 wherein said step of replacing said tokens with said second synonym members is repeated by comparing additional tokens found in replacement synonym members with said first synonym members and replacing said additional tokens which are similar to said further synonym members with said second synonym members.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The computer implemented method of claim 3 wherein said method is recursively invoked.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer implemented method of claim 1 further including the step of parsing said first formal language input into statements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer implemented method of claim 7 further including the step of parsing said statements into tokens and objects.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer implemented method of claim 7 or 8 wherein the step of parsing is performed nondeterministically.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computer implemented method of claim 8 wherein said object includes at least a referent and a datatype.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer implemented method of claim 10 wherein said referent includes at least a collection of tokens.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said code data element is a slot.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said rule is generated nondeterministically.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer implemented method of claim 13 wherein said rule is nondeterministically generated through backtracking.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computer implemented method of claim 13 wherein the nondeterminism of said generation of said rule is controllable.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
The computer implemented method of claim 8 wherein generating said rule further includes the steps of: identifying portions of said first arbitrary input that match tokens in said objects of said first formal language input and nondeterministically transforming identified portions into said objects; and generating said rule by transforming said objects into slots.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computer implemented method of claim 16 wherein selected objects are excluded from said method of rule generation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer implemented method of claim 12 or 16 wherein said slot includes at least an index and a datatype.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said first formal language input is capable of description in at least one formal language or by stored rules, or in at least one formal language and by stored rules.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input include data formats from the group consisting of textual, graphical, acoustic, video, or multimedia.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
90 words
The computer implemented method of claim 1 for deriving a computer command expressed as a formal language output from said rule and a second arbitrary input which is indicative of said formal language output and which also includes a second data element which also occurs in said formal language output, further including the steps of: accepting and storing said second arbitrary input; and generating said formal language output by substituting said second data element for at least one occurrence of said code data element in said first formal language input.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein if said first formal language input cannot be parsed then a synonym is formed from said first arbitrary input and said first formal language input and said synonym is capable of being stored.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
124 words
A computer implemented method for generating a rule having first and second members where said first member is indicative of said second member from the combination of: a first formal language input, and a first arbitrary input which is indicative of said first formal language input, said method comprising, in combination, the steps of: accepting and storing said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input; comparing said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input to identify a first data element common to said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input,; and generating said first and second members by substituting a data object for at least one occurrence of said first data element in said first formal language input.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
124 words
A computer implemented method for generating a rule having first and second members where said first member is indicative of said second member from the combination of: a first formal language input, and a first arbitrary input which is indicative of said first formal language input, said method comprising, in combination, the steps of: accepting and storing said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input; comparing said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input to identify a first data element common to said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input,; and generating said first and second members by substituting a data object for at least one occurrence of said first data element in said first formal language input.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer implemented method of claim 23 wherein said first member is comprised of a first template and said second member is comprised of at least a second template.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer implemented method of claim 24 wherein said first and second templates are comprised of at least tokens and slots.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
The computer implemented method of claim 23 wherein said first formal language input is capable of description in at least one formal language or by stored rules, or in at least one formal language and by stored rules.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
The computer implemented method of claim 23 wherein said first formal language input and said first shorthand input include data formats from the group consisting of textual, graphical, acoustic, video, or multimedia.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer implemented method of claim 24 further including the step of tokenizing said first formal language input and said first arbitrary input into tokens.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
62 words
The computer implemented method of claim 28 further including the steps of applying synonyms by comparing said tokens of said first arbitrary input and said first formal language input with a set of synonyms wherein each synonym is comprised of first and second synonym members; and replacing said tokens that are similar to said first synonym member with said second synonym member.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer implemented method of claim 29 wherein when more than one first synonym member is similar, then said tokens are replaced with the second synonym member of the longest first synonym member.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
The computer implemented method of claim 29 wherein said method is recursively invoked.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
12 words
