US6233547B1 — Computer program product for retrieving multi-med…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 92 words

A computer program product for retrieving multi-media objects using a natural language containing a pronoun, comprising: a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of: (a) receiving a query in the natural language containing the pronoun; (b) determining the pronoun in the query; (c) determining whether either a phrase or sentence containing the pronoun conforms to a predetermined phrase structure; (d) determining a noun or noun phrase to which the pronoun refers based on step (c); and (e) processing the query based on step (d).

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 92 words

A computer program product for retrieving multi-media objects using a natural language containing a pronoun, comprising: a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of: (a) receiving a query in the natural language containing the pronoun; (b) determining the pronoun in the query; (c) determining whether either a phrase or sentence containing the pronoun conforms to a predetermined phrase structure; (d) determining a noun or noun phrase to which the pronoun refers based on step (c); and (e) processing the query based on step (d).

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 18 words

The computer program product as in claim 1 , wherein step (a) includes using “it” as the pronoun.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 32 words

The computer program product as in claim 2 , where step (c) includes using either a meteorological phrase structure, temporal phrase structure or passive construction phase structure as the predetermined phrase structure.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 34 words

The computer program product as in claim 3 further comprising the step of identifying “it” as anaphoric if there is not a meteorological phrase structure, temporal phrase structure or passive construction phase structure match.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 42 words

The computer program product as in claim 3 , wherein using the meteorological phrase structure includes determining whether the meteorological phrase structure conforms to the structure of: “it” with any form of “be,” zero or more adverbs and a present progressive verb.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 36 words

The computer program product as in claim 3 , wherein using the meteorological phrase structure includes determining whether the meteorological phrase structure conforms to the structure of: “it” with any form of “be,” and an adjective.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 36 words

The computer program product as in claim 3 , wherein using the meteorological phrase structure includes determining whether the meteorological phrase structure conforms to the structure of: “it” with any form of “be,” and a noun.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 42 words

The computer program product as in claim 3 , wherein using the temporal phrase structure includes determining whether the temporal phrase structure conforms to the structure of: “it” with any form of “be,” an adverb, and either the word “early” or “late.”

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 39 words

The computer program product as in claim 3 , wherein using the temporal phrase structure includes determining whether the temporal phrase structure conforms to the structure of: “it” with any form of “be,” a preposition, and the word “time.”

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 41 words

The computer program product as in claim 3 , wherein using the temporal phrase structure includes determining whether the temporal phrase structure conforms to the structure of: “it” with any form of “be,” zero or more adverbs, and a number phrase.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 37 words

The computer program product as in claim 3 , wherein using the passive-construction phrase structure includes determining whether the passive-construction phrase structure conforms to the structure of: “it” with any form of “be,” and a modal adjective.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 40 words

The computer program product as in claim 11 further comprising the step of using either “necessary,” “good,” “economical,” “possible,” “useful,” “easy,” “certain,” “advisable,” “desirable,” “likely,” “convenient,” “difficult,” “important,” “sufficient,” “legal” or their negations, comparatives or superlatives as the modal adjective.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 50 words

The computer program product as in claim 3 , wherein using the passive-construction phrase structure includes determining whether the passive-construction phrase structure conforms to the structure of: “it” with any form of “be,” a modal adjective, optionally having “for” followed by a noun, and having “to” followed by a verb.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 50 words

The computer program product as in claim 3 , wherein using the passive-construction phrase structure includes determining whether the passive-construction phrase structure conforms to the structure of: a noun, a cognitive verb, “it,” a modal adjective, optionally having “for” followed by a noun, and having “to” followed by a verb.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 41 words

The computer program product as in claim 3 , wherein using the passive-construction phrase structure includes determining whether the passive-construction phrase structure conforms to the structure of: “it” with any form of “be,” and a modal adjective followed by a pronoun.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-05-14	2004-11-13	2005-05-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-05-14	2008-11-13	2009-05-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-05-14	2012-11-13	2013-05-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Computer program product for retrieving multi-media objects using a natural language having a pronoun

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