Information search method and apparatus, device, and storage medium

Abstract

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, provided are an information search method and apparatus, a device, and a storage medium. The method comprises: receiving a first input message of a user, the first input message indicating a search request for a service provider; and providing a plurality of groups of service providers determined on the basis of the first input message, wherein the plurality of groups of service providers correspond to a plurality of categories, each group of service providers is associated with a same category, and a plurality of category labels of the plurality of categories are determined on the basis of the first input message. The embodiments of the present disclosure can improve information search efficiency and accuracy, and improve information transmission efficiency.

Description

Methods, apparatus, equipment and storage media for information retrieval Technical Field

[0001] The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to the field of computers, and particularly to methods, apparatus, devices, and computer-readable storage media for information retrieval. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of computer technology, various forms of electronic devices have greatly enriched people's daily lives. For example, people can use electronic devices to perform various search tasks, such as shopping searches, ordering food, and so on. How to improve the efficiency of information retrieval is a key concern. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In a first aspect of this disclosure, an information search method is provided. The method includes: receiving a first input message from a user, the first input message indicating a search request for a service provider; providing multiple groups of service providers determined based on the first input message, wherein the multiple groups of service providers correspond to multiple categories, and each group of service providers is associated with the same category, and multiple category labels for the multiple categories are determined based on the first input message.

[0004] In a second aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus for information retrieval is provided. The apparatus includes: a receiving module configured to receive a first input message from a user, the first input message indicating a search request for a service provider; and a providing module configured to provide multiple groups of service providers determined based on the first input message, wherein the multiple groups of service providers correspond to multiple categories, and each group of service providers is associated with the same category, and multiple category labels for the multiple categories are determined based on the first input message.

[0005] In a third aspect of this 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.

[0006] In a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program that can be executed by a processor to implement the method of the first aspect.

[0007] In a fifth aspect of this disclosure, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the method according to a first aspect of this disclosure.

[0008] It should be understood that the content described in this content section is not intended to limit the key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to restrict the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0010] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of an example environment in which embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented;

[0011] Figures 2A to 2G illustrate schematic diagrams of example interfaces according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0012] Figure 3 illustrates a flowchart of an information search process according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 4 shows a schematic structural block diagram of an apparatus for information retrieval according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 5 shows a block diagram of an electronic device capable of implementing several embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0015] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0016] It should be noted that the headings of any section / subsection provided herein are not limiting. Various embodiments are described throughout this document, and embodiments of any type may be included under any section / subsection. Furthermore, embodiments described in any section / subsection may be combined in any way with any other embodiments described in the same section / subsection and / or different sections / subsections.

[0017] In the description of embodiments of this disclosure, the term "comprising" and similar terms should be understood as open-ended inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based 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 also be included below. The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0018] The embodiments of this disclosure may involve user data, data acquisition, and / or use. All of these aspects comply with applicable laws, regulations, and relevant provisions. In the embodiments of this disclosure, all data collection, acquisition, processing, manipulation, forwarding, and use are conducted with the user's knowledge and confirmation. Accordingly, in implementing the embodiments of this disclosure, the type, scope of use, and usage scenarios of any data or information that may be involved should be communicated to the user and their authorization obtained in accordance with relevant laws and regulations through appropriate means. The specific methods of notification and / or authorization may vary depending on the actual situation and application scenario, and the scope of this disclosure is not limited in this respect.

[0019] In this specification and the embodiments, any processing of personal information will be carried out only under the premise of legality (such as obtaining the consent of the personal information subject, or being necessary for the performance of a contract), and will only be carried out within the scope stipulated or agreed upon. A user's refusal to process personal information other than that necessary for basic functions will not affect the user's use of basic functions.

[0020] Embodiments of this disclosure propose an information search scheme. According to this scheme, a first input message from a user can be received, indicating a search request for a service provider; multiple groups of service providers determined based on the first input message can be provided, wherein the multiple groups of service providers correspond to multiple categories, and each group of service providers is associated with the same category, and multiple category labels for the multiple categories are determined based on the first input message.

