Identifying query aspects

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating aspects associated with entities. In some implementations, a method includes receiving data identifying an entity; generating a group of candidate aspects for the entity; modifying the group of candidate aspects to generate a group of modified candidate aspects comprising combining similar candidate aspects and grouping candidate aspects using one or more aspect classes each associated with one or more candidate aspects; ranking one or more modified candidate aspects in the group of modified candidate aspects based on a diversity score and a popularity score; and storing an association between one or more highest ranked modified candidate aspects and the entity. The aspects can be used to organize and present search results in response to queries for the entity.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a query in a computer system, the computer system comprising one or more computers and the query including one or more terms corresponding to an entity;   identifying, by the computer system, a plurality of aspects associated with the entity in at least one database;   identifying, by the computer system, a plurality of search results, the search results including a first set of the search results based on the entity and a first aspect of the aspects and a second set of the search results based on the entity and a second aspect of the aspects; and   providing, in response to the query, a presentation of the search results in one display, the presentation including a plurality of visually distinct aspect areas with each of the aspect areas being for a corresponding one of the aspects and including a corresponding label, wherein providing the presentation of the search results comprises:   presenting at least one of the search results of the first set in a first aspect area of the aspect areas, the first aspect area corresponding to the first aspect; and   presenting at least one of the search results of the second set in a second aspect area of the aspect areas, the second aspect area corresponding to the second aspect.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first search result of the first search results is provided in the first aspect area and wherein the first search result is a summary of information about the entity in accordance with the first aspect. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the search results further include a third set of search results responsive to the query and providing the presentation of the search results further comprises presenting at least some of the third set of search results in the one display. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein identifying the first set of search results comprises receiving the first set of search results in response to issuing a first aspect query that is based on the entity and the first aspect and wherein identifying the second set of search results comprises receiving the second set of search results in response to issuing a second aspect query that is based on the entity and the second aspect. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first aspect query includes the one or more terms corresponding to the entity and at least one first aspect term corresponding to the first aspect and wherein the second aspect query includes the one or more terms corresponding to the entity and at least second aspect term corresponding to the second aspect. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the search results of the first set that are presented in the first aspect area include a first search result that includes a first link to a first web page. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating the association of the plurality of aspects to the entity in the database.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein generating the association of the plurality of aspects to the entity in the database comprises:
 generating a group of candidate aspects for the entity;   for each pair of one or more pairs of candidate aspects, calculating a similarity score for the pair based on identifying respective aspect sets of search results corresponding to respective queries of candidate aspects in the pair of candidate aspects and comparing the aspect sets of search results;   modifying the group of candidate aspects to generate a group of modified candidate aspects based on the similarity score for the candidate aspects; and   selecting one or more of the modified candidate aspects as the aspects to associate with the entity in the database.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein selecting one or more of the modified candidate aspects as the aspects to associate with the entity in the database comprises:
 ranking the modified candidate aspects based on a diversity score and a popularity score; and   selecting the one or more of the modified candidate aspects as the aspects to associate with the entity in the database based on the ranking.   
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a computer storage medium including instructions, which, when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:   receiving a query in a computer system, the computer system comprising one or more computers and the query including one or more terms corresponding to an entity;   identifying, by the computer system, a plurality of aspects associated with the entity in at least one database;   identifying, by the computer system, a plurality of search results, the search results including a first set of the search results based on the entity and a first aspect of the aspects and a second set of the search results based on the entity and a second aspect of the aspects; and   providing, in response to the query, a presentation of the search results in one display, the presentation including a plurality of visually distinct aspect areas with each of the aspect areas being for a corresponding one of the aspects and including a corresponding label, wherein providing the presentation of the search results comprises:   presenting at least one of the search results of the first set in a first aspect area of the aspect areas, the first aspect area corresponding to the first aspect; and   presenting at least one of the search results of the second set in a second aspect area of the aspect areas, the second aspect area corresponding to the second aspect.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein a first search result of the first search results is provided in the first aspect area and wherein the first search result is a summary of information about the entity in accordance with the first aspect. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the search results further include a third set of search results responsive to the query and providing the presentation of the search results further comprises presenting at least some of the third set of search results in the one display. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein identifying the first set of search results comprises receiving the first set of search results in response to issuing a first aspect query that is based on the entity and the first aspect and wherein identifying the second set of search results comprises receiving the second set of search results in response to issuing a second aspect query that is based on the entity and the second aspect. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first aspect query includes the one or more terms corresponding to the entity and at least one first aspect term corresponding to the first aspect and wherein the second aspect query includes the one or more terms corresponding to the entity and at least second aspect term corresponding to the second aspect. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the search results of the first set that are presented in the first aspect area include a first search result that includes a first link to a first web page. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions further include instructions that, when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform an operation comprising:
 generating the association of the plurality of aspects to the entity in the database.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein generating the association of the plurality of aspects to the entity in the database comprises:
 generating a group of candidate aspects for the entity;   for each pair of one or more pairs of candidate aspects, calculating a similarity score for the pair based on identifying respective aspect sets of search results corresponding to respective queries of candidate aspects in the pair of candidate aspects and comparing the aspect sets of search results;   modifying the group of candidate aspects to generate a group of modified candidate aspects based on the similarity score for the candidate aspects; and   selecting one or more of the modified candidate aspects as the aspects to associate with the entity in the database.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein selecting one or more of the modified candidate aspects as the aspects to associate with the entity in the database comprises:
 ranking the modified candidate aspects based on a diversity score and a popularity score; and   selecting the one or more of the modified candidate aspects as the aspects to associate with the entity in the database based on the ranking.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer storage device comprising instructions that when executed by an apparatus cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a query in a computer system, the computer system comprising one or more computers and the query including one or more terms corresponding to an entity;   identifying, by the computer system, a plurality of aspects associated with the entity in at least one database;   identifying, by the computer system, a plurality of search results, the search results including a first set of the search results based on the entity and a first aspect of the aspects and a second set of the search results based on the entity and a second aspect of the aspects; and   providing, in response to the query, a presentation of the search results in one display, the presentation including a plurality of visually distinct aspect areas with each of the aspect areas being for a corresponding one of the aspects and including a corresponding label, wherein providing the presentation of the search results comprises:   presenting at least one of the search results of the first set in a first aspect area of the aspect areas, the first aspect area corresponding to the first aspect; and   presenting at least one of the search results of the second set in a second aspect area of the aspect areas, the second aspect area corresponding to the second aspect