Systems and methods for predicting consequences of misinterpretation of user commands in automated systems

• US 7,729,920 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Corp.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chaar, Jarir Kamel, Viswanathan, Mahesh, Kanevsky, Dimitri, Sicconi, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): MCFADDEN, SUSAN IRIS
• Application Number:
  US12/103,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 704/275
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for processing and executing commands in automated systems. For example, command processing systems and methods are provided which can automatically determine, evaluate or otherwise predict consequences of execution of misrecognized or misinterpreted user commands in automated systems and thus prevent undesirable or dangerous consequences that can result from execution of misrecognized/misinterpreted commands.

Claims

1. A program storage device readable by a command processing system comprising a processor, the program storage device embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform method steps for processing commands in an automated system, the method steps comprising:

receiving a user command;

processing the user command;

evaluating consequences of executing the user command based on command processing results, wherein evaluating consequences of executing the user command comprises determining a potential consequence of executing the user command, determining a likelihood that the potential consequence can actually occur, and classifying an impact of the potential consequence based on the determined likelihood that the potential consequence can actually occur; and

performing a preventative action if it is determined that execution of the user command could result in an undesirable consequence.

2. An automated system, comprising:

a command processing system that processes input commands; and

a command execution system that executes an input command based on command processing results provided by the command processing system,

wherein the command processing system evaluates consequences of executing input commands and take preventative actions for execution of input commands that could result in undesirable consequences, and wherein the command processing system, comprises;

an automatic recognition system for recognizing input patterns associated with the input command;

a command interpretation system to interpret input commands based on recognition results generated by the automatic recognition system;

a consequence evaluation system to determine a potential consequence of executing input commands based on interpretation results generated by the command interpretation system and determine a likelihood that the potential consequences can occur; and

a feedback system to perform preventative actions for executing input commands when consequence evaluation results of an input command indicate at the likelihood of the potential consequence is greater than a threshold, wherein the potential consequence is an undesirable consequence of executing the input command.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the command processing system further comprises an ambiguity evaluation system to determine a degree of ambiguity of recognition results or interpretation results of an input command.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the means for determining likelihood comprises:

means for receiving information that indicates current environmental conditions;

means for determining a relation, if any, between the potential consequence and the current environmental conditions; and

means for determining a likelihood that the potential consequence can actually occur based on related current environmental conditions, if any.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the feedback system comprises a notification system to generate an alert signal or notification message to provide notification of the undesirable consequence of executing an input command.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the feedback system comprises a query compiler to generate a user query to obtain clarification of an input command.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the query compiler compiles a question to request user confirmation of an input command as interpreted or an alternative interpretation of the input command.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the automatic recognition system comprises a speech recognition system.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the automatic recognition system comprises a natural language understanding system.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the automatic recognition system comprises an image recognition system.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the automatic recognition system comprises a user state recognition system.