[0021] Based on this approach, embodiments of this disclosure can accurately present users with multiple service providers corresponding to various categories associated with their search requests, improving the efficiency and accuracy of information retrieval. This disclosure can also help users understand the category information of these multiple service providers more efficiently, improving the efficiency of information transmission.

[0022] Example Environment

[0023] Figure 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example environment 100 in which embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented. As shown in Figure 1, the example environment 100 may include an electronic device 110.

[0024] In this example environment 100, electronic device 110 can run an application 120 that supports user interface interaction. Application 120 can be any suitable type of application for user interface interaction, and examples may include, but are not limited to, applications related to life services or other suitable applications.

[0025] In environment 100 of Figure 1, if application 120 is active, application 120 can provide a presentation interface 150 for user 140.

[0026] In some embodiments, electronic device 110 communicates with server 130 to provide services to application 120. Electronic device 110 can be any type of mobile terminal, fixed terminal, or portable terminal, including mobile phones, desktop computers, laptop computers, notebook computers, netbook computers, tablet computers, media computers, multimedia tablets, handheld computers, portable gaming terminals, VR / AR devices, personal communication system (PCS) devices, personal navigation devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), audio / video players, digital cameras / camcorders, positioning devices, television receivers, radio receivers, e-book devices, gaming devices, or any combination thereof, including accessories and peripherals of these devices or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, electronic device 110 can also support any type of interface for the target user (such as "wearable" circuitry).

[0027] Server 130 can be a standalone physical server, a server cluster or distributed system composed of multiple physical servers, or a cloud server providing basic cloud computing services such as cloud services, cloud databases, cloud computing, cloud functions, cloud storage, network services, cloud communication, middleware services, domain name services, security services, content delivery networks, and big data and artificial intelligence platforms. Server 130 may include, for example, computing systems / servers such as mainframes, edge computing nodes, computing devices in a cloud environment, etc. Server 130 can provide backend services for applications 120 that support user interface interaction in electronic devices 110.

[0028] A communication connection can be established between server 130 and electronic device 110. This communication connection can be established via wired or wireless means. The communication connection may include, but is not limited to, Bluetooth, mobile network, Universal Serial Bus (USB), and Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) connections; the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited in this respect. In the embodiments of this disclosure, server 130 and electronic device 110 can achieve signaling interaction through the communication connection between them.

[0029] It should be understood that the structure and function of the various elements in environment 100 are described for illustrative purposes only and do not imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure.

[0030] The following description will continue with reference to the accompanying drawings, which will provide some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0031] Example Interaction

[0032] The process of example information search according to embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to Figures 2A-2G. Figures 2A-2G illustrate example interfaces 200A-200G according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, which may be provided, for example, by the electronic device 110 shown in Figure 1.

[0033] In some embodiments, the electronic device may receive user input message 201. The input message 201 may indicate the user's service request, which may be a request for a service provider, a request for a service, or other requests, etc.

[0034] As an example, electronic device 110 can receive user input information 201 based on a session window between the user and a virtual object. This session window can be a session window presented on interface 200A as shown in Figure 2A.

[0035] It should be understood that, on the one hand, a virtual object can have a virtual avatar for interaction. On the other hand, a virtual object can also utilize an appropriate model to drive its interactive behavior, such a model can include any suitable machine learning model, for example, a generative model. In this disclosure, the various interactive processes and / or generative operations performed by the virtual object can be actually performed using an appropriate model corresponding to the virtual object.

[0036] In some embodiments, the electronic device 110 can provide specific types of services based on the session window. Such specific types could be, for example, catering, online shopping, etc. As an example, the interface 200A could be a search interface for service providers (such as shops, restaurants, etc.).

[0037] In some embodiments, the input information 201 can be any suitable form of information, such as text, voice, image, or other forms.

[0038] As an example, electronic device 110 can present input component 202 in interface 200A. Users can input information 201 based on this input component 202, allowing electronic device 110 to receive the user's input. Input component 202 can be any suitable component, such as an input box, a voice input component, etc. An input box can support users inputting text-type content. A voice input component can support users inputting voice-type content.

[0039] In some embodiments, if the user-input information 201 is detailed enough that the electronic device 110 can accurately determine the corresponding service requirements based on this input information, the electronic device can directly present multiple sets of service providers corresponding to the input information 201, thereby improving the efficiency of information search. These multiple sets of service providers can be determined based on the input information 201. Specifically, the electronic device 110 can determine a set of candidate service providers based on the input information 201. As an example, the electronic device can determine a first target label based on the input information 201. The electronic device 110 can determine a set of candidate service providers matching the first target label based on the degree of matching between the first target label and the candidate labels corresponding to each service provider. Further, the electronic device 110 can determine the multiple sets of service providers provided based on this set of candidate services.

[0040] In some embodiments, this set of candidate service providers can be determined by the electronic device 110 using a target model based on the input information 201. The target model can be any suitable machine learning model, such as a generative model, which will not be elaborated here.

[0041] In other embodiments, the electronic device 110 may provide multiple candidate options in response to an input information 201 indicating a search request for a service provider. The search request for a service provider can be any appropriate request associated with a service provider, such as a search request for the service provider itself, or a request for services offered by the service provider, etc. In some embodiments, the multiple candidate options are determined based on the input information 201 to guide the user to input more detailed service requirements.

[0042] Using Figures 2A and 2B as examples, electronic device 110 can respond to receiving input information 201 about recommending restaurants that can serve hot pot and present an interface 200B as shown in Figure 2B, in which multiple candidate options 211 can be presented.

[0043] To accurately obtain service requirements corresponding to different themes associated with input information 201, in some embodiments, these multiple candidate options 211 can be associated with multiple groups, each group corresponding to a different theme. These themes are determined based on the input information. Taking Figure 2B as an example, the multiple candidate options 211 may include group 211-1 and group 211-2. Group 211-1 corresponds to the theme of taste, and group 211-2 corresponds to the theme of number of diners, thus guiding the user to further input service requirements related to these two themes: taste and number of diners.

[0044] Furthermore, the electronic device 110 can provide multiple sets of service providers based on the selection of at least one of a plurality of candidate options 211, these multiple sets of service providers being determined based on the at least one candidate option and the input information 201. Specifically, the electronic device 110 can determine a set of candidate service providers based on the input information 201 and the selected at least one candidate option. As an example, the electronic device can determine a target tag based on the input information 201 and the selected at least one candidate option. The electronic device 110 can determine a set of candidate service providers that match the target tag based on the degree of matching between the target tag and the candidate tags corresponding to each service provider. Furthermore, the electronic device 110 can determine the multiple sets of service providers to be provided based on this set of candidate service providers.

[0045] For example, electronic device 110 may present interface 200C or interface 200D as shown in Figure 2C or 2D. In interface 200C or interface 200D, electronic device 110 may present recommended stores associated with the input information 201 entered by the user and the selected candidate options 221 and 222.

[0046] In some embodiments, this set of candidate service providers can be determined by the electronic device 110 using a target model based on input information 201 and selected candidates 221 and 222. The target model can be any suitable machine learning model, such as a generative model, which will not be elaborated here.

[0047] To facilitate users' quick browsing of information about these stores, in some embodiments, such recommended stores (e.g., multiple service providers determined based on input message 201 or multiple service providers determined based on input message 201 and at least one selected candidate) can be presented in the form of multiple sets, so that users can quickly browse and select according to the category of the service provider, and different sets can correspond to different categories.

[0048] The following describes the process of determining the multiple service providers based on this candidate service set, which can be determined based on input message 201, or based on input message 201 and at least one selected candidate:

[0049] Specifically, electronic device 110 can provide multiple groups of service providers based on the candidate service provider set when the number of service providers in the candidate service provider set exceeds a threshold. The threshold can be set to any appropriate value, such as 3. The fact that the number of service providers in the candidate service provider set exceeds the threshold indicates that the candidate service provider set includes a sufficient number of candidate service providers for classification. Further, electronic device 110 can divide the candidate service provider set into multiple groups of service providers corresponding to multiple categories based on the descriptive information of the candidate service provider set. Service providers in the same group can be associated with the same category, and service providers in different groups can correspond to different categories. The descriptive information can be any appropriate information, such as the descriptive information of the candidate service provider itself (e.g., environment, geographical location), or the descriptive information of the candidate service provider's services. The descriptive information can be information provided by the candidate service provider, or interactive information related to the candidate service provider provided by the user (e.g., user-posted reviews).

