Personalized, Automated Receptionist

• US 20160188961A1
• Filed: 06/25/2015
• Published: 06/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Guo, Shang Q., Jones, Christopher P., Lenchner, Jonathan, Masters, Nathan, Mazzella, Daniel A., Oravec, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,552,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/194 References adjustable by an adaptive method, e.g. learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/161 Detection; Localisation; Normalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for creating a personalized, automated, receptionist are provided herein. A method for providing an automated receptionist for a host user includes obtaining one or more images of a work environment of the host user; processing the one or more images to determine if a visitor is present in the work environment; and if the visitor is determined to be present in the work environment, notifying the host user that the visitor is present in the work environment, wherein at least one of the steps are performed by at least one hardware device. The method may be initiated, for example, when the host user is not present in the work environment. The automated receptionist can optionally (i) provide a greeting to the visitor; (ii) enable communication between the visitor and the host user; and/or (iii) provide one or more information items to the visitor when the host user is not present.

Claims

1. A method for providing an automated receptionist for a host user, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining one or more images of a work environment of said host user;

processing said one or more images to determine if a visitor is present in said work environment; and

if said visitor is determined to be present in said work environment, notifying said host user that said visitor is present in said work environment, wherein at least one of said steps are performed by at least one hardware device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of obtaining an association of one or more faces in said one or more images and one or more names of said at least one visitor.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of evaluating at least one of said obtained associations of said one or more faces and said one or more names of said at least one visitor.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of learning one or more commands for said automated receptionist from said host user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of initiating said method when said host user is not in said work environment.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a greeting to said visitor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said greeting includes a name of said visitor.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of enabling communication between said visitor and said host user, wherein said host user is not in said work environment.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing one or more information items to said visitor when said host user is not in said work environment.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said one or more information items are provided to said visitor following a determination that said visitor has authorization for accessing said one or more information items.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of notifying said host user that said visitor is present in said work environment further comprises a notification of an identity of said visitor.