Method, apparatus and computer program for generating a feeling in consideration of a self-confident degree

• US 20010037193A1
• Filed: 03/06/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Oishi, Tetsuya, Saito, Nozomu, Shishido, Hiroshi, Saito, Fumio, Nagisa, Izumi
• Application Number:
  US09/799,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20010037193A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3334 Selection or weighting of terms from queries, including natural language queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/30 Semantic analysis

Abstract

A feeling generation apparatus for accompanying a reaction and an information proposal of a computer with an agent'"'"'s feeling. A taste level is assigned to the proposal item. An agent'"'"'s self-confident degree is calculated for the proposal item. Keywords representing user'"'"'s response and feeling are extracted from user'"'"'s input in order to guess user'"'"'s response and feeling. Agent'"'"'s feeling is determined according to the agent'"'"'s self-confident degree, the user'"'"'s response and feeling. According to the agent'"'"'s feeling, a reaction sentence and CG animation are generated.

Claims

1. A method of interfacing a computer with a user via an agent, comprising the steps of:

receiving first sentence that represents a condition for retrieving an item from the user;

retrieving an item with reference to the condition;

determining an agent'"'"'s self-confident degree that represents how confidently the agent proposes the item to the user with reference to a level of user'"'"'s taste predetermined to the item;

determining a feeling of the agent with reference to the agent'"'"'s self-confident degree;

generating first data for proposing the item to the user with reference to the feeling of the agent;

receiving second sentence in response to the first data from the user;

extracting predetermined keywords from the second sentence;

judging meaning of the second sentence and feeling of the user represented in the second sentence with reference to the extracted keywords;

modifying the feeling of the agent with references to the agent'"'"'s self-confident, the meaning of the second sentence and the feeling of the user; and

generating second data for replying to the second sentence with reference to the modified feeling of the agent.

2. A method of interfacing a computer with a user via an agent, comprising the steps of:

receiving a sentence in response to the first data from the user;

extracting predetermined keywords from the sentence;

judging meaning of the sentence and feeling of the user represented in the sentence with reference to the extracted keywords;

determining the feeling of the agent with reference to the judged meaning of the sentence and the judged feeling of the user; and

generating data for replying to the sentence with reference to the determined feeling of the agent.

3. A software product for interfacing a computer with a user via an agent, making the computer execute the processes of:

receiving first sentence that represents a condition for retrieving an item from the user;

retrieving an item with reference to the condition;

determining an agent'"'"'s self-confident degree that represents how confidently the agent proposes the item to the user with reference to a level of user'"'"'s taste predetermined to the item;

determining feeling of the agent with reference to the agent'"'"'s self-confident degree;

generating first data for proposing the item to the user with reference to the feeling of the agent;

receiving second sentence in response to the first data from the user;

extracting predetermined keywords from the second sentence;

judging meaning of the second sentence and feeling of the user represented in the second sentence with reference to the extracted keywords;

modifying the feeling of the agent with reference to the agent'"'"'s self-confident, the meaning of the second sentence and the feeling of the user; and

generating second data for replying to the second sentence with reference to the modified feeling of the agent.

4. A software product for interfacing a computer with a user via an agent, making the computer execute the processes of:

receiving a sentence in response to the first data from the user;

extracting predetermined keywords from the sentence;

judging meaning of the sentence and feeling of the user represented in the sentence with reference to the extracted keywords;

determining the feeling of the agent with reference to the judged meaning of the sentence and the judged feeling of the user; and

generating data for replying to the sentence with reference to the determined feeling of the agent.

5. A computer storing a software product in its storage device, the software product making the computer execute the processes of:

receiving first sentence that represents a condition for retrieving an item from the user;

retrieving an item with reference to the condition;

determining an agent'"'"'s self-confident degree that represents how confidently the agent proposes the item to the user with reference to a level of user'"'"'s taste predetermined to the item;

determining feeling of the agent with reference to the agent'"'"'s self-confident degree;

generating first data for proposing the item to the user with reference to the feeling of the agent;

receiving second sentence in response to the first data from the user;

extracting predetermined keywords from the second sentence;

judging meaning of the second sentence and feeling of the user represented in the second sentence with reference to the extracted keywords;

modifying the feeling of the agent with reference to the agent'"'"'s self-confident, the meaning of the second sentence and the feeling of the user; and

generating second data for replying to the second sentence with reference to the modified feeling of the agent.

6. A computer storing a software product in its storage device, the software product making the computer execute the processes of:

receiving a sentence in response to the first data from the user;

extracting predetermined keywords from the sentence;

judging meaning of the sentence and feeling of the user represented in the sentence with reference to the extracted keywords;

determining the feeling of the agent with reference to the judged meaning of the sentence and the judged feeling of the user; and

generating data for replying to the sentence with reference to the determined feeling of the agent.

7. An apparatus which interfaces with a user via an agent, comprising the devices for:

receiving first sentence that represents a condition for retrieving an item from the user;

retrieving an item with reference to the condition;

determining an agent'"'"'s self-confident degree that represents how confidently the agent proposes the item to the user with references to a level of user'"'"'s taste predetermined to the item;

determining feeling of the agent with reference to the agent'"'"'s self-confident degree;

generating first data for proposing the item to the user with reference to the feeling of the agent;

receiving second sentence in response to the first data from the user;

extracting predetermined keywords from the second sentence;

judging meaning of the second sentence and feeling of the user represented in the second sentence with reference to the extracted keywords;

modifying the feeling of the agent with reference to the agent'"'"'s self-confident, the meaning of the second sentence and the feeling of the user; and

generating second data for replying to the second sentence with reference to the modified feeling of the agent.

8. An apparatus which interfaces with a user via an agent, comprising the devices for:

receiving a sentence in response to the first data from the user;

extracting predetermined keywords from the sentence;

judging meaning of the sentence and feeling of the user represented in the sentence with reference to the extracted keywords;

determining the feeling of the agent with reference to the judged meaning of the sentence and the judged feeling of the user; and

generating data for replying to the sentence with reference to the determined feeling of the agent.