Patent US6314410B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6314410B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System and method for identifying the context of a statement made to a virtual robot
Assignee: Micro Focus LLC
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Filing: 1998-04-27
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Granted: 2001-11-06
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Expires: 2018-04-27
Abstract
Abstract In an automated interface program designed to interact and communicate with users, said program executing actions when a category among a predefined set of categories is activated, a method is disclosed for interpreting the context of a user input, the steps of said method comprising: associating subjects with categories; maintaining a list of the subjects associated with the most recently activated category; testing conditions in categories such that the condition is true if the comprises at least one subject in common with said list of subjects; and activating a set of categories, said set comprising those categories whose conditions are satisfied based on the list of subjects.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter A. Tackett
- 👤 Scott S. Benson
- 👤 Ray S. Dillinger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 19:03
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06N; G06N3/00; G06N3/004; G06N3/006; G06N20/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for testing the context of an input when selecting a set of categories to activate in an automated interface program designed to interact and communicate with users, said method comprising: (a) defining at least one category associated with actions executed by the automated interface program during interaction with a user, wherein one or more subjects may be associated with the at least one category, and wherein the at least one category includes a focused condition; (b) maintaining a list of the subjects associated with the most recently activated set of categories; (c) receiving natural language input from a user; (d) activating a category if the focused condition of the category matches the input and the subject associated with the category is on the list of the subjects associated with the most recently activated set of categories; and (e) selecting one or more activated categories for execution by the automated interface program.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for testing the context of an input when selecting a set of categories to activate in an automated interface program designed to interact and communicate with users, said method comprising: (a) defining at least one category associated with actions executed by the automated interface program during interaction with a user, wherein one or more subjects may be associated with the at least one category, and wherein the at least one category includes a focused condition; (b) maintaining a list of the subjects associated with the most recently activated set of categories; (c) receiving natural language input from a user; (d) activating a category if the focused condition of the category matches the input and the subject associated with the category is on the list of the subjects associated with the most recently activated set of categories; and (e) selecting one or more activated categories for execution by the automated interface program.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method for testing the context of an input when selecting a set of categories to activate as recited in claim 1 wherein step (a) further comprises: associating subject keywords with categories by including said keywords in a script language defining said categories.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method for testing the context of an input when selecting a set of categories to activate as recited in claim 1 wherein step (b) further comprises: (i) upon a user input, finding the set of activated categories; and (ii) finding the set of subject keywords associated with said set of categories found in step (i).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method for testing the context of an input when selecting a set of categories to activate as recited in claim 1 wherein said set of categories further comprises priority categories.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method for testing the context of an input when selecting a set of categories to activate as recited in claim 1 wherein said set of categories further comprises default categories.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method for testing the context of an input when selecting a set of categories to activate as recited in claim 1 wherein said set of categories further comprises standard categories.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method for testing the context of an input when selecting a set of categories to activate as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of testing conditions in said categories further comprises: testing each said category having said condition in order of execution.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
163 words
A system for testing the context of an input when selecting a set of categories to activate in an automated interface program designed to interact and communicate with users, said system comprising: (a) means for defining at least one category associated with actions executable by the automated interface program during interaction with a user, wherein one or more subjects may be associated with the at least one category, and wherein the at least one category includes a focused condition; (b) means for maintaining a list of the subjects associated with the most recently activated set of categories; (c) means for receiving natural language input from a user; (d) means for activating a category if the focused condition of the category matches the input and the subject associated with the category is on the list of the subjects associated with the most recently activated set of categories; and (e) means for selecting one or more activated categories for execution by the automated interface program.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
163 words
A system for testing the context of an input when selecting a set of categories to activate in an automated interface program designed to interact and communicate with users, said system comprising: (a) means for defining at least one category associated with actions executable by the automated interface program during interaction with a user, wherein one or more subjects may be associated with the at least one category, and wherein the at least one category includes a focused condition; (b) means for maintaining a list of the subjects associated with the most recently activated set of categories; (c) means for receiving natural language input from a user; (d) means for activating a category if the focused condition of the category matches the input and the subject associated with the category is on the list of the subjects associated with the most recently activated set of categories; and (e) means for selecting one or more activated categories for execution by the automated interface program.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
157 words
A mechanism for placing conditions within scripts defining categories that allow the BOT to determine whether a particular category is appropriate to a current conversation with a user, said mechanism comprising: (a) means for including said conditions in a BOT script defining a category associated with actions executable by the automated interface program during interaction with a user, wherein one or more subject keywords may be associated with the category, said conditions relating subject keywords to said category; (b) means for maintaining an active subjects list comprising subject keywords associated with categories; (c) means for activating one or more categories upon a user input when conditions associated with actions associated with the one or more categories are satisfied, wherein said conditions are satisfied if a subject keyword associated with a category matches a subject keyword on the active subjects list; and (d) means for selecting one or more activated categories for execution by the automated interface program.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
157 words
A mechanism for placing conditions within scripts defining categories that allow the BOT to determine whether a particular category is appropriate to a current conversation with a user, said mechanism comprising: (a) means for including said conditions in a BOT script defining a category associated with actions executable by the automated interface program during interaction with a user, wherein one or more subject keywords may be associated with the category, said conditions relating subject keywords to said category; (b) means for maintaining an active subjects list comprising subject keywords associated with categories; (c) means for activating one or more categories upon a user input when conditions associated with actions associated with the one or more categories are satisfied, wherein said conditions are satisfied if a subject keyword associated with a category matches a subject keyword on the active subjects list; and (d) means for selecting one or more activated categories for execution by the automated interface program.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
154 words
A method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program, wherein the context of the received user input influences the generation of contextually pertinent output in the automated interface program, the method comprising: defining at least one category associated with actions executable by the automated interface program during interaction with a user, wherein one or more subjects may be associated with the at least one category; maintaining an active subject list comprising subjects associated with the at least one category; receiving user input; activating the at least one category if the at least one category matches the received user input, wherein the activation of the at least one category is influenced by an association of the at least one category with a subject on the active subject list; updating the active subject list; and selecting one or more activated categories for execution by the automated interface program.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
154 words
A method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program, wherein the context of the received user input influences the generation of contextually pertinent output in the automated interface program, the method comprising: defining at least one category associated with actions executable by the automated interface program during interaction with a user, wherein one or more subjects may be associated with the at least one category; maintaining an active subject list comprising subjects associated with the at least one category; receiving user input; activating the at least one category if the at least one category matches the received user input, wherein the activation of the at least one category is influenced by an association of the at least one category with a subject on the active subject list; updating the active subject list; and selecting one or more activated categories for execution by the automated interface program.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 10 , wherein the step of updating the active subject list further comprises adding subjects associated with activated categories to the active subject list.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 11 , wherein the step of updating the active subject list further comprises clearing the active subject list prior to updating the active subject list.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 10 , wherein the step of defining at least one category further comprises defining a priority category type wherein a priority category is examined before categories of other types.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 10 , wherein the step of defining at least one category further comprises defining a default category type wherein a default category is examined after categories of other types.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 14 , wherein a default category is examined if no actions are executed in association with another category.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 10 , wherein the step of defining at least one category further comprises defining a standard category type, wherein a standard category is examined after all priority categories are examined and before any default category is examined.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 10 , wherein the step of defining at least one category further comprises defining a sequence category type, wherein a sequence category is examined only when a request to examine the sequence category is executed in association with another category.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 17 , further comprising the steps of: executing one or more actions associated with an examined sequence category; receiving additional user input; examining one or more priority categories in response to the additional user input, wherein actions associated with a priority category that matches the additional user input are executed; and executing one or more unexecuted actions associated with the examined sequence category.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
77 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 17 , further comprising the steps of: executing one or more actions associated with an examined sequence category; identifying a second category that matches a natural language component within the natural language input; executing one or more actions associated with the second category; and executing one or more unexecuted actions associated with the examined sequence category.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 10 , further comprising the step of maintaining a category data structure comprising category entries, wherein a category entry is associated with the at least one category and includes subjects associated with the at least one category.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 10 , wherein updating the active subject list further comprises maintaining the current state of the active subject list when there are no subjects associated with categories activated by the received user input.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 10 , wherein an action associated with the at least one category and executable by the automated interface program may comprise an explicit focusing mechanism.