Conversation control apparatus

• US 20070094005A1
• Filed: 10/18/2006
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MyClerk LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ptopa, Inc., Aruze Corp. (Universal Entertainment Corporation)
• Inventors: Katukura, Hiroshi, Huang, Shengyang
• Granted Patent: US 7,805,312 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/35 Discourse or dialogue representation
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/027 Concept to speech synthesisers; Generation of natural phrases from machine-based concepts generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text G10L13/08
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

To return a predetermined answer in a predetermined order, even in the event that user utterance contents differ from an original objective. A conversation control apparatus, which transmits an answer sentence in response to a user utterance, includes: a conversation data base storing a plurality of plans each including the answer sentence and next candidate prescription information which prescribes a next candidate answer sentence, which is an answer sentence due to be transmitted in an order succeeding the answer sentence; and a planned conversation processor which, in response to a first user utterance, selects a plan stored in the conversation data base, transmits an answer sentence included in the plan and, subsequently, in response to a second user utterance, based on next candidate prescription information included in the plan, transmits a next candidate answer sentence, wherein at least one portion of the plurality of plans, regardless of contents of a user utterance, includes an answer sentence and next candidate answer sentence in such a way as to transmit each question in a predetermined survey in a predetermined order.

Claims

1. A conversation control apparatus comprising:

a processor causing an execution of a control which transmits an answer sentence in response to a user utterance; and

a memory storing a plurality of plans each including the answer sentence and next candidate prescription information which prescribes a next candidate answer sentence, which is an answer sentence due to be transmitted in an order succeeding the answer sentence, wherein the processor;

in response to a first user utterance, selects a plan stored in the memory, causes the selected plan to transmit an answer sentence included in the plan and, subsequently, in response to a second user utterance, based on next candidate prescription information included in the plan, causes a transmission of a next candidate answer sentence; and

,

regardless of contents of a user utterance, causes a transmission of a predetermined answer sentence and next candidate answer sentence in a predetermined order to at least one portion of the plurality of plans.

2. The conversation control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the one portion of the plurality of plans being N plans storing answer sentences from a first to an N^th which are transmitted in order, the M^th plan from among the N plans includes next candidate prescription information prescribing a first answer sentence after the M^th (note that M and N are integers, and 1≦

M<

N).

3. The conversation control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one portion of the plurality of plans, even in the event that contents of a user utterance responding to a transmitted question are other than predetermined answer contents, is a plan for repeatedly transmitting the question.

4. A conversation control apparatus comprising:

a processor causing an execution of a control which transmits an answer sentence in response to a user utterance; and

a memory storing a plurality of plans each including the answer sentence and next candidate prescription information which prescribes a next candidate answer sentence, which is an answer sentence due to be transmitted in an order succeeding the answer sentence, wherein the processor;

in response to a first user utterance, selects a plan stored in the memory, causes the selected plan to transmit an answer sentence included in the plan and, subsequently, in response to a second user utterance, based on next candidate prescription information included in the plan, causes a transmission of a next candidate answer sentence, one portion of the plurality of plans being N plans storing answer sentences from a first to an N^th which are transmitted in order, and the M^th plan from among the N plans including next candidate prescription information prescribing a first answer sentence after the M^th; and

,

regardless of contents of a user utterance, causes a transmission of a predetermined answer sentence and next candidate answer sentence in a predetermined order.

5. A conversation control apparatus comprising:

a processor causing an execution of a control which transmits an answer sentence in response to a user utterance; and

a memory storing a plurality of plans each including the answer sentence and next candidate prescription information which prescribes a next candidate answer sentence, which is an answer sentence due to be transmitted in an order succeeding the answer sentence, wherein the processor;

in response to a first user utterance, selects a plan stored in the memory, causes the selected plan to transmit an answer sentence included in the plan and, subsequently, in response to a second user utterance, based on next candidate prescription information included in the plan, causes a transmission of a next candidate answer sentence;

regardless of contents of a user utterance, causes a transmission of a predetermined answer sentence and next candidate answer sentence in a predetermined order to at least one portion of the plurality of plans; and

furthermore,

even in the event that contents of a user utterance responding to a transmitted question are other than predetermined answer contents, repeatedly transmits the question to the at least one portion of the plurality of plans.