Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9842168B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 11:11:34+00:00

Document:
Identification of user intents may be provided. A plurality of network applications may be identified, and an ontology associated with each of the plurality of applications may be defined. If a phrase received from a user is associated with at least one of the defined ontologies, an action associated with the network application may be executed.
This patent application is also related to and filed concurrently with U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/076,862 entitled “Augmented Conversational Understanding Agent,” filed on Mar. 31, 2011; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/077,233 entitled “Conversational Dialog Learning and Correction,” filed on Mar. 31, 2011; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/077,303, entitled “Personalization of Queries, Conversations, and Searches,” filed on Mar. 31, 2011; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/077,368, entitled “Combined Activation for Natural User Interface Systems,” filed on Mar. 31, 2011; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/077,431, entitled “Augmented Conversational Understanding Architecture,” filed on Mar. 31, 2011; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/077,455 entitled “Location-Based Conversational Understanding,” filed on Mar. 31, 2011; which are assigned to the same assignee as the present application and expressly incorporated herein, in their entirety, by reference.
Task driven user intents may provide a mechanism for facilitating natural language understanding of user queries and conversations. In some situations, web and/or cloud-based network services may offer a wide array of information to users, but a search agent may not be able to understand a user's context to choose which service to query. For example, a natural language phrase of “let's do Italian tonight” may not be understood by a search engine, which may return results associated with translating the phrase into Italian rather than searching for an Italian restaurant. Thus, conventional systems require specific syntax to define a search domain rather than being able to identify that domain from the context of the search.
Spoken dialog systems (SDS) enable people to interact with computers with their voice. The primary component that drives the SDS may comprise a dialog manager: this component manages the dialog-based conversation with the user. The dialog manager may determine the intention of the user through a combination of multiple sources of input, such as speech recognition and natural language understanding component outputs, context from the prior dialog turns, user context, and/or semantic concepts and data associated with an ontology. After determining the intention, the dialog manager may take an action, such as displaying the final results to the user and/or continuing in a dialog with the user to satisfy their intent.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an operating environment 100 comprising a server 105 comprising a spoken dialog system (SDS) 110. Server 105 may comprise software applications such as a personal assistant program 112 and/or a search agent 114. SDS 110 may comprise a dialog manager 115 and may be operative to receive user phrases, queries, and/or action requests via a network 120. Network 120 may comprise a private network (e.g., a corporate intranet), a cellular network, and/or a public network such as the Internet. Operating environment 100 may further comprise a plurality of network applications 150(A)-(C). Network applications 150(A)-(C) may comprise data sources, such as a stock market quote service and/or a weather data service, and/or web services such as a restaurant reservation tool.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart setting forth the general stages involved in a method 200 consistent with an embodiment of the invention for providing understanding of user intents. Method 200 may be implemented using a computing device 300 as described in more detail below with respect to FIG. 3. Ways to implement the stages of method 200 will be described in greater detail below. Method 200 may begin at starting block 205 and proceed to stage 210 where computing device 300 may identify a plurality of network applications. For example, SDS 110 may parse web pages provided by each of plurality of network applications 150(A)-(C). Those web pages may comprise publically accessible APIs that may be called by a remote process, such as search agent 114. Such APIs may comprise functional definitions within the web page that may identify required parameters in order to successfully call the API. For another example, application-specific ontologies may be provided by the network applications.
Method 200 may then advance to stage 215 where computing device 300 may receive and/or define an ontology for each of the identified applications. For example, SDS 110 may receive a “restaurant” ontology for a restaurant rating website such as Zagat® or reservation site OpenTable®. Similarly, a “travel” ontology may be defined for a travel booking website such as Expedia®. Each identified application, it's associated ontology, and any required parameters may then be stored in a database associated with SDS 110.
Method 200 may then advance to stage 225 where computing device 300 may determine whether the phrase is associated with one of the defined ontologies. For example, “dinner” may comprise a keyword associated with a “restaurant” ontology. Consistent with embodiments of the invention, the ontology associated with the application may comprise a shared ontology that may be merged with a personal ontology of the user. The received phrase may be compared to semantic concepts associated with the merged ontology (and/or multiple merged ontologies) to identify an intent of the received phrase.
If an associated semantic concept is identified, method 200 may advance to stage 227 where computing device 300 may translate the phrase into an agent action associated with at least one of the plurality of network-based applications according to the merged ontology. For example, the received phrase “let's get dinner tonight” may be translated into a search action for nearby restaurants with reservations available tonight.
Method 200 may then advance to stage 230 where computing device 300 may determine whether the required parameters were received. For example, to perform a search on a restaurant reservation network service, a time-frame may be required. The concept “tonight” may be translated into the required time-frame for the associated application.
If no ontology is matched at stage 225, or if required parameters are not found at stage 230, method 200 may advance to stage 235 where computing device 300 may request more information. For example, personal assistant program 112 may ask the user for the required information via a voice prompt and/or a display on user device 130.
If the required parameters are found at stage 230, method 200 may advance to stage 240 where computing device 300 may execute the translated action on the associated application. For example, server 105 may execute a remote procedure call to network application 150(A) using the required parameters from the user phrase.
Method 200 may then advance to stage 245 where computing device 300 may display a result to the user. For example, server 105 may receive a result associated with the executed action from network application 150(A). This result may then be transmitted to user device 130 for display on a screen and/or for being output via audio (e.g., text-to-speech). Method 200 may then end at stage 250.
An embodiment consistent with the invention may comprise a system for providing identification of a user intent. The system may comprise a memory storage and a processing unit coupled to the memory storage. The processing unit may be operative to identify a plurality of applications, define a domain associated with each of the plurality of applications, receive a phrase from a user, and determine whether the phrase is associated with at least one domain associated with at least one of the applications. In response to determining that the phrase comprises the context associated with the at least one domain associated with the at least one of the applications, the processing unit may be operative to perform a call to the at least one of the applications according to the phrase. Each application may be associated with a network resource, such as a search function of a web page. Some and/or all of the applications may comprise a set of related application programming interfaces (APIs). For example, the set of APIs may be associated with different functions available at a web page.
The processing unit may be further operative to display a result associated with performing the call to the at least one of the applications according to the phrase, determine whether a second phrase has been received from the user, and, if so, determine whether the second phrase is associated with the same application. In response to determining that the second phrase is associated with the same application, the processing unit may be operative to perform a second call to the at least one of the set of related APIs according to the second phrase and display a result associated with the second call.
Another embodiment consistent with the invention may comprise a system for providing identification of a user intent. The system may comprise a memory storage and a processing unit coupled to the memory storage. The processing unit may be operative to receive a phrase from a user, parse the phrase into a plurality of words, identify a domain associated with the phrase according to the plurality of words, determine whether at least one of a plurality of applications is associated with the identified domain, and, if so, prepare a call to execute an action associated with the application using at least one of the plurality of words as a parameter of the call. The processing unit may be further operative to receive a second phrase, parse the phrase into a second plurality of words, determine whether the second phrase is associated with the domain, and, if so, update the agent action associated with the application with at least one of the plurality of second words comprising a second parameter of the call. The second phrase may be received from the same user and/or a second user, such as when two users are involved in a conversation. In response to determining that the second phrase is not associated with the domain, the processing unit may execute the call to the at least one of the plurality of APIs, receive a response associated with the executed call to the at least one of the plurality of APIs, and display the received response to the user. Consistent with embodiments of the invention, the domain associated with the phrase may comprise, for example, a work domain, a restaurant domain, a calendaring domain, a travel domain, an entertainment domain, and a map domain.
