Techniques to predictively respond to user requests using natural language processing

Techniques to predictively respond to user requests using natural language processing are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a client communication component operative to receive a user service request from a user client; an interaction processing component operative to submit the user service request to a memory-based natural language processing component; generate a series of user interaction exchanges with the user client based on output from the memory-based natural language processing component, wherein the series of user interaction exchanges are represented in a memory component of the memory-based natural language processing component; and receive one or more operator instructions for the performance of the user service request from the memory-based natural language processing component; and a user interface component operative to display the one or more operator instructions in an operator console. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to a U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/881,352, “Generating Responses Using Memory Networks,” filed on Oct. 13, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Users may interact with each other in a messaging system, sending messages back and forth to each other in a text-based conversation between two or more users. A user may have a user account associated with them in the messaging system, the user account providing an online identity for the user, a destination for messages directed to the user, and generally coordinating the user's access to and use of the messaging system. A user may access the messaging system from a variety of endpoints, including mobile devices (e.g., cellphones), desktop computers, web browsers, specialized messaging applications, etc.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques to predictively respond to user requests using natural language processing. Some embodiments are particularly directed to techniques to predictively respond to user requests using natural language processing in a messaging-driven personal service operator console. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise a client communication component operative to receive a user service request from a user client; an interaction processing component operative to submit the user service request to a memory-based natural language processing component; generate a series of user interaction exchanges with the user client based on output from the memory-based natural language processing component, wherein the series of user interaction exchanges are represented in a memory component of the memory-based natural language processing component; and receive one or more operator instructions for the performance of the user service request from the memory-based natural language processing component; and a user interface component operative to display the one or more operator instructions in an operator console. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A personal service system may provide the performance of various personal tasks for users of the system. In one case, a personal service system may connect a user to an operator via a messaging system, in which the user and the operator exchange messages to empower the user to request personal services and to exchange information related to the performance of the personal services. The operator may query the user as to details of the requested service using the messaging system and then perform the requested service on behalf of the user.

These services may be performed at least in part by human operators in order to accommodate the use of natural language requests by the users of personal service system. However, many requests may follow patterns that may become apparent through the repetition of similar requests. For instance, while different requests for making a reservation may have variations and differences, and the different responses to these requests may have variations and differences, these each may have sufficient similarities as to empower the performance of natural language processing (NLP) techniques to assist human operators.

Human operators may engage in messaging conversations with users of a personal service system, receiving requests and generating queries and responses. The human operators may perform various actions, such as making phone calls, accessing web sites, using applications, and other activities, in order to respond to the user requests. These actions and interactions may be recorded and analyzed by an NLP system. This NLP system may then be used to predict responses and actions on behalf of an operator and these predicted responses and actions suggested to the operator. Through this technique, the responses and actions of experienced operators may be learned by an automated system and suggested to other operators. The best responses and actions of any of the operators may be learned and suggested to other operators. In general, operators may be guided through the process of responding to requests by leveraging the automated analysis of previous responses. As a result, the embodiments can improve the affordability, scalability, and general performance of a personal service system.

It is worthy to note that “a” and “b” and “c” and similar designators as used herein are intended to be variables representing any positive integer. Thus, for example, if an implementation sets a value for a=5, then a complete set of components122illustrated as components122-1through122-amay include components122-1,122-2,122-3,122-4and122-5. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 1illustrates a block diagram for a user request communication system100. In one embodiment, the user request communication system100may comprise a computer-implemented system having software applications comprising one or more components. Although the user request communication system100shown inFIG. 1has a limited number of elements in a certain topology, it may be appreciated that the user request communication system100may include more or less elements in alternate topologies as desired for a given implementation.

A personal service system190may operate within a network environment including a messaging platform empowering the exchange of messages. The personal service system190may comprise a computer system with human operators receiving and responding to user requests. The personal service system190may use a messaging platform to exchange messages comprising the user requests and operator responses to the user requests. In some cases, the messaging platform may comprise a general messaging platform also used for other messages. In other cases, the messaging platform may comprise a messaging platform exclusive to the personal service system190.

The messaging servers110may comprise one or more messaging servers operated by a messaging platform as part of the user request communication system100. A messaging server may comprise an Internet-accessible server, with the network120connecting the various devices of the user request communication system100comprising, at least in part, the Internet.

A user may own and operate a smartphone device150. The smartphone device150may comprise an iPhone® device, an Android® device, a Blackberry® device, or any other mobile computing device conforming to a smartphone form. The smartphone device150may be a cellular device capable of connecting to a network120via a cell system130using cellular signals135. In some embodiments and in some cases the smartphone device150may additionally or alternatively use Wi-Fi or other networking technologies to connect to the network120. The smartphone device150may execute a messaging client, web browser, or other local application to access the messaging servers110.

The same user may own and operate a tablet device160. The tablet device150may comprise an iPad® device, an Android® tablet device, a Kindle Fire® device, or any other mobile computing device conforming to a tablet form. The tablet device160may be a Wi-Fi device capable of connecting to a network120via a Wi-Fi access point140using Wi-Fi signals145. In some embodiments and in some cases the tablet device160may additionally or alternatively use cellular or other networking technologies to connect to the network120. The tablet device160may execute a messaging client, web browser, or other local application to access the messaging servers110.

The same user may own and operate a personal computer device180. The personal computer device180may comprise a Mac OS® device, Windows® device, Linux® device, or other computer device running another operating system. The personal computer device180may be an Ethernet device capable of connecting to a network120via an Ethernet connection. In some embodiments and in some cases the personal computer device180may additionally or alternatively use cellular, Wi-Fi, or other networking technologies to the network120. The personal computer device180may execute a messaging client, web browser170, or other local application to access the messaging servers110.

A messaging client may be a dedicated messaging client. A dedicated messaging client may be specifically associated with a messaging provider administering the messaging platform including the messaging servers110. A dedicated messaging client may be a general client operative to work with a plurality of different messaging providers including the messaging provider administering the messaging platform including the messaging servers110. A messaging client may empower access the personal service system190, such as where the personal service system190is one of a plurality of endpoints and/or services accessible via the messaging servers110.

The messaging client may be a component of an application providing additional functionality. For example, a personal service system190may provide a personal service application for accessing the personal service system190. Similarly, a social networking service may provide a social networking application for use on a mobile device for accessing and using the social networking service. The social networking service may include messaging functionality such as may be provided by messaging servers110. It will be appreciated that the messaging servers110may be one component of a computing device for a personal service system190or social networking service, with the computing device providing additional functionality of the personal service system190or social networking service. Similarly, a personal service application or social networking application may provide both messaging functionality and additional functionality.

In some cases a messaging endpoint may retain state between user sessions and in some cases a messaging endpoint may relinquish state between user sessions. A messaging endpoint may use a local store to retain the current state of a message inbox. This local store may be saved in persistent storage such that the state may be retrieved between one session and the next, including situations in which, for example, a local application is quit or otherwise removed from memory or a device is powered off and on again. Alternatively, a messaging endpoint may use a memory cache to retain the current state of a message inbox but refrain from committing the state of the message inbox to persistent storage.

A messaging endpoint that retains the state of a message inbox may comprise a dedicated messaging application or a messaging utility integrated into another local application, such as a social networking application. A messaging endpoint that relinquishes state of a message inbox may comprise messaging access implemented within a web browser. In one embodiment, a web browser, such as web browser170executing on personal computer device180, may execute HTML5 code that interacts with the messaging server to present messaging functionality to a user.

A user may send and receive messages from a plurality of devices, including the smartphone device150, tablet device160, and personal computer device180. The user may use a first messaging application on the smartphone device150, a second messaging application on the tablet device160, and the web browser170on the personal computer device180. The first and second messaging applications may comprise installations of the same application on both devices. The first and second messaging applications may comprise a smartphone-specific and a tablet-specific version of a common application. The first and second messaging application may comprise distinct applications.

The user may benefit from having their message inbox kept consistent between their devices. A user may use their smartphone device150on the cell system130while away from their home, sending and receiving messages via the cells system130. The user may stop by a coffee shop, or other location offering Wi-Fi, and connect their tablet device160to a Wi-Fi access point140. The tablet device160may retrieve its existing known state for the message inbox and receive updates that have happened since the last occasion on which the tablet device160had access to a network, including any messages sent by the smartphone device150and that may have been received by the user while operating the smartphone device150. The user may then return home and access their message inbox using a web browser170on a personal computer device180. The web browser170may receive a snapshot of the current state of the message inbox from the messaging servers110due to it not maintaining or otherwise not having access to an existing state for the message inbox. The web browser170may then retrieve incremental updates for any new changes to the state of the message inbox so long as it maintains a user session with the messaging servers110, discarding its known state for the message inbox at the end of the session, such as when the web browser170is closed by the user. Without limitation, an update may correspond to the addition of a message to a mailbox, a deletion of a message from a mailbox, and a read receipt.

A user request communication system100may operate by defining a messaging inbox as comprising a plurality of messages, wherein each message is an individual transaction of communication between two or more participants. A mail server may operate by maintaining a message index for the messaging inbox. Mail servers may receive messages and store the messages in mail archives from which messages may be retrieved through reference to the message index. Mail clients may connect to the mail servers and retrieve messages that have been added to their mail archive since their last update. The mail clients may receive a mail index from the mail archive indicating what messages are stored in the mail archive. The mail clients may compare the mail archive to their current inbox in order to determine what messages they are missing, which they then request from the mail archive. The mail clients may make changes to their inbox, which results in mail inbox instructions being transmitted to the mail archives instructing the mail archives in modifications to make to the representation of their mail inbox on the mail archives.

Messaging interactions mediated by a messaging system may be organized into shared spaces known as message threads. A message thread may collect together the messages shared between a particular group of users. Messages sent individually between a pair of users may be collected into a one-on-one message thread uniquely associated with the private messaging between the pair of users. Messages sent between a group of three or more users may not be uniquely defined by their membership, but instead by, in some embodiments, an identifier uniquely identifying the group thread. Membership in a group thread may, in some embodiments, vary over time, adding and/or losing members. A message thread may be between, for instance, a user and the personal service system190, wherein the user accesses the message thread to engage in messaging with the personal service system190in order to submit requests and engage in a dialog regarding requests.

The user request communication system100may use knowledge generated from interactions in between users. The user request communication system100may comprise a component of a social-networking system and may use knowledge generated from the broader interactions of the social-networking system. As such, to protect the privacy of the users of the user request communication system100and the larger social-networking system, user request communication system100may include an authorization server (or other suitable component(s)) that allows users to opt in to or opt out of having their actions logged by the user request communication system100or shared with other systems (e.g., third-party systems), for example, by setting appropriate privacy settings. A privacy setting of a user may determine what information associated with the user may be logged, how information associated with the user may be logged, when information associated with the user may be logged, who may log information associated with the user, whom information associated with the user may be shared with, and for what purposes information associated with the user may be logged or shared. Authorization servers or other authorization components may be used to enforce one or more privacy settings of the users of the user request communication system100and other elements of a social-networking system through blocking, data hashing, anonymization, or other suitable techniques as appropriate.

FIG. 2illustrates an embodiment of a user client user interface200.