The computer implemented method of claim 29 wherein said method is multipass.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer implemented method of claim 24 further including the step of parsing said first formal language input into statements.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer implemented method of claim 33 further including the step of parsing said statements into tokens and objects.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer implemented method of claim 33 or 34 wherein the step of parsing is performed nondeterministically.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computer implemented method of claim 34 wherein said object includes at least a referent and a datatype.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer implemented method of claim 36 wherein said referent includes at least a collection of tokens.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer implemented method of claim 23 wherein said code data element is a slot.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
13 words
The computer implemented method of claim 23 wherein said rule is generated nondeterministically.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer implemented method of claim 39 wherein said rule is nondeterministically generated through backtracking.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer implemented method of claim 39 wherein the nondeterminism of said generation is controllable.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
53 words
The computer implemented method of claim 34 wherein generating said rule further includes the steps of: identifying portions of said first arbitrary input that match tokens in said objects of said first formal language input and nondeterministically transforming identified portions into said objects; and generating said rule by transforming said objects into slots.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computer implemented method of claim 42 wherein selected objects are excluded from said method of rule generation.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer implemented method of claim 38 and 42 wherein said slot includes at least an index and a datatype.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
90 words
The computer implemented method of claim 24 for deriving a computer command expressed as a formal language output from said rule and a second arbitrary input which is indicative of said formal language output and which also includes a second data element which also occurs in said formal language output, further including the steps of: accepting and storing said second shorthand input; generating said formal language output by substituting said second data element for at least one occurrence of said code data element in said at least a second template.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
41 words
The computer implemented method of claim 24 wherein if said first formal language input cannot be parsed then a synonym is formed from said first arbitrary input and said first formal language input and said synonym is capable of being stored.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
112 words
A computer implemented method for deriving a computer output having a first data element from the combination of: a set of rules where each rule includes first and second members and establishes a correspondence between said first member and said second member and where said second member includes at least one data object, and a first arbitrary input which is indicative of said computer output, said method comprising, in combination, the steps of: accepting and storing said first arbitrary input; generating said computer output by substituting said first data element for at least one occurrence of said data object in said second member of a selected one of said set of rules.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
112 words
A computer implemented method for deriving a computer output having a first data element from the combination of: a set of rules where each rule includes first and second members and establishes a correspondence between said first member and said second member and where said second member includes at least one data object, and a first arbitrary input which is indicative of said computer output, said method comprising, in combination, the steps of: accepting and storing said first arbitrary input; generating said computer output by substituting said first data element for at least one occurrence of said data object in said second member of a selected one of said set of rules.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
34 words
The computer implemented method of claim 47 wherein each of said first members is comprised of a distinct first template and each of said second members is comprised of at least a second template.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer implemented method of claim 47 or 48 wherein said selected rule is selected from said set of rules according to predetermined order.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer implemented method of claim 49 wherein said predetermined order includes evaluating measures of length, generality and position.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
53 words
The computer implemented method of claim 50 wherein said measure of length includes counting tokens and slots of said first member, said measure of generality includes counting the number of slots of said first member, and said measure of position includes determining the placement of said rule according to a predetermined indexing scheme.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer implemented method of claim 47 wherein said selected rule is selected from said set of rules nondeterministically.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer implemented method of claim 47 or 48 wherein said method of generating said computer output includes means for recursively invoking said method to process said first shorthand input.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
35 words
The computer implemented method of claim 47 or 48 wherein said method of generating said formal language output includes means for recursively invoking said method to process a compound one of said first arbitrary input.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
34 words
The computer implemented method of claim 48 wherein said first template also includes at least one code data element which is indicative of the code data element in said at least said second template.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computer implemented method of claim 55 wherein said code data elements are slots.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
39 words
The computer implemented method of claim 56 further including the step of identifying said first data element by comparing said first template and said first arbitrary input to determine whether said first arbitrary input conforms to said first template.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
47 words
The computer implemented method of claim 57 wherein said first shorthand input conforms to said first template when tokens of said first template match correspondingly located portions of said first shorthand input and slots of said first template match correspondingly located portions of said first arbitrary input.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
36 words
The computer implemented method of claim 58 wherein said slots match said correspondingly located positions of said first arbitrary input if said matched portions of said first arbitrary input conforms to the datatypes of said slots.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
32 words
The computer implemented method of claim 58 wherein when said first arbitrary input conforms to said first template said slots are replaced by material of said second shorthand input matching said slots.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4506326A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-01-31 | 1997-08-02 | 1998-02-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-01-31 | 2001-08-02 | 2002-02-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-01-31 | 2005-08-02 | 2006-02-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |