Interactive simulated dialogue system and method for a computer network

• US 6,944,586 B1
• Filed: 11/09/1999
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Interactive Drama Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Interactive Drama Incorporated
• Inventors: Harless, Michael G., Zier, Marcia A., Harless, William G.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US09/436,725
• Time in Patent Office: 2,135 Days
• Field of Search: 703/13, 703/23, 704/275, 704/270, 704/246, 345/744, 709/203, 706/45, 706/59, 706/48
• US Class Current: 703/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing

Abstract

An audiovisual simulation system and method facilitates simulated long distance dialogue, face-to-face, natural language, human interaction between a user and a pre-recorded human character. It does so by utilizing communications features of the Internet to survey a remote user system and establish a suitable voice recognition and digital video link, then providing that user access to specific interactive software capable of supporting a continuous virtual dialogue in natural spoken language with a pre-recorded human character stored as digital video signals.

Claims

1. A system for providing an interactive simulated dialogue over a network, comprising:

a client node connected to the network comprising

a browser for selecting a simulated dialogue program,

a network connection for receiving over the network a vocabulary set corresponding to the selected simulation program,

a client agent for recognizing a meaning of a user voice input, and for transmitting over the network signals corresponding to the recognized meaning,

a client buffer agent for receiving over the network signals representative of a meaningful response to the recognized meaning, and

an output component for outputting an audiovisual representation of a human being speaking the meaningful response; and

a server coupled to the network comprising

a database containing vocabulary sets, wherein each vocabulary set corresponds to a simulated dialogue program,

a server launch agent for receiving over the network the selection of the simulated dialogue program and for transmitting over the network the vocabulary set corresponding to the selected dialogue program,

a server agent for receiving signals over the network corresponding to the recognized meaning and for determining a meaningful response to the recognized meaning, and

a server buffer agent for transmitting over the network signals representative of the meaningful response.

2. The computer network of claim 1, wherein the server enables a plurality of client nodes for a single simulated dialogue program.

3. A system for providing an interactive simulated dialogue over a network, comprising:

a client node connected to the network comprising

means for selecting a simulated dialogue program,

means for receiving over the network a vocabulary set corresponding to the selected simulation program,

means for receiving user voice input,

means for recognizing a meaning of the received user voice input,

means for transmitting over the network signals corresponding to the recognized meaning,

means for receiving over the network signals representative of a meaningful response to the recognized meaning, and

means for outputting an audiovisual representation of a human being speaking the meaningful response; and

a server coupled to the network comprising

a database containing vocabulary sets, wherein each vocabulary set corresponds to a simulated dialogue program,

means for receiving over the network an identification of the selection of the simulated dialogue program,

means for transmitting over the network the vocabulary set corresponding to the selected simulated dialogue program,

means for receiving over the network signals corresponding to the recognized meaning,

means for determining a meaningful response to the recognized meaning, and

means for transmitting over the network signals representative of the meaningful response.

4. A client node for connecting to a computer network including a server to provide an interactive simulated dialogue, comprising:

a client launch agent for determining a system capacity of the client node and for installing a simulated dialogue program based on the determination of the system capacity;

an input device receiving user voice input;

a client agent recognition engine for determining the meaning of the user voice input;

a network connection receiving a simulated dialogue program from the server and transmitting over the network signals corresponding to the determined meaning;

a client buffer agent receiving over the network signals representative of a meaningful response to the user voice input; and

an output component for outputting an audiovisual representation of a human being speaking the meaningful response.

5. The client node of claim 4, wherein the client launch agent determines compatibility of a speech application engine with the simulated dialogue program.

6. The client node of claim 5, wherein the client launch agent receives a compatible speech application engine from the server based on a compatibility determination, and installs the compatible speech application engine at the client node.

7. A client node for connecting to a computer network including a server to provide an interactive simulated dialogue, comprising:

means for determining a system capacity of the client node;

means for receiving a simulated dialogue program over the network;

means for installing the simulated dialogue program based on the determination of the system capacity;

means for receiving user voice input;

means for determining the meaning of the user voice input;

means for transmitting over the network signals corresponding to the meaning of the user voice input;

means for receiving over the network signals representative of a meaningful response to the transmitted signals; and

means for outputting an audiovisual representation of a human being speaking the meaningful response.

8. A server coupled to a computer network including a client node for providing an interactive simulated dialogue, comprising:

a connection receiving over the network signals representative of a meaning of a user voice input and transmitting over the network signals representative of a meaningful response;

a server agent for determining the meaningful response to the received signals and for selecting a plurality of subsequent responses related to the meaningful response; and

a buffer agent initiating a transfer of video signals corresponding to the subsequent responses to the client node,

wherein said signals representative of the meaningful response comprise an audiovisual representation of a human being speaking the meaningful response.

9. The sever of claim 8, wherein the buffer agent determines network capacity for transfer of video signals corresponding to the subsequent responses, and transfers portions of video signals of each of the plurality of subsequent responses on a rotation basis based on a determination of the network capacity.

10. A server coupled to a computer network including a client node for providing an interactive simulated dialogue, comprising:

means for receiving over the network signals representative of a meaning of a user voice input;

means for determining a meaningful response to the received signals;

means for transmitting over the network signals representative of the meaningful response;

means for selecting a plurality of subsequent responses related to the transmitted meaningful response; and

means for initiating a transfer of video signals corresponding to the subsequent responses to the client node in the background,

wherein said signals representative of the meaningful response comprise an audiovisual representation of a human being speaking the meaningful response.

11. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program for an interactive simulated dialogue, the computer program causing a computer to perform the steps of:

determining a system capacity of the computer;

receiving simulated dialogue program from a server;

installing the simulated dialogue program based on the determination of the system capacity;

receiving user voice input;

recognizing a meaning of the user voice input;

transmitting to the server signals corresponding to the recognized meaning;

receiving from the server signals representative of a meaningful response to the recognized meaning; and

outputting an audiovisual representation of a human being speaking the meaningful response.

12. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program for an interactive simulated dialogue, the computer program causing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving from a client node signals representative of a recognized meaning of a user voice input;

determining a meaningful response to the recognized meaning of the user voice input;

transmitting to the client node signals representative of the meaningful response;

selecting a plurality of subsequent responses related to the transmitted meaningful response; and

initiating a transfer of video signals corresponding to the subsequent responses to the client node in the background,

wherein said signals representative of the meaningful response comprise an audiovisual representation of a human being speaking the meaningful response.

13. A method of providing an interactive simulated dialogue over a computer network, including a client node and a server, the method comprising:

receiving at the client node a signal representing a selection of a simulated dialogue program;

transmitting, by the server to the client node, a vocabulary set corresponding to the selected simulated dialogue program;

receiving at the client node user voice input;

recognizing a meaning of the user voice input;

transmitting, by the client node to the server, signals corresponding to the recognized meaning;

determining at the server a meaningful response to the recognized meaning;

transmitting, by the server to the client node, signals representative of the meaningful response; and

outputting at the client node an audiovisual representation of a human being speaking the meaningful response.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of enabling participation from a plurality of client nodes for a single simulated dialogue program.

15. A method of providing an interactive simulated dialogue over a computer network, including a client node and a server, the method performed by the client node comprising:

determining a system capacity of the client node;

receiving a simulated dialogue program from the server;

installing the simulated dialogue program based on the determination of the system capacity;

receiving user voice input;

determining a meaning of the user voice input;

transmitting to the server signals corresponding to the determined meaning;

receiving from the server signals representative of a meaningful response to the determined meaning; and

outputting an audiovisual representation of a human being speaking the meaningful response.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of determining compatibility of a speech application engine with the simulated dialogue program.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of

receiving a compatible speech application engine from the server based on a compatibility determination, and

installing the compatible speech application engine at the client node.

18. A method of providing an interactive simulated dialogue over a computer network, including a client node and a server, the method performed by the server comprising:

receiving from the client node signals representative of a meaning of a user voice input;

determining a meaningful response to the user voice input;

transmitting to the client node signals representative of the meaningful response;

selecting a plurality of subsequent responses related to the transmitted meaningful response; and

initiating a transfer of video signals corresponding to the subsequent responses to the client node in the background,

wherein said signals representative of the meaningful response comprise an audiovisual representation of a human being speaking the meaningful response.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the initiating step comprises:

determining network capacity for transfer of video signals corresponding to the subsequent responses; and

transferring portions of video signals of each of the plurality of subsequent responses on a rotation basis based on a determination of the network capacity.

20. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program for an interactive simulated dialogue, the computer program causing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving user voice input;

recognizing a meaning of the user voice input;

transmitting to the server signals corresponding to the recognized meaning;

receiving from the server signals representative of a meaningful response to the recognized meaning; and

outputting an audiovisual representation of a human being speaking the meaningful response.