Identifying question answerers in a question asking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016019280-A1
Application number	US-201313842570-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for a question answering. In some implementations, a question is received from a question asker. A complexity metric associated with the question is determined. One or more potential question answerers to answer the question are identified. For each of the one or more potential question answerers, a sophistication metric is determined. At least the sophistication metric and the complexity metric are analyzed to generate a metric analysis. A question answerer to answer the question is selected from the potential question answerers based at least in part on the metric analysis.

First claim

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving an unanswered question from a question asker; determining, by at least one processor, a complexity metric associated with the unanswered question based on an attribute of at least one of the question or the question asker; identifying one or more potential question answerers to answer the unanswered question; for each of the one or more potential question answerers, determining a sophistication metric; analyzing, by at least one processor, at least the sophistication metric and the complexity metric to generate a metric analysis; and selecting, by at least one processor, a question answerer to answer the unanswered question from the potential question answerers based at least in part on the metric analysis.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing the unanswered question to the selected question answerer;
receiving an answer corresponding to the unanswered question from the selected question answerer; and
providing the answer to the question asker.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the one or more potential question answerers comprises identifying the one or more potential question answerers based at least in part on the unanswered question.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the complexity metric comprises determining a complexity metric based at least in part on linguistic characteristics of the unanswered question.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the complexity metric comprises determining the complexity metric based at least in part on a sophistication metric associated with the question asker.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the sophistication metric comprises determining the sophistication metric based at least in part on prior question answering interactions of a respective potential question answerer.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the sophistication metric comprises determining the sophistication metric based at least in part on prior search activity of a respective potential question answerer.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the sophistication metric comprises determining the sophistication metric based at least in part on a knowledge level of a respective potential question answerer in a subject area relevant to the unanswered question.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying one or more potential question answerers comprises identifying the potential question answerers from a social graph.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, for each of the one or more potential question answerers, determining a busyness metric associated with the respective potential question answerer, wherein the metric analysis is further generated based on an analysis of the busyness metric.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, for each of the one or more potential question answerers, determining a willingness metric associated with the respective potential question answerer, wherein the metric analysis is further generated based on an analysis of the willingness metric.

12 . A system comprising:
a storage medium that stores instructions; one or more computers configured to execute the instructions and perform operations comprising:
receiving an unanswered question from a question asker;
determining a complexity metric associated with the unanswered question based on an attribute of at least one of the question or the question asker;
identifying one or more potential question answerers to answer the unanswered question;
for each of the one or more potential question answerers, determining a sophistication metric;
analyzing at least the sophistication metric and the complexity metric to generate a metric analysis; and
selecting a question answerer to answer the unanswered question from the potential question answerers based at least in part on the metric analysis.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to perform operations further comprising:
providing the unanswered question to the selected question answerer; receiving an answer corresponding to the unanswered question from the selected question answerer; and providing the answer to the question asker.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein identifying the one or more potential question answerers comprises identifying the one or more potential question answerers based at least in part on the unanswered question.

15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the complexity metric comprises determining a complexity metric based at least in part on linguistic characteristics of the unanswered question.

16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the complexity metric comprises determining the complexity metric based at least in part on a sophistication metric associated with the question asker.

17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the sophistication metric comprises determining the sophistication metric based at least in part on prior question answering interactions of a respective potential question answerer.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the sophistication metric comprises determining the sophistication metric based at least in part on prior search activity of a respective potential question answerer.

19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the sophistication metric comprises determining the sophistication metric based at least in part on a knowledge level of a respective potential question answerer in a subject area relevant to the unanswered question.

20 . The system of claim 12 , wherein identifying one or more potential question answerers comprises identifying the potential question answerers from a social graph.

21 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to perform operations further comprising:
for each of the one or more potential question answerers, determining a busyness metric associated with the respective potential question answerer, wherein the metric analysis is further generated based on an analysis of the busyness metric.

22 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to perform operations further comprising:
for each of the one or more potential question answerers, determining a willingness metric associated with the respective potential question answerer, wherein the metric analysis is further generated based on an analysis of the willingness metric.

23 - 66 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Unger Alexander Ketner
• Haugen Frances Bordwell

Classifications

• G06F17/30595 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F16/3325 Primary

  Reformulation based on results of preceding query · CPC title

• G06F16/2425

  Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query · CPC title

• G06F16/3328

  using graphical result space presentation or visualisation · CPC title

• G06F16/3329

  Natural language query formulation · CPC title