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:

2008-01-26

Author:

Nico Schlaefer

Field Summary

protected java.lang.String	dir The directory of Ephyra, required when Ephyra is used as an API.
protected static float	FACTOID_ABS_THRESH Absolute threshold for factoid question scores.
protected static int	FACTOID_MAX_ANSWERS Maximum number of factoid answers.
protected static float	LIST_REL_THRESH Relative threshold for list question 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 the Ephyra engine.
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 on a factoid question 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_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 question scores.

See Also:

Constant Field Values

LIST_REL_THRESH

protected static final float LIST_REL_THRESH

Relative threshold for list question 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 on a factoid question 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 the Ephyra engine.

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