Natural language user interface for computer-aided design systems

• US 10,079,016 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2017
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Desprez, LLC
• Original Assignee: Desprez, LLC
• Inventors: Jacobs, II, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Paras D
• Application Number:
  US15/728,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20180033435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 704275, 700182, 700 98, 715964
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4093 characterised by part programming, e.g. entry of geometrical information as taken from a technical drawing, combining this with machining and material information to obtain control information, named part programme, for the NC machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/00 Speech recognition G10L17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/1815 Semantic context, e.g. disambiguation of the recognition hypotheses based on word meaning
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/1822 Parsing for meaning understanding
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command

Abstract

A natural language user interface for computer-aided design systems (CAD) comprises a natural language command module including a parser, language database and a CAD model analyzer, and a natural language server module including a second, increased capability parser, a second, preferably larger language database and a CAD context database. The CAD model analyzer analyzes and retrieves associated CAD model information related to a parsed voice command and the CAD context database provides specific CAD related contextual information to facilitate parsing and interpreting CAD specific commands. The natural language server program module may also include an artificial intelligence based query generator and communicate through a network or cloud with resource providers such as third-party market places or suppliers to generate queries for retrieval of third party supplied information necessary to respond to or execute CAD specific voice commands. The natural language user interface may query a user for missing information.

Claims

1. A natural language interface system for computer-aided design (CAD) systems, the CAD system comprising a CAD program containing at least one CAD command program module for executing CAD commands with respect to a CAD model stored in an associated memory in response to user inputs communicated through one or more I/O devices, wherein the natural language interface system comprises:

a natural language command program module operating on a computing device, the natural language command program communicating with the I/O devices, the I/O devices including auditory input and output devices and the module comprising a first parser sub-module and first language database for initially parsing natural language inputs received through the auditory I/O devices, a CAD model analyzer for interrogating the CAD model to return CAD model information as determined by the parsing, wherein the natural language command program module is designed and configured to;

automatedly receive a user selection through a graphical user interface (GUI) of a particular location of a displayed CAD model;

automatedly receive a user voice input comprising a plurality of words and referring to the particular location;

automatedly parse the user voice input;

automatedly determine a meaning for the parsed user voice input, the meaning including a reference to the particular location, one or more words associated with one or more program actions, and one or more words associated with one or more command topics, each of the particular location, program actions, and command topics related to a specific item referred to in the voice input;

automatedly prompt the user for missing information, determined as a function of additional information, based on whether the specific item is compatible with one or more aspects of the CAD model when placed at the particular location;

automatedly receive a response from the user to the prompt for missing information; and

automatedly provide a command to at least one CAD program module based on the additional information and the response from the user to the prompt for missing information; and

automatedly, via the computing device, updating the GUI with respect to the CAD model based on the command; and

a natural language program server module communicating with the natural language command program module, the natural language program server module comprising a second parser sub-module and at least a second language database for further parsing natural language inputs received through the auditory I/O devices as communicated from the natural language command program module, a CAD context database containing predetermined information categories and information search locations corresponding to pre-identified command topics corresponding to CAD specific natural language commands; and

a query generator sub-module for generating queries directed to resource providers for returning required information based on parsed natural language inputs and corresponding information identified in the CAD context database, the wherein the natural language server module is configured and designed to;

automatedly receive the determined meaning from the natural language program module;

automatedly and based on the determined meaning identify information comprising two or more specifications for the specific item via the CAD context database, wherein the specifications comprise two or more of a diameter, a length, a depth, a thickness, and a material;

automatedly assemble a query for the additional information based on the meaning, the identified information, and the CAD model;

automatedly provide the assembled query to a resource provider service;

automatedly receive the additional information from the resource provider service, the additional information comprising information regarding at least one CAD model of the specific item to be placed at the particular location selected as a function of the meaning, the identified information, and the CAD model; and

automatedly transmit the additional information to the natural language program module.