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US5694558A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and system for interactive object-oriented dialogue management

Assignee: Qwest Communications International Inc
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Filing: 1996-07-17
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Granted: 1997-12-02
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Expires: 2016-07-17
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Abstract

Abstract A method and system for processing a user dialogue using dialogue-state objects. The method and system are implemented using an interactive computer system. The interactive computer system includes a dialogue manager and application control logic. The method includes the step of providing a plurality of objects encapsulating dialogue data and dialogue procedures associated with dialogue-states. The method next includes the step of providing a pointer. The pointer identifies a first object as a current object. The method further includes the step of receiving an input signal. The method also includes the step of processing the input signal. The method finally includes the step of updating the pointer based on the step of processing such that the pointer identifies a second object as the current object.

Inventors

  • 👤 Randall B. Sparks
  • 👤 Lori Meiskey
  • 👤 Hans Brunner

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 16:11
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/487; H04M3/493; G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/451; H04M2201/00; H04M2201/54; H04M2203/00; H04M2203/35; H04M2203/355; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/978

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 154 words
In an interactive computer system including a dialogue manager and application control logic, a method for processing a dialogue between a user and an application, wherein the dialogue consists of a plurality of sub-dialogues, the method comprising: providing a plurality of objects, each object encapsulating dialogue data and dialogue procedures associated with a dialogue-state, each of the dialogue-states being a model of one of the plurality of sub-dialogues; determining an inheritance hierarchy of the dialogue-states corresponding to dialogue situations between the user and the application; providing a pointer to identify a first object as a current object corresponding to an initiation of the dialogue between the user and the application; receiving an input signal from the user; processing the input signal based on the dialogue-state corresponding to the current object; and updating the printer to identify a second object as the current object, the step of updating being based on the step of processing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 154 words
In an interactive computer system including a dialogue manager and application control logic, a method for processing a dialogue between a user and an application, wherein the dialogue consists of a plurality of sub-dialogues, the method comprising: providing a plurality of objects, each object encapsulating dialogue data and dialogue procedures associated with a dialogue-state, each of the dialogue-states being a model of one of the plurality of sub-dialogues; determining an inheritance hierarchy of the dialogue-states corresponding to dialogue situations between the user and the application; providing a pointer to identify a first object as a current object corresponding to an initiation of the dialogue between the user and the application; receiving an input signal from the user; processing the input signal based on the dialogue-state corresponding to the current object; and updating the printer to identify a second object as the current object, the step of updating being based on the step of processing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the plurality of objects includes the step of sequencing the plurality of objects to represent a default dialogue plan.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing includes the steps of: filtering the input signal to remove extraneous elements; and sorting the filtered input signal to order multiple elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of objects includes a parent object and a child object and the child object includes at least one variable from the parent object.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of objects includes a parent object and a child object and the child object includes at least one procedure from the parent object.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving an input signal further includes: receiving spoken natural language information from the user; and translating the spoken natural language information into an input signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 165 words
An interactive computer system including a dialogue manager and application control logic, the system for processing a dialogue between a user and an application, wherein the dialogue consists of a plurality of sub-dialogues, the system comprising: means for providing a plurality of objects, each object encapsulating dialogue data and dialogue procedures associated with a dialogue-state, each of the dialogue-states being a model of one of the plurality of sub-dialogues; means for determining an inheritance hierarchy of the dialogue-states corresponding to dialogue situations between the user and the application; means for providing a pointer to identify a first object as a current object corresponding to an initiator of the dialogue between the user and the application; means for receiving an input signal from the user; means for processing the input signal based on the dialogue-state corresponding to the current object; and means for updating the pointer to identify a second object as the current object, the step of updating being based on the step of processing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 165 words
An interactive computer system including a dialogue manager and application control logic, the system for processing a dialogue between a user and an application, wherein the dialogue consists of a plurality of sub-dialogues, the system comprising: means for providing a plurality of objects, each object encapsulating dialogue data and dialogue procedures associated with a dialogue-state, each of the dialogue-states being a model of one of the plurality of sub-dialogues; means for determining an inheritance hierarchy of the dialogue-states corresponding to dialogue situations between the user and the application; means for providing a pointer to identify a first object as a current object corresponding to an initiator of the dialogue between the user and the application; means for receiving an input signal from the user; means for processing the input signal based on the dialogue-state corresponding to the current object; and means for updating the pointer to identify a second object as the current object, the step of updating being based on the step of processing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 26 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the means for providing the plurality of objects includes means for sequencing the objects to represent a default dialogue plan.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 34 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the means for processing further includes: means for filtering the input signal to remove extraneous elements; and means for sorting the filtered input signal to order multiple elements.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 31 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of objects includes a parent object and a child object and the child object includes at least one variable from the parent object.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 31 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of objects includes a parent object and child second object and the child object includes at least one procedure from the parent object.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 38 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the means for receiving an input signal further includes: means for receiving spoken natural language information from the user; and means for translating the spoken natural language information into an input signal.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4785408A Cited
US5255305A Cited
US5583982A Cited
US5594642A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2000-12-01 2001-06-02 2001-12-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-12-01 2005-06-02 2005-12-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-12-01 2009-06-02 2009-12-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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