Apple patents search system that routes questions to different data sources
Apple describes a method for handling search queries that need information from multiple areas, such as maps, music, or news. The system takes a user's unstructured question, breaks it into specific parts for each area, and combines the answers into one final result.
In the filing’s own words
Disclosed herein are techniques for managing search queries that require interactions with multiple domains. For example, a method implemented by a server computing device can include the steps of (1) receiving an unstructured query from a client computing device, (2) identifying one or more domains to which the unstructured query should be routed, (3) for each domain of the one or more domains: generating, based on (i) at least one respective model of the domain, and (ii) the unstructured query, a respective structured query, and providing the respective structured query to one or more knowledge sources to generate respective results, (4) aggregating the results to produce aggregated results, (5) filtering the aggregated results to produce filtered results, and (6) causing the client computing device to display at least a portion of the filtered results.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method, comprising: at a computing device: receiving a query; and in response to receiving the query: in accordance with a determination that the query should be processed using a first query processing pipeline, sending, to the first query processing pipeline for processing by the first query processing pipeline, the query; and in accordance with a determination that the query should be processed using a second query processing pipeline, sending, to the second query processing pipeline for processing by the second query processing pipeline, the query without sending, to the first query processing pipeline for processing by the first query processing pipeline, the query, wherein the second query processing pipeline is different from the first query processing pipeline.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- TECHNIQUES FOR GENERATING RESPONSES TO SEARCH QUERIES BY INTERACING WITH MULTIPLE DOMAINS
- Publication number
- US20260320043A1
- Application number
- 19719952
- Filed
- Jun 25, 2026
- Published
- Oct 15, 2026
- Inventors
- 2
- Claims
- 19
Classified under
G06F 16/24522 Physics & computingG06F 16/243 Physics & computingG06F 16/248 Physics & computingMore from Apple in AI & software
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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.