Personal virtual assistant
First Claim
1. A computer-based virtual assistant comprising:
- a virtual assistant application running on a computer capable of receiving human voice communications from a remote user interface and transmitting a vocalization to a user interface;
the virtual assistant application determining a response to a verbal query or instruction received from a user interface, and the virtual assistant application selecting from amongst a plurality of word patterns each of which can communicate the response to the verbal query or instruction;
the plurality of word patterns including at least a first pattern of words and an alternative, second pattern of words, wherein the first pattern of words includes different words than the second pattern of words; and
the virtual assistant application selecting one of the first or second patterns of words and transmitting a vocalization of the selected one of the first or second patterns of words, wherein the selection between the first pattern of words and the second pattern of words is based upon a user controllable event, wherein the user controllable event is a perceived emotional state derived from an analysis of the received human voice communications.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-based virtual assistant the behavior of which can be changed by the user, comprising a voice user interface for inputting information into and receiving information from the virtual assistant by speech, a communications network, a virtual assistant application running on a remote computer, the remote computer being electronically coupled to the user interface via the communications network, wherein the behavior of the virtual assistant changes responsive to user input. A computer-based virtual assistant that also automatically adapts its behavior is disclosed, comprising a voice user interface for inputting information into and receiving information from the virtual assistant by speech, a communications network, a virtual assistant application running on a remote computer, the remote computer being electronically coupled to the user interface via the communications network, wherein the remote computer is programmed to automatically change the behavior of the virtual assistant responsive to input received by the virtual assistant. As detailed below, the virtual assistant adapts to the user in many different ways based on the input the virtual assistant receives. Such input could be user information, such as information about the user'"'"'s experience, the time between user sessions, the amount of time a user pauses when recording a message, the user'"'"'s emotional state, whether the user uses words associated with polite discourse, and the amount of time since a user provided input to the virtual assistant during a session.
799 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A computer-based virtual assistant comprising:
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a virtual assistant application running on a computer capable of receiving human voice communications from a remote user interface and transmitting a vocalization to a user interface;
the virtual assistant application determining a response to a verbal query or instruction received from a user interface, and the virtual assistant application selecting from amongst a plurality of word patterns each of which can communicate the response to the verbal query or instruction;
the plurality of word patterns including at least a first pattern of words and an alternative, second pattern of words, wherein the first pattern of words includes different words than the second pattern of words; and
the virtual assistant application selecting one of the first or second patterns of words and transmitting a vocalization of the selected one of the first or second patterns of words, wherein the selection between the first pattern of words and the second pattern of words is based upon a user controllable event, wherein the user controllable event is a perceived emotional state derived from an analysis of the received human voice communications. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 19, 20)
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9. A method of operating a computer-based virtual assistant application program comprising:
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receiving human voice communications from a user interface;
determining a response to a verbal query or instruction received from the user interface;
selecting from amongst a plurality of word patterns which can communicate the response to the verbal query or instruction, the plurality of word patterns including at least a first pattern of words and an alternative, second pattern of words, wherein the first pattern of words includes different words than the second pattern of words;
evaluating a user controllable event;
selecting one of the first or second patterns or words, with the selection being based upon the user controllable event; and
transmitting a vocalization of the selected one of the first or second patterns of words to the user interface, wherein said evaluating step includes evaluating a perceived emotional state of the user, based upon the received human voice communications. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 45, 46)
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21. A computer-based virtual assistant comprising:
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a virtual assistant application running on a computer capable of receiving human voice communications from a remote user interface and transmitting a vocalization to a user interface;
the virtual assistant application determining a response to a verbal query or instruction received from a user interface, and the virtual assistant application selecting from amongst a plurality of word patterns each of which can communicate the response to the verbal query or instruction;
the plurality of word patterns including at least a first pattern of words and an alternative, second pattern of words, wherein the first pattern of words includes different words than the second pattern of words; and
the virtual assistant application selecting one of the first or second patterns of words and transmitting a vocalization of the selected one of the first or second patterns of words, wherein the selection between the first pattern of words and the second pattern of words is based upon a user controllable event, wherein the user controllable event is the number of times the virtual assistant is queried in a given interval of time by the user. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 47, 48)
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31. A method of operating a computer-based virtual assistant application program comprising:
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receiving human voice communications from a user interface;
determining a response to a verbal query or instruction received from the user interface;
selecting from amongst a plurality of word patterns which can communicate the response to the verbal query or instruction, the plurality of word patterns including at least a first pattern of words and an alternative, second pattern of words, wherein the first pattern of words includes different words than the second pattern of words;
evaluating a user controllable event;
selecting one of the first or second patterns or words, with the selection being based upon the user controllable event; and
transmitting a vocalization of the selected one of the first or second patterns of words to the user interface, wherein the user controllable event is the number of times the virtual assistant is queried in a given interval of time by the user. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification