Information retrieval method and apparatus, device and storage medium

Abstract

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, provided are an information retrieval method and apparatus, a device and a storage medium. The method comprises: receiving input content used for indicating a retrieval requirement; and presenting a result page, the result page displaying a set of retrieval elements determined on the basis of the input content and a set of retrieval results for the retrieval requirement, and the set of retrieval results comprising at least one retrieval result matched with at least some retrieval elements in the set of retrieval elements. Thus, the embodiments of the present disclosure can visually present for users element breakdown of natural language search, so as to facilitate the users to know response processes for natural language search requests.

Description

Method, apparatus, device and storage medium for information retrieval

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese invention patent application entitled “Method, apparatus, device and storage medium for information retrieval” and application number 202311559424.7, filed on November 21, 2023. The entire contents of that application are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] Example embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of computers, and more particularly, to methods, apparatuses, devices, and computer-readable storage media for information retrieval. Background Art

[0003] With the rapid development of internet technology, the internet has become a vital platform for people to access and share content. Users can access the internet through terminal devices and enjoy a variety of internet services. Internet platforms also provide users with the ability to retrieve various types of information. Improving the efficiency of such information retrieval has become a focus of attention.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method for information retrieval is provided. The method includes: receiving input indicating a search requirement; and presenting a results page, the results page displaying a set of search elements determined based on the input and a set of search results corresponding to the search requirement, wherein the set of search results includes at least one search result that matches at least some of the set of search elements.

[0006] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, a device for information retrieval is provided. The device includes: a text receiving module configured to receive input content indicating a retrieval requirement; and a page rendering module configured to render a results page, wherein the results page displays a set of retrieval elements determined based on the input content and a set of retrieval results corresponding to the retrieval requirement, wherein the set of retrieval results includes at least one retrieval result that matches at least some of the retrieval elements in the set of retrieval elements.

[0007] In a third aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The device includes at least one processing unit; and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processing unit and storing instructions for execution by the at least one processing unit. When executed by the at least one processing unit, the instructions cause the device to perform the method of the first aspect.

[0008] In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein a computer program is stored on the computer-readable storage medium, and the computer program can be executed by a processor to implement the method of the first aspect.

[0009] It should be understood that the content described in this summary section is not intended to limit the key features or important features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become easily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The above and other features, advantages and aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0011] FIG1 shows a schematic diagram of an example environment in which embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented;

[0012] FIG2 shows a flow chart of a method for information retrieval according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0013] 3A to 3D illustrate example interfaces according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0014] FIG4 shows a block diagram of an apparatus for information retrieval according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0015] FIG5 shows a block diagram of a device capable of implementing various embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] It is understood that before using the technical solutions disclosed in each embodiment of this disclosure, the type, scope of use, and usage scenarios of the information involved in this disclosure should be informed to relevant users in an appropriate manner in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and authorization from relevant users should be obtained. Relevant users can include any type of right holders, such as individuals, enterprises, and groups.

[0017] For example, in response to receiving a user's active request, a prompt message is sent to the relevant user to clearly inform the relevant user that the operation requested by the relevant user will require the acquisition and use of the relevant user's information. In this way, the relevant user can independently choose whether to provide information to the electronic device, application, server, storage medium, or other software or hardware that performs the operation of the technical solution of the present disclosure based on the prompt message.

[0018] As an optional but non-limiting implementation, in response to receiving an active request from a relevant user, the prompt information may be sent to the relevant user in the form of a pop-up window, for example, in which the prompt information may be presented in text form. Furthermore, the pop-up window may also contain a selection control for the user to select "agree" or "disagree" to provide personal information to the electronic device.

[0019] It is understandable that the above notification and user authorization process are merely illustrative and do not limit the implementation of the present disclosure. Other methods that comply with relevant laws and regulations may also be applied to the implementation of the present disclosure.

[0020] It is understandable that when adopting this technical solution, the data involved (including but not limited to the data itself, the acquisition, use, storage, and transmission of the data) must comply with the requirements of relevant laws, regulations and relevant provisions.

[0021] As used herein, the term "in response to" refers to a state in which a corresponding event occurs or a condition is satisfied. It will be understood that the timing of executing a subsequent action executed in response to the event or condition is not necessarily strongly correlated with the time when the event occurs or the condition is satisfied. For example, in some cases, a subsequent action may be executed immediately upon the occurrence of the event or the satisfaction of the condition; in other cases, the subsequent action may be executed some time after the occurrence of the event or the satisfaction of the condition.

[0022] The following describes embodiments of the present disclosure in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although certain embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the drawings and embodiments of the present disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0023] It should be noted that the titles of any section / subsection provided herein are not limiting. Various embodiments are described throughout this document, and any type of embodiment may be included under any section / subsection. Furthermore, the embodiments described in any section / subsection may be combined in any manner with any other embodiments described in the same section / subsection and / or in different sections / subsections.

[0024] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "including" and similar terms should be understood as open inclusion, that is, "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "based at least in part on". The term "one embodiment" or "the embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The term "some embodiments" should be understood as "at least some embodiments". Other explicit and implicit definitions may be included below. The terms "first", "second", etc. may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may be included below.

[0025] As used herein, the term "model" can learn the association between corresponding inputs and outputs from training data, so that after the training is completed, the corresponding output can be generated for a given input. The generation and use of the model can be based on technologies permitted by laws and regulations such as machine learning, referred to as available technologies. For example, deep learning is a machine learning algorithm that processes inputs and provides corresponding outputs by using multiple layers of processing units. In this article, "model" may also be referred to as "machine learning model", "machine learning network" or "network", and these terms are used interchangeably in this article. A model may also include different types of processing units or networks.

[0026] As briefly mentioned above, people can now use various types of information retrieval tools to improve information retrieval efficiency. However, traditional information retrieval tools typically find matching results for users based on keyword filtering and matching, making it difficult for such tools to support users' natural language search needs.

[0027] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a solution for information retrieval. Specifically, an input indicating a search requirement may be received, and a results page may be presented. The results page may display a set of search elements determined based on the input and a set of search results corresponding to the search requirement, wherein the set of search results includes at least one search result that matches at least some of the search elements in the set of search elements.

[0028] Therefore, the embodiments of the present disclosure can intuitively present the elements of natural language search to users, so as to facilitate users to understand the response process of natural language search requests.

[0029] Example embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Sample Environment

[0031] FIG1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example environment 100 in which embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented. As shown in FIG1 , in environment 100, a terminal device 110 can be utilized to provide a digital assistant 102 to a target object 150. Such a target object may include a user or an organization, where an organization may be a business, group, department, or the like.

[0032] Exemplarily, such a digital assistant 102 may also be referred to as a digital assistant, or a digital robot. It should be understood that although the digital assistant 102 is shown in FIG1 as being included in the terminal device 110, part of the processing capabilities of the digital assistant 102 may also be at least partially based on the server 120, for example. For example, the front-end portion of the digital assistant 102 (e.g., the portion for presentation) may be included in the terminal device 110, but the back-end portion of the digital assistant 102 (e.g., the portion for information retrieval) may be included in the server 120.

[0033] In some examples, the digital assistant 102 may be, for example, a digital assistant that assists the target object 150 in working, or may be any other appropriate entity. The digital assistant 102 may also run independently or be integrated into a specific application.

[0034] In some embodiments, the digital assistant 102 can be enabled, for example, called or awakened, by an appropriate means (e.g., a shortcut key, a button, or voice). If the digital assistant 102 is active, the terminal device 110 can present an interface 104 associated with the digital assistant 102. The interface 104 can be in the style of a conversational user interface (also referred to as a conversation interface or conversation window), or it can be any other appropriate interface form. As will be described in detail below, such an interface 104 can also include interface elements for information interaction, such as a message input box, a message list, a message bubble, and so on. Through the interface 104, the digital assistant 102 can obtain information input by the target object 150.

[0035] Such input information may include, for example, any appropriate type of message, such as a text message, a picture message, a voice message, a form message, a link message, other appropriate types of messages, and the like.

[0036] Furthermore, the server 120 may allow the target object 150 to interact with the digital assistant 102 to obtain information generated by the digital assistant 102. Alternatively, as will be described in detail below, with the authorization of the target object 150, the information generated by the digital assistant 102 may also be based on historical interactions between the target object 150 and at least one business component 115.

[0037] Such business components may include components that can provide appropriate types of business services for the target object 150. Examples include, but are not limited to, office components and tool components. In some embodiments, such business components may be installed on the same terminal device 110. Alternatively or additionally, such business components may be installed on other terminal devices or provided as cloud services.

[0038] In some embodiments, such business components 115 may include multiple office components in an office suite. An office suite may be a set of office components developed to improve office efficiency, such as office components for creating and editing documents, office components for creating and editing tables, office components for drawing, and the like.

[0039] In some embodiments, the multiple office components include multiple items of the following: a chat component, a document component, an audio and video conferencing component, an email component, a calendar component, a schedule component, a task component, an Objectives and Key Results (OKR) component, and / or appropriate office components that are currently available or may be developed in the future.

[0040] In some embodiments, the digital assistant 102 may be a separate application from the business component 115. Alternatively, the digital assistant 102 may be a function or component appropriately integrated into the business component 115.

[0041] In some embodiments, the historical interaction information 130 may be maintained on appropriate electronic devices as needed, such as the terminal device 110, the server 120, and / or other appropriate electronic devices. The historical interaction information 130 may include, for example, both interaction information stored on the terminal device 110 and interaction information uploaded to the server 120.