[0050] In some embodiments, the electronic device 110 may present multiple regions in the interface, wherein each of these multiple regions may present a group of service providers corresponding to a category.

[0051] Referring again to Figures 2B and 2C, in some embodiments, electronic device 110 may, in response to receiving a user's selection of candidate 221 in group 211-1 and candidate 222 in group 211-2, present interface 200C as shown in Figure 2C. Electronic device 110 may present a group of restaurants 241 (including restaurant 1 and restaurant 2) with a theme of "romantic atmosphere" in area 231 of interface 200C, and a group of restaurants 242 (including restaurant 3) with a theme of "luxury and upscale" in area 232 of interface 200C.

[0052] In other embodiments, the electronic device 110 may also display these recommended stores individually so that users can learn more about the features and advantages of each store.

[0053] Specifically, the electronic device 110 may provide a first set of content items corresponding to the candidate service provider set in response to the number of service providers in the candidate service provider set being less than or equal to a threshold. The fact that the number of service providers in the candidate service provider set is less than or equal to the threshold indicates that there are not enough candidate service providers in this candidate service provider set for classification. Therefore, the electronic device 110 may not present this candidate service provider set in the form of a set, that is, it may not classify or display this candidate service provider set in a categorized manner.

[0054] Using Figure 2D as an example, in interface 200D, electronic device 110 can be presented as a single recommended store, rather than as a collection.

[0055] Referring again to Figure 2C, the electronic device 110 can also present classification description information. The classification description information can characterize the main content and characteristics of each category, such as a feature overview corresponding to the category. In some embodiments, the classification description information may include multiple category labels corresponding to multiple categories of multiple service providers (taking Figure 2C as an example, these multiple category labels may include label 1 (label 241-1) corresponding to a romantic atmosphere, and label 2 corresponding to luxury and high-end). In some embodiments, if these multiple service providers are determined based on input message 201, then the multiple category labels corresponding to these multiple service providers can be determined based on input message 201. In other embodiments, if these multiple service providers are determined based on input message 201 and at least one selected candidate option, then the multiple category labels corresponding to these multiple service providers can be determined based on input message 201 and at least one selected candidate option.

[0056] In other embodiments, such classification description information may further include tag description information 243 corresponding to the multiple category tags. For example, the tag description information 243 corresponding to a romantic atmosphere could be "We spent sweet moments together." In some embodiments, the electronic device 110 may use a target model to generate multiple tag description information based on each category. Further, the electronic device 110 may use the target model to match the multiple tag description information with the user's input information 201, so as to determine the tag description information with the highest matching degree as the final presented tag description information. In addition, the electronic device 110 may also use the target model to directly determine the final presented tag description information based on the user's search request and each category tag.

[0057] Furthermore, the electronic device 110 can also, in response to the selection of a target category label among the plurality of category labels, present at least one additional service provider that matches the target category label, which is different from the plurality of service providers.

[0058] Using Figure 2C as an example, the electronic device 110 can respond to the user's selection of the category label 241-1 under the "Romantic Atmosphere" setting, displaying other restaurants besides Restaurant 1 and Restaurant 2, which also correspond to the "Romantic Atmosphere" label. Using Figure 2C as an example, the electronic device 110 can also respond to the user's selection of the control 241-2 under the "Romantic Atmosphere" setting, displaying other restaurants besides Restaurant 1 and Restaurant 2, which also correspond to the "Romantic Atmosphere" label.

[0059] In some embodiments, the electronic device 110 may also present additional category labels in the interface 200C. These additional category labels may be category labels corresponding to a target service provider, or they may be other service providers determined based on the input information 201 and at least one selected candidate, which are not displayed on the interface 200C. In response to the selection of additional category labels, the electronic device 110 may present a set of service providers matching the additional category labels, wherein this set of service providers differs from the service providers presented in the interface 200C.

[0060] Using Figure 2C as an example, the electronic device can display multiple additional category labels on interface 200C, such as label 245 (or dessert theme), label 246 (or barbecue party), etc. The electronic device can respond to the user's click on label 245 and display a group of restaurants matching label 245.

