Method and system of dynamically changing a sentence structure of a message

• US 8,380,484 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2004
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Davis, Brent L., Hanley, Stephen W., Michelini, Vanessa V., Polkosky, Melanie D.
• Primary Examiner(s): COLUCCI, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US10/915,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20060036433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,115 Days
• Field of Search: 704/9, 704/260, 704/275, 704/258, 704/270.1, 704/270, 704/268, 704/257, 704/244, 704/211, 704/209, 704/2, 379/202.01, 379/88.22, 3/9, 326/0, 709/246, 701/36, 463/43
• US Class Current: 704/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/027 Concept to speech synthesisers; Generation of natural phrases from machine-based concepts generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text G10L13/08
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/033 Voice editing, e.g. manipulating the voice of the synthesiser

Abstract

A method (50) of dynamically changing a sentence structure of a message can include the step of receiving (51) a user request for information, retrieving (52) data based on the information requested, and altering (53) among an intonation and/or the language conveying the information based on the context of the information to be presented. The intonation can optionally be altered by altering (54) a volume, a speed, and/or a pitch based on the information to be presented. The language can be altered by selecting (55) among a finite set of synonyms based on the information to be presented to the user or by selecting (56) among key verbs, adjectives or adverbs that vary along a continuum.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of dynamically modifying automated machine playback of messages in an interactive voice response system in a manner that approximates actual human dialog by varying key variables associated with an application domain, comprising the steps of:

creating a table or database with synonyms of the key variables and predetermined rules for selecting a synonym for a key variable based on a context of a message to be generated;

receiving a user request for information;

retrieving data based on the information requested;

generating a message responsive to the user request for conveying the information to the user, the message being generated using syntactic rules;

dynamically modifying the message by altering intonation and selecting an appropriate synonym for each key variable of the message from the table or database, wherein the altering and the selecting are both based on a context of the information to be presented, wherein the context is related to the application domain and defines situations where different key variables can be selected based on certain determination criteria; and

playing back the modified message to the user;

wherein the intonation includes at least one of a volume, a speed, and a pitch,

wherein the key variables include at least one of key verbs and adverbs, and

wherein the key variables are selected among a finite set of synonyms in the table or database based on the context of the information to be presented to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the finite set of synonyms vary along a continuum from a standard outcome to a highly unlikely outcome or to an extreme outcome of an event.

3. A computer-implemented interactive voice response system for dynamically modifying automated machine playback of messages in a manner that approximates actual human dialog by varying key variables associated with an application domain, comprising:

a database containing a plurality of synonyms for the key variables associated with the application domain and predetermined rules for selecting a synonym for a key variable based on a context of a message to be generated; and

a processor that accesses the database, wherein the processor is programmed to;

receive a user request for information;

retrieve data based on the information requested;

generate a message responsive the user request for conveying the information to the user;

dynamically modify the message by altering intonation and selecting an appropriate synonym for each key variable of the message from the database, wherein the altering and the selecting are both based on a context of the information to be presented, wherein the context is related to the application domain and defines situations where different key variables can be selected based on certain determination criteria; and

play back the modified message to the user;

wherein the intonation includes at least one of a volume, a speed, and a pitch, wherein the key variables include at least one of key verbs and adverbs, and wherein the key variables are selected among a finite set of synonyms in the database based on the context of the information to be presented to the user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the finite set of synonyms vary along a continuum from a standard outcome to a highly unlikely outcome or to an extreme outcome of an event.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform a method of dynamically modifying automated machine playback of messages in an interactive voice response system in a manner that approximates actual human dialog by varying key variables associated with an application domain comprising the steps of:

creating a table or database with synonyms of the key variables and predetermined rules for selecting a synonym for a key variable based on a context of a message to be generated;

receiving a user request for information;

retrieving data based on the information requested;

generating a message responsive the user request for conveying the information to the user, the message being generated using syntactic rules;

dynamically modify the message by altering intonation and selecting an appropriate synonym for each key variable of the message from the database, wherein the altering and the selecting are both based on a context of the information to be presented, wherein the context is related to the application domain and defines situations where different key variables can be selected based on certain determination criteria; and

playing back the modified message to the user;

wherein the intonation includes at least one of a volume, a speed, and a pitch, wherein the key variables include at least one of key verbs and adverbs, and wherein the key variables are selected among a finite set of synonyms in the table or database based on the context of the information to be presented to the user.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage of claim 5, wherein the finite set of synonyms vary along a continuum from a standard outcome to a highly unlikely outcome or to an extreme outcome of an event.