Computer-aided extraction of semantics from keywords to confirm match of buyer offers to seller bids

Abstract

One embodiment involves a method and apparatus for mapping lexical keywords into entity description semantics in order to create unambiguous buyer-confirmed descriptions of entities. The method described herein relies on a computer program and some mechanism for computer data storage.

1 . A semantic extraction system comprising:
 a database of entities available, the database entry of each entity having associated with it one or more entity attribute text strings, and each entity having associated with it at least one category string;   first means for capturing user input or selection of one or more desired entity text strings;   first scoring and retrieval means for scoring category strings found in the database against the desired entity text strings;   first display means for displaying to the user the category strings of highest-scored entities returned by the first scoring and retrieval means;   second capture means for capturing user input of user's best match category strings;   second display means for displaying the entity attribute strings of the entities corresponding to the said best match category strings;   third capture means for capturing user's ranked attribute text strings;   second scoring and retrieval means for scoring entity attribute text, strings found in the database against the user's ranked attribute text strings;   third display means for displaying to the user the entities returned by the second scoring and retrieval means;   fourth capture means for capturing the user's selection of one or mote entities displayed.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the user's desired entity text strings are examined and scored against likelihood of a particular keyword being a category descriptor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the user's desired entity text strings are examined and scored against the likelihood of a particular keyword being an attribute value. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the category descriptions are proposed to the buyer on the basis 
       of a match found between the buyer's search word and one or more item attribute name(s), AND on the basis of a match found between the buyer's search word and one or more item attribute value(s). 
     
     
         5 . A method, comprising:
 identifying at least one desired entity text siring;   scoring category strings based on the at least one desired entity text string;   displaying the category strings based on the scoring of the category strings;   identifying at least one best match category string;   displaying at least one entity attribute string of entities corresponding to the at least one best match category string;   identifying at least one ranked attribute text string;   scoring at least one entity attribute text string based on the at least one ranked attribute text string;   displaying a plurality of entities based on the scoring of the at least one entity attribute text string; and   receiving a selection of at least one of the entities displayed.   
     
     
         6 . A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, comprising:
 computer code for identifying at least one desired entity text string;   computer code for scoring category strings based on the at least one desired entity text string;   computer code for displaying the category strings based on the scoring of the category strings;   computer code for identifying at least one best match category string;   computer code for displaying at least one entity attribute string of entities corresponding to the at. least one best match category string;   computer code for identifying at least one ranked attribute text string;   computer code for scoring at least one entity attribute text string based on the at least one ranked attribute text string;   computer code for displaying a plurality of entities based on the scoring of the at least one entity attribute text string; and   computer code for receiving a selection of at least one of the entities displayed.