User interface for query engine

Abstract

Method and systems for responding to a query are provided in which, responsive to receiving a user-formulated factual query, there is identified, from a fact repository, factual information that answers the query. The fact repository includes a plurality of objects. Further, an external source from which the factual information was derived is identified. From this, a response is generated that includes (i) the factual information from the fact repository, and (ii) information representing the external source.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for responding to a query performed by a computer system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors to perform the method, the method comprising:
 responsive to receiving a user-formulated query;
 identifying, from a fact repository, factual information that answers the query, wherein the fact repository includes a plurality of objects; 
 identifying an external source from which the factual information was derived; and 
 generating a response including:
 (i) the factual information from the fact repository, and 
 (ii) information representing the external source. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a snippet for a source corresponding to the factual information, the snippet including one or more query terms of the query and one or more factual answer terms of the factual information; and   including the snippet in the generated response.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein generating the response includes:
 highlighting, within the snippet, the one or more terms of the query and the one or more factual answer terms of the factual information.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 ,
 wherein identifying the factual information includes:
 identifying a factual answer term, in the one or more factual answer terms, that comprises one or more words or numbers, and 
   wherein generating the snippet includes:
 identifying a text portion of the source that includes the identified factual answer term; and 
 generating the snippet so as to include the identified text portion that includes the identified factual answer term. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying, for the factual information, one or more source documents;   generating a snippet for at least one source document of the one or more source documents, the snippet including one or more query terms of the query and one or more factual answer terms of the factual information; and   including the snippet in the generated response.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the identifying the factual information includes identifying, for the factual information, a plurality of source documents; and   the generating the response includes generating a list of a subset of the plurality of source documents.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information representing the external source is a link to a source of the factual information. 
     
     
         8 . A system, for responding to a query, comprising:
 one or more central processing units for executing programs;   memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more central processing units;   the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
 responsive to receiving a user-formulated query;
 identifying, from a fact repository, factual information that answers the query, wherein the fact repository includes a plurality of objects; 
 identifying an external source from which the factual information was derived; and 
 
 generating a response including:
 (i) the factual information from the fact repository, and 
 (ii) information representing the external source. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions for:
 generating a snippet for a source corresponding to the factual information, the snippet including one or more query terms of the query and one or more factual answer terms of the factual information; and   including the snippet in the generated response.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the instructions for generating the response include:
 instructions for highlighting, within the snippet, the one or more terms of the query and the one or more factual answer terms of the factual information. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the instructions for identifying the factual information include instructions for identifying a factual answer term, in the one or more factual answer terms, that comprises one or more words or numbers, and   the instructions for generating the snippet include:
 instructions for identifying a text portion of the source that includes the identified factual answer term, and 
 instructions for generating the snippet so as to include the identified text portion that includes the identified factual answer term. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:
 identifying, for the factual information, one or more source documents;   generating a snippet for at least one source document of the one or more source documents, the snippet including one or more query terms of the query and one or more factual answer terms of the factual information; and   including the snippet in the generated response.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein
 the instructions for identifying the factual information includes instructions for identifying, for the factual information, a plurality of source documents; and   the instructions for generating the response includes instructions for generating a list of a subset of the plurality of source documents.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the information representing the external source is a link to a source of the factual information. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
 responsive to receiving a user-formulated query;
 identifying, from a fact repository, factual information that answers the query, wherein the fact repository includes a plurality of objects; 
 identifying an external source from which the factual information was derived; and 
 generating a response including:
 (i) the factual information from the fact repository, and 
 (ii) information representing the external source. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable storage medium storing of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:
 generating a snippet for a source corresponding to the factual information, the snippet including one or more query terms of the query and one or more factual answer terms of the factual information; and   including the snippet in the generated response.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable storage medium storing of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions for generating the response include:
 instructions for highlighting, within the snippet, the one or more terms of the query and the one or more factual answer terms of the factual information.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable storage medium storing of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions for identifying the factual information include:
 instructions for identifying a factual answer term, in the one or more factual answer terms, that comprises one or more words or numbers, and   wherein the instructions for generating the snippet include:   instructions for identifying a text portion of the source that includes the identified factual answer term, and   generating the snippet so as to include the identified text portion that includes the identified factual answer term.   
     
     
         19 . The computer readable storage medium storing of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:
 identifying, for the factual information, one or more source documents;   generating a snippet for at least one source document of the one or more source documents, the snippet including one or more query terms of the query and one or more factual answer terms of the factual information; and   including the snippet in the generated response.   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable storage medium storing of  claim 16 , wherein
 the instructions for identifying the factual information include instructions for identifying, for the factual information, a plurality of source documents; and   the instructions for generating the response include instructions for generating a list of a subset of the plurality of source documents.