Referring Expression Generation via Search Interaction Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conversational systems face challenges in generating high-quality dialog responses due to limited training data, requiring large amounts of annotated data to train predictive models effectively, which can be infeasible and expensive to create, especially when newly deployed.

Innovation Solution

Utilizing historical user interaction data from search engines, such as clickstream and web log data, to train models that map item names to referring expressions, enabling rapid deployment and configuration of conversational systems with high performance and contextual relevance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If large amounts of annotated data are used to train predictive models, then dialog response quality is improved, but data collection cost and time are increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedialog response qualityVSAvoiddata collection time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses clickstream data from search engine interactions as a proxy copy of annotated training data. Instead of collecting expensive human-annotated dialog data, the system copies and leverages existing search query and result selection patterns to train the predictive model, achieving similar training objectives at lower cost and time investment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces clickstream data as an intermediary between the available search interaction data and the required training data. This intermediary data type bridges the gap by providing structured information about user preferences and item relationships that can be used to train predictive models without requiring direct annotated dialog data

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If annotated training data is collected, then model accuracy is improved, but implementation cost is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemodel accuracyVSAvoidimplementation cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs inexpensive, readily available clickstream data instead of expensive annotated training data. The search interaction data is freely obtainable from search engine logs, eliminating the need for costly data annotation processes while still providing sufficient information for training accurate predictive models

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The system copies and repurposes existing search interaction data that would otherwise be unused. By leveraging the structural information already present in search query and result data, the patent achieves model training at minimal implementation cost without sacrificing accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If domain-specific training data is used, then query result relevance is improved, but system deployment time is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequery result relevanceVSAvoiddeployment speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary training of the predictive model using general search interaction data before domain-specific deployment. The model is pre-trained on broad patterns from search clickstream data, allowing it to be quickly adapted to specific domains without requiring extensive domain-specific annotated data, thus maintaining both relevance and deployment speed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal predictive model that can handle multiple domains by training on diverse search interaction data. The model learns general patterns of user preference and item relationships that apply across different domains, enabling rapid deployment to new domains without requiring domain-specific retraining

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

Data Source

PatentUS11461420B2Referring expression generation
Publication Date: 2022.10.04 VUI INC
  • US11461420B2 patent drawing
  • US11461420B2 patent drawing
  • US11461420B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method includes receiving data characterizing historical user interaction with a search engine associated with a plurality of items, the received data including a first search query and a first item name selected by a user in response to receiving a result of a search of the first search query; training, using the received data, a model that maps item names to referring expressions, the training including using the first item name selected by the user as an input to the model and the first search query as a supervisory signal to the model; and providing the model. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.