[0042] As will be described in detail below, the historical interaction information 130 may be provided for processing an information retrieval request of a target object 150 .

[0043] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 communicates with the server 120 to enable the provision of services to the digital assistant 102. The terminal device 110 can be any type of mobile terminal, fixed terminal or portable terminal, including a mobile phone, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a netbook computer, a tablet computer, a media computer, a multimedia tablet, a personal communication system (PCS) device, a personal navigation device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an audio / video player, a digital camera / camcorder, a positioning device, a television receiver, a radio broadcast receiver, an e-book device, a gaming device or any combination of the foregoing, including accessories and peripherals of these devices or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 can also support any type of interface for the target object 150 (such as a "wearable" circuit, etc.). The server 120 can be various types of computing systems / servers that can provide computing capabilities, including but not limited to mainframes, edge computing nodes, computing devices in cloud environments, and the like.

[0044] Although only one server 120 is shown in FIG1 , the environment 100 may include multiple servers 120. For example, the historical interaction information 130 may be stored locally or in a second server 120 as needed and with relevant user authorization. It should be understood that this is merely an exemplary description and does not imply any limitation on the scope of the present disclosure.

[0045] It should be understood that the structure and functionality of environment 100 are described for exemplary purposes only and do not imply any limitation on the scope of the present disclosure.

[0046] Example Process

[0047] FIG2 illustrates a flow chart of a process 200 for information retrieval according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Process 200 may be implemented by an appropriate electronic device or combination of electronic devices (e.g., server 120, terminal device 110, or a combination of server 120 and terminal device 110 in FIG1 ). For ease of description, process 200 will be described below using terminal device 110 as an example with reference to FIG1 .

[0048] As shown in the figure, in block 210 , the terminal device 110 receives input content indicating a search requirement.

[0049] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may receive user input in a search control to obtain input content indicating a search requirement. As shown in FIG3A , the terminal device 110 may provide the user with an interface 300A as shown in the figure.

[0050] Interface 300A may include a search control 305 for receiving input. Terminal device 110 may, for example, receive input content 310 entered by a user using search control 305. For example, the user may directly type input content 310, such as text content, into search control 305. Alternatively, the user may input voice content, which may be transcribed into text by terminal device 110.

[0051] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may also receive input indicating a search request in other appropriate ways. For example, as discussed with reference to FIG1 , the terminal device 110 may provide an interactive interface between the target object (e.g., user) 150 and the digital assistant 102. Such an interactive interface may, for example, display a conversation between the target object 150 and the digital assistant 102. Furthermore, the terminal device 110 may obtain input indicating a search request entered into the conversation by the target object 150.

[0052] For the convenience of description, the following will take the retrieval control as an example to describe the example interface according to the present disclosure. It should be understood that such a feature can also be used in scenarios such as triggering information retrieval in a session.

[0053] Continuing with reference to FIG2 , in box 220 , the terminal device 110 presents a result page, which displays a set of search elements determined based on the input content and a set of search results for the search requirements, wherein the set of search results includes at least one search result that matches at least some of the search elements in the set of search elements.

[0054] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may present the parsing results of the input content 310 on a results page. Such parsing results may, for example, include a set of search elements determined based on the input content 310. For example, before the search results are loaded, the terminal device 110 may present the parsing results of the input content 310 to indicate that the search request is being processed.

[0055] For example, as shown in FIG3B , after receiving a user-triggered search instruction, the terminal device 110 presents an interface 300B as shown in the figure. In interface 300B, the terminal device 110 may present indication information 315 , which may describe a set of search elements determined based on the input content 310 , such as search element 320 - 1 , search element 320 - 2 , search element 320 - 3 , and search element 320 - 4 (individually or collectively referred to as search elements 320 ).

[0056] The specific process of determining the search element 320 will be described below.

[0057] In some embodiments, before presenting the search element 320, the terminal device 110 may determine whether the input content 310 corresponds to a natural language search scenario. Specifically, the terminal device 110 may provide the input content 310 to the target model to determine whether the input content indicates a natural language search scenario. If it is determined that the input content 310 indicates a natural language search scenario, the terminal device 110 may further obtain a parsed result of the input content 310.

[0058] For example, such a target model may be implemented based on an appropriate machine learning model to determine the search scenario of the input content 310. For example, if the input content 310 is a simple keyword expression, the terminal device 110 may not trigger parsing of the input content 310. Conversely, if the input content 310 corresponds to a natural language search scenario, the terminal device 110 may trigger parsing of one or more search elements 320 indicated in the input content 310.

[0059] In some embodiments, one or more search elements 320 indicated in the input content 310 may be parsed by an appropriate electronic device (including but not limited to: the terminal device 110 , the server 120 , or a combination thereof).

[0060] In some embodiments, the electronic device may determine the first set of search elements indicated in the input content 310 based on a first search mode. Such a first search mode may include, for example, a search mode based on the historical interaction information 130 mentioned above.

