Patents by Inventor John P. Bufe

John P. Bufe has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170199762
    Abstract: Techniques are described for a real-time prioritization of service tasks. In one example, a method includes receiving one or more customer activity inputs associated with one or more service tasks for performing in a service establishment on behalf of customers of the service establishment. The method further includes receiving one or more metadata items associated with the one or more service tasks. The method also includes determining a prioritization of the one or more service tasks based on the one or more customer activity inputs, wherein determining the prioritization includes generating a prioritization value for the one or more service tasks based at least in part on at least one of the one or more metadata items or the one or more customer activity inputs, and updating the one or more service tasks based on the prioritization value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, III, Narine Cholakyan, Taffie B. Coler, Ramakrishnan Rajamony
  • Publication number: 20170140052
    Abstract: In an approach to personalizing a news feed, a computing device monitors a user accessing content. The computing device determines a personal knowledge graph for the user based on the accessed content. Responsive to receiving a new piece of content that the user has not accessed, the computing device determines a novelty score for the new piece of content based on the personal knowledge graph. The computing device filters the new piece of content based on the novelty score.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, III, Donna K. Byron, Patrick A. Wagstrom, Timothy P. Winkler
  • Publication number: 20170132309
    Abstract: A technique for instance-specific feature-based cross-document sentiment aggregation includes analyzing input data to determine an entity referenced in the input data. One or more salient features of the entity are identified. Multiple documents that reference the entity are located. The salient features in each of the multiple documents are identified. Respective sentiment values are assigned to each of the salient features identified in the multiple documents. Respective sub-graphs are created for each of the multiple documents. The sub-graphs specify the sentiment values assigned to each of the salient features identified in an associated one of the multiple documents. The assigned sentiment values for each of the salient features are aggregated based on the sub-graphs. Finally, output data that is associated with the input data is generated. The output data provides an indication of the aggregated sentiment value for each of the salient features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: JOHN P. BUFE, III, ABHIRUT GUPTA, WILLIAM G. O'KEEFFE, SRIKANTH G. TAMILSELVAM
  • Patent number: 9646247
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided, in a data processing system comprising a processor and a memory configured to implement a question and answer system (QA), for utilizing temporal indicators to weight semantic values. A set of temporal characteristics is identified of a set of initial candidate answers. For each initial candidate answer in the set of initial candidate answers: a distance value is generated for each of the set of temporal characteristics of the set of initial candidate answers, a multiplier value is determined with which to weight an initial confidence score associated with the initial candidate answer using the distance value; a sentiment value is determined of the initial candidate answer, and a final weight value is determined using the multiplier value, the sentiment value, and the initial confidence score associated with the initial candidate answer. A set of temporally refined candidate answers is then provided using the determined final weight values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, III, Alexander Pikovsky, Timothy P. Winkler
  • Publication number: 20170109848
    Abstract: Software that uses machine-logic based algorithms to assess the value of idea descriptions by performing the following operations: (i) receiving an idea description pertaining to an idea; (ii) generating a density score for the idea, wherein the density score is based, at least in part, on one or more publication date densities of a set of works related to the idea description; (iii) generating a novelty score for the idea, wherein the novelty score is based, at least in part, on a comparison of the idea description to the set of works related to the idea description using natural language processing; and (iv) assessing the value of the idea based, at least in part, on the generated density score and the generated novelty score.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, III, Jared M.D. Smythe, Eric M. Woods
  • Patent number: 9519686
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided, in a data processing system comprising a processor and a memory configured to implement a question and answer system (QA), for providing confidence rankings based on temporal semantics. Responsive to receiving an input question, a set of candidate answers is identified from a knowledge domain based on a correlation between an identified one or more predicates and an identified one or more arguments to the knowledge domain. A confidence score is associated with each of the candidate answers and each confidence score associated with each candidate answer is refined based on a set of temporal characteristics identified in the input question. A set of temporally refined candidate answers is then provided to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, III, Donna K. Byron, Alexander Pikovsky, Timothy P. Winkler
  • Patent number: 9484033
    Abstract: An approach is provided to receive audible speech and convert the received speech to text while the audible speech is being delivered to a user. An annotation candidate is identified in the text and an annotation reference relating to the identified annotation candidate is retrieved and presented to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, Donna K. Byron, Alexander Pikovsky, Timothy Winkler
  • Publication number: 20160300154
    Abstract: A question answering system that determines whether a question is off-topic by performing the following steps: (i) receiving, by a question answering system, a set of documents; (ii) identifying topical subset(s) for each document of the set of documents using named entity recognition, where each topical subset relates to a corresponding topic; (iii) assigning a set of topic score(s) for each topical subset using natural language processing, where each topic score relates to a corresponding probability associated with the respective topical subset under a probabilistic language model; and (iv) determining, based, at least in part, on the topic score(s) corresponding to the topical subset(s), whether a question input into the question answering system is off-topic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, Srinivasa Phani K. Gadde, Julius Goth, III
  • Publication number: 20160283851
    Abstract: A question answering system that determines whether a question is off-topic by performing the following steps: (i) receiving, by a question answering system, a set of documents; (ii) identifying topical subset(s) for each document of the set of documents using named entity recognition, where each topical subset relates to a corresponding topic; (iii) assigning a set of topic score(s) for each topical subset using natural language processing, where each topic score relates to a corresponding probability associated with the respective topical subset under a probabilistic language model; and (iv) determining, based, at least in part, on the topic score(s) corresponding to the topical subset(s), whether a question input into the question answering system is off-topic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, Srinivasa Phani K. Gadde, Julius Goth, III
  • Publication number: 20160275183
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computer system for identifying data associated with an event. A recommendation is provided to at least the event based upon, at least in part, at least one of a character of the event determined based upon, at least in part, the data associated with the event, and a personality of a real-time crowd at the event determined based upon, at least in part, the data associated with the event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, Krishna Kummamuru, Lakshminarayanan Krishnamurthy, Manojkumar Pal
