Method and system for pronoun disambiguation

• US 20030101047A1
• Filed: 10/30/2001
• Published: 05/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mavenir Systems Incorporated (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Comverse Incorporated (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Panttaja, Erin M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,085,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/30 Semantic analysis

Abstract

A method and system for pronoun disambiguation adapts or learns from evaluating input by the user. The system stores pronoun information relating to pronoun usage for people, entities, and things that a user can use a pronoun to refer to in interacting with the system. The pronoun information is used by the system in a process that interprets the meaning of the pronoun in the context of the interaction with the user. The system and method include matching the pronoun reference input by the user to the likely person or thing based upon an evolving pronoun preference associated with the person, entity or thing. During each interaction, the system and method permit the user to verify that the system interpreted the pronoun as referring to the correct person, entity or thing and modifies the stored pronoun information to reflect the verified usage. The system and method can select pronoun preferences when a user adds an entry into their address book by searching for information that can indicate the proper pronoun preference for a given entry. The pronoun preference can be selected based upon information in the user'"'"'s address book and/or other sources of pronoun information such as other users'"'"' address books and system databases.

Claims

1. A method of interpreting a pronoun reference comprising the steps of:

A) recognizing a user input as containing a recognized pronoun reference;

B) associating a historical listing of noun references with an associated pronoun preference;

C) comparing said recognized pronoun reference to at least one of said associated pronoun preferences; and

D) selecting one of said noun references of said historical listing as a function of said comparison between said recognized pronoun reference and at least one of said associated pronoun preferences.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein in step B), the associated pronoun preference is determined as a function of historical usage of a pronoun with respect to the noun reference.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said historical usage includes maintaining a count of correct usage events of a given pronoun with respect to a given noun reference.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein in step D), said noun reference is selected based upon a match of said recognized pronoun reference with at least one of said associated pronoun preferences.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein in step C), said recognized pronoun reference is compared to at least one of said associated pronoun preferences in order from most recent to least recent in said historical listing.

6. An apparatus for interpreting a pronoun reference comprising:

a recognizer adapted for recognizing a user input as containing a recognized pronoun reference;

a historical listing of noun references with an associated pronoun preference;

means for comparing a recognized pronoun reference to at least one of said associated pronoun preferences; and

means for selecting one said noun references of said historical listing as a function of said comparison between said recognized pronoun reference and at least one of said associated pronoun preferences.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising

means for determining an associated pronoun preference as a function of historical usage of a pronoun with respect to the noun reference.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said historical listing includes a count of correct usage events of a given pronoun with respect to a given noun reference.

9. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said noun reference is selected based upon a match of said recognized pronoun reference with at least one of said associated pronoun preferences.

10. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said recognized pronoun reference is compared to at least one of said associated pronoun preferences in order from most recent to least recent of the noun'"'"'s references in said historical listing.

11. A method of interpreting a pronoun reference in a voice user interface comprising the steps of:

A) recognizing a user utterance as containing a recognized pronoun reference;

B) associating a historical listing of at least one noun reference with an associated pronoun preference;

C) comparing said recognized pronoun reference to at least one of said associated pronoun preferences; and

D) selecting a record from a database corresponding to one said noun reference of said historical listing as a function of said comparison between said recognized pronoun reference and at least one of said associated pronoun preferences.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein in step B), the associated pronoun preference is determined as a function of historical usage of a pronoun with respect to the noun reference.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein said historical usage includes maintaining a count of correct usage events of a given pronoun with respect to a given noun reference.

14. A method according to claim 11 wherein step C) includes comparing said recognized pronoun reference to at least one of said associated pronoun preferences in chronological order from most recent to least recent.

15. A method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of:

E) placing a telephone call to a telephone number in said selected record of said database.

16. A method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of:

E) sending an electronic message to an address in said selected record of said database.

17. An apparatus for interpreting a pronoun reference in a voice user interface comprising:

a recognizer adapted for recognizing a user input as containing a recognized pronoun reference;

a historical listing of at least one noun reference with an associated pronoun preference;

means for comparing a recognized pronoun reference to at least one of said associated pronoun preferences; and

means for selecting a record from a database correspond to one said noun references of said historical listing as a function of said comparison between said recognized pronoun reference and at least one of said associated pronoun preferences.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising:

means for determining an associated pronoun preference as a function of historical usage of a pronoun with respect to the noun reference.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said historical usage includes a count of correct usage events of a given pronoun with respect to a given noun reference.

20. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said recognized pronoun reference is compared to at least one of said associated pronoun preferences in chronological order from most recent to least recent.

21. An apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising:

means for placing a telephone call to a telephone number in said selected record of said database.

22. An apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising:

means for sending an electronic message to an address in said selected record of said database.

23. A method of establishing a pronoun preference to a noun identifier in a database comprising the steps of:

A) establishing at least one pronoun preference field in a pronoun database corresponding to a reference noun identifier in a reference database;

B) searching for information indicative of a pronoun preference; and

C) assigning said pronoun preference field a designation indicative of a first pronoun designation.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein step B) includes searching a record corresponding to said reference noun identifier in said reference database.

25. A method according to claim 23 wherein step B) includes searching a plurality of records, in said reference database, having a same or similar noun identifier as said reference noun identifier for information indicative of a pronoun preference.

26. A method according to claim 23 wherein step B) includes searching a plurality of records, in a default pronoun designation database, having a same or similar noun identifier as said reference noun identifier for information indicative of a pronoun preference.

27. A method according to claim 23 wherein step A) includes establishing a masculine pronoun preference field and a feminine pronoun preference field.

28. A method according to claim 27 wherein said masculine pronoun preference is “

him” and

said feminine pronoun preference is “

her.”

29. A method according to claim 23 wherein step A) includes establishing a singular pronoun preference field and a plural pronoun preference field.

30. A method according to claim 29 wherein said singular pronoun preference is “

it” and

said plural pronoun preference is “

them.”

31. A system for establishing a pronoun preference to a noun identifier in a database comprising:

a pronoun preference database including at least one pronoun preference field corresponding to a reference noun identifier in a reference database;

means for searching for information indicative of a pronoun preference; and

means for assigning said pronoun preference field a designation indicative of a first pronoun designation.

32. A system according to claim 31 further comprising means for searching a record corresponding to said reference noun identifier in said reference database.

33. A system according to claim 31 further comprising means for searching a plurality of records, in said reference database, having a same or similar noun identifier as said reference noun identifier for information indicative of a pronoun preference.

34. A system according to claim 31 further comprising means for searching a plurality of records, in a default pronoun designation database, having a same or similar noun identifier as said reference noun identifier for information indicative of a pronoun preference.

35. A system according to claim 31 wherein said pronoun preference database includes a masculine pronoun preference field and a feminine pronoun preference field.

36. A system according to claim 31 wherein said masculine pronoun preference is “

him” and

said feminine pronoun preference is “

her.”

37. A system according to claim 31 wherein said pronoun reference database includes a singular pronoun preference field and a plural pronoun preference field.

38. A system according to claim 31 wherein said singular pronoun preference is “

it” and

said plural pronoun preference is “

them.”

39. A system providing for user interaction comprising:

a voice personal assistant adapted to presenting prompts to and receiving responses from a user;

said voice personal assistant including a recognizer adapted for recognizing responses that include pronouns, received from the user;

means for maintaining a historical list of noun references;

means for associating at least one associated pronoun preference with at least one noun reference in said historical list;

means for comparing a recognized pronoun with at least one of said associated pronoun preferences;

an application adapted for performing at least one function for said user;

means for selecting one of said noun references of said historical listing as a function of a comparison between a recognized pronoun with at least one of said associated pronoun preferences; and

utilizing a selected one of said noun references in performing a function of said application.

40. A system providing for user interaction comprising:

a voice personal assistant adapted to presenting prompts to and receiving responses from a user;

said voice personal assistant including a recognizer adapted for recognizing responses that include pronouns, received from the user;

a historical list of noun references;

a pronoun cross-reference associating at least one associated pronoun preference with at least one noun reference in said historical list;

a subsystem adapted for selecting one of said noun references of said historical listing as a function of a comparison between a recognized pronoun with at least one of said associated pronoun preferences in said pronoun cross-reference;

an application adapted for performing at least one function for said user; and

utilizing a selected one of said noun references in performing a function of said application.