[0061] The following briefly describes the process of generating historical interaction information 130. In some embodiments, when a target object 150 interacts with a business component 115, the business component 115 may generate a log record and send the log record to a logging module. Furthermore, the logging module may generate a corresponding log entry based on the received log record, serving as the corresponding historical interaction information 130. In some embodiments, such a log entry may include a knowledge element (Knowledge) to describe the business object corresponding to the historical interaction event.

[0062] In some embodiments, such business objects may include business objects generated, edited, referenced, shared, etc. by the target object 150 during the interaction with the business component 115. Taking the business component 115 as a document component as an example, a historical interaction event may include a creation event of a specific document in the document component by the target object 150. Accordingly, the business object corresponding to the document creation event may include the specific document. For another example, taking the business component 115 as an audio and video conference component, a historical interaction event may include an audio and video conference event in which the target object 150 participated. Accordingly, the business object corresponding to the audio and video conference event may include the audio and video conference itself.

[0063] In some embodiments, a knowledge element can be a natural language description of the business object, intended to abstract and / or compress the content of the business object. For example, taking a document object as an example of a business object, the knowledge element can be used to describe the document object's subject, completion status, audience, language, and expression style. For example, taking an audio or video conference as an example of a business object, the knowledge element can be used to describe the conference's subject, agenda, and summary of the meeting content.

[0064] It should be understood that, depending on the type of business object, different dimensions of information can be selected to generate knowledge elements for describing the business object. For example, taking a conversation as an example business object, a knowledge element can be used to describe the type of conversation (e.g., whether it is a one-on-one chat), an overview of the conversation content, etc.

[0065] Therefore, by maintaining knowledge elements in record entries, embodiments of the present disclosure can describe or characterize the business objects involved in the corresponding historical interaction events through limited content length.

[0066] In some embodiments, the record entry may further include a time element for indicating the time of occurrence of the historical interaction event. For example, continuing to use the example of creating a document as a historical interaction event, such a time element may, for example, indicate the creation time of the document.

[0067] In some other embodiments, the record entry may further include an action element for indicating the event type of the historical interaction event. Continuing with the example of creating a document as a historical interaction event, such an action element may, for example, indicate that the type of the historical interaction event is "create document".

[0068] It should be understood that event types can be appropriately divided according to the needs of the scenario. Taking documents as an example of business objects, the corresponding types may include: document production events (e.g., creation), document consumption events (e.g., browsing), document circulation events (e.g., sharing), and document management events (e.g., permission setting).

[0069] In some embodiments, the record entry may further include a payload element for indexing a business object corresponding to the corresponding historical interaction event. Taking a document as an example of a business object, the payload element may include, for example, a document number or document identifier for indexing the document.

[0070] Therefore, in some scenarios, after the target object 150 interacts with the business component 115, the recording module can generate a corresponding record entry. Such a record entry can be represented as {time element, action element, knowledge element, payload element}, for example, to describe the historical interaction event from multiple preset dimensions.

[0071] In some embodiments, in the first search mode, the electronic device may parse the input content 310 to identify action elements or knowledge elements indicated therein. Such action elements may be used, for example, to match action elements included in the historical interaction information 130. Such knowledge elements may be used, for example, to match knowledge elements included in the historical interaction information 130.

[0072] Taking FIG. 3B as an example, the electronic device may parse the input content 310 to obtain an action element (eg, action: share in a meeting) corresponding to the action element as a search element in the first search mode.

[0073] For another example, if the input content 310 is “document on topic A”, the electronic device may, for example, determine that its corresponding knowledge element is “knowledge: topic A” and use it as a search element.

[0074] In some embodiments, the electronic device may use, for example, an appropriate machine learning model to determine the corresponding knowledge elements or action elements from the input content 310. Such a machine learning model may be trained based on a corresponding training dataset, which may include, for example, a test retrieval text generated based on multiple knowledge elements and / or action elements included in historical interaction information, with the corresponding knowledge elements and / or action elements as annotation values. Thus, the trained machine learning model can extract the corresponding knowledge elements and / or action elements from the retrieval text.

[0075] In some embodiments, the first set of search elements corresponding to the first search mode may also include, for example, a user element associated with the business object to be retrieved. For example, using FIG. 3B as an example, search element 320-1 may indicate user information associated with the business object to be retrieved (e.g., user "XX").

[0076] In some embodiments, the first set of search elements corresponding to the first search mode may also include, for example, a time element associated with the business object to be retrieved. For example, using FIG. 3B as an example, search element 320-2 may indicate time information associated with the business object to be retrieved (e.g., "last week").

[0077] In some embodiments, the first set of search elements corresponding to the first search mode may further include a type element of the business object to be retrieved. For example, using FIG. 3B as an example, search element 320-3 may indicate type information of the business object to be retrieved (e.g., "document").

[0078] In this manner, embodiments of the present disclosure can parse the input content to extract a first set of search elements corresponding to the first search mode for use in subsequent search processes. It should be understood that in some scenarios, the content of some search elements may be empty. For example, the user may not have indicated time information in the input content 310.

[0079] In some embodiments, the electronic device may determine a second set of search elements indicated in the input content 310 based on a second search mode. Such a second search mode may, for example, include performing information retrieval using a set of preset filters. Accordingly, the second set of search elements may correspond to the set of preset filters.

[0080] In some embodiments, such filters may include a first filter associated with a result type. For example, the first filter may indicate that the results of the search need to be of the document type.

[0081] In some embodiments, such a filter may include a second filter associated with a time range. For example, the second filter may indicate that the document was shared within the last week.

[0082] In some embodiments, such a filter may include a third filter associated with a user. For example, the third filter may indicate that the document is shared with "XX".

[0083] In some embodiments, such filters may include a fourth filter associated with a session. For example, the fourth filter may indicate that a document was shared in a particular session.

[0084] In some embodiments, such a filter is associated with a fifth filter of a keyword. For example, a fourth filter may indicate that the documents to be searched may include a specific keyword.

[0085] In this way, embodiments of the present disclosure can also utilize preset filters to perform parsing of search elements. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 can provide a set of search results for the search requirements in the results page. For example, after the set of search results is loaded, the terminal device 110 can display the set of search results.

[0086] 3C , the terminal device 110 may provide, for example, in the interface 300C, search results 325 , 335 , and 345 . Accordingly, the indication information 315 in the interface 300C may be updated accordingly to indicate that the search is complete.

[0087] As another example, the terminal device 110 may also directly present the interface 300C in response to the user's search request. For example, the terminal device 110 may provide a result page as shown in FIG3C , and display the search results and instruction information 315 on the result page.

[0088] Furthermore, at least one of the search results 325, 335, and 345 may be determined based on a set of search elements 320 described by the indication information 315. Taking FIG. 3C as an example, the search result 325 may be determined based on the set of search elements 320.

[0089] Specifically, for example, the server 120 or an appropriate electronic device may determine the search results 325 matching the set of search elements 320 based on the set of search elements 320 and the historical interaction information 130 discussed above.

[0090] As an example, when the retrieval element 320-4 corresponding to the action element is parsed, the server 120 can, for example, compare the retrieval element 320-4 with the action elements of each historical interaction event maintained in the historical interaction information 130, and can, for example, determine one or more action elements that meet the retrieval element 320-4 based on vector matching.

[0091] Additionally, the server 120 may also perform filtering and other processing according to other search elements, and determine the final matching search result, such as the search result 325, in combination with the action element.

[0092] In some embodiments, at least one of search result 325, search result 335, and search result 345 may be determined from a candidate result set, for example. Server 120 may, for example, maintain index information associated with the candidate result set. Such index information may, for example, correspond to the first set of search elements and / or the second set of search elements discussed above, so that server 120 can filter matching search results based on the obtained search elements.

[0093] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3C , the terminal device 110 may also present corresponding descriptive information associated with each search result. In some embodiments, if the search result 325 includes a business object (e.g., document A) that matches an action element (e.g., corresponding to the search element 320-4), and the business object is not determined based on a knowledge element, the descriptive information 330 corresponding to the search result 325 may include a description of the first event associated with the business object (e.g., document A). As an example, such descriptive information 330 may be generated based on the portion of the action element in the historical interaction information 130 that matches the action element (e.g., search element 320-4).

[0094] In another example, if a business object in a specific search result is determined based on a knowledge element (e.g., "Topic A"), and the specific search result is not based on any action element, the description information corresponding to the business object may include the portion of the description of the business object that matches the knowledge element. As an example, such description information may be generated based on the portion of the knowledge element in the historical interaction information 130 that matches the knowledge element.

[0095] In another example, if a business object in a specific search result is determined based on both knowledge elements and action elements, the description information corresponding to the business object may include a description of a second event associated with the business object. As an example, such description information may be generated based on the portion of the action element in the historical interaction information 130 that matches the action element.

[0096] Therefore, based on this approach, description information 330 , description information 340 , and description information 350 can be used to intuitively display the reasons why corresponding search results 325 , 335 , and 345 are determined to match input content 310 .

[0097] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3C , search result 345 may, for example, not match at least one search element. Accordingly, terminal device 110 may also present matching information 355 associated with search result 345. Matching information 355 may indicate one or more elements in a set of search elements 320 that do not match search result 345. Additionally or alternatively, matching information 355 may also, for example, list one or more elements in the set of search elements 320 that do match search result 345.

[0098] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may further sort the plurality of search results. Continuing with the first search mode as an example, if the set of search results includes a first search result and a second search result (e.g., search result 325 and search result 335) determined based on an action element (e.g., search element 320-4), the terminal device 110 may, for example, sort the search results 325 and 335 based on the time of the events corresponding to the search results 325 and 335.

