System and method for providing an intelligent multi-step dialog with a user
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving a question from a user;
building a knowledge session in the context of a knowledge map using a plurality of input;
creating at least one goal;
presenting at least one question to the user;
receiving at least one answer from the user;
changing a session state based on the answer;
resolving the at least one goal; and
presenting feedback to the user.
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Abstract
A method and system are disclosed for retrieving information through the use of a multi-stage interaction with a client to identify particular knowledge content associated with a knowledge map. The present invention is an application program running on a server accessed via the world-wide web or other data network using standard Internet protocols, a web browser and web server software. In addition to an automated portion, the present invention allows a human dialog designer to model the way the system elicits information, giving a human feel to the dialog and a better customer experience. In operation, users start a dialog by directing their web browser to a designated web page. This web page asks the user some initial questions that are then passed to a dialog engine. The dialog engine then applies its methods and algorithms to a knowledge map, using dialog control information\ and the user'"'"'s responses to provide feedback to the user. The feedback may include follow-up questions, relevant documents, and instructions to the user (e.g., instructions to contact a human customer service representative). This dialog engine response is rendered as a web page and returned to the user'"'"'s web browser. The user can then respond further to the follow-up questions he or she is presented, and the cycle repeats. The invention can be implemented so that it can interact with customers through a wide variety of communication channels including the Internet, wireless devices (e.g., telephone, pager, etc.), handheld devices such as a Personal Data Assistant (PDA), email, and via a telephone where the automated system is delivered using an interactive voice response (IVR) and/or speech-recognition system.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving a question from a user; building a knowledge session in the context of a knowledge map using a plurality of input; creating at least one goal; presenting at least one question to the user; receiving at least one answer from the user; changing a session state based on the answer; resolving the at least one goal; and presenting feedback to the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method, comprising:
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limiting an interaction space in a knowledge map to relevant areas with constraints; restricting documents returned to the user to relevant areas in the knowledge map with constraints; maintaining a set of available concept nodes; generating positive constraints for accepted nodes; generating negative constraints for rejected nodes; unifying positive and negative constraints in an expression for a subgoal; and joining expressions for different subgoals within a goal.
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10. A method, comprising:
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receiving a user inquiry from a user; creating at least one goal based on the user inquiry; evaluating at least one trigger associated with areas in a knowledge map that are relevant to the user inquiry; posing at least one question to the user; receiving at least one answer from the user; confirming at least one node in areas of the knowledge map that are relevant to the at least one answer; identifying at least one goal based on the at least one answer; creating at least one constraint based on the at least one answer to limit relevant areas of the knowledge map; and reaching a target set of at least one node to resolve the goals. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification