US6401084B1 — System and method for correcting spelling errors …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 100 words

A computer-implemented method of predicting a correct spelling of a non-matching term in a multiple-term search query, the method comprising: identifying a plurality of additional terms that are related to at least one matching term within the multiple-term search query; and comparing a spelling of the non-matching term to spellings of the additional terms to determine whether any of the additional terms is sufficiently similar in spelling to the non-matching term to be deemed a candidate correctly-spelled replacement term for the non-matching term; whereby both matching and non-matching terms within the multiple-term search query are used to predict spelling corrections.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 100 words

A computer-implemented method of predicting a correct spelling of a non-matching term in a multiple-term search query, the method comprising: identifying a plurality of additional terms that are related to at least one matching term within the multiple-term search query; and comparing a spelling of the non-matching term to spellings of the additional terms to determine whether any of the additional terms is sufficiently similar in spelling to the non-matching term to be deemed a candidate correctly-spelled replacement term for the non-matching term; whereby both matching and non-matching terms within the multiple-term search query are used to predict spelling corrections.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method as in claim 1 , wherein comparing the spelling of the non-matching term to spellings of the additional terms comprises using a spelling comparison function which generates a score that indicates a degree of similarity between two character strings.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 53 words

The method as in claim 2 , wherein comparing the spelling further comprises comparing a score generated by the spelling comparison function to a threshold value to determine whether a corresponding additional term is a candidate replacement term, wherein the threshold value is dependent upon a number of characters in the non-matching term.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method as in claim 1 , wherein identifying a plurality of additional terms comprises identifying terms that, based on an analysis of prior search query submissions from multiple users, have appeared in combination with the at least one matching term within prior search query submissions.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method as in claim 4 , wherein identifying a plurality of additional terms comprises selecting terms based at least upon a frequency with which such terms have occurred in combination with the at least one matching term within prior search query submissions.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method as in claim 4 , wherein identifying terms that have appeared in combination with the at least one matching term within prior search query submissions comprises ignoring past queries that produced a null search result.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 60 words

The method as in claim 4 , wherein identifying terms that have appeared in combination with the at least one matching term within prior search query submissions comprises applying a time-based biasing function to a query log to favor recent search query submissions over aged search query submissions, so that spelling correction predictions tend to reflect current interests of users.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method as in claim 7 , wherein applying a time-based biasing function comprises ignoring prior search query submissions that fall outside a sliding time window.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method as in claim 1 , wherein identifying a plurality of additional terms comprises identifying terms that appear in combination with the at least one matching term within a database to which the search query is directed.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method as in claim 9 , wherein identifying terms that appear in combination with the at least one matching term within the database comprises identifying terms that appear together within at least one of the following database elements: an item record, an item title, and an item description.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 57 words

The method as in claim 1 , further comprising, when at least one of the additional terms is determined to be a candidate replacement term for the non-matching term, replacing the non-matching term with an additional term that is a candidate replacement term, and then executing the search query as modified, without requesting input from a user.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method as in claim 1 , further comprising presenting a user that submitted the search query with a list of the candidate correctly-spelled replacement terms for selection.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 98 words

A computer-implemented method of predicting a correct spelling of a misspelled term in a multiple-term search query, the method comprising: identifying a plurality of additional terms that are related to at least one correctly-spelled term within the multiple-term search query; and comparing the misspelled term to the additional terms to determine whether any of the additional terms is sufficiently similar to the misspelled term to be deemed a candidate correctly-spelled replacement term for the misspelled term; whereby at least one correctly-spelled term in the multiple-term search query is used to predict a correct spelling of the misspelled term.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 98 words

A computer-implemented method of predicting a correct spelling of a misspelled term in a multiple-term search query, the method comprising: identifying a plurality of additional terms that are related to at least one correctly-spelled term within the multiple-term search query; and comparing the misspelled term to the additional terms to determine whether any of the additional terms is sufficiently similar to the misspelled term to be deemed a candidate correctly-spelled replacement term for the misspelled term; whereby at least one correctly-spelled term in the multiple-term search query is used to predict a correct spelling of the misspelled term.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method as in claim 13 , wherein comparing the misspelled term to the additional terms comprises using a spelling comparison function which generates a score that indicates a degree of similarity between two character strings.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 58 words

The method as in claim 14 , wherein comparing the misspelled term to the additional terms further comprises comparing a score generated by the spelling comparison function to a threshold value to determine whether a corresponding additional term is a candidate replacement term, wherein the threshold value is dependent upon a number of characters in the misspelled term.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method as in claim 13 , wherein identifying a plurality of additional terms comprises identifying terms that, based on an analysis of prior search query submissions from multiple users, have appeared in combination with the at least one correctly-spelled term within prior search query submissions.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method as in claim 16 , wherein identifying a plurality of additional terms comprises selecting terms based at least upon a frequency with which such terms have occurred in combination with the at least one correctly-spelled term within prior search query submissions.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method as in claim 16 , wherein identifying terms that have appeared in combination with the at least one correctly-spelled term within prior search query submissions comprises ignoring past queries that produced a null search result.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method &a in claim 16 , wherein identifying terms that have appeared in combination with the at least one correctly-spelled term within prior search query submissions comprises applying a time-based biasing function to a query log to favor recent search query submissions over aged search query submissions.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method as in claim 13 , wherein identifying a plurality of additional terms comprises identifying terms that appear in combination with the at least one correctly-spelled term within a database to which the search query is directed.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method as in claim 20 , wherein identifying terms that appear in combination with the at least one correctly-spelled term within the database comprises identifying terms that appear together within at least one of the following elements of the database: an item record, an item title, and an item description.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 52 words

The method as in claim 13 , further comprising, when at least one of the additional terms is a candidate replacement for the misspelled term, replacing the misspelled term with an additional term that is a candidate replacement, and then executing the search query as modified, without requesting input from a user.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method as in claim 13 , further comprising presenting a user that submitted the search query with a list of the candidate correctly-spelled replacement terms for selection.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 94 words

A computer-implemented method of predicting a correct spelling of a non-matching term within a multiple-term search query, comprising: identifying a matching term within the multiple-term search query; identifying an additional term that is related to the matching term; and comparing the non-matching term to the additional term to determine whether the additional term is sufficiently similar in spelling to the non-matching term to be deemed a candidate correctly-spelled replacement term for the non-matching term; whereby both the matching term and the non-matching term are used to predict the correct spelling of the non-matching term.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 94 words

A computer-implemented method of predicting a correct spelling of a non-matching term within a multiple-term search query, comprising: identifying a matching term within the multiple-term search query; identifying an additional term that is related to the matching term; and comparing the non-matching term to the additional term to determine whether the additional term is sufficiently similar in spelling to the non-matching term to be deemed a candidate correctly-spelled replacement term for the non-matching term; whereby both the matching term and the non-matching term are used to predict the correct spelling of the non-matching term.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method as in claim 24 , wherein comparing the non-matching term to the additional term comprises using a spelling comparison function which generates a score that indicates a degree of similarity between two character strings.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 58 words

The method as in claim 25 , wherein comparing the non-matching term to the additional term further comprises comparing a score generated by the spelling comparison function to a threshold value to determine whether the additional term is a candidate correctly-spelled replacement term, wherein the threshold value is dependent upon a number of characters in the non-matching term.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method as in claim 24 , wherein identifying an additional term comprises identifying a term that, based on an analysis of prior search query submissions from multiple users, has appeared in combination with the matching term within prior search query submissions.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method as in claim 27 , wherein identifying an additional term comprises selecting the additional term based at least upon a frequency with which the additional term has occurred in combination with the matching term within prior search query submissions.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method as in claim 27 , wherein identifying an additional term that has appeared in combination with the matching term within prior search query submissions comprises ignoring past queries that produced a null search result.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 47 words

The method as in claim 27 , wherein identifying an additional term tat has appeared in combination with the matching term within prior search query submissions comprises applying a time-based biasing function to a query log to favor recent search query submissions over aged search query submissions.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method as in claim 30 , wherein applying a time-based biasing function comprises ignoring prior search query submissions that fall outside a sliding time window.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method as in claim 24 , wherein identifying an additional term comprises identifying a term that appears in combination with the matching term within a database to which the search query is directed.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method as in claim 32 , wherein identifying an additional term that appears in combination with the matching term within the database comprises identifying terms that appear together within at least one of the following elements of the database: an item record, an item title, and an item description.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method as in claim 24 , further comprising replacing the non-matching term with the additional term, and then executing the search query as modified, without requesting input from a user.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method as in claim 24 , further comprising displaying the additional term to a user that submitted the search query.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method as in claim 24 , wherein identifying an additional term comprises accessing a data structure to retrieve a related terms list for the matching term.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-06-03	2005-12-03	2006-06-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-06-03	2009-12-03	2010-06-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-06-03	2013-12-03	2014-06-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System and method for correcting spelling errors in search queries using both matching and non-matching search terms

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag