Patent ID: 7904297
Filing Date: 2011-03-08
Classification: G06F,G10L

Abstract:
1. A method of determining a dialogue move in a multi-device environment, comprising: receiving an input utterance from a speaker through an input component, the input utterance directed to a plurality of devices in the multi-device environment, wherein each device of the plurality of devices is associated with a respective activity model encapsulating device-specific information for the respective device; generating an input pattern from the input utterance that includes a structured description of a dialogue contribution by the speaker, the structured description including one of syntactic, semantic and phonological information; performing shallow processing of the input utterance through an activity tree functionally coupled to the activity model for each device of the plurality of devices to produce a plurality of candidate dialogue moves, wherein the activity tree manages activities of the devices relevant to the input utterance; identifying the description and at least one parameter of the description using a dialogue move script (DMS), wherein the DMS is used in identifying the description and at least one parameter of the description and corresponds to at least one device of the plurality of devices, and wherein the dialogue move is independent of the device; mapping the description to a dialogue move of the candidate dialogue moves using the DMS, the dialogue move corresponding to the identified parameter; receiving a confidence score from a speech recognizer component coupled to the input component, the confidence score quantifying the probability that the speech recognizer component can recognize the input utterance, and to produce an n-best list of dialogue moves; translating the confidence score into a qualitative description of the likelihood of proper recognition; incorporating into the dialogue move script a keyword allowing the formulation by a dialog manager component of a confirmation question in response to the input utterance; and formulating one of a confirmation question if the confidence score is above a defined threshold value or a help message if the confidence score is equal to or below the defined threshold value; combining weighted confidence scores for the plurality of devices into a combined confidence score to select an appropriate device of the plurality of devices and re-ordering the n-best list based on the combined confidence score to rate one or more of the dialogue move candidates as the interpretation of the utterance.