A user interface200may be displayed on a client device220. The client device220may correspond to, without limitation, a smartphone device150, a personal computer device180, a tablet device160, or any other form of client device. The user interface200may be displayed via a web browser, such as may execute on a smartphone device150, tablet device160, personal computer device180, or other device. The user interface200may be displayed in a messaging application, such as may execute on a smartphone device150, tablet device160, personal computer device180, or other device. The user interface200may be displayed in a personal service application, such as may execute on a smartphone device150, tablet device160, personal computer device180, or other device. The user interface200may be displayed using a variety of techniques, without limitation to the examples listed here.

A user interface200may include a message interaction display210. A message interaction display210may comprise a series of messages exchanged between a user of the client device220and an operator for a personal service system190. A message interaction display210may include a user message215of a plurality of user messages. User messages may be displayed in association with an avatar for the user. A message interaction display210may include an operator message217of a plurality of operator messages. Operator messages may be displayed in association with an avatar for the operator and/or for the personal service system190. The message interaction display210may, in some cases, only visibly include a portion of the user messages and operator messages, such as due to limited screen space of the client device220.

A client device220may include controls for operating the user interface200. The controls may include text entry controls225empowering the entering of text for the composition of text-based messages. The controls may include hardware controls. In some embodiments, controls may be touchscreen-based controls.

FIG. 3Aillustrates an embodiment of an operator console user interface300.

The user interface300may comprise the user interface for an operator console. An operator console may comprise a software application operating as a front-end to the personal service system190for an operator. An operator may correspond to a human engaged to perform personal services for the personal service system190on behalf of users of the personal service system190.

The operator console may serve, among other functions, as an access point to a messaging platform used to transmit messages for the personal service system190. The user interface300for the operator console may display a user message315of a plurality of user messages. The user interface300for the operator console may display an operator message317of a plurality of operator messages. The user messages and operator messages may be displayed in a message interaction display310of the user interface300.

The user interface300for the operator console may include one or more suggested response320. The suggested responses320may be determined according to NLP techniques by an NLP component based on the messaging conversation related to a particular user request, as may be updated in response to a most-recent user message. Suggested responses320may comprise one or more suggestions generated using natural language processing techniques based on historic user-operator interactions. The operator of the operator console may be empowered to selected one of the suggested responses320to select the selected suggested response for transmission to the user. In some cases, a selected suggested response may be modified by the operator prior to transmission, such as to customize the response to the particular user or the particular context of the user. In some cases, the operator may enter a response other than the suggested responses320for transmission to the user. The operator console may respond to messaging controls, particularly text controls, for the entering of messaging commands, including text.

FIG. 3Billustrates an embodiment of an operator console user interface325with unexpanded clustered suggested responses335.

As illustrated inFIG. 3A, in some cases, some of the suggested response320may be similar. For example, “Great! How many people would this be for?”, “How many people is this reservation for?”, and “How many will be joining you for dinner?”, while distinct text, express a similar query. NLP techniques may be used to cluster similar responses, such that at least some portion of suggested responses are grouped together into a cluster.

In some embodiments, suggested responses may be ordered according to rankings determined by the NLP techniques, with higher-ranked suggested responses displayed with a higher priority, such as more prominently in a user interface, such as at the beginning of a list of suggested responses. In some of these embodiments, a suggested response from each cluster may be displayed prior to the display of a second suggested response from any cluster. A highest-ranked suggested response from each cluster may be selected and displayed for the operator of the operator console with a higher priority than any other suggested response from each cluster.

In some embodiments, the suggested responses provided by a NLP component may be displayed as clustered suggested responses330in which only the highest-ranked suggested response of each cluster is displayed. However, each suggested response with other suggested responses in its cluster may be displayed as an unexpanded clustered suggested response335with a cluster expansion control empowering expansion of the responses clustered with the highest-ranked response of the cluster of suggested responses.

A clustered suggested response may be associated with a cluster expansion control, the cluster expansion control empowering the viewing of additional clustered suggested responses. An unexpanded clustered suggested response335may be associated with an inactive cluster expansion control340, the inactive cluster expansion control340communicating that additional clustered suggested responses of a lower ranking than the displayed highest-ranking clustered suggested response are available. The selection of the inactive cluster expansion control340may activate the inactive cluster expansion control340and result in the display of the additional lower-ranking clustered suggested responses.

FIG. 3Cillustrates an embodiment of an operator console user interface350with expanded clustered suggested responses355.

In response to the selection of an inactive cluster expansion control340, an operator console may transition to an expanded cluster suggested responses355with revealed clustered suggested responses365. The revealed clustered suggested responses365may comprise one or more additional suggested responses in the same cluster as the highest-ranking clustered suggested response initially displayed as the unexpanded clustered suggested response335. The expanded cluster suggested responses355may be displayed with an activated cluster expansion control360. It will be appreciated that other techniques may be used for the indication that additional clustered suggested responses are available and for the activation of the display of the additional clustered suggested responses.

FIG. 4illustrates an embodiment of an operator console user interface400with suggested responses420including application program interface actions.

In some cases, the suggested responses420may include application program interface (API) actions. An API action may comprise a response that, instead of being transmitted to the user client, involves interaction with a third party. An API action may comprise a voice call, a web page transaction, an application transaction, or any other transaction distinct from communication with the user client. In some cases, API actions may be suggested in combination with messaging responses to the user. In general, API actions may comprise instructions to the operator of the operator console providing guidance to the operator for the performance of a user request. Operator instructions may be provided by an NLP component once sufficient information has been gathered regarding a user request such that the operator may carry out the user request.

FIG. 5illustrates an embodiment user service request510being processed by a user request communication system100.

An operator console520may empower an operator to engage with users of the personal service system190to respond to and fulfill user service requests. The operator console520may interact with a memory-based natural language processing (NLP) component590, submitting personal service request messaging information to the memory-based NLP component590and receiving suggested responses, including both suggested messages and suggested operator instructions, in response. A memory-based NLP component590may operate according to NLP techniques that include a memory of interactions stored in a memory component595. For instance, the memory-based NLP component590may used memory neural network (MNN) techniques. The operator console520may fill this memory component595with interactions that include all of messages received from the user, messages sent by the operator, and actions taken by the operator in the fulfillment of a user service request510. The memory-based NLP component590may use NLP techniques in which the output of the memory-based NLP component590depends on the contents of the memory component595. The operator console520may comprise a plurality of software components.

An operator console520may comprise a client communication component540. A client communication component540may be generally arranged to exchange information, such as via messages, with client devices for the performance of user service requests. In some embodiments, the client communication component540may receive messages directly from the client devices, in which the messages are directly addressed in network communication to a computer device executing the operator console520or to a server system for the personal service system190. In other embodiments, the client communication component540may receive messages via a messaging platform, in which the messages are addressed within the messaging platform according to a user identifier or service identifier by the messaging platform.

The client communication component may receive a user service request510from a user client525. A user service request510may comprise a textual message comprising a natural-language request for the performance of a personal service. A user service request510may be received in response to the user client525submitting the user service request510to a personal service system190and the personal service system190routing the user service request510to an available operator console520. An operator console520may be available where the operator console520has an operator that is online and is not currently servicing another user, or, generally, where the operator console520has an operator ready to respond to a user service request510. The client communication component540may receive the user service request510and forward it to an interaction processing component560.

The operator console520may comprise an interaction processing component560. The interaction processing component may be generally arranged to interoperate with a memory-based NLP component590to generate suggested responses for an operator of the operator console520based on a history of the messaging interactions related to a particular user service request510. This history of the messaging interactions may include responses suggested by the memory-based NLP component590.

The operator console520may submit the user service request to the memory-based NLP component590. In response the memory based NLP component590may return output, the output comprising a set of suggested responses. These suggested responses may comprise one or more suggested messages for transmission to the user of the user client525and/or may comprise one or more suggested operator instructions for performance by an operator of the operator console520.

The operator console520may comprise a user interface component580. The user interface component580may be generally arranged to display and receive operator commands via a user interface for the operator console520. The user interface component580may display messaging interactions between an operator of the operator console520and a user of the user client525. The user interface may display a set of suggested responses in the operator console520. The user interface may display one or more operator instructions570in the operator console520.

The user interface may receive a selection of a selected suggested response of a set of suggested responses via the operator console520. Where a selected suggested response is a suggested operator message, the client communication component540may forward the selected suggested response to the client communication component540, which may then transmit the selected suggested response to the user client525. Where a selected suggested response is a suggested operator instruction, the user interface component may instantiate an application program interface (API) operation in response to the selection of the selected suggested response.

The operator console520may be operative to engage in API operations for interactions with third parties other than the personal service system190or users of the personal service system190. API operations may comprise the use of an API to engage with a third party.

An API operation may comprise making a voice call, such as a phone call or voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) call. The user interface component580may be operative to engage a voice call carried out through the operator console520or otherwise available to be monitored by the operator console520. The destination phone number and length of a voice call may be logged by the operator console520, with one or both made available to the memory-based NLP component590. The contents of a voice call may be represented as a transcript in the memory component595of the memory-based NLP component590. The memory-based NLP component590may therefore be able to analyze the results of a voice call, to learn when to suggest a voice call, to suggest that an operator make a voice call, and to suggest specific tasks that may be accomplished using a voice call.

An API operation may comprise accessing a web site. The user interface component580may be operative to provide access to a web client through the operator console520or otherwise available to be monitored by the operator console520. The destination address (i.e., uniform resource locator (URL)) or addresses may be logged by the operator console520. The link(s) selected may be logged by the operator console520. The length of time used in accessing the web site may be logged by the operator console520. In general, any element of accessing a web site may be logged by the operator console520. Any logged element of accessing a web site may be provided to the memory-based NLP component590and stored in the memory component595. The memory-based NLP component590may therefore be able to analyze the accessing of a web site, to learn when to suggest accessing a web site, to suggest that an operator access a web site, and to suggest specific tasks that may be accomplished using a web site.

An API operation may comprise using a service-specific application, provider-specific application, service-specific API, provider-specific API, or other technique for accessing a specific service provider. The user interface component580may provide access to a specific service provider for the operator console. Elements of access to the specific service provider may be logged, provided to the memory-based NLP component590, and stored in the memory component595. The memory-based NLP component590may therefore be able to analyze access to a specific service provider, to learn when to suggest access to a specific service provider, to suggest that an operator access a specific service provider, and to suggest specific tasks that may be accomplished through access to a specific service provider.

The interaction processing component560may generate a series of user interaction exchanges550with the user client525based on output from the memory-based NLP component590. The series of user interaction exchanges550may include a plurality of user messages sent from the user client525to the operator console520. The series of user interaction exchanges may include a plurality of operator messages sent from the operator console520to the user client525. The series of user interaction exchanges550may generally comprise the exchange of messages between the user and the operator to query, clarify, and specify details of a user service request510and the performance of a user service request510.

The series of user interaction exchanges550may be represented in the memory component595of the memory-based NLP component590. The interaction processing component560may provide the user service request510to the memory-based NLP component590for stored in the memory component595. The memory-based NLP component590may generate a set of suggested responses to the user service request510and provide the set of suggested responses to the interaction processing component560for display via the user interface component580. A selected suggested response, or another response entered by an operator of the operator console520, may be received via the user interface component580. The selected suggested response may then be both transmitted to the user client525via the client communication component540and stored in the memory component595of the memory-based NLP component590. The user may respond to this operator message with another user message. This iterative exchange of user messages and operator messages may comprise the user interaction exchanges550s. The memory-based NLP component590may continue to suggest operator messages for transmission to the user client525based on this growing set of user interaction exchanges550.

