SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING FOLLOW-UP RESPONSES TO PRIOR NATURAL LANGUAGE INPUTS OF A USER

• US 20160110347A1
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerence Inc.
• Original Assignee: VoiceBox Technologies Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Kennewick, Michael R. Jr., Kennewick, Michael R. Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,747,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/40 Processing or translation of natural language natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/18 using natural language modelling

Abstract

In certain implementations, follow-up responses may be provided for prior natural language inputs of a user. As an example, a natural language input associated with a user may be received at a computer system. A determination of whether information sufficient for providing an adequate response to the natural language input is currently accessible to the computer system may be effectuated. A first response to the natural language input (that indicates that a follow-up response will be provided) may be provided based on a determination that information sufficient for providing an adequate response to the natural language input is not currently accessible. Information sufficient for providing an adequate response to the natural language input may be received. A second response to the natural language input may then be provided based on the received sufficient information.

Claims

1. A method for providing follow-up responses for prior natural language inputs of a user, the method being implemented on a computer system having one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions which, when executed, perform the method, the method comprising:

receiving, at the computer system, a natural language input associated with a user;

determining, by the computer system, whether information sufficient for providing an adequate response to the natural language input is currently accessible to the computer system;

providing, by the computer system, based on a determination that information sufficient for providing an adequate response to the natural language input is not currently accessible, a first response to the natural language input that indicates that a follow-up response will be provided;

receiving, at the computer system, first information sufficient for providing an adequate response to the natural language input; and

providing, by the computer system, a second response to the natural language input based on the first information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second response is provided to the user in real-time when the first information is received.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the second response to the natural language input comprises providing the second response during an interactive session between the computer system and the user.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining, by the computer system, context information associated with the interactive session between the user and the computer system,

wherein providing the second response comprises providing the second response based on the first information and the context information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the computer system, one or more subsequent natural language inputs associated with the user after the receipt of natural language input; and

providing, by the computer system, one or more subsequent responses to the one or more subsequent natural language inputs.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more subsequent natural language inputs are received after the providing of the first response.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second response is provided after the providing of the one or more subsequent responses.

8. A system for providing follow-up responses for prior natural language inputs of a user, the system comprising:

one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more physical processors to;

receive a natural language input associated with a user;

determine whether information sufficient for providing an adequate response to the natural language input is currently accessible to the system;

provide, by the computer system, based on a determination that information sufficient for providing an adequate response to the natural language input is not currently accessible, a first response to the natural language input that indicates that a follow-up response will be provided;

receive first information sufficient for providing an adequate response to the natural language input; and

provide a response to the natural language input based on the first information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the follow-up response is provided to the user in real-time when the first information is received.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein providing the follow-up response to the natural language input comprises providing the second response in an interactive session between the computer system and the user.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer program instructions further cause the one or more physical processors to:

determine context information associated with the interactive session between the computer system and the user,

wherein providing the second response comprises providing the second response based on the first information and the context information.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer program instructions further cause the one or more physical processors to:

receive one or more subsequent natural language inputs associated with the user after the receipt of the natural language input; and

provide one or more subsequent responses to the one or more subsequent natural language inputs.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more subsequent inputs are received after the providing of the first response.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the second response is provided after the providing of the one or more subsequent responses.

15. A method for providing follow-up responses for prior natural language inputs of a user, the method being implemented on a computer system having one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions which, when executed, perform the method, the method comprising:

receiving, at the computer system, a natural language input associated with a user;

receiving, at the computer system, one or more subsequent natural language inputs associated with the user after the receipt of the natural language input;

receiving, at the computer system, first information sufficient for providing an adequate response to the natural language input; and

providing, by the computer system, a response to the first natural language input based on the first information after the receipt of the one or more subsequent natural language inputs.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining, by the computer system, whether information sufficient for providing an adequate response to the natural language input is currently accessible to the computer system; and

providing, by the computer system, based on a determination that information sufficient for providing an adequate response to the natural language input is not currently accessible, a first response to the natural language input that indicates that a follow-up response will be provided.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing, by the computer system, one or more responses to the one or more subsequent natural language inputs,

wherein the response to the natural language input is provided after the providing of the one or more responses to the one or more subsequent natural language inputs.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining, by the computer system, context information associated with an interactive session between the computer system and the user,

wherein providing the response comprises providing the response based on the first information and the context information.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the response is provided to the user in real-time when the first information is received.

20. A system for providing follow-up responses for prior natural language inputs of a user, the system comprising:

one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more physical processors to;

receive a natural language input associated with a user;

receive one or more subsequent natural language inputs associated with the user after the receipt of the natural language input;

receive first information sufficient for providing an adequate response to the natural language input; and

provide a response to the natural language input based on the first information after the receipt of the one or more subsequent natural language inputs.