Patent · US Active

Name search using a ranking function

US8645417B2 · kind B2 · utility

23Cited by
7References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 18, 2008
Grant dateFeb 4, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 7, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F16/951
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An approach is described for performing a name search using a name search operation and a ranking operation. The name search operation may take text as input and apply a fuzzy matching operation and a lookup operation to generate a collection of candidate names with respective probability scores. In other cases, speech or handwriting recognition may generate the collection of candidate names and probability scores. The ranking operation may then rank these candidate names using a ranking function. The ranking function may rank the candidate names based on the probability scores associated with the names and at least one other factor. One such factor may reflect whether information provided by a user matches profile information associated with a candidate name under consideration. Another factor may reflect an extent of a nexus between the user and a person associated with the candidate name. Other types of factors can be used.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.