METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RESPONDING TO USER-INPUT BASED ON SEMANTIC EVALUATIONS OF USER-PROVIDED EXPRESSIONS

• US 20070219780A1
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Information Research and Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Global Information Research and Technologies LLC
• Inventors: SCHABES, Yves, ROCHE, Emmanuel
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/30 of unstructured textual data document management systems G06F16/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/30 Semantic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/56 Natural language generation

Abstract

A method for processing user input includes the step of receiving, during a session, via one of a plurality of media gateways, from a user, an expression having a semantic structure. The semantic structure of the expression is evaluated. An expression type is identified, responsive to the evaluation of the semantic structure. Based on the expression type, a response to the expression is generated. A determination is made as to whether to store the received expression, the response, and an identification of the user.

Claims

1. A method for processing user input, the method comprising the step of:

(a) receiving, during a session, via one of a plurality of media gateways, from a user, an expression having a semantic structure;

(b) evaluating the semantic structure of the expression;

(c) identifying an expression type responsive to the evaluation of the semantic structure;

(d) responding to the expression based on the expression type; and

(e) determining whether to store the received expression, the response and an identification of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, during a session between the user and an interaction environment, via one of the plurality of mediate gateways, from the user, the expression having a semantic structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, during the session, via one of the plurality of media gateways, from the user, a string having a semantic structure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, during the session, via one of the plurality of media gateways, from the user, a plurality of words having a semantic structure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving, during the session, via one of the plurality of media gateways, from the user, a question having a semantic structure.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of forwarding, by the one of the plurality of media gateways, the expression to a semantic evaluator.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of forwarding, by one of the plurality of media gateways, the expression to an access control module.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises evaluating a linguistic pattern of the expression.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises evaluating a word order of the expression.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises identifying the expression as a query.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises identifying the expression as a request for information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises identifying the expression as a request for stored data.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises identifying the expression as an implicit question.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises identifying the expression as an explicit question.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises identifying the expression as a command.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises identifying the expression as a command to execute a computer program.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises identifying the expression as a command to store data.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises identifying the expression as a command to modify stored data.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of querying a database to identify the expression type of the expression.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of querying a database using a modified version of the expression.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises responding to the expression by answering a question.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises responding to the expression by executing a command.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises responding to the expression by executing a computer program.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises responding to the expression by transmitting, to the user, data stored in a repository.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) further comprises determining to store the received expression, the response and an identification of the user.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) further comprises determining to store, in a database, the received expression, the response and an identification of the user.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) further comprises determining to store, in a searchable index, the received expression, the response and an identification of the user.

28. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing, during a second session, for the user, access to the stored expression and response.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) further comprises determining not to store the received expression, the response and an identification of the user.

30. A system for processing user input comprising:

an interaction environment executing in a virtual machine;

an information retrieval component provided by the interaction environment and in communication with a search index and a collection of information; and

a user interface module provided by the interaction environment and in communication with the information retrieval component, the user interface module comprising

a transceiver receiving, via one of a plurality of media gateways, an expression having a semantic structure;

a semantic evaluator identifying an expression type for the received expression responsive to an evaluation of the semantic structure of the received expression; and

a response generating component providing a response to the expression based on the identified expression type.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the interaction environment further comprises a collaborative web site.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the information retrieval component further comprises the search index.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the transceiver further comprises receiving, during a session between a user and the interaction environment, via one of the plurality of media gateways, from the user, the expression having a semantic structure.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the transceiver further comprises receiving, via one of the plurality of media gateways, from a user, the expression having a semantic structure, the plurality of media gateways including a media gateway receiving the expression from the user in an electronic mail message.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein the transceiver further comprises receiving, via one of the plurality of media gateways, from a user, the expression having a semantic structure, the plurality of media gateways including a media gateway receiving the expression from the user via a text messaging service.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein the transceiver further comprises receiving, via one of the plurality of media gateways, from a user, the expression having a semantic structure, the plurality of media gateways including a media gateway receiving the expression from the user via an instant messaging service.

37. The system of claim 30, wherein the transceiver further comprises receiving, via one of the plurality of media gateways, from a user, the expression having a semantic structure, the plurality of media gateways including a media gateway receiving the expression from the user via a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) user interface.

38. The system of claim 30, wherein the transceiver further comprises receiving, via one of the plurality of media gateways, from a user, the expression having a semantic structure, the plurality of media gateways including a media gateway receiving the expression from the user via a user interface on a collaborative web site.

39. The system of claim 30, wherein the transceiver further comprises a receiver receiving, during a session, via one of a plurality of media gateways, from a user, a string having a semantic structure.

40. The system of claim 30, wherein the transceiver further comprises a receiver receiving, during a session, via one of a plurality of media gateways, from a user, a plurality of words having a semantic structure.

41. The system of claim 30, wherein the transceiver further comprises a receiver receiving, during a session, via one of a plurality of media gateways, from a user, a question having a semantic structure.

42. The system of claim 30, wherein the user interface module further comprises an access control module receiving, from one of the plurality of media gateways, the expression.

43. The system of claim 30, wherein the semantic evaluator further comprises a means for evaluating a linguistic pattern of the expression.

44. The system of claim 30, wherein the semantic evaluator further comprises a means for evaluating a word order of the expression.

45. The system of claim 30, wherein the response generating component further comprises a means for querying the information retrieval component to generate the response, responsive to the identified expression type.

46. The system of claim 30, wherein the response generating component further comprises a means for querying the information retrieval component, using a modified version of the expression, to generate a response, responsive to the identified expression type.

47. The system of claim 30, wherein the semantic evaluator further comprises a means for identifying the expression as a query.

48. The system of claim 30, wherein the semantic evaluator further comprises a means for identifying the expression as a request for information.

49. The system of claim 30, wherein the semantic evaluator further comprises a means for identifying the expression as a request for stored data.

50. The system of claim 30, wherein the semantic evaluator further comprises a means for identifying the expression as an implicit question.

51. The system of claim 30, wherein the semantic evaluator further comprises a means for identifying the expression as an explicit question.

52. The system of claim 30, wherein the semantic evaluator further comprises a means for identifying the expression as a command.

53. The system of claim 30, wherein the semantic evaluator further comprises a means for identifying the expression as a command to execute a computer program.

54. The system of claim 30, wherein the semantic evaluator further comprises a means for identifying the expression as a command to store data.

55. The system of claim 30, wherein the semantic evaluator further comprises a means for identifying the expression as a command to modify stored data.

56. The system of claim 30, wherein the response generating component further comprises a means for generating a response to the expression, the response answering a question.

57. The system of claim 30, wherein the response generating component further comprises a means for generating a response to the expression, the response comprising execution of a command.

58. The system of claim 30, wherein the response generating component further comprises a means for generating a response to the expression by transmitting, to the user, data stored in the collection of information.

59. The system of claim 30, wherein the response generating component further comprises a means for generating a response to the expression by transmitting, to the user, data stored in the collection of information during a previous session between the user and the interaction environment.

60. The system of claim 30, wherein the response generating component further comprises a means for determining to store the received expression, the response and an identification of the user.

61. The system of claim 30, wherein the response generating component further comprises a means for determining not to store the received expression, the response and an identification of the user.