Taxonomy-Aligned Recommendation Generation From Sparse User Input

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional machine learning models face challenges in generating domain-specific content that adheres to preexisting taxonomies, require high-quality prompts, and are prone to hallucinations and relevancy issues, especially when dealing with limited or poorly formatted user inputs.

Innovation Solution

A recommendation generation system that utilizes domain-specific data to translate user input into a form operating under a preexisting taxonomy, incorporating a recommendation generator, vector store generator, and generative language model to produce relevant and interpretable recommendations without requiring users to have knowledge of the taxonomy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional machine learning models are used to generate domain-specific content, then the model can produce general predictions, but the content fails to adhere to preexisting taxonomies and suffers from hallucinations and relevancy issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent accuracyVSAvoiddomain-specific relevance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary component that translates user input into taxonomy-aligned representations before processing. This intermediary layer acts as a mediator between the user's natural language input and the machine learning model, ensuring that the generated content adheres to preexisting taxonomies while maintaining domain-specific relevance and reducing hallucinations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If high-quality prompts are required for machine learning models, then the model output quality improves, but the ease of operation decreases as users must have knowledge of the taxonomy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoutput qualityVSAvoiduser input simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-service by automatically translating and structuring user input according to the preexisting taxonomy without requiring user intervention. The translation mechanism autonomously handles the conversion of natural language input into taxonomy-aligned formats, eliminating the need for users to possess domain-specific knowledge while maintaining high output quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If machine learning models process limited or poorly formatted user inputs, then the system accepts diverse input, but the generated content suffers from relevancy issues and hallucinations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinput flexibilityVSAvoidcontent accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by preprocessing and translating user input before it reaches the machine learning model. This preliminary translation step structures the input according to the preexisting taxonomy, ensuring that even limited or poorly formatted inputs are converted into reliable, accurate representations that reduce hallucinations and improve content accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12554759B2Recommendation generation using user input
Publication Date: 2026.02.17 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • US12554759B2 patent drawing
  • US12554759B2 patent drawing
  • US12554759B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Methods, systems, and apparatuses include receiving text input via a user interface for an online system. An embedding is generated based on the text input. Supplemental text is generated using the embedding and a vector store including a standardized content items, the supplemental text having a standardized format. The standardized content items are generated by applying a large language model to a plurality of content items. A prompt is formulated including the supplemental text. A generative language model is applied to the prompt. A recommendation is output by the generative language model based on the prompt. The recommendation is provided to the user interface based on at least the text input.