  • Publication number: 20160275170
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computer system for identifying data associated with an event. A recommendation is provided to at least the event based upon, at least in part, at least one of a character of the event determined based upon, at least in part, the data associated with the event, and a personality of a real-time crowd at the event determined based upon, at least in part, the data associated with the event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: JOHN P. BUFE, Krishna Kummamuru, Lakshminarayanan Krishnamurthy, Manojkumar Pal
  • Patent number: 9424298
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for preserving conceptual distance within unstructured documents by characterizing conceptual relationships. Natural language processing is applied to content in a plurality of documents to identify topics and subjects. Analytic analysis is then applied to the identified topics and subjects to identify concepts. The content in each of the plurality of documents is partitioned into a first structured hierarchy, preserving at least one structure in each document inherent in the each document. Access is then provided to the content through a first index based upon utilizing the first structured hierarchy and through a second index utilizing a second structured hierarchy. The conceptual relationship criteria are based upon a directed graph with weights based upon a similarity and a distance based upon concepts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, Timothy P. Winkler
  • Patent number: 9424299
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for preserving conceptual distance within unstructured documents by characterizing conceptual relationships. Natural language processing is applied to content in a plurality of documents to identify topics and subjects. Analytic analysis is then applied to the identified topics and subjects to identify concepts. The content in each of the plurality of documents is partitioned into a first structured hierarchy, preserving at least one structure in each document inherent in the each document. Access is then provided to the content through a first index based upon utilizing the first structured hierarchy and through a second index utilizing a second structured hierarchy. The conceptual relationship criteria are based upon a directed graph with weights based upon a similarity and a distance based upon concepts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, Timothy P. Winkler
  • Patent number: 9373075
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for applying a genetic algorithm to semantic sentiment analysis. The mechanism provides a sentiment analysis model to a sentiment analysis algorithm. The mechanism trains the sentiment analysis model using a genetic algorithm based on a training corpus of documents with corresponding desired sentiment analysis values for a given domain to form a trained sentiment analysis model. The mechanism performs the sentiment analysis algorithm on an input document using the trained sentiment analysis model to form a domain-specific sentiment analysis result. The mechanism outputs the domain-specific sentiment analysis result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, III, Timothy P. Winkler
  • Publication number: 20160171119
    Abstract: An approach is provided for automatically generating user-specific interaction modes for processing question and answers at the information handling system by receiving a question from a user, extracting user context parameters identifying a usage scenario for the user, identifying first input and output presentation modes for the user based on the extracted user context parameters, monitoring user interaction with the system in relation to the question, and adjusting the first input and output presentation modes based on the extracted user context parameters and detected user interaction with the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, Donna K. Byron, Mary D. Swift, Timothy Winkler
  • Publication number: 20160171983
    Abstract: An approach is provided to receive audible speech and convert the received speech to text while the audible speech is being delivered to a user. An annotation candidate is identified in the text and an annotation reference relating to the identified annotation candidate is retrieved and presented to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, Donna K. Byron, Alexander Pikovsky, Timothy Winkler
  • Publication number: 20160171062
    Abstract: An approach is provided for automatically generating user-specific interaction modes for processing question and answers at the information handling system by receiving a question from a user, extracting user context parameters identifying a usage scenario for the user, identifying first input and output presentation modes for the user based on the extracted user context parameters, monitoring user interaction with the system in relation to the question, and adjusting the first input and output presentation modes based on the extracted user context parameters and detected user interaction with the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, Donna K. Byron, Mary D. Swift, Timothy P. Winkler
  • Publication number: 20160162492
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided, in a data processing system comprising a processor and a memory configured to implement a question and answer system (QA), for providing confidence rankings based on temporal semantics. Responsive to receiving an input question, a set of candidate answers is identified from a knowledge domain based on a correlation between an identified one or more predicates and an identified one or more arguments to the knowledge domain. A confidence score is associated with each of the candidate answers and each confidence score associated with each candidate answer is refined based on a set of temporal characteristics identified in the input question. A set of temporally refined candidate answers is then provided to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, III, Donna K. Byron, Alexander Pikovsky, Timothy P. Winkler
  • Publication number: 20160098398
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for preserving conceptual distance within unstructured documents by characterizing conceptual relationships. Natural language processing is applied to content in a plurality of documents to identify topics and subjects. Analytic analysis is then applied to the identified topics and subjects to identify concepts. The content in each of the plurality of documents is partitioned into a first structured hierarchy, preserving at least one structure in each document inherent in the each document. Access is then provided to the content through a first index based upon utilizing the first structured hierarchy and through a second index utilizing a second structured hierarchy. The conceptual relationship criteria are based upon a directed graph with weights based upon a similarity and a distance based upon concepts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, Timothy P. Winkler
  • Publication number: 20160098379
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for preserving conceptual distance within unstructured documents by characterizing conceptual relationships. Natural language processing is applied to content in a plurality of documents to identify topics and subjects. Analytic analysis is then applied to the identified topics and subjects to identify concepts. The content in each of the plurality of documents is partitioned into a first structured hierarchy, preserving at least one structure in each document inherent in the each document. Access is then provided to the content through a first index based upon utilizing the first structured hierarchy and through a second index utilizing a second structured hierarchy. The conceptual relationship criteria are based upon a directed graph with weights based upon a similarity and a distance based upon concepts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John P. Bufe, Timothy P. Winkler