[0061] Referring to Figure 2E as an example, the electronic device 110 can receive user input information 202 (second input message). Input information 202 can indicate a search request associated with a service provider of a first pre-defined type. As an example, the first pre-defined type of service provider could be a chain service provider associated with a brand, and such a chain service provider could indicate multiple chain service providers with the same name.

[0062] Furthermore, in response to receiving input information 202, electronic device 110 may provide map component 250 as shown in FIG2E. Map component 250 may be a part of the interface used to display geographic information, which may be presented, for example, in the form of a two-dimensional map or a three-dimensional map. Furthermore, electronic device 110 may present location information and / or navigation information of the service provider (first service provider) determined based on input information 202 in map component 250.

[0063] As an example, if input information 202 is a search request related to a specific chain service provider (e.g., restaurant 4), electronic device 110 can display location information and / or navigation information of multiple chain service providers within a predetermined range of the target location in map component 250. The target location can be the user's current location or a location selected by the user.

[0064] To improve information transmission efficiency and user experience, in some embodiments, the electronic device 110 can provide navigation routes between the target location and these multiple chain service providers. Furthermore, the electronic device 110 can highlight the navigation route corresponding to the target chain service provider closest to the target location in the map component 250.

[0065] In some embodiments, the electronic device 110 may receive user input information 203 (a third input message). Input information 203 may indicate a search request associated with a second predetermined type of service, such as a search request for a specific dish. Further, in response to receiving input information 203, the electronic device 110 may present a second set of content items corresponding to the first set of service providers. This second set of content items may be information representing any appropriate dimension of the service provider, such as information about the service provider itself, information about its staff, information about its services, or information about its unique features. This second set of content items helps users quickly understand the service provider's features and the services it offers, effectively enhancing the user experience and improving interaction efficiency. This second set of content items may be any appropriate type of information element, such as text, images, videos, etc.

[0066] In some embodiments, the second set of content items may present at least one of the following: a target service provided by the corresponding service provider that matches the third input message; and descriptive information about the target service.

[0067] The descriptive information about the target service can be generated based on the interaction information of each user regarding the target service. Specifically, the electronic device 110 can use the target model and the interaction information of each user regarding the target service to generate the descriptive information about the target service. The interaction information of each user regarding the target service can be any appropriate information, such as user reviews of the target service, the number of users enjoying the target service, etc.

[0068] Using Figure 2F as an example, electronic device 110 can respond to a search request for "beef" by displaying multiple restaurants offering beef-related dishes on interface 200F, such as Restaurant 1, Restaurant 2, Restaurant 3, Restaurant 4, etc. For Restaurant 1, electronic device 110 can display beef dish A and its corresponding description information 260. For Restaurant 2, electronic device 110 can display beef dish B and its description information 261 (e.g., beef dish B is delicious), etc.

[0069] In some embodiments, the electronic device 110 may receive user input information 204 (fourth input message). Input information 204 may indicate a search request associated with service benefits. Service benefits may be virtual rights obtained by a user when purchasing or using a service, and may include, but are not limited to, group buying, coupons, discounts, vouchers, etc., which will not be elaborated here.

[0070] In some embodiments, the electronic device 110 may present a third set of content items corresponding to the second set of service providers, wherein the third set of content items presents service benefits associated with the corresponding service provider.

[0071] Taking Figure 2G as an example, electronic device 110 can respond to receiving the input information 204 of "hot pot group purchase" and provide multiple restaurants related to the hot pot group purchase in interface 200G, such as restaurant 5, restaurant 6, restaurant 7, etc. For restaurant 5, electronic device 110 can display the purchase entry 262 for the voucher of restaurant 5. For restaurant 6, electronic device 110 can display the details entry 263 for the single-person set meal B of restaurant 6, etc.

[0072] Based on this approach, embodiments of this disclosure can accurately present users with multiple service providers corresponding to various categories associated with their search requests, improving the efficiency and accuracy of information retrieval. This disclosure can also help users understand the category information of these multiple service providers more efficiently, improving the efficiency of information transmission.

[0073] Example process

[0074] Figure 3 shows a flowchart of an information search process 300 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Process 300 can be implemented at electronic device 110. Process 300 is described below with reference to Figure 1.

