Language-oriented user interfaces for voice activated services

• US 20020198722A1
• Filed: 08/13/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Comverse Incorporated (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Comverse Network Systems, Inc. (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yuschik, Matthew John
• Application Number:
  US10/216,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20020198722A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/065 Adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/1822 Parsing for meaning understanding

Abstract

A comprehensive system is provided for designing a voice activated user interface (VA UI) having a semantic and syntactic structure adapted to the culture and conventions of spoken language for the intended users. The system decouples the content dimension of speech (semantics) and the manner-of-speaking dimension (syntax) in a systematic way. By decoupling these dimensions, the VA UI can be optimized with respect to each dimension independently and jointly. The approach is general across languages and encompasses universal variables of language and culture. Also provided are voice activated user interfaces with semantic and syntactic structures so adapted, as well as a prompting grammar and error handling methods adapted to such user interfaces.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing a voice activated user interface, the method comprising:

configuring the user interface with a vocabulary of command words including at least one word indicating a corresponding task and selected from plural words for the task based on frequency of use; and

changing at least one of a command and a syntax parameter of the user interface based on results of testing the user interface with speakers of a target language.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising selecting words of the vocabulary from frequently-used words given by speakers of the target language in response to task-oriented questions.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an initial value for each of one or more syntax parameters of the user interface from samples of dialogue in a conversational language of a target community; and

specifying an initial temporal syntax for the user interface based on the one or more identified initial values.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising obtaining the testing results by a procedure including:

posing a task set for a subject to perform using the user interface; and

collecting dialogue information for the user interface when the subject performs the task set.