[0099] For example, if the event indicated in the description information 330 of the search result 325 is later than the event indicated by the description information 340 of the search result 335 , the terminal device 110 may, for example, prioritize presenting the search result 325 .

[0100] In some embodiments, if the group of search results includes at least a third search result and a fourth search result determined based on the knowledge element, the terminal device 110 can also sort the third search result and the fourth search result based on the matching degree of the third search result and the fourth search result with the knowledge element.

[0101] Continuing with the example of "Topic A" as a knowledge element, if the degree of match between the document corresponding to the third search result and "Topic A" is higher than the degree of match between the document corresponding to the fourth search result and "Topic A", the terminal device 110 may, for example, prioritize presenting the third search result.

[0102] In some embodiments, for the second search mode based on a preset filter, the terminal device 110 can, for example, obtain and present the corresponding search results in a similar manner, which will not be further elaborated in this disclosure.

[0103] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may also determine multiple search results to be provided based on both the first search mode and the second search mode. In some examples, if the first search result that best matches the search result is determined based on the first search mode, the indication information 315 may, for example, be used to describe a first set of search elements corresponding to the first search mode. Conversely, if the first search result that best matches the search result is determined based on the second search mode, the indication information 315 may, for example, be used to describe a second set of search elements corresponding to the second search mode.

[0104] It should be understood that although Figures 3A to 3C describe the presentation process of search elements and search results in conjunction with a specific search page, such a process is also applicable to searches triggered based on conversations with digital assistants, such as those introduced above.

[0105] In some embodiments, different from the interface 300C, the terminal device 110 may also provide the search results using an interface 300D as shown in FIG. 3D .

[0106] 3D , the terminal device 110 may provide, for example, an element management component 360. Similar to the indication information 315, the element management component 360 may also present one or more search elements determined based on the input content, for example, search element 365-1, search element 365-2, and search element 365-3.

[0107] In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may also provide an element addition entry 370 in the element management component 360 for adding one or more additional search elements. For example, if a user triggers the element addition entry 370, the terminal device 110 may obtain one or more additional search elements through the element management component 360. As an example, the terminal device 110 may provide an element input entry in the element management component 360 for inputting "Topic A" as an additional search element.

[0108] Based on this approach, the embodiments of the present disclosure can further support users in refining search texts, thereby improving the efficiency of information retrieval.

[0109] In some embodiments, when the user triggers the element addition entry 370, the terminal device 110 may, for example, present a conversation window with the digital assistant 102, which may be integrated into the element management component 360. The user may enter one or more additional search elements through the conversation window with the digital assistant.

[0110] For example, the digital assistant can proactively ask, "Can you describe the topic of this document?" Accordingly, the user can enter "Topic A" as a new search factor.

[0111] Based on this approach, the embodiments of the present disclosure can further support users in refining their natural language search needs through dialogue, thereby improving the efficiency of information retrieval.

[0112] Example devices and equipment

[0113] FIG4 shows a schematic block diagram of an apparatus 400 for information retrieval according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. Apparatus 400 may be implemented as or included in server 120, terminal device 110, or a combination of server 120 and terminal device 110 in FIG1 . Each module / component in apparatus 400 may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof.

[0114] As shown in the figure, the device 400 includes a text receiving module 410, which is configured to receive input content for indicating a retrieval requirement; and a page presentation module 420, which is configured to present a result page, which displays a set of retrieval elements determined based on the input content and a set of retrieval results for the retrieval requirement, wherein the set of retrieval results includes at least one retrieval result that matches at least some of the retrieval elements in the set of retrieval elements.

[0115] In some embodiments, the page presentation module 420 is further configured to: present the parsing results of the input content in the result page, the parsing results including the set of search elements determined based on the input content; and provide the set of search results for the search requirements in the result page.

[0116] In some embodiments, the device 400 also includes a determination module configured to: provide input content to the target model to determine whether the input content indicates a natural language search scenario; and in response to determining that the input content indicates a natural language search scenario, obtain a parsed result of the input content.

[0117] In some embodiments, the text receiving module 410 is further configured to: receive input content received by the user in the search control; or receive input content entered by the user into the digital assistant in a conversation between the user and the digital assistant.

[0118] In some embodiments, a group of search elements includes a first group of search elements corresponding to a first search mode, and the first group of search elements includes at least: action elements for describing events associated with the business object to be retrieved; and / or knowledge elements for describing the content of the business object.

[0119] In some embodiments, the first set of search elements further includes at least one of the following: a user element associated with the business object, a time element associated with the business object; and a type element of the business object.

[0120] In some embodiments, at least one search result is determined from a candidate result set, and the candidate result set is associated with a set of index information corresponding to the first set of search elements.

[0121] In some embodiments, the device 400 also includes an information description module, which is configured to: in response to at least one retrieval result including a first business object that matches an action element, present first description information of the first business object, the first description information including a description of a first event associated with the first business object, and the first event matches the action element; in response to at least one retrieval result including a second business object that matches a knowledge element, present second description information of the second business object, the second description information including a portion of the description content of the second business object that matches the knowledge element; or in response to at least one retrieval result including a third business object that matches an action element and a knowledge element, present third description information of the third business object, the third description information including a description of a second event associated with the third business object, and the second event matches the action element.

[0122] In some embodiments, the device 400 also includes a sorting module, which is configured to: in response to a group of retrieval results including at least a first retrieval result and a second retrieval result determined based on action elements, sort the first retrieval result and the second retrieval result based on the time of events corresponding to the first retrieval result and the second retrieval result; or in response to a group of retrieval results including at least a third retrieval result and a fourth retrieval result determined based on knowledge elements, sort the third retrieval result and the fourth retrieval result based on the matching degree of the third retrieval result and the fourth retrieval result with the knowledge elements.

[0123] In some embodiments, the set of search elements includes a second set of search elements corresponding to a second search mode, wherein the second set of search elements corresponds to a set of preset filters for searching.

[0124] In some embodiments, the set of preset filters includes at least one of: a first filter associated with a result type; a second filter associated with a time range; a third filter associated with a user; a fourth filter associated with a session; and a fifth filter associated with a keyword.

[0125] In some embodiments, the device 400 further includes an element adding module configured to: obtain at least one additional search element based on a selection of an element adding entry to update a set of search elements; and provide an updated search result determined based on a set of search elements.

[0126] In some embodiments, the element adding module is further configured to: present a conversation window with the digital assistant based on the selection of the element adding entry; and obtain at least one additional retrieval element based on the conversation window.

[0127] In some embodiments, the device 400 also includes an element matching module, which is configured to: present matching information associated with at least one search result, and the matching information is used to indicate: a first element in a set of search elements that matches at least one search result, and / or a second element in a set of search elements that does not match at least one search result.

[0128] FIG5 shows a block diagram of an electronic device 500 in which one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. It should be understood that the electronic device 500 shown in FIG5 is merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the functionality and scope of the embodiments described herein. The electronic device 500 shown in FIG5 can be used to implement the server 120, the terminal device 110, or a combination of the server 120 and the terminal device 110 of FIG1 .

[0129] As shown in FIG5 , electronic device 500 is a general-purpose electronic device. Components of electronic device 500 may include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units 510, memory 520, storage device 530, one or more communication units 540, one or more input devices 550, and one or more output devices 560. Processing unit 510 may be a real or virtual processor and is capable of performing various processes according to programs stored in memory 520. In a multi-processor system, multiple processing units execute computer-executable instructions in parallel to enhance the parallel processing capabilities of electronic device 500.

[0130] The electronic device 500 typically includes a plurality of computer storage media. Such media can be any accessible media that can be obtained by the electronic device 500, including but not limited to volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. The memory 520 can be a volatile memory (e.g., registers, cache, random access memory (RAM)), a non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory), or some combination thereof. The storage device 530 can be a removable or non-removable medium and can include a machine-readable medium, such as a flash drive, a disk, or any other medium that can be used to store information and / or data and can be accessed within the electronic device 500.

[0131] The electronic device 500 may further include additional removable / non-removable, volatile / non-volatile storage media. Although not shown in FIG. 5 , a disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”) and an optical drive for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile optical disk may be provided. In these cases, each drive may be connected to a bus (not shown) by one or more data media interfaces. The memory 520 may include a computer program product 525 having one or more program modules configured to perform various methods or actions of various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0132] The communication unit 540 enables communication with other electronic devices via a communication medium. Additionally, the functions of the components of the electronic device 500 can be implemented in a single computing cluster or multiple computing machines that can communicate via a communication connection. Thus, the electronic device 500 can operate in a networked environment using a logical connection with one or more other servers, a network personal computer (PC), or another network node.

[0133] Input device 550 may be one or more input devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, or trackball. Output device 560 may be one or more output devices, such as a display, a speaker, or a printer. Electronic device 500 may also communicate with one or more external devices (not shown) via communication unit 540 as needed, such as a storage device, a display device, or the like, with one or more devices that allow a user to interact with electronic device 500, or with any device that allows electronic device 500 to communicate with one or more other electronic devices (e.g., a network card, a modem, etc.). Such communication may be performed via an input / output (I / O) interface (not shown).

[0134] According to an exemplary implementation of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which computer-executable instructions are stored, wherein the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the method described above. According to an exemplary implementation of the present disclosure, a computer program product is also provided, which is tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and includes computer-executable instructions, and the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the method described above.

[0135] Various aspects of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to flowcharts and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatuses, devices, and computer program products implemented according to the present disclosure. It should be understood that each block of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0136] These computer-readable program instructions can be provided to a processing unit of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, thereby producing a machine, such that when these instructions are executed by the processing unit of the computer or other programmable data processing device, a device is generated that implements the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram. These computer-readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, where these instructions cause the computer, programmable data processing device, and / or other device to operate in a specific manner. Thus, the computer-readable medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions for implementing various aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0137] Computer-readable program instructions can be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby causing the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to implement the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0138] The flow charts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings show the possible architecture, functions and operations of the systems, methods and computer program products according to multiple implementations of the present disclosure. In this regard, each box in the flow chart or block diagram can represent a part for a module, program segment or instruction, and a part for a module, program segment or instruction comprises one or more executable instructions for realizing the logical function of the specification. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the box can also occur in a sequence different from that marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two continuous boxes can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the block diagram and / or flow chart, and the combination of the boxes in the block diagram and / or flow chart can be realized by a special hardware-based system that performs the function or action of the specification, or can be realized by a combination of special hardware and computer instructions.

[0139] While various implementations of the present disclosure have been described above, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative, not exhaustive, and not limited to the disclosed implementations. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described implementations. The terminology used herein is selected to best explain the principles of the implementations, their practical applications, or improvements to existing technologies, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the various implementations disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An information retrieval method, comprising: receiving input indicating a search requirement; as well as A result page is presented, wherein the result page displays a set of search elements determined based on the input content and a set of search results for the search requirement, wherein the set of search results includes at least one search result that matches at least some of the search elements in the set of search elements.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein presenting the result page comprises: Presenting the parsing result of the input content in the result page, the parsing result including the set of search elements determined based on the input content; as well as The set of search results for the search requirement is provided in the result page.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: Providing the input content to a target model to determine whether the input content indicates a natural language search scenario; as well as In response to determining that the input content indicates a natural language search scenario, the parsed result of the input content is acquired.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving input content indicating a search requirement comprises: Receiving the input content received by the user in the search control; or In a conversation between a user and a digital assistant, the input content input by the user to the digital assistant is received.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of search elements comprises a first set of search elements corresponding to a first search mode, the first set of search elements comprising at least: Action elements, used to describe events associated with the business object to be retrieved; and / or Knowledge elements are used to describe the content of the business object.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the first set of search elements further comprises at least one of the following: a user element associated with the business object, a time element associated with the business object; The type element of the business object. 7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one search result is determined from a candidate result set, and the candidate result set is associated with a set of index information corresponding to the first set of search elements.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising: In response to the at least one search result including a first business object matching the action element, presenting first description information of the first business object, the first description information including a description of a first event associated with the first business object, the first event matching the action element; In response to the at least one search result including a second business object matching the knowledge element, presenting the second description information of the second business object, wherein the second description information includes a portion of the description content of the second business object that matches the knowledge element; or In response to the at least one search result including a third business object matching the action element and the knowledge element, third description information of the third business object is presented, the third description information including a description of a second event associated with the third business object, the second event matching the action element.

9. The method according to claim 5, further comprising: In response to the group of search results including at least a first search result and a second search result determined based on the action element, sorting the first search result and the second search result based on the time of events corresponding to the first search result and the second search result; or In response to the group of search results including at least a third search result and a fourth search result determined based on the knowledge element, the third search result and the fourth search result are sorted based on the matching degree of the third search result and the fourth search result with the knowledge element.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of search elements comprises a second set of search elements corresponding to a second search mode, wherein the second set of search elements corresponds to a set of preset filters for searching.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the set of preset filters comprises at least one of the following: the first filter associated with the result type; a second filter associated with a time range; a third filter associated with the user; a fourth filter associated with the session; A fifth filter associated with a keyword.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Based on the selection of the element adding entry, obtaining at least one additional search element to update the set of search elements; as well as An updated search result determined based on the set of search factors is provided.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein obtaining at least one additional search element comprises: Based on the selection of adding an entry for the element, presenting a conversation window with the digital assistant; as well as Based on the session window, the at least one additional search element is obtained.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Matching information is presented in association with the at least one search result, the matching information being used to indicate: a first element in the set of search elements that matches the at least one search result, and / or a second element in the set of search elements that does not match the at least one search result.

15. A device for information retrieval, comprising: A text receiving module, configured to receive input content for indicating a search requirement; The page presentation module is configured to present a result page, wherein the result page displays the result based on the input content. A set of search elements and a set of search results for the search requirement are determined, wherein the set of search results includes at least one search result that matches at least some of the search elements in the set of search elements.

16. An electronic device, comprising: at least one processing unit; as well as At least one memory, the at least one memory being coupled to the at least one processing unit and storing instructions for execution by the at least one processing unit, the instructions causing the electronic device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 14 when executed by the at least one processing unit.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the computer program can be executed by a processor to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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