[0075] In box 310, electronic device 110 receives a first input message from a user, the first input message indicating a search request for a service provider.

[0076] In box 320, electronic device 110 provides multiple groups of service providers determined based on a first input message, wherein the multiple groups of service providers correspond to multiple categories, and each group of service providers is associated with the same category, and multiple category labels of the multiple categories are determined based on the first input information.

[0077] In some embodiments, providing multiple groups of service providers determined based on a first input message includes: providing multiple candidates, the multiple candidates being determined based on the first input message; and in response to the selection of at least one of the multiple candidates, providing multiple groups of service providers determined based on the first input message and the selected at least one candidate, and multiple classification labels being determined based on the first input message and at least one candidate.

[0078] In some embodiments, multiple candidates are associated with multiple groups, which correspond to different topics, and the multiple topics corresponding to the multiple groups are determined based on input information.

[0079] In some embodiments, process 300 further includes: in response to the selection of a target category label from a plurality of category labels, presenting at least one additional service provider that matches the target category label, wherein the at least one additional service provider is different from the plurality of service providers.

[0080] In some embodiments, process 300 further includes: presenting additional category labels; and, in response to the selection of additional category labels, presenting a set of service providers that match the additional category labels.

[0081] In some embodiments, providing multiple groups of service providers determined based on a first input message includes: determining a set of candidate service providers based on the first input message and / or at least one selected candidate; and providing multiple groups of service providers determined based on the set of candidate service providers in response to the number of service providers in the candidate service provider set being greater than a threshold.

[0082] In some embodiments, multiple groups of service providers are determined based on the following process: dividing the candidate service provider set into multiple groups of service providers corresponding to multiple categories based on the descriptive information of the candidate service provider set.

[0083] In some embodiments, process 300 further includes: in response to the number of service providers in the candidate service provider set being less than or equal to a threshold, providing a first set of content items corresponding to the candidate service provider set.

[0084] In some embodiments, process 300 further includes: receiving a second input message from a user; providing a map component in response to the second input message indicating a search request associated with a service provider of a first predetermined type; and presenting, in the map component, location information and / or navigation information of the first service provider determined based on the second input message.

[0085] In some embodiments, process 300 further includes: receiving a third input message from a user; and in response to the third input message indicating a search request associated with a service of a second predetermined type, presenting a second set of content items corresponding to a first set of service providers, wherein the second set of content items presents at least one of the following: a target service provided by the corresponding service provider that matches the third input message; and descriptive information about the target service.

[0086] In some embodiments, process 300 further includes: receiving a fourth input message from a user; and in response to the fourth input message indicating a search request associated with service benefits, presenting a third set of content items corresponding to the second set of service providers, wherein the third set of content items presents service benefits associated with the corresponding service provider.

[0087] Example devices and equipment

[0088] Embodiments of this disclosure also provide corresponding apparatus for implementing the methods or processes described above. Figure 4 shows a schematic structural block diagram of an apparatus 400 for information retrieval according to certain embodiments of this disclosure. Apparatus 400 may be implemented as or included in the electronic device 110 discussed above. The various modules / components in apparatus 400 may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof.

[0089] As shown in Figure 4, the device 400 includes a receiving module 410 configured to receive a first input message from a user, the first input message indicating a search request for a service provider; and a providing module 420 configured to provide multiple groups of service providers determined based on the first input message, wherein the multiple groups of service providers correspond to multiple categories, and each group of service providers is associated with the same category, and multiple category labels of the multiple categories are determined based on the first input message.

[0090] In some embodiments, the providing module 420 is further configured to: provide a plurality of candidates, the plurality of candidates being determined based on a first input message; and in response to the selection of at least one of the plurality of candidates, provide a plurality of service providers determined based on the first input message and the selected at least one candidate, and a plurality of classification labels determined based on the first input message and the at least one candidate.

[0091] In some embodiments, multiple candidates are associated with multiple groups, which correspond to different topics, and the multiple topics corresponding to the multiple groups are determined based on input information.

[0092] In some embodiments, the apparatus 400 further includes a first presentation module configured to, in response to the selection of a target category label from a plurality of category labels, present at least one additional service provider that matches the target category label, wherein the at least one additional service provider is different from the plurality of service providers.

