Methods for automatically verifying the performance of a virtual robot

• US 6,532,401 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micro Focus LLC (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NativeMinds, Inc. (Healthstream Incorporated)
• Inventors: Benson, Scott S., Tackett, Walter A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US09/883,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 700/264, 700/254, 700/249, 700/88, 701/200, 701/29, 701/208, 358/400, 358/468, 716/1, 716/2, 710/105, 710/104, 710/266, 710/48, 710/50, 710/206, 710/207, 434/362, 434/323, 434/350, 434/118, 318/568.1, 318/568.14, 717/1-11, 709/227, 709/202, 706/924, 714/35-39, 702/182, 704/9
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/35 Discourse or dialogue representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• 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: Y10S 706/924 Medical

Abstract

In an automated interface program designed to interact and communicate with users, said program executing actions when a category among a predefined set of categories is activated, a method is disclosed for automatically verifying the performance of said program, the steps of said method comprising: specifying inputs under which the program should be tested; associating said inputs with conditions within categories in the program, each said condition comprising at least one response which could be given if said condition is satisfied; executing said program under at least one said input; determining whether the associated condition is satisfied upon said input; and determining whether the response associated with said condition is given upon said input. In another aspect of the present invention, the test inputs are embedded within the script itself, and specifically, within categories that can be automatically listed upon compilation of the script. Such list of test inputs can then be automatically executed to test the program. The execution of a test input can be used to check whether the test input activated the category in which the test input is embedded. The response given upon execution of a test input can then determine whether other categories are erroneously activated; or whether inputs, other than the test input, erroneously activate the category associated with the test input.

Claims

1. In an automated interface program designed to interact and communicate with users, said program executing actions when a category among a predefined set of categories is activated, a method is disclosed for automatically verifying the performance of said program, the steps of said method comprising:

(a) defining conditions within categories in the program, each said condition comprising at least one response which could be given if said condition is satisfied;

(b) defining within the program at least one example statement associated with a category, wherein the at least one example statement is indicative of user input to activate the category;

(c) executing said program under said at least one example statement;

(d) determining whether the associated condition is satisfied under said at least one example statement; and

(e) determining whether the response associated with said condition is given under said at least one example statement.

2. A method of verifying the performance of an automated interface program designed to interact and communicate with users providing user input, the method comprising:

(a) defining a plurality of categories, each category having a condition and a response associated with the category,

wherein the response is initiated when a user input meets the condition to activate the category;

(b) selecting an example statement from a set of example statements defined within the program, wherein each example statement is indicative of a user input;

(c) executing the program using the selected example statement as the user input;

(d) determining whether a category is activated by the selected example statement;

(e) determining whether a response is produced by the selected example statement; and

(f) verifying the program based on the determinations of (d) and (e).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein verifying the program comprises:

identifying a correct output state if;

a category activated by the selected example statement includes an example statement that matches the selected example statement, and

a response associated with the category activated by the selected example statement is the only response produced.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein verifying the program comprises:

identifying an error output state if;

a category activated by the selected example statement includes an example statement that matches the selected example statement, and

a response associated with a category other than the category activated by the selected example statement is produced.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein verifying the program comprises:

identifying an error output state if;

a category activated by the selected example statement includes an example statement that matches the selected example statement; and

no response is produced.

6. A computer-readable storage medium containing computer executable code to verify the performance of an automated interface program designed to interact and communicate with users providing user input by instructing a computer to operate as follows:

(a) defining a plurality of categories, each category having a condition and a response associated with the category,

wherein the response is initiated when a user input meets the condition to activate the category;

(b) selecting an example statement from a set of example statements defined within the program, wherein each example statement is indicative of a user input;

(c) executing the program using the selected example statement as the user input;

(d) determining whether a category is activated by the selected example statement;

(e) determining whether a response is produced by the selected example statement; and

(f) verifying the program based on the determinations of (d) and (e).

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein verifying the program comprises:

identifying a correct output state if;

a category activated by the selected example statement includes an example statement that matches the selected example statement, and

a response associated with the category activated by the selected example statement is the only response produced.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein verifying the program comprises:

identifying an error output state if;

a category activated by the selected example statement includes an example statement that matches the selected example statement, and

a response associated with a category other than the category activated by the selected example statement is produced.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein verifying the program comprises:

identifying an error output state if;

a category activated by the selected example statement includes an example statement that matches the selected example statement; and

no response is produced.