NATURAL LANGUAGE INTERFACE CUSTOMIZATION

• US 20080312903A1
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP
• Inventors: PSZCZOLKOWSKI, Laura R, FINDLEY, David, KRAUSS, George W., PINEDA, George Dante M, JIA, Yongmei, DULANEY, Stephen, HICKS, Amy, HOWELL, David L
• Granted Patent: US 8,417,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/20 Natural language analysis semantic analysis of natural language G06F40/30

Abstract

A predefined interface is presented to a remote user. A natural language inquiry from the remote user is received via the predefined interface. The natural language inquiry is configured for use in an analysis. A customized interface is presented to the remote user based on the analysis of the natural language inquiry. The customized interface includes a customized set of communications options for the remote user to route communications.

Claims

1. A method of interacting with a remote user, comprising:

presenting a predefined interface to the remote user;

receiving a natural language inquiry from the remote user via the predefined interface, the natural language inquiry being configured for use in an analysis, and

presenting a customized interface to the remote user based on the analysis of the natural language inquiry, the customized interface including a customized plurality of communications options for the remote user to route communications.

2. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the predefined interface comprises a webpage.

3. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the remote user is presented the predefined interface over the internet.

4. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the predefined interface includes an inquiry interface for the remote user to input the natural language inquiry.

5. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the customized interface comprises a standardized template.

6. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the customized interface comprises customized content that is customized based on the context of the natural language inquiry.

7. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the customized plurality of communications options comprises a plurality of email addresses.

8. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the customized plurality of communications options are presented in association with context-sensitive information.

9. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the customized plurality of communications options comprises a plurality of telephony addresses.

10. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the customized plurality of communications options comprise an expandable tree menu.

11. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the customized interface further comprises a customized plurality of predefined inquiries.

12. The method according to claim 11,

wherein the customized plurality of predefined inquiries comprises an expandable tree menu.

13. The method according to claim 11,

wherein the customized plurality of predefined inquiries are linked to at least one second predefined interface corresponding to predefined answers to the predefined inquiries.

14. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the customized interface further includes at least one link to at least one resource.

15. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the customized interface further includes at least one link to at least one second predefined interface corresponding to predefined information.

16. The method according to claim 15,

wherein the at least one link to the at least one second predefined interface is presented via the customized interface in association with context-sensitive information.

17. The method according to claim 15,

wherein the at least one link to the at least one second predefined interface is changed based on the remote user selecting one of the customized plurality of communications options.

18. At least one computer readable medium for storing a computer program that interacts with a remote user, comprising:

a predefined interface presenting code segment that presents a predefined interface to the remote user;

a natural language inquiry receiving code segment that receives a natural language inquiry from the remote user via the predefined interface, the natural language inquiry being configured for use in an analysis, and

a customized interface presenting code segment that presents a customized interface to the remote user based on the analysis of the natural language inquiry, the customized interface including a customized plurality of communications options for the remote user to route communications.

19. The computer readable medium according to claim 18,

wherein the customized plurality of predefined inquiries are changed based on the remote user selecting one of the customized plurality of communications options.

20. A system for interacting with a remote user, comprising:

a presenter configured to present a predefined interface to the remote user; and

a receiver configured to receive a natural language inquiry from the remote user via the predefined interface, the natural language inquiry being configured for use in an analysis,

wherein the presenter is configured to present a customized interface to the remote user based on the analysis of the natural language inquiry, the customized interface including a customized plurality of communications options for the remote user to route communication.