[0093] In some embodiments, the device 400 further includes a second presentation module configured to present additional category tags; and, in response to the selection of additional category tags, to present a set of service providers that match the additional category tags.

[0094] In some embodiments, the providing module 420 is further configured to determine a set of candidate service providers based on a first input message and / or at least one selected candidate; and to provide multiple groups of service providers determined based on the set of candidate service providers in response to the number of service providers in the set of candidate service providers being greater than a threshold.

[0095] In some embodiments, multiple groups of service providers are determined based on the following process: dividing the candidate service provider set into multiple groups of service providers corresponding to multiple categories based on the descriptive information of the candidate service provider set.

[0096] In some embodiments, the apparatus 400 further includes a content item providing module configured to: provide a first set of content items corresponding to the candidate service provider set in response to the number of service providers in the candidate service provider set being less than or equal to a threshold.

[0097] In some embodiments, the apparatus 400 further includes a component providing module configured to: receive a second input message from a user; provide a map component in response to the second input message indicating a search request associated with a service provider of a first predetermined type; and present location information and / or navigation information of the first service provider determined based on the second input message in the map component.

[0098] In some embodiments, the apparatus 400 further includes a third presentation module configured to: receive a third input message from a user; and, in response to a search request associated with a second predetermined type of service indicated by the third input message, present a second set of content items corresponding to a first set of service providers, wherein the second set of content items presents at least one of the following: a target service provided by the corresponding service provider that matches the third input message; and descriptive information about the target service.

[0099] In some embodiments, the device 400 further includes a fourth presentation module configured to: receive a fourth input message from a user; and, in response to a search request associated with service benefits indicated by the fourth input message, present a third set of content items corresponding to the second set of service providers, wherein the third set of content items presents service benefits associated with the corresponding service providers.

[0100] The units included in device 400 can be implemented in various ways, including software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, one or more units may be implemented using software and / or firmware, such as machine-executable instructions stored on a storage medium. In addition to or as an alternative to machine-executable instructions, some or all of the units in device 400 may be implemented at least partially by one or more hardware logic components. By way of example and not limitation, exemplary types of hardware logic components that may be used include field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific standard products (ASSPs), systems-on-chips (SoCs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and so on.

[0101] Figure 5 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 Figure 5 is merely exemplary and should not constitute any limitation on the functionality and scope of the embodiments described herein. The electronic device 500 shown in Figure 5 can be used to implement the receiving device 120 shown in Figure 1.

[0102] As shown in Figure 5, the electronic device 500 is in the form of a general-purpose electronic device. Components of the electronic device 500 may include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units 510, memory 520, storage devices 530, one or more communication units 540, one or more input devices 550, and one or more output devices 560. The processing unit 510 may be a physical or virtual processor and is capable of performing various processes according to programs stored in the memory 520. In a multiprocessor system, multiple processing units execute computer-executable instructions in parallel to improve the parallel processing capability of the electronic device 500.

[0103] Electronic device 500 typically includes multiple computer storage media. Such media can be any accessible media that is accessible to electronic device 500, including but not limited to volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. Memory 520 can be volatile memory (e.g., registers, cache, random access memory (RAM)), non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory), or some combination thereof. Storage device 530 can be a removable or non-removable medium and can include machine-readable media, such as flash drives, disks, or any other media that can be used to store information and / or data (e.g., training data for training) and can be accessed within electronic device 500.

[0104] Electronic device 500 may further include additional removable / non-removable, volatile / non-volatile storage media. Although not shown in FIG. 5, disk drives for reading from or writing to removable, non-volatile disks (e.g., "floppy disks") and optical disk drives for reading from or writing to removable, non-volatile optical disks may be provided. In these cases, each drive may be connected to a bus (not shown) via one or more data media interfaces. Memory 520 may include computer program product 525 having one or more program modules configured to perform various methods or actions of various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0105] Communication unit 540 enables communication with other electronic devices via a communication medium. Additionally, the functionality of components of electronic device 500 can be implemented using a single computing cluster or multiple computing machines capable of communicating via communication connections. Therefore, electronic device 500 can operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more other servers, network personal computers (PCs), or another network node.