A portion of the output from the memory-based NLP component590may comprise one or more operator instructions570. Operator instructions570may comprise instructions for the performance of the task(s) requested via the user service request510and may generally correspond to instructions for the completion of user-requested personal service. Operator instructions570may include instructions for the use of third-party entities, such as through API access, including, without limitation, making voice calls, using web sites, and using service- or provider-specific APIs. The interaction processing component560may receive one or more operator instructions570for the performance of the user service request510from the memory-based NLP component590and provide the operator instructions570to the user interface component580. The user interface component580may display the one or more operator instructions570. The operator may choose to act on one or more of the one or more operator instructions570, such as may include the use of API functions of the operator console520.

The memory-based NLP component590may be trained based on a live data set, a live data set being a data set generated from the real-world operator of the personal service system190using actual operators and actual users. Operators may be selected for an initial training as possessing particularly skillful operation skills to provide for high-quality training, but function as actual, real-world operators due to responding to real user service requests and actually performing the requested services. In other embodiments, the memory-based NLP component590may be partially or completely trained on toy, non-live, or other artificially generated data sets generated without the actual servicing of actual user service requests.

A live data set may comprise a plurality of series of user interaction exchanges between a plurality of operator consoles and a plurality of user clients. A live data set may include a plurality of API interaction exchanges engaged by the plurality of operator consoles. A live data set may include a plurality of voice communication transcripts engaged by the plurality of operator consoles. The live data set may be provided to the memory-based NLP component590for machine learning using machine learning techniques.

The user request communication system100may pre-process the plurality of series of user interaction exchanges of the data set to replace request-specific information with placeholder text. This may be used to generalize the user interaction exchanges so as to over-fitting the machine learning to the specifics of the data set. For instance, the request-specific information may comprise one or more of name information, contact information, financial information, price information, participant information, and location information. The memory-based NLP component590may better learn the patterns of responding to user service requests without the temptation of fitting to specific names, contacts, financial details, prices, participants, locations, or other specific elements of a user service request. Additionally, the removal of this specific information and replacement with placeholder text may serve to anonymize the data set so as to protect the privacy of the users of the personal service system190.

In some cases, placeholder text may use a single placeholder text for all request-specific text of a particular type. For example, all credit card information may be replaced with text such as “CCINFO”. All price information may be replaced with text such as “PRICEINFO”. In some cases, placeholder text may use different placeholder text for different request-specific text of a particular type where multiple instances of request-specific text of that type is in a particular message or series of exchanges. For instance, if multiple names are used in a series of exchanges, each distinct name may be replaced by a different placeholder, with the same placeholder used for each repeated instance of the same name. For example, repeated instances in a particular exchange of the name “Edwin Johns” may be replaced by “NAME1”, with an instance of the name “Janet Smith” replaced by “NAME2”.

The operator console520may post-process a selected suggested response prior to transmitting the selected suggested response to the user client525to replace one or more placeholder texts with user-specific information. For instance, the placeholder text for a person's name may be replaced with the specific name of the user. The placeholder text for a service-provider's name (e.g., a restaurant name) may be replaced with the name for the specific service provider. In general, the personal service system190may maintain user-specific information for each user of the personal service system190, which the operator console520may substitute in for placeholder text. In some embodiments, the placeholder text replacement may be specifically applied to the selected suggested response by the interaction processing component560after selection of the selected suggested response and prior to transmission of the selected suggested response to the user. In other embodiments, the set of suggested responses may all be post-processed prior to displaying the set of suggested responses to add user-specific information.

Similarly, responses may be pre-processed prior to machine learning to remove one or more of punctuation and capitalization, thereby generalizing the text for easier machine learning. As such, suggested responses may be post-processed by the interaction processing component560prior to display by the user interface component580to add one or more of punctuation and capitalization.

In some embodiments, the memory-based NLP component590may cluster responses in the data set upon which it learns. Clustered responses may comprise responses that are detected to be similar. Clustering may be performed using known clustering techniques, such as k-means. Where the output from the memory-based NLP component590comprises a set of suggested responses, the user interface component580may display clustered responses using user interface techniques that communicate the clustering. The user interface component580may detect two or more clustered suggested responses of the set of suggested responses based on a response clustering by the memory-based NLP component590, combine the two or more clustered suggested responses into a combined suggested response, and display the combined suggested response in the operator console520.

In some embodiments, the memory-based NLP component590may adjust its suggested responses based on live feedback during the performance of the user request communication system100. The interaction processing component560may increase the weight of the selected suggested response with the memory-based NLP component590in response to the user interface component580receiving a selection of the selected suggested response via the operator console520. Increasing the weight of the selected suggested response may be operative to increase the prominence of the selected suggested response for the memory-based NLP component590and thereby increase the probability of the selected suggested response being selected by the memory-based NLP component590. Increasing the weight of the selected suggested response may be operative to increase the ranking of the selected suggested response for the memory-based NLP component590, thereby increase the ranking of the selected suggested response within a particular cluster, and thereby increase the prominence of the selected suggested response in a combined display of clustered suggested responses. In some embodiments, the live feedback may be operator-specific, learning the preferences of a particular operator. Additionally or alternatively, the ongoing performance of the user request communication system100may be logged and periodically used for machine learning to update the performance of the memory-based NLP component590.

In some embodiments, the interaction processing component560may pre-load the memory component595of the memory-based NLP component590with user-specific information. The user-specific information may represent service preferences that may be used to better respond to a user's request. For example, a user preference for a particular type of food (e.g., sushi), for a particular type of transport (e.g., ride-sharing over traditional cab), or any other user preference may be represented. The user-specific information may be expressed in a natural language format similar to the other natural language statements from an interaction exchange that will be stored in the memory component595so as to be subject to the same natural language processing techniques otherwise used by the memory-based NLP component590.

