Automated task classification system

• US 8,144,838 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2009
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilpon, Jay Gordon, Gorin, Allen Louis, Parker, Barry Allen, Scherer, James B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US12/409,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20090183165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.04, 379/88.01
• US Class Current: 379/88.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/216 using statistical methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/279 Recognition of textual entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/289 Phrasal analysis, e.g. finite state techniques or chunking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/1822 Parsing for meaning understanding

Abstract

The invention concerns an automated task classification system that operates on a task objective of a user. The system may include a meaningful phrase generator that generates a plurality of meaningful phrases from a set of verbal and non-verbal speech. Each of the meaningful phrases may be generated based on one of a predetermined set of the task objectives. A recognizer may recognize at least one of the generated meaningful phrases in an input communication of the user and a task classifier may make a classification decision in response to the recognized meaningful phrases relating to one of the set of predetermined task objectives.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining a priority of each of at least one task objective based on a structure of a hierarchy of task objectives;

associating the at least one task objective from the hierarchy of task objectives with a first input received from a user, wherein each task objective is assigned a corresponding priority;

determining an order of implementation of the at least one task objective based on the corresponding priority assigned to each of the task objectives associated with the first input;

associating the at least one task objective from the hierarchy of task objectives with a second input received from a user;

revising the order of implementation of the at least one task objective based on the corresponding priority assigned to each of the task objectives associated with the first input and the second input, to yield a revised order of implementation; and

implementing the task objectives based on the revised order of implementation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a threshold to task objectives associated with the first input, wherein task objectives below the threshold are not implemented.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hierarchy of task objectives includes mutually exclusive objectives.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, if mutually exclusive task objectives are associated with one of the first input and the second input, conducting a dialog with the user to determine which mutually exclusive task objective the user desires.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein if the task objectives below the threshold are not implemented, the method further comprises conducting a dialog with the user.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising identifying at least one task objective from the dialog with the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input and the second input are speech.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the task objectives has at least one attribute, and each attribute is assigned an attribute priority based on the first input.

10. The system of claim 1, the instructions further controlling the processor to apply a threshold to task objectives associated with the first input, wherein task objectives below the threshold are not implemented.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein if task objectives below the threshold are not implemented, the instructions further control the processor to conduct a dialog with the user.

14. The system of claim 13, the instructions further controlling the processor to identify at least one task objective from the dialog with the user.

9. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory storing instruction for controlling the processor to perform steps comprising;

obtaining a priority of each of at least one task objective based on a structure of a hierarchy of task objectives;

associating the at least one task objective from the hierarchy of task objectives with a first input received from a user, wherein each task objective is assigned corresponding priority;

determining an order of implementation of the at least one task objective based on the corresponding priority assigned to each of the task objectives associated with the first input;

associating o the at least one task objective from the hierarchy of task objectives with a second input received from a user;

revising the order of implementation of the at least one task objective based on the corresponding priority assigned to each of the task objectives associated with the first input and the second input, to yield a revised order of implementation; and

implementing the task objectives based on the revised order of implementation.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the hierarchy of task objectives includes mutually exclusive objectives.

12. The system of claim 11, the instructions further controlling the processor, if mutually exclusive task objectives are associated with at least one of the first input and the second input, to conduct a dialog with the user to determine which mutually exclusive task objective the user desires.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the first input and the second input are speech.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the task objectives has at least one attribute, and each attribute is assigned an attribute priority based on the first input.

17. A tangible computer-readable medium storing a computer program having instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform steps comprising:

obtaining a priority of each of at least one task objective based upon a structure of a hierarchy of task objectives;

associating the at least one task objective from the hierarchy of task objectives with a first input received from a user, wherein each task objective is assigned corresponding priority;

determining an order of implementation of the at least one task objective based on the corresponding priority assigned to each of the task objectives associated with the first input;

associating the at least one task objective from the hierarchy of task objectives with a second input received from a user;

revising the order of implementation of the at least one task objective based on the corresponding priority assigned to each of the task objectives associated with the first input and the second input, to yield a revised order of implementation; and

implementing the task objectives based on the revised order of implementation.

18. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 17, the instructions further comprising applying a threshold to task objectives associated with the first input, wherein task objectives below the threshold are not implemented.

19. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the hierarchy of task objectives includes mutually exclusive objectives.

20. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 19, the instructions further comprising, if mutually exclusive task objectives are associated with one of the first input and the second input, conducting a dialog with the user to determine which mutually exclusive task objective the user desires.

21. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein if the task objectives below the threshold are not implemented, the instructions further comprising conducting a dialog with the user.

22. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 21, the instructions further comprising identifying at least one task objective from the dialog with the user.

23. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first input and the second input are speech.

24. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein each of the task objectives has at least attribute, and each attribute is assigned an attribute priority based on the first input.