[0106] Input device 550 can be one or more input devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, trackball, etc. Output device 560 can be one or more output devices, such as a monitor, speaker, printer, etc. Electronic device 500 can also communicate with one or more external devices (not shown) via communication unit 540 as needed. These external devices include storage devices, display devices, etc., and can communicate with one or more devices that enable user interaction with electronic device 500, or with any device that enables electronic device 500 to communicate with one or more other electronic devices (e.g., network card, modem, etc.). Such communication can be performed via input / output (I / O) interface (not shown).

[0107] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores computer-executable instructions thereon, wherein the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the methods described above. According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, a computer program product is also provided, which is tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and includes computer-executable instructions, which are executed by a processor to implement the methods described above.

[0108] Various aspects of this disclosure are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatuses, devices, and computer program products implemented according to this disclosure. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0109] 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 apparatus to produce a machine such that, when executed by the processing unit of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, they create means for implementing the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram. These computer-readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that causes a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other device to operate in a particular manner. Thus, the computer-readable medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions for implementing aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0110] 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 that execute on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to perform the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0111] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of an instruction, which contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0112] Various implementations of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they 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 chosen to best explain the principles, practical applications, or improvements to technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the various implementations disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An information retrieval method, comprising: Receive a first input message from the user, the first input message indicating a search request for the service provider; Provide multiple groups of service providers determined based on the first input message, wherein the multiple groups of service providers correspond to multiple categories, and each group of service providers is associated with the same category, and the multiple category labels of the multiple categories are determined based on the first input message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing multiple groups of service providers determined based on the first input message comprises: Multiple candidate options are provided, which are determined based on the first input message; as well as In response to the selection of at least one of the plurality of candidates, the plurality of service providers are determined based on the first input message and the selected at least one candidate, wherein the plurality of classification labels are determined based on the first input message and the at least one candidate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of candidates are associated with a plurality of groups, the plurality of groups corresponding to different topics, and the plurality of topics corresponding to the plurality of groups are determined based on the input information.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: In response to the selection of a target category label from the plurality of category labels, at least one additional service provider that matches the target category label is presented, and the at least one additional service provider is different from the plurality of service providers.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: Present additional category tags; as well as In response to the selection of the additional category label, a set of service providers matching the additional category label is presented.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein providing multiple groups of service providers determined based on the first input message includes: Based on the first input message and / or at least one selected candidate, determine a set of candidate service providers; as well as In response to the number of service providers in the candidate service provider set being greater than a threshold, the multiple groups of service providers determined based on the candidate service provider set are provided.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of service providers is determined based on the following process: Based on the description information of the candidate service provider set, the candidate service provider set is divided into multiple groups of service providers corresponding to multiple categories.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: In response to the fact that the number of service providers in the candidate service provider set is less than or equal to the threshold, a first set of content items corresponding to the candidate service provider set is provided.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Receive the user's second input message; In response to the second input message indicating a search request associated with a service provider of a first predetermined type, a map component is provided; as well as The map component presents the location information and / or navigation information of the first service provider determined based on the second input message.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Receive the user's third input message; In response to the third input message indicating a search request associated with a second predetermined type of service, a second set of content items corresponding to the first set of service providers is presented. The second group of content items includes at least one of the following: a target service provided by the corresponding service provider that matches the third input message; and descriptive information about the target service.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Receive the user's fourth input message; In response to the fourth input message indicating a search request related to service benefits, a third set of content items corresponding to the second set of service providers is presented. The third group of content items presents service rights associated with the corresponding service providers.

12. An apparatus for information retrieval, comprising: The receiving module is configured to receive a first input message from a user, the first input message indicating a search request for a service provider; A module is configured to provide multiple groups of service providers determined based on the first input message, wherein the multiple groups of service providers correspond to multiple categories, and each group of service providers is associated with the same category, and multiple category labels of the multiple categories are determined based on the first input message.

13. An electronic device, comprising: At least one processing unit; as well as At least one memory, coupled to the at least one processing unit and storing instructions for execution by the at least one processing unit, which, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the electronic device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

14. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

15. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by a processor, implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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