US Patent 11416481 Search query generation using branching process for database queries

In one embodiment, a method receives a search query including terms formed in a natural language expression. The terms are included in entities that are categorized in types of entities. The method analyzes the entities for the terms to generate a set of branch queries that include different combinations of entities for the terms. The set of branch queries are ranked based on the types of entities associated with entities of the respective branch queries and a branch query is selected based on the ranking for the branch query. The method uses the entities of the branch query to perform a search of a structured database of structured objects.