info.ephyra
Class OpenEphyra

java.lang.Object
  info.ephyra.OpenEphyra

Direct Known Subclasses:

OpenEphyraCorpus

public class OpenEphyra
extends java.lang.Object

OpenEphyra is an open framework for question answering (QA).

Version:

2008-03-23

Author:

Nico Schlaefer

Field Summary

protected java.lang.String	dir The directory of Ephyra, required when Ephyra is used as an API.
protected static java.lang.String	FACTOID Factoid question type.
protected static float	FACTOID_ABS_THRESH Absolute threshold for factoid answer scores.
protected static int	FACTOID_MAX_ANSWERS Maximum number of factoid answers.
protected static java.lang.String	LIST List question type.
protected static float	LIST_REL_THRESH Relative threshold for list answer scores (fraction of top score).
static java.lang.String	NORMALIZER Serialized classifier for score normalization.

Constructor Summary

protected	OpenEphyra() Creates a new instance of Ephyra and initializes the system.
	OpenEphyra(java.lang.String dir) Creates a new instance of Ephyra and initializes the system.

Method Summary

Result	askFactoid(java.lang.String question) Asks Ephyra a factoid question and returns a single result or null if no answer could be found.
Result[]	askFactoid(java.lang.String question, int maxAnswers, float absThresh) Asks Ephyra a factoid question and returns up to maxAnswers results that have a score of at least absThresh.
Result[]	askList(java.lang.String question, float relThresh) Asks Ephyra a list question and returns results that have a score of at least relThresh * top score.
void	commandLine() A command line interface for Ephyra.
java.lang.String	getDir() Returns the directory of Ephyra.
protected void	initFactoid() Initializes the pipeline for factoid questions.
static void	main(java.lang.String[] args) Entry point of Ephyra.
protected java.lang.String	readLine() Reads a line from the command prompt.
protected Result[]	runPipeline(AnalyzedQuestion aq, int maxAnswers, float absThresh) Runs the pipeline and returns an array of up to maxAnswers results that have a score of at least absThresh.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Field Detail

FACTOID

protected static final java.lang.String FACTOID

Factoid question type.

See Also:

Constant Field Values

LIST

protected static final java.lang.String LIST

List question type.

See Also:

Constant Field Values

FACTOID_MAX_ANSWERS

protected static final int FACTOID_MAX_ANSWERS

Maximum number of factoid answers.

See Also:

Constant Field Values

FACTOID_ABS_THRESH

protected static final float FACTOID_ABS_THRESH

Absolute threshold for factoid answer scores.

See Also:

Constant Field Values

LIST_REL_THRESH

protected static final float LIST_REL_THRESH

Relative threshold for list answer scores (fraction of top score).

See Also:

Constant Field Values

NORMALIZER

public static final java.lang.String NORMALIZER

Serialized classifier for score normalization.

See Also:

Constant Field Values

dir

protected java.lang.String dir

The directory of Ephyra, required when Ephyra is used as an API.

Constructor Detail

OpenEphyra

protected OpenEphyra()

Creates a new instance of Ephyra and initializes the system.

For use as a standalone system.

OpenEphyra

public OpenEphyra(java.lang.String dir)

Creates a new instance of Ephyra and initializes the system.

For use as an API.

Parameters:

dir - directory of Ephyra

Method Detail

main

public static void main(java.lang.String[] args)

Entry point of Ephyra. Initializes the engine and starts the command line interface.

Parameters:

args - command line arguments are ignored

readLine

protected java.lang.String readLine()

Reads a line from the command prompt.

Returns:

user input

initFactoid

protected void initFactoid()

Initializes the pipeline for factoid questions.

runPipeline

protected Result[] runPipeline(AnalyzedQuestion aq,
                               int maxAnswers,
                               float absThresh)

Runs the pipeline and returns an array of up to maxAnswers results that have a score of at least absThresh.

Parameters:

aq - analyzed question

maxAnswers - maximum number of answers

absThresh - absolute threshold for scores

Returns:

array of results

getDir

public java.lang.String getDir()

Returns the directory of Ephyra.

Returns:

directory

commandLine

public void commandLine()

A command line interface for Ephyra.

Repeatedly queries the user for a question, asks the system the question and prints out and logs the results.

The command exit can be used to quit the program.

askFactoid

public Result[] askFactoid(java.lang.String question,
                           int maxAnswers,
                           float absThresh)

Asks Ephyra a factoid question and returns up to maxAnswers results that have a score of at least absThresh.

Parameters:

question - factoid question

maxAnswers - maximum number of answers

absThresh - absolute threshold for scores

Returns:

array of results

askFactoid

public Result askFactoid(java.lang.String question)

Asks Ephyra a factoid question and returns a single result or null if no answer could be found.

Parameters:

question - factoid question

Returns:

single result or null

askList

public Result[] askList(java.lang.String question,
                        float relThresh)

Asks Ephyra a list question and returns results that have a score of at least relThresh * top score.

Parameters:

question - list question

relThresh - relative threshold for scores

Returns:

array of results