In some cases, at least a portion of the user-specific information may be generated by a profile, such as a social-networking profile, for a user of the user client525. The profile may comprise structured data representing user-specific information, such as user likes and dislikes. This profile may be automatically translated to a natural language format and pre-loaded into the memory component595. In some cases, at least a portion of the user-specific information may be natural language statements made by the user and stored for later re-use. The user interface component580may receive a user-information control selection by the operator via the operator console520in relation to a user statement. In response, the interaction processing component560may add the user statement to the user-specific information pre-loaded into the memory component595for interactions with the user client525. For example, the operator may query a user as to their dining preferences and receive a natural-language statement in response from the user expressing their preferences (e.g., “I'm a fan of Asian cuisine, but also love trying new things.”). This statement may be flagged by the operator for inclusion in future pre-loading so as to provide preference information to the memory-based NLP component590for future interactions. This statement may be added to a pre-loading registry associated with the user of the user client525.

FIG. 6illustrates one embodiment of a logic flow600. The logic flow600may be representative of some or all of the operations executed by one or more embodiments described herein.

In the illustrated embodiment shown inFIG. 6, the logic flow600may receiving a user service request from a user client at block602.

The logic flow600may submitting the user service request to a memory-based natural language processing component at block604.

The logic flow600may generating a series of user interaction exchanges with the user client based on output from the memory-based natural language processing component, wherein the series of user interaction exchanges are represented in a memory component of the memory-based natural language processing component at block606.

The logic flow600may receiving one or more operator instructions for the performance of the user service request from the memory-based natural language processing component at block608.

The logic flow600may displaying the one or more operator instructions in an operator console at block610.

The embodiments are not limited to this example.

FIG. 7illustrates a block diagram of a centralized system700. The centralized system700may implement some or all of the structure and/or operations for the user request communication system100in a single computing entity, such as entirely within a single centralized server device720.

The centralized server device720may comprise any electronic device capable of receiving, processing, and sending information for the user request communication system100. Examples of an electronic device may include without limitation an ultra-mobile device, a mobile device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile computing device, a smart phone, a telephone, a digital telephone, a cellular telephone, ebook readers, a handset, a one-way pager, a two-way pager, a messaging device, a computer, a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a netbook computer, a handheld computer, a tablet computer, a server, a server array or server farm, a web server, a network server, an Internet server, a work station, a mini-computer, a main frame computer, a supercomputer, a network appliance, a web appliance, a distributed computing system, multiprocessor systems, processor-based systems, consumer electronics, programmable consumer electronics, game devices, television, digital television, set top box, wireless access point, base station, subscriber station, mobile subscriber center, radio network controller, router, hub, gateway, bridge, switch, machine, or combination thereof. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

The centralized server device720may execute communications operations or logic for the user request communication system100using communications component740. The communications component740may implement any well-known communications techniques and protocols, such as techniques suitable for use with packet-switched networks (e.g., public networks such as the Internet, private networks such as an enterprise intranet, and so forth), circuit-switched networks (e.g., the public switched telephone network), or a combination of packet-switched networks and circuit-switched networks (with suitable gateways and translators). The communications component740may include various types of standard communication elements, such as one or more communications interfaces, network interfaces, network interface cards (NIC), radios, wireless transmitters/receivers (transceivers), wired and/or wireless communication media, physical connectors, and so forth. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media712includes wired communications media and wireless communications media. Examples of wired communications media may include a wire, cable, metal leads, printed circuit boards (PCB), backplanes, switch fabrics, semiconductor material, twisted-pair wire, co-axial cable, fiber optics, a propagated signal, and so forth. Examples of wireless communications media may include acoustic, radio-frequency (RF) spectrum, infrared and other wireless media.

The centralized server device720may communicate with other devices over a communications media712using communications signals714via the communications component740. The centralized server device720may execute an operator console520used by an operator of the personal service system190. The centralized server device720may directly communicate with one or more user client devices725each executing a user client525, without the intermediation of a messaging platform.

FIG. 8illustrates a block diagram of a distributed system800. The distributed system800may distribute portions of the structure and/or operations for the user request communication system100across multiple computing entities. Examples of distributed system800may include without limitation a client-server architecture, a 3-tier architecture, an N-tier architecture, a tightly-coupled or clustered architecture, a peer-to-peer architecture, a master-slave architecture, a shared database architecture, and other types of distributed systems. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

The distributed system800may comprise a plurality of server devices850. In general, the server devices850may be the same or similar to the centralized server device720as described with reference toFIG. 7. For instance, the server devices850may each comprise a processing component830and a communications component840which are the same or similar to the processing component730and the communications component740, respectively, as described with reference toFIG. 7. In another example, the server devices850may communicate over a communications media812using communications signals814via the communications components840.

The server devices850may comprise or employ one or more server programs that operate to perform various methodologies in accordance with the described embodiments. In one embodiment, for example, the second server device850may each implement a messaging server810, corresponding to the messaging servers110described with reference toFIG. 1. The messaging servers may communicate with a plurality of devices using signals814transmitted over media812. The messaging servers may intermediate between a plurality of operator console devices835, each executing an operator console520used by an operator of the personal service system190, and a plurality of user client devices825, each executing a user client525used by a user of the personal service system190.

FIG. 9illustrates an embodiment of an exemplary computing architecture900suitable for implementing various embodiments as previously described. In one embodiment, the computing architecture900may comprise or be implemented as part of an electronic device. Examples of an electronic device may include those described with reference toFIG. 7, 8, among others. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

The computer902may include various types of computer-readable storage media in the form of one or more lower speed memory units, including an internal (or external) hard disk drive (HDD)914, a magnetic floppy disk drive (FDD)916to read from or write to a removable magnetic disk918, and an optical disk drive920to read from or write to a removable optical disk922(e.g., a CD-ROM or DVD). The HDD914, FDD916and optical disk drive920can be connected to the system bus908by a HDD interface924, an FDD interface926and an optical drive interface928, respectively. The HDD interface924for external drive implementations can include at least one or both of Universal Serial Bus (USB) and IEEE 1394 interface technologies.

