Voice response system
First Claim
1. A voice interactive system for responding to a voice inquiry from a user during a session between the user and the system, comprising:
- a combination of hardware and software configured to embody;
a voice interactive unit for recognizing speech in the voice inquiry from the user and providing responses to the inquiry;
a dialog history log for storing a record of a dialog between the voice interactive unit and the user;
a dialog state diagram definition file for defining each expected dialog state for the session and information regarding at least display of a dialog state diagram;
a dialog state determination model comprising information for estimating a current dialog state according to the dialog history log from a service start time to a current time;
a dialog information analyzing unit, responsive to a determination by the voice interactive unit that it cannot provide a valid response to the voice inquiry from the user, for estimating the current dialog state between the user and the voice interactive unit based on the dialog history log and the dialog state determination model; and
a dialog state display unit remote from the user for displaying the dialog state diagram, including a representation of each expected dialog state for the session, and further including a representation of at least one dialog state, other than a transition between dialog states, not yet entered during the session, according to the dialog state diagram definition file, and for visually presenting the current dialog state estimated by the dialog information analyzing unit on said dialog state diagram to an operator other than the user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A voice response system attempts to respond to spoken user input and to provide computer-generated responses. If the system decides it cannot provide valid responses, the current state of user session is determined and forwarded to a human operator for further action. The system maintains a recorded history of the session in the form of a dialog history log. The dialog history and information as to the reliability of past speech recognition efforts is employed in making the current state determination. The system includes formatting rules for controlling the display of information presented to the human operator.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A voice interactive system for responding to a voice inquiry from a user during a session between the user and the system, comprising:
a combination of hardware and software configured to embody; a voice interactive unit for recognizing speech in the voice inquiry from the user and providing responses to the inquiry; a dialog history log for storing a record of a dialog between the voice interactive unit and the user; a dialog state diagram definition file for defining each expected dialog state for the session and information regarding at least display of a dialog state diagram; a dialog state determination model comprising information for estimating a current dialog state according to the dialog history log from a service start time to a current time; a dialog information analyzing unit, responsive to a determination by the voice interactive unit that it cannot provide a valid response to the voice inquiry from the user, for estimating the current dialog state between the user and the voice interactive unit based on the dialog history log and the dialog state determination model; and a dialog state display unit remote from the user for displaying the dialog state diagram, including a representation of each expected dialog state for the session, and further including a representation of at least one dialog state, other than a transition between dialog states, not yet entered during the session, according to the dialog state diagram definition file, and for visually presenting the current dialog state estimated by the dialog information analyzing unit on said dialog state diagram to an operator other than the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for responding to a voice inquiry from a user during a session between the user and the system, the system comprising at least one processor configured to:
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recognize speech in the voice inquiry from the user, and respond to the inquiry; store a dialog history with the user in a dialog history log; responsive to a determination that the system cannot provide a valid system response to spoken input items, estimate a current dialog state of the user, based on the dialog history log and a dialog state determination model comprising information for estimating the current dialog state according to the dialog history log from the service start time to the current time; and display remotely from the user a dialog state diagram, including a representation of each expected dialog state for the session, and further including a representation of at least one dialog state, other than a transition between dialog states, not yet entered during the session, according to a dialog state diagram definition file defining each expected dialog state for the session and at least information regarding display of the dialog state diagram, and visually present the estimated current dialog state on the dialog state diagram to an operator other than the user. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by at least one processor included in a voice interactive system, cause the at least one processor to execute a method for responding to inquiries by voice from a user during a session between the user and the system, the method comprising acts of:
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recognizing speech in the voice from the user and responding to the inquiries; storing a dialog history with the user in a dialog history log; responsive to a determination that a valid response to spoken input items cannot be provided, estimating a current dialog state between the user and a voice interactive unit based on the dialog history log, and a dialog state determination model comprising information for estimating the current dialog state according to the dialog history log from the service start time to the current time; and displaying a dialog state diagram, including a representation of each expected dialog state for the session, and further including a representation of at least one dialog state, other than a transition between dialog states, not yet entered during the session, according to a dialog state diagram definition file for defining each expected dialog state for the session and information regarding at least display of the dialog state diagram, and visually presenting the estimated current dialog state in the dialog state diagram to an operator.
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Specification