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Microsoft patents method for LLMs to write API calls using data schemas

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

This patent describes a system where a large language model generates specific API calls to process data based on a user's question. Instead of the AI reading the entire database, it uses a short description of the data structure, known as a schema, to create the necessary instructions. This allows the AI to interact with data more efficiently by only looking at the relevant parts.

Why it mattersThis approach could make AI assistants more accurate and faster when answering questions about private or large datasets by reducing the amount of data the model needs to process.

In the filing’s own words

Various embodiments of the technology described herein cause an LLM to intelligently process data based on a user query and a schema determined for a data set. Certain embodiments programmatically leverage an LLM and utilize its output based on a user query. In this manner, data is processed without the LLM having to access an entire data set, and instead only utilizes information associated with the user query and the schema. The schema comprises a textual description, such as a string of alphanumeric characters, that describes the data, data types, and/or data structure of the data set. Embodiments of the technology described herein are performed by an LLM interface layer separate from a user device layer and an LLM layer. The LLM interface layer is positioned between an LLM abstraction layer and an application layer by which a user can interface with the LLM interface layer.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A system comprising: at least one computer processor; and computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by the at least one computer processor, cause the system to perform operations comprising: receiving, from a user device, an input comprising a user query; based on the input, determining a data set for responding to the user query; determining, for the data set, a schema that characterizes an aspect of the data set; based on the user query and the schema, generating for a Large Language Model (LLM) a first prompt comprising a first indication associated with the user query, a second indication associated with the schema, and an instruction directing the LLM to generate a set of computer instructions, comprising at least one instruction for processing the data in the data set responsive to the user query; receiving a response to the first prompt from the LLM comprising the set of computer instructions; and based on the received set of computer instructions, generating an Application Programming Interface (API) call to: access at least a portion of the data from the data set; and cause the portion of the data to be processed in accordance with the set of computer instructions.

Facts

Company
Microsoft (MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC)
Official title
Efficient generation of application programming interface calls using language models, data types, and enriched schema
Patent number
US12748644B2
Application number
18404677
Filed
Jan 4, 2024
Granted
Sep 29, 2026
Inventors
5
Claims
20

Classified under

G06F 9/547 Physics & computingG06F 16/90324 Physics & computing

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.