Random factoid generation

• US 10,671,602 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2017
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: King, Joseph Spencer, Brush, Alice Jane Bernheim, Stifelman, Lisa Joy, Loewenthal, Eric Neal, Menon, Tulasi
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta L
• Application Number:
  US15/622,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20180329950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/582 Pseudo-random number generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

Providing a random factoid in response to a user trigger is provided. Aspects are directed to a device, method, and computer-readable medium to provide random factoids responsive to a triggering event. Various inputs such as user taps, gestures, voice commands, environment commands, etc., are monitored to recognize a triggering event associated with the random factoid system. Upon determining that the input is a triggering event, a random factoid is randomly selected and provided to the user. The factoid can be a fun fact or a helpful learning tip. In some examples, the random factoid system provides a contextual random factoid based one or more contextual factors, such as geographic location of the device, the user'"'"'s interaction history, the user'"'"'s demographic data, etc., thus providing an improved user experience.

Claims

1. A system for providing a factoid, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable data storage device storing instructions that, when executed by the processor are operative to;

receive an input;

determine the input is a factoid triggering event;

query one or more data sources to select a factoid from a plurality of factoids comprised of at least two factoid types, a first of the at least two factoid types including fun factoids associated with one or more of jokes, trivia, encyclopedic information, and entertaining information and a second of the at least two factoid types including helpful tip factoids associated with commands for accessing or using features of a device or application of the device through which the input is received; and

generate at least one of a visual display or an audible output of the selected factoid.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more data sources include at least one of:

a fun facts database storing the fun factoids;

a list of the fun factoids;

an index of web-based content including the fun factoids;

a tips database storing the helpful tip factoids;

a list of the helpful tip factoids; and

an index of web-based content including the helpful tip factoids.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein in querying the one or more data sources, the system is operative to query the one or more data sources based on a predetermined ratio of the fun factoids to the helpful tip factoids.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein in querying the one or more data sources, the system is operative to query the one or more data sources to select the factoid based on contextual information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein in querying the one or more data sources, the system is further operative to:

generate a pseudo-random number; and

select the factoid corresponding to the generated pseudo-random number.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the input includes one of:

a tap;

a gesture;

an utterance;

a selection of a button;

or

an environmental condition.

7. A method for providing a factoid, comprising:

receiving an input;

determining the input is a factoid triggering event;

querying one or more data sources to select a factoid from a plurality of factoids comprised of at least two factoid types, a first of the at least two factoid types including fun factoids associated with one or more of jokes, trivia, encyclopedic information, and entertaining information and a second of the at least two factoid types including helpful tip factoids associated with commands for accessing or using features of a device or application of the device through which the input is received; and

generating at least one of a visual display or an audible output of the selected factoid.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein querying the one or more data sources comprises:

querying a fun facts database or a list or an index of web-based content for the fun factoids; and

querying a tips database or a list or an index of web-based content for the helpful tip factoids.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein querying the one or more data sources comprises querying the one or more data sources based on a predetermined ratio of the fun factoids to the helpful tip factoids.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein querying the one or more data sources comprises querying the one or more data sources to select the factoid based on contextual information.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein querying the one or more data sources further comprises:

generating a random or a pseudo-random number; and

selecting the factoid corresponding to the generated random or the pseudo-random number.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the input comprises at least one of:

receiving an indication of a tap;

receiving an indication of a gesture;

receiving an indication of an utterance;

receiving an indication of a selection of a button; and

receiving an indication of an environmental condition.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein generating the visual display or the audible output of the selected factoid further comprises:

retaining temporary knowledge of the selected factoid for providing context in understanding an intent of a user-provided follow-up input;

receiving the follow-up input;

processing the follow-up input to understand the intent; and

querying the one or more data sources for a response to the follow-up input to provide to the user.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising opening a microphone operatively connected to a computing device for receiving the user-provided follow-up input.

15. A computer readable storage device including computer readable instructions, which when executed by a processing unit is operative to:

receive an input;

determine the input is a random factoid triggering event;

query one or more data sources to randomly select a factoid from a plurality of factoids comprised of at least two factoid types, a first of the at least two factoid types including fun factoids associated with one or more of jokes, trivia, encyclopedic information, and entertaining information and a second of the at least two factoid types including helpful tip factoids associated with commands for accessing or using features of a device or application of the device through which the input is received; and

generate at least one of;

a visual display or an audible output of the selected factoid.

16. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the one or more data sources include at least one of:

a fun facts database storing the fun factoids;

a list of the fun factoids;

an index of web-based content including the fun factoids;

a tips database storing the helpful tip factoids;

a list of the helpful tip factoids; and

an index of web-based content including the helpful tip factoids.

17. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein in querying the one or more data sources, the device is operative to query the one or more data sources based on a predetermined ratio of the fun factoids to the helpful tip factoids.

18. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein in querying the one or more data sources, the device is operative to query the one or more data sources to select the factoid based on contextual information.

19. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, the device is further operative to:

generate a random or a pseudo-random number; and

select the factoid corresponding to the generated random or the pseudo-random number.

20. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the input includes one of:

a tap;

a gesture;

an utterance;

a selection of a button;

or

an environmental condition.