Natural language task completion platform authoring for third party experiences

• US 10,635,281 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2016
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Marin, Marius Alexandru, Crook, Paul Anthony, Holenarsipur Ramesh, Nikhil, Agarwal, Vipul, Zia Khan, Omar, Rochette, Alexandre, Robichaud, Jean-Philippe, Sarikaya, Ruhi
• Primary Examiner(s): Casillas, Roland J
• Application Number:
  US15/043,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20170235465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/40 Processing or translation of natural language natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Aspects herein provide third party application authors with a user interface authoring platform that automates and simplifies a task definition process while also providing the ability to leverage pre-existing language understanding models and canonicalization and resolution modules that are provided by the operating system on which the CU system resides or as provided by other third parties. In particular, the present disclosure provides a method and system for authoring a task using a user interface authoring platform.

Claims

1. A method for authoring a task using a user interface authoring platform, the method comprising:

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, a definition of a task;

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, a selection of a definition of an intent that will trigger the task;

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, a parameter associated with the intent that is used for execution of the task, wherein receiving the parameter comprises receiving an indication of whether or not the parameter is required for execution of the task;

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, an indication of a resolver for the parameter, wherein the resolver is operable to identify data from received input associated with the parameter;

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, information defining a dialog that is provided when the parameter cannot be resolved, wherein the dialog prompts a user for additional information about the parameter; and

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, an identification of the execution of the task.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based on receiving the definition of the task, providing at least one language understanding model related to of the defined task.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one language understanding model is stored in a shared database among one or more language understanding models.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the definition of the task further comprises:

receiving at least one definition of a dialog act.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one dialog act is one of:

a missing value dialog act, a disambiguation dialog act, a no results dialog act, a suggestions dialog act, a selection dialog act, and a confirmation dialog act.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the selection of the definition of the intent that will trigger the task further comprises receiving a selection of a trigger domain corresponding to the intent that will trigger the task.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the parameter associated with the intent that is used for execution of the task further comprises:

receiving a name of the parameter;

receiving a type of the parameter;

receiving a condition of the parameter, the condition indicating whether the parameter is one of a required parameter and an optional parameter;

receiving one or more slot tags as inputs to resolve the parameter; and

receiving a resolver for the parameter.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more validation conditions.

9. A system comprising:

at least one processing unit; and

at least one memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the system to perform a method, the method comprising;

receiving, at a user interface authoring platform, a definition of a task;

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, a selection of an intent that will trigger the task;

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, a parameter associated with the intent that is used for execution of the task, wherein receiving the parameter comprises receiving an indication of whether or not the parameter is required for execution of the task;

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, an indication of a resolver for the parameter, wherein the resolver is operable to identify data from received input associated with the parameter;

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, information defining a dialog that is provided when the parameter cannot be resolved, wherein the dialog prompts a user for additional information about the parameter; and

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, an identification of a third party application used for execution of the task.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein receiving the definition of the task comprises receiving a selection of a primary language understanding model of the task stored in a shared database.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein receiving the selection of the intent that will trigger the task further comprises receiving a selection of a trigger domain corresponding to the intent that will trigger the task.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein receiving the parameter associated with the intent that is used for execution of the task further comprises:

receiving a name of the parameter;

receiving a type of the parameter;

receiving a condition of the parameter, the condition indicating whether the parameter is one of a required parameter and an optional parameter;

receiving one or more slot tags as inputs to resolve the parameter; and

receiving a resolver for the parameter.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving at least one definition of a dialog act,

wherein the at least one dialog act is one of;

a missing value dialog act, a disambiguation dialog act, a no results dialog act, a suggestions dialog act, a selection dialog act, and a confirmation dialog act.

14. A computer-readable memory storage device, excluding a signal, which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for authoring a task using a user interface authoring platform, the method comprising:

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, a definition of a task;

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, a selection of an intent that will trigger the task;

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, a parameter that that is used for execution of the task, wherein receiving the parameter comprises receiving an indication of whether or not the parameter is required for execution of the task;

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, an indication of a resolver for the parameter, wherein the resolver is operable to identify data from received input associated with the parameter;

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, information defining a dialog that is provided when the parameter cannot be resolved, wherein the dialog prompts a user for additional information about the parameter, and

receiving, at the user interface authoring platform, an identification of a third party application used for execution of the task.

15. The computer-readable memory storage device of claim 14, wherein receiving the definition of the task comprises receiving a selection of a primary language understanding model of the task.

16. The computer-readable memory storage device of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving at least one definition of a dialog act,

wherein the at least one dialog act is one of;

a missing value dialog act, a disambiguation dialog act, a no results dialog act, a suggestions dialog act, a selection dialog act, and a confirmation dialog act.

17. The computer-readable memory storage device of claim 14, wherein receiving the selection of the intent that will trigger the task further comprises receiving a selection of a trigger domain corresponding to the intent that will trigger the task.

18. The computer-readable memory storage device of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving one or more validation conditions.

19. The computer-readable memory storage device of claim 14, wherein receiving the parameter associated with the intent that is used for execution of the task further comprises:

receiving a name of the parameter;

receiving a type of the parameter;

receiving a condition of the parameter, the condition indicating whether the parameter is one of a required parameter and an optional parameter;

receiving one or more slot tags as inputs to resolve the parameter; and

receiving a resolver for the parameter.

20. The computer-readable memory storage device of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a definition of a dialog act requesting a value of the parameter.