Task/domain segmentation in applying feedback to command control

• US 20060161507A1
• Filed: 02/14/2006
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: Richard R. Reisman
• Inventors: Reisman, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,185,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3326 using relevance feedback from the user, e.g. relevance feedback on documents, documents sets, document terms or passages
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

An apparatus for responding to a current user command associated with one of a plurality of task/domains. The apparatus comprises: a digital storage device that stores cumulative feedback data gathered from multiple users during previous operations of the apparatus and segregated in accordance with the plurality of task/domains; a first digital logic device that determines the current task/domain with which the current user command is associated; a second digital logic device that determines a current response to the current user command on the basis of that portion of the stored cumulative feedback data associated with the current task/domain; a first communication interface that communicates to the user the current response; and a second communication interface that receives from the user current feedback data regarding the current response. The current feedback data is added to the cumulative feedback data stored in the digital storage device and associated with the current task/domain.

Claims

1-38. -38. (canceled)

39. A method for responding to a current user command associated with one of a plurality of task/domains, the method comprising:

storing cumulative feedback data gathered from multiple users during previous operations of the method and segregated in accordance with the plurality of task/domains;

requesting from the user information indicative of the current task/domain;

determining a current task/domain with which a current user command inputted by a user is associated based on the requested information;

determining a current response to the current user command based at least in part on at least a portion of the stored cumulative feedback data associated with the current task/domain;

communicating to the user the current response; and

receiving from the user current feedback data regarding the current response, wherein the current feedback data is added to the at least a portion of the stored cumulative feedback data associated with the current task/domain.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the method is performed at least in part by a server on a wide area network, and the user command comprises one of a query for one or more network-accessible resources associated with a current discovery searching task/domain and a signifier for a network-accessible resource associated with a current signifier mapping task/domain.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the current feedback data is collected for each of a plurality of task/domains.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the current feedback data collected for each of the plurality of task/domains is collected through a common feedback collection process.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the current feedback data collected for each of the plurality of task/domains is collected through respective ones of a plurality of distinct feedback collection processes.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein requesting, from the user, the current task/domain comprises requesting the user to select at least one of a set of qualifiers that indicate types of requests.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein requesting, from the user, the current task/domain comprises requesting the user to elaborate on the current task/domain that is intended while providing a set of results to the user.

46. An apparatus configured to perform the method of claim 39.

47. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that perform the method of claim 39.

48. An apparatus configured to perform the method of claim 40.

49. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that perform the method of claim 40.

50. A method of responding to a user request for information, wherein the request is being performed for one of a plurality of task/domains, said method comprising:

receiving a user request for information;

requesting, from the user, information indicative of a current task/domain that is to be associated with the user request;

retrieving cumulative feedback data previously gathered from multiple users for the current task/domain and segregated in accordance with the plurality of task/domains;

determining a current response based on the cumulative feedback data that is associated with the current task/domain;

communicating, to the user, the current response; and

receiving, from the user, current feedback data regarding the current response, wherein the current feedback data is added to the portion of the stored cumulative feedback data associated with the current task/domain.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the method is performed at least in part by a server on a wide area network, and the user request for information comprises one of a query for one or more network-accessible resources associated with a current discovery searching task/domain and a signifier for a network-accessible resource associated with a current signifier mapping task/domain.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein requesting, from the user, the current task/domain comprises requesting the user to select at least one of a set of qualifiers that indicate types of requests.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the types of requests comprises a request for a person'"'"'s contact information.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein requesting, from the user, the current task/domain comprises requesting the user to confirm acceptability of a set of results.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein requesting, from the user, the current task/domain comprises requesting the user to elaborate on the current task/domain that is intended while providing a set of results to the user.

56. The method of claim 51, wherein the determining can optionally be based on the stored cumulative feedback that is specific to the personal usage of the user.

57. An apparatus configured to perform the method of claim 50.

58. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that perform the method of claim 50.

59. An apparatus configured to perform the method of claim 51.

60. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that perform the method of claim 51.

61. A server system coupled to the Internet and configured to respond to a user request for information from resources available on the Internet, said server system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising executable instructions performed by the processor for receiving the user request, requesting, from the user, information indicative of a current task/domain that is to be associated with the user request, retrieving cumulative feedback data previously gathered from multiple users for the current task/domain and segregated in accordance with the plurality of task/domains, determining a current response based on the cumulative feedback data that is associated with the current task/domain, communicating, to the user, the current response, and receiving, from the user, current feedback data regarding the current response, wherein the current feedback data is added to the portion of the stored cumulative feedback data associated with the current task/domain.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the user request for information comprises one of a query for one or more network-accessible resources associated with a current discovery searching task/domain and a signifier for a network-accessible resource associated with a current signifier mapping task/domain.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the server system is configured to request the user to select at least one of a set of qualifiers that indicate types of requests.

64. The system of claim 62, wherein the server system is configured to request the user to confirm acceptability of a set of results.

65. The system of claim 62, wherein the server system is configured to determine the current task/domain based on requesting the user to elaborate on the current task/domain that is intended after the user has been provided a set of results.

66. The system of claim 62, wherein the server system is configured to maintain the stored cumulative feedback data such that the determining can optionally be based on the stored cumulative feedback that is specific to the personal usage of the user.