The drives and associated computer-readable media provide volatile and/or nonvolatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, and so forth. For example, a number of program modules can be stored in the drives and memory units910,912, including an operating system930, one or more application programs932, other program modules934, and program data936. In one embodiment, the one or more application programs932, other program modules934, and program data936can include, for example, the various applications and/or components of the user request communication system100.

A monitor944or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus908via an interface, such as a video adaptor946. The monitor944may be internal or external to the computer902. In addition to the monitor944, a computer typically includes other peripheral output devices, such as speakers, printers, and so forth.

When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer902is connected to the LAN952through a wire and/or wireless communication network interface or adaptor956. The adaptor956can facilitate wire and/or wireless communications to the LAN952, which may also include a wireless access point disposed thereon for communicating with the wireless functionality of the adaptor956.

When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer902can include a modem958, or is connected to a communications server on the WAN954, or has other means for establishing communications over the WAN954, such as by way of the Internet. The modem958, which can be internal or external and a wire and/or wireless device, connects to the system bus908via the input device interface942. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer902, or portions thereof, can be stored in the remote memory/storage device950. It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers can be used.

FIG. 10illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary communications architecture1000suitable for implementing various embodiments as previously described. The communications architecture1000includes various common communications elements, such as a transmitter, receiver, transceiver, radio, network interface, baseband processor, antenna, amplifiers, filters, power supplies, and so forth. The embodiments, however, are not limited to implementation by the communications architecture1000.

As shown inFIG. 10, the communications architecture1000comprises includes one or more clients1002and servers1004. The clients1002may implement the client devices725,825and operator console devices835. The servers1004may implement the server devices720,850The clients1002and the servers1004are operatively connected to one or more respective client data stores1008and server data stores1010that can be employed to store information local to the respective clients1002and servers1004, such as cookies and/or associated contextual information.

The clients1002and the servers1004may communicate information between each other using a communication framework1006. The communications framework1006may implement any well-known communications techniques and protocols. The communications framework1006may be implemented as a packet-switched network (e.g., public networks such as the Internet, private networks such as an enterprise intranet, and so forth), a circuit-switched network (e.g., the public switched telephone network), or a combination of a packet-switched network and a circuit-switched network (with suitable gateways and translators).

FIG. 11illustrates an embodiment of a device1100for use in a multicarrier OFDM system, such as the user request communication system100. Device1100may implement, for example, software components1160as described with reference to user request communication system100and/or a logic circuit1135. The logic circuit1135may include physical circuits to perform operations described for the user request communication system100. As shown inFIG. 11, device1100may include a radio interface1110, baseband circuitry1120, and computing platform1130, although embodiments are not limited to this configuration.

The device1100may implement some or all of the structure and/or operations for the user request communication system100and/or logic circuit1135in a single computing entity, such as entirely within a single device. Alternatively, the device1100may distribute portions of the structure and/or operations for the user request communication system100and/or logic circuit1135across multiple computing entities using a distributed system architecture, such as a client-server architecture, a 3-tier architecture, an N-tier architecture, a tightly-coupled or clustered architecture, a peer-to-peer architecture, a master-slave architecture, a shared database architecture, and other types of distributed systems. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In one embodiment, radio interface1110may include a component or combination of components adapted for transmitting and/or receiving single carrier or multi-carrier modulated signals (e.g., including complementary code keying (CCK) and/or orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols) although the embodiments are not limited to any specific over-the-air interface or modulation scheme. Radio interface1110may include, for example, a receiver1112, a transmitter1116and/or a frequency synthesizer1114. Radio interface1110may include bias controls, a crystal oscillator and/or one or more antennas1118. In another embodiment, radio interface1110may use external voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs), surface acoustic wave filters, intermediate frequency (IF) filters and/or RF filters, as desired. Due to the variety of potential RF interface designs an expansive description thereof is omitted.

Baseband circuitry1120may communicate with radio interface1110to process receive and/or transmit signals and may include, for example, an analog-to-digital converter1122for down converting received signals, a digital-to-analog converter1124for up converting signals for transmission. Further, baseband circuitry1120may include a baseband or physical layer (PHY) processing circuit1156for PHY link layer processing of respective receive/transmit signals. Baseband circuitry1120may include, for example, a processing circuit1128for medium access control (MAC)/data link layer processing. Baseband circuitry1120may include a memory controller1132for communicating with processing circuit1128and/or a computing platform1130, for example, via one or more interfaces1134.

In some embodiments, PHY processing circuit1126may include a frame construction and/or detection module, in combination with additional circuitry such as a buffer memory, to construct and/or deconstruct communication frames, such as radio frames. Alternatively or in addition, MAC processing circuit1128may share processing for certain of these functions or perform these processes independent of PHY processing circuit1126. In some embodiments, MAC and PHY processing may be integrated into a single circuit.

