Method and apparatus for converting natural language to machine actions

• US 10,095,691 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wolfram Research Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wolfram Research Incorporated
• Inventors: Wolfram, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Baker, Charlotte M
• Application Number:
  US15/077,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20170277681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 704 1, 704 9, 704 2, 704270, 704246, 704275, 704235, 704257
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/40 Processing or translation of natural language natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue

Abstract

First specification data defining a grammar corresponding to natural language, and second specification data defining a mapping between the grammar and one or more outputs to be generated, are received. An electronic object is generated using the first specification data and the second specification data, the electronic object being configured to, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to map received natural language input to the one or more outputs. The one or more outputs may be used to control an electronically controllable machine.

Claims

1. A method for mapping natural language input to processor-generated outputs, the method comprising:

receiving, at one or more computers, programmer input in a programming language, the programmer input including (i) a built-in function of the programming language corresponding to generation of electronic objects that map natural language input to one or more electronic outputs, (ii) first specification data defining a grammar corresponding to natural language that is associated with controlling an electronically controllable machine, and (iii) second specification data defining a mapping between the grammar and one or more electronic outputs to be generated, the one or more electronic outputs for controlling the electronically controllable machine, wherein the programming language includes (i) the built-in function corresponding to generation of electronic objects that map natural language input to one or more electronic outputs and (ii) at least one other built-in function unrelated to natural language processing, the at least one other built-in function including one or more of (a) a built-in function corresponding to generating displays, (b) a built-in function corresponding to deploying electronic objects to a network accessible memory, and (c) a built-in function corresponding to generation of electronic forms; and

generating, at one or more computers, an electronic object using the first specification data and the second specification data, the electronic object configured to, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to map received natural language input to the one or more electronic outputs to facilitate controlling the electronically controllable machine with natural language statements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first specification data specifies grammar rules corresponding to a context-free grammar.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first specification data indicates a template for processing natural language statements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first specification data and the second specification data are arguments of the built-in function of the programming language corresponding to generation of electronic objects that map natural language input to one or more electronic outputs.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, with one or more computers, the electronic object in a network-accessible storage system; and

associating, with one or more computers, the electronic object stored in the network-accessible storage system with an identifier to facilitate network access to the electronic object stored in the network-accessible storage system using the identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first specification data and the second specification data are received via a communication network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more electronic outputs correspond to one or more actions to be performed by an electronically controllable machine such that the one or more actions can be used to control the machine.

8. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory devices coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memory devices storing machine readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive programmer input in a programming language, the programmer input including (i) a built-in function of the programming language, the built-in function corresponding to generation of electronic objects that map natural language input to one or more electronic outputs, (ii) first specification data defining a grammar corresponding to natural language associated with one or more electronic outputs to be generated, the one or more electronic outputs for controlling an electronically controllable machine, and (iii) second specification data defining a mapping between the grammar and the one or more electronic outputs to be generated, wherein the programming language includes (i) the built-in function corresponding to generation of electronic objects that map natural language input to one or more electronic outputs and (ii) at least one other built-in function unrelated to natural language processing, the at least one other built-in function including one or more of (a) a built-in function corresponding to generating displays, (b) a built-in function corresponding to deploying electronic objects to a network accessible memory, and (c) a built-in function corresponding to generation of electronic forms, and

generate an electronic object using the first specification data and the second specification data, the electronic object configured to, when executed by the one or more processors or one or more other processors, cause the one or more processors, or the one or more other processors, to map received natural language input to the one or more electronic outputs to facilitate controlling the electronically controllable machine with natural language statements.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first specification data specifies grammar rules corresponding to a context-free grammar.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first specification data indicates a template for processing natural language statements.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first specification data and the second specification data are arguments of the built-in function of the programming language corresponding to generation of electronic objects that map natural language input to one or more electronic outputs.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a network accessible storage system;

wherein the one or more memory devices storing machine readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

store the electronic object in the network-accessible storage system, and

associate the electronic object stored in the network-accessible storage system with an identifier to facilitate network access to the electronic object stored in the network-accessible storage system using the identifier.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

network interface hardware configured to communicatively couple the system with a communication network;

wherein the first specification data and the second specification data are received via a communication network.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the one or more electronic outputs correspond to one or more actions to be performed by an electronically controllable machine such that the one or more actions can be used to control the machine.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving, at one or more processors, natural language (NL) input; and

using, at the one or more processors, i) the NL input, ii) a built-in function of a programming language, the built-in function corresponding to use of electronic objects that map natural language input to one or more electronic outputs, and iii) an electronic object to generate one or more electronic outputs for controlling an electronically controllable machine, wherein the electronic object

defines a grammar corresponding to NL associated with one or more electronic outputs for controlling an electronically controllable machine,

defines a mapping between the grammar and the one or more electronic outputs, and

is configured to, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to map received NL input to the one or more electronic outputs to facilitate controlling the electronically controllable machine with the received NL input, and

wherein the programming language includes (i) the built-in function corresponding to use of electronic objects that map natural language input to one or more electronic outputs and (ii) at least one other built-in function unrelated to natural language processing, the at least one other built-in function including one or more of (a) a built-in function corresponding to generating displays, (b) a built-in function corresponding to deploying electronic objects to a network accessible memory, and (c) a built-in function corresponding to generation of electronic forms.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic object defines a context free grammar.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic object defines a template for processing NL statements.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the NL input comprises receiving the NL input via a communication network.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, at the one or more processors, an identifier of the object via the communication network in conjunction with receiving the NL input;

wherein using i) the NL input, ii) the built-in function of the programming language corresponding to use of electronic objects that map natural language input to one or more electronic outputs, and iii) the electronic object to generate the one or more electronic outputs includes using the identifier to access the electronic object in network-accessible storage.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting the one or more electronic outputs via a communication network.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the one or more electronic outputs correspond to one or more actions to be taken by an electronically controllable machine.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

using the one or more electronic outputs to generate one or more control signals to electronically control the machine to take one or more actions corresponding to the one or more electronic outputs.

23. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory devices coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memory devices storing machine readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive natural language (NL) input, and

use i) the NL input, ii) a built-in function of a programming language, the built-in function corresponding to use of electronic objects that map natural language input to one or more electronic outputs, and iii) an electronic object to generate one or more electronic outputs for controlling an electronically controllable machine, wherein the electronic object

defines a grammar corresponding to NL associated with a plurality of actions to be taken by the electronically controllable machine,

defines a mapping between the grammar and the one or more electronic outputs, and

is configured to, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to map received NL input to the one or more electronic outputs to facilitate controlling the electronically controllable machine with natural language statements and

wherein the programming language includes (i) the built-in function corresponding to use of electronic objects that map natural language input to one or more electronic outputs and (ii) at least one other built-in function unrelated to natural language processing, the at least one other built-in function including one or more of (a) a built-in function corresponding to generating displays, (b) a built-in function corresponding to deploying electronic objects to a network accessible memory, and (c) a built-in function corresponding to generation of electronic forms.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the electronic object defines a context free grammar.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the electronic object defines a template for mapping NL statements to one or more electronic outputs.

26. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

network interface hardware configured to communicatively couple the system with a communication network;

wherein the NL input is received via the communication network.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the one or more memory devices further store machine readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive an identifier of the object via the communication network in conjunction with receiving the NL input; and

use the identifier to access the electronic object in network-accessible storage.

28. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

network interface hardware configured to communicatively couple the system with a communication network;

wherein the one or more memory devices further store machine readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to transmit the one or more electronic outputs via the communication network.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein:

the one or more electronic outputs correspond to one or more actions to be taken by an electronically controllable machine.

30. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

a control signal generator configured to use the one or more electronic outputs to generate one or more control signals to electronically control the machine to take one or more actions corresponding to the one or more electronic outputs.