Yet another embodiment consistent with the invention may comprise a system for providing identification of a user intent. The system may comprise a memory storage and a processing unit coupled to the memory storage. The processing unit may be operative to identify a plurality of applications, define an ontology associated with each of the plurality of applications, receive a first phrase from a user, and determine whether the phrase is associated with at least one ontology associated with at least one of the plurality of applications. Each of the plurality of applications may comprise at least one required parameter. In response to determining that the phrase is associated with the at least one ontology, the processing unit may be operative to merge the defined ontology with a second ontology associated with the user, translate the first phrase into an agent action associated with at least one of the plurality of network-based applications according to the merged ontology, and determine whether the phrase comprises sufficient information to execute the agent action (e.g., the at least one required parameter associated with the at least one of the plurality of applications). If so, the processing unit may be operative to execute the agent action, such as by performing a call comprising the at least one required parameter to the network application associated, and display a result associated with executing the agent action.
With reference to FIG. 3, a system consistent with an embodiment of the invention may include a computing device, such as computing device 300. In a basic configuration, computing device 300 may include at least one processing unit 302 and a system memory 304. Depending on the configuration and type of computing device, system memory 304 may comprise, but is not limited to, volatile (e.g., random access memory (RAM)), non-volatile (e.g., read-only memory (ROM)), flash memory, or any combination. System memory 304 may include operating system 305, one or more programming modules 306, and may include personal assistant program 112. Operating system 305, for example, may be suitable for controlling computing device 300's operation. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may be practiced in conjunction with a graphics library, other operating systems, or any other application program and is not limited to any particular application or system. This basic configuration is illustrated in FIG. 3 by those components within a dashed line 308.
Computing device 300 may have additional features or functionality. For example, computing device 300 may also include additional data storage devices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated in FIG. 3 by a removable storage 309 and a non-removable storage 310. Computer storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. System memory 304, removable storage 309, and non-removable storage 310 are all computer storage media examples (i.e., memory storage.) Computer storage media may include, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, electrically erasable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store information and which can be accessed by computing device 300. Any such computer storage media may be part of device 300. Computing device 300 may also have input device(s) 312 such as a keyboard, a mouse, a pen, a sound input device, a touch input device, etc. Output device(s) 314 such as a display, speakers, a printer, etc. may also be included. The aforementioned devices are examples and others may be used.
As stated above, a number of program modules and data files may be stored in system memory 304, including operating system 305. While executing on processing unit 302, programming modules 306 (e.g., personal assistant program 112) may perform processes including, for example, one or more of method 200's stages as described above. The aforementioned process is an example, and processing unit 302 may perform other processes. Other programming modules that may be used in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may include electronic mail and contacts applications, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, database applications, slide presentation applications, drawing or computer-aided application programs, etc.
displaying one or more results obtained from executing the agent action to the first user and/or the second user.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the network-based applications is associated with an application programming interface (API).
3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the network-based applications is associated with a shared ontology.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising merging the shared ontology with a personal ontology associated with the user.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining an ontology associated with each of the plurality of applications comprising identifying at least one required parameter associated with each of the plurality of applications.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein using the plurality of words to identify, by the computing device, a network-based application from the plurality of network-based applications that is associated with the first natural language phrase comprises determining whether the phrase comprises the at least one required parameter associated with the at least one of the applications.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of applications is associated with a plurality of related APIs.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of related APIs are each associated with a shared ontology.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: in response to determining that the second phrase is associated with the shared ontology, performing a second agent action on the application via at least one of the set of related APIs according to the second phrase; and displaying a result associated with the second agent action.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the shared ontology associated with the plurality of related APIs comprises a restaurant domain, wherein the agent action associated with the application comprises identifying at least one restaurant associated with the phrase, and wherein the second agent action comprises requesting a reservation to the at least one restaurant according to the second phrase.
12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the second phrase is received from the user.
13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the second phrase is received from a second user.
14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, further comprising: in response to determining that the second phrase is not associated with the network-based application, executing the agent action on the network-based application.
receiving a response associated with the executed agent action.
displaying the received response to the user.
17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the network-based application is associated with the at least one of the following: a work domain, a restaurant domain, a calendaring domain, a travel domain, an entertainment domain, and a map domain.
display a result associated with executing the agent action.
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References: Application No. 201210092263
 Application No. 201210101485
 Application No. 12763913
 Application No. 12765896
 Application No. 101105673
 Application No. 101105673