The computing platform1130may provide computing functionality for the device1100. As shown, the computing platform1130may include a processing component1140. In addition to, or alternatively of, the baseband circuitry1120, the device1100may execute processing operations or logic for the user request communication system100and logic circuit1135using the processing component1140. The processing component1140(and/or PHY1126and/or MAC1128) may comprise various hardware elements, software elements, or a combination of both. Examples of hardware elements may include devices, logic devices, components, processors, microprocessors, circuits, processor circuits, circuit elements (e.g., transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and so forth), integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmable logic devices (PLD), digital signal processors (DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA), memory units, logic gates, registers, semiconductor device, chips, microchips, chip sets, and so forth. Examples of software elements may include software components, programs, applications, computer programs, application programs, system programs, software development programs, machine programs, operating system software, middleware, firmware, software modules, routines, subroutines, functions, methods, procedures, software interfaces, application program interfaces (API), instruction sets, computing code, computer code, code segments, computer code segments, words, values, symbols, or any combination thereof. Determining whether an embodiment is implemented using hardware elements and/or software elements may vary in accordance with any number of factors, such as desired computational rate, power levels, heat tolerances, processing cycle budget, input data rates, output data rates, memory resources, data bus speeds and other design or performance constraints, as desired for a given implementation.

Device1100may be, for example, an ultra-mobile device, a mobile device, a fixed device, a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile computing device, a smart phone, a telephone, a digital telephone, a cellular telephone, user equipment, eBook readers, a handset, a one-way pager, a two-way pager, a messaging device, a computer, a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a netbook computer, a handheld computer, a tablet computer, a server, a server array or server farm, a web server, a network server, an Internet server, a work station, a mini-computer, a main frame computer, a supercomputer, a network appliance, a web appliance, a distributed computing system, multiprocessor systems, processor-based systems, consumer electronics, programmable consumer electronics, game devices, television, digital television, set top box, wireless access point, base station, node B, evolved node B (eNB), subscriber station, mobile subscriber center, radio network controller, router, hub, gateway, bridge, switch, machine, or combination thereof. Accordingly, functions and/or specific configurations of device1100described herein, may be included or omitted in various embodiments of device1100, as suitably desired. In some embodiments, device1100may be configured to be compatible with protocols and frequencies associated one or more of the 3GPP LTE Specifications and/or IEEE 1102.16 Standards for WMANs, and/or other broadband wireless networks, cited herein, although the embodiments are not limited in this respect.

Embodiments of device1100may be implemented using single input single output (SISO) architectures. However, certain implementations may include multiple antennas (e.g., antennas1118) for transmission and/or reception using adaptive antenna techniques for beamforming or spatial division multiple access (SDMA) and/or using MIMO communication techniques.

It should be appreciated that the exemplary device1100shown in the block diagram ofFIG. 11may represent one functionally descriptive example of many potential implementations. Accordingly, division, omission or inclusion of block functions depicted in the accompanying figures does not infer that the hardware components, circuits, software and/or elements for implementing these functions would be necessarily be divided, omitted, or included in embodiments.

A computer-implemented method may comprise receiving a user service request from a user client; submitting the user service request to a memory-based natural language processing component; generating a series of user interaction exchanges with the user client based on output from the memory-based natural language processing component, wherein the series of user interaction exchanges are represented in a memory component of the memory-based natural language processing component; receiving one or more operator instructions for the performance of the user service request from the memory-based natural language processing component; and displaying the one or more operator instructions in an operator console.

A computer-implemented method may further comprise the memory-based natural language processing component trained based on a live data set, the live data set including a plurality of series of user interaction exchanges between a plurality of operator consoles and a plurality of user clients.

A computer-implemented method may further comprise the live data set including a plurality of application program interface interaction exchanges engaged by the plurality of operator consoles.

A computer-implemented method may further comprise the live data set including a plurality of voice communication transcripts engaged by the plurality of operator consoles.

A computer-implemented method may further comprise the output from the memory-based natural language processing component comprising a set of suggested responses, further comprising: displaying the set of suggested responses in the operator console; receiving a selected suggested response of the set of suggested responses via the operator console; and transmitting the selected suggested response to the user client.

A computer-implemented method may further comprise post-processing the selected suggested response prior to transmitting the selected suggested response to the user client to replace one or more placeholder texts with user-specific information.

A computer-implemented method may further comprise post-processing the set of suggested responses prior to displaying the set of suggested responses in the operator console to add one or more of punctuation, capitalization, and user-specific information.

A computer-implemented method may further comprise increasing the weight of the selected suggested response with the memory-based natural language processing component in response to receiving a selection of the selected suggested response via the operator console.

A computer-implemented method may further comprise pre-processing a plurality of series of user interaction exchanges to replace request-specific information with placeholder text, the request-specific information comprising one or more of name information, contact information, financial information, price information, participant information, and location information.

A computer-implemented method may further comprise the output from the memory-based natural language processing component comprising a set of suggested responses, further comprising: detecting two or more clustered suggested responses of the set of suggested responses based on a response clustering by the memory-based natural language processing component; combining the two or more clustered suggested responses into a combined suggested response; and displaying the combined suggested response in the operator console.

A computer-implemented method may further comprise pre-loading the memory component of the memory-based natural language processing component with user-specific information, the user-specific information expressed in a natural language format.

A computer-implemented method may further comprise receiving a user-information control selection via the operator console in relation to a user statement; and adding the user statement to the user-specific information pre-loaded into the memory component for interactions with the user client.

A computer-implemented method may further comprise at least a portion of the user-specific information generated from a social-networking profile for a user of the user client.

An apparatus may comprise a processor circuit on a device; a client communication component operative on the processor circuit to receive a user service request from a user client; an interaction processing component operative on the processor circuit to submit the user service request to a memory-based natural language processing component; generate a series of user interaction exchanges with the user client based on output from the memory-based natural language processing component, wherein the series of user interaction exchanges are represented in a memory component of the memory-based natural language processing component; and receive one or more operator instructions for the performance of the user service request from the memory-based natural language processing component; and a user interface component operative on the processor circuit to display the one or more operator instructions in an operator console. The apparatus may be operative to implement any of the computer-implemented methods described herein.

At least one computer-readable storage medium may comprise instructions that, when executed, cause a system to perform any of the computer-implemented methods described herein.