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 22 , wherein the explicit focusing mechanism may comprise a focus command associated with a category.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 23 , wherein the step of updating the active subjects list further comprises adding to the active subjects list subjects associated with a category associated with an executed focus command.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 22 , wherein the explicit focusing mechanism may comprise a focus subjects command associated with one or more subjects.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 25 , wherein the step of updating the active subjects list further comprises adding to the active subjects list the subjects associated with an executed focus subjects command.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 25 , wherein the step of updating the active subjects list further comprises adding subjects associated with categories associated with the one or more subjects associated with an executed focus subjects command.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 10 , wherein an executable action associated with the at least one category may be associated with a condition, wherein the condition is associated with a specificity value, wherein the specificity value influences the selection of activated categories for execution by the automated interface program.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 28 , wherein the condition may comprise a focused condition, wherein a focused condition is true if one or more subjects associated with the at least one category are included in the active subjects list.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program as recited in claim 29 , wherein the specificity value of a focused condition is influenced by the number of subjects associated with the category associated with the focused condition that also appear in the subjects included in the active subjects list.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
210 words
A system for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program, wherein the context of the received user input influences the generation of contextually pertinent output in the automated interface program, the system comprising: an interface configured to receive input from a user; an active subject list comprising a data structure having zero or more subjects; a processor comprising a computer useable medium including computer readable program code embodied in the medium configured to interact with a user, the computer readable program code including: computer readable program code configured to define at least one category associated with actions executable by the automated interface program during interaction with a user, wherein one or more subjects may be associated with the at least one category; computer readable program code configured to activate at least one category if the at least one category matches the received user input, wherein the activation of the at least one category is influenced by an association of the at least one category with a subject on the active subject list; computer readable program code configured to update the active subject list; and computer readable program code configured to select one or more activated categories for execution by the automated interface program.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
210 words
A system for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program, wherein the context of the received user input influences the generation of contextually pertinent output in the automated interface program, the system comprising: an interface configured to receive input from a user; an active subject list comprising a data structure having zero or more subjects; a processor comprising a computer useable medium including computer readable program code embodied in the medium configured to interact with a user, the computer readable program code including: computer readable program code configured to define at least one category associated with actions executable by the automated interface program during interaction with a user, wherein one or more subjects may be associated with the at least one category; computer readable program code configured to activate at least one category if the at least one category matches the received user input, wherein the activation of the at least one category is influenced by an association of the at least one category with a subject on the active subject list; computer readable program code configured to update the active subject list; and computer readable program code configured to select one or more activated categories for execution by the automated interface program.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
173 words
A computer program product for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program, wherein the context of the input influences the generation of contextually pertinent output in the automated interface program, the computer program product comprising: an interface configured to receive input from a user; an active subject list comprising a data structure having zero or more subjects; computer readable program code configured to define the at least one category associated with actions executable by the automated interface program during interaction with a user, computer readable program code configured to activate the at least one category if the at least one category matches the received user input, wherein the activation of the at least one category may be influenced by an association of the at least one category with a subject on the active subject list; computer readable program code configured to update the active subject list; and computer readable program code configured to select one or more activated categories for execution by the automated interface program.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
173 words
A computer program product for identifying the context of input received from a user in an automated interface program, wherein the context of the input influences the generation of contextually pertinent output in the automated interface program, the computer program product comprising: an interface configured to receive input from a user; an active subject list comprising a data structure having zero or more subjects; computer readable program code configured to define the at least one category associated with actions executable by the automated interface program during interaction with a user, computer readable program code configured to activate the at least one category if the at least one category matches the received user input, wherein the activation of the at least one category may be influenced by an association of the at least one category with a subject on the active subject list; computer readable program code configured to update the active subject list; and computer readable program code configured to select one or more activated categories for execution by the automated interface program.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-11-05 | 2005-05-07 | 2005-11-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-11-05 | 2009-05-07 | 2009-11-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-11-05 | 2013-05-07 | 2013-11-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |