Patent ID: 6993475
Filing Date: 2006-01-31
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for preprocessing a natural language database query, the method comprising: a) accepting an alphanumeric string related to the query; b) parsing the alphanumeric string to generate query words; c) determining whether any of the query words, or any phrases formed by at least two adjacent query words, match any of a plurality of indexed annotations; d) if a query word or phrase matches one or more of the plurality of indexed annotations, for each of the plurality of indexed annotations, adding a pattern associated with the indexed annotation to a group associated with the query word or phrase; e) selecting a pattern from each group of patterns to generate a selection of patterns, wherein the pattern may include an object which may be bound to a set of rows or unbound, and wherein two patterns may be unified if they have objects having the same defined type; and f) combining the patterns of the selection of patterns to generate a single, connected, lowest cost pattern, wherein, in the act of combining the patterns of the selection of patterns to generate a single, connected, lowest cost pattern, includes: