System and method to disambiguate and clarify user intention in a spoken dialog system
First Claim
1. A disambiguation method in a spoken dialog service that identifies a user need, the disambiguation method being associated with a rooted tree, the method comprising:
- (a) based on a received user utterance in response to a prompt, establishing at least one lit node and assigning a current focus node;
(b) if there is a single direct descendent of the focus node that is lit;
(1) assigning the lit direct descendent of the current focus node as a new focus node;
(2) if the new focus node is a leaf node, identifying the user need; and
(3) if the new focus node is not a leaf node, prompting the user to disambiguate between descendent nodes of the new focus node and returning to step (a);
(c) if there is not a single direct descendent of the current focus node that is lit;
(1) assigning a lowest common ancestor node of all lit nodes as a new focus node;
(2) prompting the user for input to disambiguate between descendent nodes of the new focus node; and
(3) returning to step (a).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method are disclosed for controlling the flow of a dialog within a spoken dialog service dialog management module. The method uses a dialog disambiguation rooted tree, the rooted tree having a root node, nodes descending from the root nodes organized in categories and leaf nodes. The method comprises gathering input from a user to match with at least one node and node condition, wherein a first prompt from the dialog manager relates to a focus root node, lighting at least one relevant node according to the received user input, generalizing by attempting to select a new focus node further from a current focus node by: (1) assigning a node as a new focus node if it is the only lit direct descendent of a focus node after the lighting step; and (2) assigning a lowest common ancestor node as a new focus node if there are multiple descendent nodes that are lit and the step of assigning a new node a new focus if it is the only lit direct descendent does not apply. This method enables improved disambiguation of user intent in a spoken dialog service.
367 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A disambiguation method in a spoken dialog service that identifies a user need, the disambiguation method being associated with a rooted tree, the method comprising:
-
(a) based on a received user utterance in response to a prompt, establishing at least one lit node and assigning a current focus node;
(b) if there is a single direct descendent of the focus node that is lit;
(1) assigning the lit direct descendent of the current focus node as a new focus node;
(2) if the new focus node is a leaf node, identifying the user need; and
(3) if the new focus node is not a leaf node, prompting the user to disambiguate between descendent nodes of the new focus node and returning to step (a);
(c) if there is not a single direct descendent of the current focus node that is lit;
(1) assigning a lowest common ancestor node of all lit nodes as a new focus node;
(2) prompting the user for input to disambiguate between descendent nodes of the new focus node; and
(3) returning to step (a). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A dialog manager within a spoken dialog service, the dialog manager operating according to a dialog disambiguation rooted tree, the rooted tree having a root node, nodes descending from the root nodes organized in categories and leaf nodes, the dialog manager performing the steps:
-
(a) gathering input from a user to match with at least one node and node condition, wherein a first prompt from the dialog manager relates to a focus root node;
(b) lighting at least one relevant node according to the received user input;
(c) generalizing by attempting to select a new focus node further from a current focus node by;
(1) assigning a node as a new focus node if it is the only lit direct descendent of a focus node after step (b); and
(2) assigning a lowest common ancestor node as a new focus node if there are multiple descendent nodes that are lit and step (c)(1) does not apply. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method within a spoken dialog service for controlling a dialog flow using a dialog disambiguation rooted tree, the rooted tree having a root node, nodes descending from the root nodes organized in categories and leaf nodes, the method comprising:
-
(a) gathering input from a user to match with at least one node and node condition, wherein a first prompt from the dialog manager relates to a focus root node;
(b) lighting at least one relevant node according to the received user input;
(c) generalizing by attempting to select a new focus node further from a current focus node by;
(1) assigning a node as a new focus node if it is the only lit direct descendent of a focus node after step (b); and
(2) assigning a lowest common ancestor node as a new focus node if there are multiple descendent nodes that are lit and step (c)(1) does not apply. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A spoken dialog service utilizing a disambiguation method associated with a rooted tree, the disambiguation method:
-
(a) based on a received user utterance in response to a prompt, establishing at least one lit node and assigning a current focus node;
(b) if there is a single direct descendent of the focus node that is lit;
(1) assigning the lit direct descendent of the current focus node as a new focus node;
(2) if the new focus node is a leaf node, identifying the user need; and
(3) if the new focus node is not a leaf node, prompting the user to disambiguate between descendent nodes of the new focus node and returning to step (a);
(c) if there is not a single direct descendent of the current focus node that is lit;
(1) assigning a lowest common ancestor node of all lit nodes as a new focus node;
(2) prompting the user for input to disambiguate between descendent nodes of the new focus node; and
(3) returning to step (a). - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A computer-readable medium storing computer readable instructions for instructing a computing device to perform a disambiguation method in a spoken dialog service that identifies user need, the disambiguation method being associated with a rooted tree, the method comprising:
-
(a) based on a received user utterance in response to a prompt, establishing at least one lit node and assigning a current focus node;
(b) if there is a single direct descendent of the focus node that is lit;
(1) assigning the lit direct descendent of the current focus node as a new focus node;
(2) if the new focus node is a leaf node, identifying the user need; and
(3) if the new focus node is not a leaf node, prompting the user to disambiguate between descendent nodes of the new focus node and returning to step (a);
(c) if there is not a single direct descendent of the current focus node that is lit;
(1) assigning a lowest common ancestor node of all lit nodes as a new focus node;
(2) prompting the user for input to disambiguate between descendent nodes of the new focus node; and
(3) returning to step (a). - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
-
Specification