VIRTUAL ASSISTANT CONVERSATIONS

• US 20150186156A1
• Filed: 06/02/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Next IT Corporation (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brown, Fred A., Miller, Tanya M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,088,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90332 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/20 Education
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages

Abstract

Techniques and architectures for implementing a team of virtual assistants are described herein. The team may include multiple virtual assistants that are configured with different characteristics, such as different functionality, base language models, levels of training, visual appearances, personalities, and so on. The characteristics of the virtual assistants may be configured by trainers, end-users, and/or a virtual assistant service. The virtual assistants may be presented to end-users in conversation user interfaces to perform different tasks for the users in a conversational manner. The different virtual assistants may adapt to different contexts. The virtual assistants may additionally, or alternatively, interact with each other to carry out tasks for the users, which may be illustrated in conversation user interfaces.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

under control of a computing device configured with executable instructions,

identifying a first virtual assistant from among a plurality of virtual assistants that are associated with a first entity, the first virtual assistant being associated with a first persona;

identifying a second virtual assistant from among a plurality of virtual assistants that are associated with a second entity, the second virtual assistant being associated with a second persona;

causing the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant to communicate; and

causing a first dialog representation and a second dialog representation to be presented in a conversation user interface illustrating the communication between the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant, the first dialog representation being presented with the first persona of the first virtual assistant and the second dialog representation being presented with the second persona of the second virtual assistant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant communicate to perform a task for a user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second dialog representations are presented over a period of time in a back-and-forth manner to emulate a human conversation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first dialog representation or the second dialog representation indicates information that is communicated between the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first dialog representation or the second dialog representation includes a summary conversation item that represents an entirety of the conversation between the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant.

5. (canceled)

7. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed, instruct one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

causing a conversation user interface to be output via a device of a first user, the conversation user interface being output along with a first virtual assistant associated with the first user;

identifying a task to be performed for the first user;

based at least in part on the task, identifying a second virtual assistant from among a plurality of virtual assistants that are associated with a second user;

causing the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant to carry out a conversation to perform the task for the first user;

causing a first conversation item to be output via the conversation user interface that is output via the device of the first user, the first conversation item representing the conversation between the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant; and

causing a second conversation item to be output via a device of the second user, the second conversation item representing the conversation between the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant.

8. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 7, wherein the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant are configured with at least one different characteristic.

9. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 7, wherein the second conversation item is output after a period of time has passed from outputting the first conversation item.

10. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first conversation item or the second conversation item indicates information that is communicated between the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant.

11. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 10, wherein the information that is communicated between the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant comprises information that is related to functionality of one of the first or second virtual assistants.

12. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first conversation item or the second conversation item includes a summary conversation item that represents an entirety of the conversation between the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant.

13. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

before causing the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant to carry out a conversation, sending a request to the device of the second user for permission to communicate with the second virtual assistant; and

receiving authorization for the first virtual assistant to communicate with the second virtual assistant.

14. A smart device comprising:

a content output device to output a conversation user interface and a first virtual assistant of a first plurality of virtual assistants;

one or more processors communicatively coupled to the content output device; and

memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising;

identifying a second virtual assistant, from among a second plurality of virtual assistants, with which the first virtual assistant is to communicate to perform a task, the second virtual assistant comprising at least one characteristic that is different than a characteristic of the first virtual assistant;

causing the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant to communicate;

causing display of a first conversation item associated with the first virtual assistant via the content output device; and

causing display of a second conversation item associated with the second virtual assistant via the content output device, at least one of the first conversation item or the second conversation item including a natural language representation of a communication from at least one of the first virtual assistant or the second virtual assistant.

15. The smart device of claim 14, wherein the content output device comprises at least one of a display, a speaker, or a projector.

16. The smart device of claim 14, wherein the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant are associated with different entities.

17. The smart device of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first conversation item or the second conversation item indicates that the task has been completed.

18. The smart device of claim 14, wherein the second conversation item is displayed

after a period of time has passed from displaying the first conversation item.

19. The smart device of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first conversation item or the second conversation item indicates information that is communicated between the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant.

20. The smart device of claim 19, wherein the information that is communicated between the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant comprises information that is related to functionality of at least one of the first virtual assistant or the second virtual assistant.