Input and output communication in a data processing system

• US 6,269,329 B1
• Filed: 11/10/1997
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Softmark AG
• Original Assignee: Softmark Ltd.
• Inventors: Nordstrom, Rabbe
• Primary Examiner(s): Korzuch, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lerner, Martin
• Application Number:
  US08/966,851
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 704/9, 704/201, 704/258, 704/10, 704/270, 704/275, 704/1, 395/710, 395/680, 395/682, 395/685, 707/100, 707/103, 706/47, 706/55, 706/60, 705/35
• US Class Current: 704/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/284 Lexical analysis, e.g. tokenisation or collocates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/56 Natural language generation
• 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

Abstract

A processor (47) uses a concepts memory area (10) to interpret received inputs and to generate coherent content-related output communication in text or fluent speech. The processor (47) uses concepts, each being a part of program code and a linked basic communication element. A parallel recursive communication matrix manager (10(a)) is used in processing of the concepts and reference is made to a conception, learning, associative utilisation manager (50) to assist in understanding inputs, learning and enhancing the knowledge base, and in developing outputs. The basic communication elements may trigger associated speech resources (24) which are retrieved and processed downstream, or rule-based speech outputted via a synthesiser (63).

Claims

1. A communication method carried out by a system comprising a processor, a memory, an input device, and an output device, the method comprising;

interpreting, at the processor, inputs with reference to a knowledge base having a conception, learning, associative and utilization (CLAU) manager, said CLAU manager including a synonym and acronym manager which searches an associated file for synonymous terms, and a review specification manager which determines if a term has been used in a similar context before, for validation;

retrieving program code comprising a sequence of instructions, said instructions including,

instructions for performing data processing; and

interspersed instructions for generating output communication to convey information about data processing events arising from said data processing and including contents-related communication elements;

processing at the processor, data retrieved from memory according to said program code to internally determine data processing events, said processor operating in accordance with a matrix manager for capturing communications elements, said matrix manager including prosodic, phonetic, syntactic and semantic processing rules; and

during said data processing, the processor dynamically generating said contents-related communication elements according to said program code to convey information about said data processing events, said generation of communication elements being integrated with determination of the data processing events because the instructions for performing data processing are interspersed with the instructions for generating output communication; and

generating, by said matrix manager, processed communication elements through application of said prosodic, phonetic, syntactic and semantic processing rules.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the matrix manager directs capture of communication elements for each of a plurality of data processing simulations.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the matrix manager is a parallel recursive function.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication elements are triggers which are used to retrieve resources including text or speech strings.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the prosodic, phonetic, syntactic and semantic processing rules of the matrix manager are activated by the triggers to generate said processed communication elements.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the system comprises speech resources, a speech resources assembly manager, and a speech resources reference buffer, the assembly manager and the reference buffer performing the steps of:

loading blocks of resources to a memory;

monitoring speech output and determining when resources of a block are nearly utilised;

loading a fresh block; and

clearing the previous block when a fresh block is activated.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the resources are used to build coherent output communication which is further automatically edited before output.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the knowledge base comprises a plurality of datasets, each accessed by an associated manager.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the conception, learning, associative, and utilization manager further includes:

a definitions of terms manager which performs a full text analysis of inputs to define as many terms as possible, and

a validation manager which performs validation operations on the defined terms.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conception, learning, associative, and utilization manager performs automatic learning by adding terms to the datasets as they are associated with term criteria.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor automatically learns by building the knowledge base, using the knowledge base and communication elements as references.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor prompts user input of data to build the knowledge base.

13. A method of dynamically generating a communication related to content of associated data processing code, the method comprising the steps of:

interpreting, at a processor, inputs with reference to a conception, learning, associative and utilization manager having a synonym and acronym manager which searches an associated file for synonymous terms;

retrieving program code structured as a plurality of concepts, each concept being an integral combination of data processing code and a communication element;

processing at the processor, data retrieved from memory according to said program code to internally determine data processing events, said processor operating in accordance with a matrix manager for capturing communications elements, said matrix manager being a parallel recursive function having prosodic, phonetic, syntactic and semantic processing rules;

during said data processing, the processor dynamically capturing communication elements associated with data processing code for each concept to generate a series of communication elements conveying information about said data processing events, said series of communication elements being formed by the sequential capture of communication elements in a sequence order determined by concept order;

applying, by said matrix manager, said prosodic, phonetic, syntactic and semantic processing rules to said communication elements to generate processed communication elements; and

outputting said processed communication elements to a communication control manager.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, the step of outputting including the step of transferring the processed communication elements to said communication control manager in an order dictated by the order of the concepts.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13, the step of outputting including processing said processed communication elements into an appropriate output format for a user.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the communication elements are alphanumeric characters.

17. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the communication elements are codes that trigger stored resources.

18. A method of dynamically generating a communication from a content of associated data processing code using a system having a processor, a memory and a matrix manager, the method comprising the steps of:

interpreting, at the processor, inputs with reference to a conception, learning, associative and utilization (CLAU) manager, said inputs including terms, said step of interpreting including,

performing, by a definitions of terms manager within said CLAU manager a full text analysis of inputs to define as many terms as possible;

performing, by a validation manager within said CLAU manager, validation operations on the defined terms; and

searching, by a synonym and acronym manager within said CLAU manager, an associated file for synonymous terms;

retrieving program code structured as a plurality of concepts, each concept being an integral combination of data processing code and a communication element, said communication element for conveying information about data processing events arising from execution of associated data processing code within said concept;

processing at the processor, data retrieved from memory according to said program code to internally determine data processing events; and

dynamically capturing, concurrently with data processing and using a parallel recursive function of the matrix manager, said communication elements associated with data processing code for each concept to generate a series of communication elements conveying information about said data processing events, said matrix manager applying prosodic phonetic, syntactic and semantic processing rules to said communication elements to generate processed communication elements.