Virtual human interface for conducting surveys
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for questioning, said system comprising:
- at least one survey script in a computer readable storage, said survey script comprising first question data, first expression data, and response processing instructions, said first expression data including first mouth expression data and first mouth duration data, said first mouth expression data indicative of a visual appearance of a mouth exhibiting communicative characteristics indicative of at least one portion of one possible response by a user and also indicative of predetermined responsive steps to be performed;
a script server configured to store said at least one survey script; and
a virtual human interface configured to operate in at least a question state and a sleep state,said virtual human interface configured, while in said sleep state, to actively represent on a display at least a representation of a mouth exhibiting communicative characteristics and to actively and periodically request a user to engage in answering at least a question, said virtual human interface further configured to switch to said question state upon receiving an affirmative response,said virtual human interface configured, while in said question state, to retrieve said at least one survey script from said script server and to process said first question data to present a first question to a user, said virtual human interface configured to process said first expression data to represent on said display said mouth in accordance with said first mouth expression data for a duration in accordance with said first mouth expression duration data, said virtual human interface configured to process said response processing instructions to identify said at least one portion of one possible response by said user to said first question and to associate said predetermined responsive steps with said response, said virtual human interface configured to process input provided by said user to detect said portion of said one possible response and to perform said predetermined responsive steps, said predetermined responsive steps including storing answer data representing said input provided by said user.
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Abstract
A virtual human interface for conducting survey questioning comprises a system and method which may include a script file which may include survey question data, response pattern data, expression data, advertising data, entertainment data, lobbying data and/or processing instructions. The expression data may include mouth and eye expression data along with respective duration data indicative of the length of time of respective visual representations. The virtual human interface may interact With a user by representing a character object that personifies communicative behavior to make interaction more natural and enjoyable.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A system for questioning, said system comprising:
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at least one survey script in a computer readable storage, said survey script comprising first question data, first expression data, and response processing instructions, said first expression data including first mouth expression data and first mouth duration data, said first mouth expression data indicative of a visual appearance of a mouth exhibiting communicative characteristics indicative of at least one portion of one possible response by a user and also indicative of predetermined responsive steps to be performed; a script server configured to store said at least one survey script; and a virtual human interface configured to operate in at least a question state and a sleep state, said virtual human interface configured, while in said sleep state, to actively represent on a display at least a representation of a mouth exhibiting communicative characteristics and to actively and periodically request a user to engage in answering at least a question, said virtual human interface further configured to switch to said question state upon receiving an affirmative response, said virtual human interface configured, while in said question state, to retrieve said at least one survey script from said script server and to process said first question data to present a first question to a user, said virtual human interface configured to process said first expression data to represent on said display said mouth in accordance with said first mouth expression data for a duration in accordance with said first mouth expression duration data, said virtual human interface configured to process said response processing instructions to identify said at least one portion of one possible response by said user to said first question and to associate said predetermined responsive steps with said response, said virtual human interface configured to process input provided by said user to detect said portion of said one possible response and to perform said predetermined responsive steps, said predetermined responsive steps including storing answer data representing said input provided by said user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A survey system comprising:
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a first script comprising question data representing a question, topic data representing a topic, and load data identifying a second script, said second script including information about said topic, said first script stored in a computer readable medium; character image data representing a character, said character image data stored in said computer readable medium, said character representing a visual object that personifies communicative behavior of a human being; and a computer-based user interface configured to, operate in at least a question state and a sleep state, said user interface configured, while in said sleep state, to actively represent on a display at least a representation of a mouth exhibiting communicative characteristics and to actively and periodically request a user to engage in answering at least a question, said user interface further configured to switch to said question state upon receiving an affirmative response, said user interface configured, while in said question state, to access said first script and to process said question data to communicate said question to said user, said user interface configured to process said character image data to create a representation of said character on said display during said communication of said question, said user interface configured to receive and process response data representing a response provided by said user, said user interface configured to determine whether said response identifies said topic, and, if so, said user interface loads said second script and communicates said information about said topic to said user and modifies said representation of said character to create a visual indication that said character is communicating said information about said topic. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for survey questioning, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing in a script file first question data representing a question, first expression data and response processing instructions, said first expression data including first mouth expression data and first mouth expression duration data, said first mouth expression data indicative of a visual appearance of a mouth of a character; providing in a computer readable medium initial mouth expression data indicative of an initial visual appearance of said mouth of said character, said initial visual appearance of said mouth indicative of oral communication; providing in a computer readable medium survey request data representing a request that a user take a survey; monitoring from a sleep state input provided by a user; accessing, while in said sleep state, said initial mouth expression data to actively represent on a display said mouth of said character in accordance with said initial visual appearance; accessing, while in said sleep state, said survey request data to actively and periodically request that a user take a survey; entering a survey state upon detecting input provided by said user; processing said first question data to present a first question to a user; representing said character on a display during said presenting of said first question; representing said mouth of said character in accordance with said first mouth expression data for a duration in accordance with said first mouth expression duration data; processing said response processing instructions to identify at least one portion of one possible response by said user to said first question and to associate predetermined responsive steps with said response; processing input provided by said user, and if said input includes said portion of said one possible response, then performing said predetermined responsive steps, including storing answer data representing said input. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for survey questioning, said method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring from a sleep state a status of input concerning a user; actively representing on a display, while in said sleep state, a mouth of a character indicative of oral communication; actively and periodically requesting, while in said sleep state, that said user take a survey; entering a survey state upon a determined change in the status of said input; receiving survey question data representing a survey question; receiving first expression data, said first expression data indicative of a first facial expression of a character object that personifies communicative behavior; processing said question data to communicate said question to a user; processing said first expression data to visually represent said character object in accordance with said first facial expression; receiving an answer from said user that does not match at least one predetermined answer and responsively processing clarification data to communicate to said user a request to provide a different answer; receiving second expression data, said second expression data indicative of a second facial expression of said character object; and processing said second expression data to represent said character object in accordance with said second facial expression at a time after said receipt of said answer; checking for additional survey question data and, while additional survey question data is found, repeating each receiving, processing, and checking step; and returning to said sleep state upon finding no additional survey question data. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for interacting with a computer user, comprising:
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a script comprising communication data representing at least one communication designed to illicit a response, the script also comprising response data representing at least two response patterns, the script stored in a computer readable medium; and a script processor capable of processing the script to output a representation of the at least one communication and also capable of processing a response to determine whether it matches either of the at least two response patterns; a computer-based user interface configured to reside on a user'"'"'s computer in at least a sleep state and an active state, the user interface configured to actively and periodically issue a request for the user to communicate while in the sleep state and to switch to the active state upon receiving input from the user indicating a willingness to communicate, wherein the user interface is configured to engage the script processor when switching to the active state and the script processor processes the script and outputs a representation of the communication, the user interface further configured to receive a response to the communication provided by the user and to provide a representation of the response to the script processor which determines whether the response matches one of the at least two response patterns, and if so an action is performed based on the matching. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for interacting with a user, the steps of the method comprising:
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displaying a virtual character on a display screen of a computer, the virtual character comprising a visual object that exhibits communicative behavior, the virtual character having at least a sleep state and an active state; actively and repeatedly issuing, while the virtual character is in sleep state, a non-persistent prompt for the user to interact with the virtual character; monitoring for a user signal that indicates a willingness to interact with the virtual character; responding to the user signal by; switching the virtual character to the active state; accessing a script containing communication data representing at least one communication and also containing response pattern data representing a plurality of response patterns associated with the at least one communication, the script stored in a computer readable medium; processing the script to communicate the communication to the user; accessing character image data indicative of visual characteristics of the virtual character; processing the character image data to alter the visual appearance of the virtual character; receiving response data representing the user'"'"'s response to the communication; and processing the response data to determine whether it matches one of the plurality of response patterns, and if so, performing an action associated with the communication. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification