Synonym-Expanded Search Query Processing for Data Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data search technologies require precise specification of search terms and fail to retrieve relevant data when synonyms or slight variations are used, limiting the effectiveness of searches in databases and search engines.
Innovation Solution
The method involves modifying search queries to include synonyms for searched terms by identifying overlapping phrases and using a synonym database to add these synonyms in logical OR relationships, allowing for broader search retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If search queries require precise specification of exact words or phrases, then search precision is improved, but search completeness deteriorates because synonyms and variations are not retrieved
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing search queries to identify overlapping phrases and pre-fetching synonyms from a synonym database before executing the search. This allows the system to expand the search query to include multiple synonym variations in advance, ensuring that both precise matches and synonymous variations are captured without requiring the user to manually specify all possible terms.
2Ease of operation
If search queries use plain language without specifying exact terms, then ease of operation is improved, but search precision deteriorates because the query cannot match specific data accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism that automatically bridges plain language search queries and precise data matching. The intermediary processes the user's simple query by identifying key phrases, retrieving synonyms from a synonym database, and constructing an expanded search query that maintains the user's intended meaning while incorporating multiple precise term variations for accurate matching against indexed data.
3Loss of information
If synonyms are added for all search terms, then search completeness is improved, but device complexity increases due to synonym database management and query modification logic
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by selectively adding synonyms only to specific overlapping phrases within the search query rather than uniformly processing all terms. The query modification logic identifies overlapping phrases and retrieves synonyms only for those specific terms, leaving other parts of the query unchanged. This localized approach improves search completeness for critical terms while minimizing the complexity overhead associated with comprehensive synonym expansion.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for performing a data search through a search query is disclosed. The method includes receiving the search query and parsing the search query to retrieve a search term. The search term includes a plurality of words. In the search term, a first combination of two or more of the plurality of words and a second combination of two or more of the plurality of words are indentified. The first combination and the second combination include a common term. The first combination ends with the common term and the second combination begins with the common term. The method further includes retrieving synonyms for the first combination and the second combination exist in a synonym storage and the search query is then modified to include the first combination in a logical OR relationship with the synonyms of the first combination and the second combination in a logical OR relationship with the synonyms of the second combination. The modified search query is executed against a data store.