Entity Relationship Explanation System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for identifying relationships between entities, such as individuals or organizations, primarily provide lists of related entities without explaining the nature or context of these relationships, failing to offer detailed or real-life explanations.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that includes a knowledge retrieval unit and an explanation generation unit, which retrieve information about entities from a knowledge database and generate explanations for the relationships between them, providing detailed descriptions and measures of interestingness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If conventional relationship detection methods are used to identify relationships among entities, then a list of related entities can be obtained, but the nature and context of these relationships remain unexplained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverelationship context informationVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the relationship explanation task into distinct functional components: a knowledge retrieval unit that gathers relationship data from multiple sources, and an explanation generation unit that synthesizes this data into contextual explanations. This segmentation allows the system to address the information loss problem while managing complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary explanation generation unit that acts as a mediator between the raw relationship data and the user. This intermediary processes the data from the knowledge retrieval unit and transforms it into meaningful contextual explanations, thereby recovering the lost relationship context information without requiring the user to directly handle complex data structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If detailed explanations for each relationship are provided, then understanding of entity relationships is enhanced, but the complexity of information processing increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverelationship detail informationVSAvoidinformation processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The explanation generation process is segmented into distinct operational stages: retrieving relationship data from the knowledge base, analyzing the retrieved information, and generating contextual explanations. This segmentation manages processing complexity by breaking down the detailed explanation task into manageable steps while preserving relationship detail information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs self-service mechanisms where the explanation generation unit automatically processes relationship data and generates contextual explanations without requiring external intervention. This automation enhances relationship understanding while managing processing complexity through algorithmic approaches that handle data retrieval, analysis, and explanation generation in an integrated manner.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Loss of information

If multiple relationship types between the same entities are identified, then comprehensive relationship detection is achieved, but the lack of explanation about different relationship capacities remains

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulti-faceted relationship informationVSAvoidrelationship detection efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The knowledge retrieval unit is designed with multi-functionality to handle diverse relationship types simultaneously. It can retrieve data representing multiple relationship capacities (e.g., professional, personal, geographical) between the same entities through a unified retrieval process, thereby achieving comprehensive relationship detection while maintaining efficiency through a single versatile component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system adds a new dimension to relationship detection by incorporating contextual explanations that describe the nature and capacity of each relationship. This dimensional enhancement transforms the output from simple entity lists to enriched relationship profiles that include explanatory context, thereby addressing the information loss about multi-faceted relationships without significantly impacting detection efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS9043360B2Display entity relationship
Publication Date: 2015.05.26 R2 SOLUTIONS LLC
  • US9043360B2 patent drawing
  • US9043360B2 patent drawing
  • US9043360B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Method, system, and programs for providing one or more explanations. An inquiry is received via a communication platform where the inquiry is about how a set of entities are related. Information is retrieved from a knowledge storage in accordance with the set of entities and such information describes a plurality of entities and relationships existing among the plurality of entities. Based on such retrieved information, one or more explanations with respect to each relationship by which the set of entities are connected are generated. The one or more explanations are then transmitted as a response to the inquiry.