Passive learning and autonomously interactive system for leveraging user knowledge in networked environments

• US 8,660,970 B1
• Filed: 04/23/2009
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Fiedorowicz, Jeff A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): SITIRICHE, LUIS A
• Application Number:
  US12/428,934
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 706/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/043 Distributed expert systems; Blackboards
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles

Abstract

The different advantageous embodiments may provide a method, apparatus, and computer program product for passively learning and autonomously executing tasks on behalf of a user. The different advantageous embodiments may provide an apparatus that comprises a processing unit and a synthetic representation process executed by the processing unit. The synthetic representation process may be capable of executing a number of tasks for a user.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a network;

a processing unit connected to the network;

a number of sensors connected to the network, wherein the number of sensors are configured to detect input data regarding a user executing tasks, the input data comprising at least one of;

visual data, acoustic data, and computing activities;

an input processing module in the processing unit configured to process the data inputs;

a cognitive processing module configured to be executed by the processing unit to identify user tasks to execute in lieu of the user; and

a synthetic representation process configured to be executed by the processing unit, wherein the synthetic representation process comprises a process that autonomously represents itself to at least one of;

a person, and a system, while executing a task in lieu of the user executing the task, as if the user were performing the user tasks for the at least one of;

the person, and the system, in a manner the user would choose to perform the task and as the user would infer and interact if performing the task, the manner comprising executing the task consistent with a behavioral and cognitive model, the behavioral and cognitive model based upon an emotion and a feeling of the user that affect the user'"'"'s reasoning.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the synthetic representation process further comprises:

a number of input devices;

a number of input processing modules configured to process a number of inputs received by the synthetic representation to form input-oriented data;

a number of cognitive processing modules capable of processing the input-oriented data to form output-oriented data;

a number of output processing modules configured to process the output-oriented data to form output; and

an interface configured to present the output, wherein the interface presents the output.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the interface presents the output as the synthetic representation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the synthetic representation process uses the number of sensors to monitor the user, and wherein the synthetic representation process learns about the user through monitoring the user.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the synthetic representation process is configured to execute the task for the user instead of the task being performed by the user, as if the user was performing the task, in a manner the user would choose to perform the task and as the user would look, sound, and think if performing the task, the manner further comprising at least one of:

a prior relationship of the user with the task, a prior relationship of the user with another person, a prior experience of the user related to the task, and a prior experience of the user with another person.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a network;

a processing unit connected to the network; and

a synthetic representation process, configured to be executed by the processing unit, such that the synthetic representation process is configured to integrate a number of processing modules located on the processing unit to execute a number of tasks on behalf of a user, and the synthetic representation process comprises a process that autonomously represents itself to at least one of;

a person, and a system; and

executes at least one of the number of tasks in lieu of the user executing the at least one of the number of tasks, as if the user were performing the at least one of the number of tasks for the at least one of;

the person, and the system, in a manner the user would choose to perform the task and as the user would infer and interact if performing the task, the manner comprising executing the task consistent with a behavioral and cognitive model, the behavioral and cognitive model based upon an emotion and a feeling of the user that affect the user'"'"'s reasoning.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the number of processing modules further comprises:

a number of input processing modules configured to process a number of inputs received by the synthetic representation process to form input-oriented data;

a number of cognitive processing modules configured to process the input-oriented data to form output-oriented data; and

a number of output processing modules configured to process the output-oriented data to form output.

8. A method for executing a task in lieu of a user having to execute the task, the method comprising:

monitoring, using a sensor, a number of actions made by the user;

generating, using a processing unit, a synthetic representation process, wherein the synthetic representation process comprises a process that autonomously represents itself as the user to at least one of;

a person, and a system;

while executing the task in lieu of the user executing the task, using information received from monitoring the user; and

responsive to detecting an event, executing the task in lieu of the user having to execute the task, using the synthetic representation process to represent itself, as if the user were performing the task for the at least one of;

the person, and the system, in a manner the user would choose to perform the task and as the user would infer and interact if performing the task, the manner comprising executing the task consistent with a behavioral and cognitive model, the behavioral and cognitive model based upon an emotion and a feeling of the user that affect the user'"'"'s reasoning.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein generating the synthetic representation process further comprises:

generating a knowledge base, wherein the knowledge base stores information learned from monitoring the user.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein generating the synthetic representation process further comprises:

generating a learning process, wherein the learning process obtains information from monitoring the user and stores the information obtained in a data storage device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein executing the task using the synthetic representation process further comprises:

processing the user input received using a number of input processing modules to form input-oriented data;

processing the input-oriented data using a number of cognitive processing modules to form output-oriented data;

processing the output-oriented data using a number of output processing modules to form output data; and

presenting the output data using an interface.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein monitoring a number of actions made by the user further comprises:

detecting a presence of the user; and

authenticating the user, wherein the presence of the user is detected and the user is authenticated using a single sign-on control module.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying the user based on captured images, wherein the captured images include video input.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying the user based on captured acoustic data.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the synthetic representation process is configured to integrate a number of processing modules located on the processing unit to execute the task on behalf of the user.

16. A non-transitory computer recordable storage medium having a computer program product comprising computer usable program code configured to:

monitor input from a user, as the user executes tasks; and

integrate a number of processing modules located on a processing unit configured to autonomously decide to execute and then execute, a number of tasks that involve interacting with at least one of;

a person, and a system, in lieu of the user having to interact with at least one of;

the person, and the system, such that, in lieu of the user comprises;

the processing unit configured to interact with the at least one of;

the person, and the system as though the user were performing the number of tasks, in a manner the user would choose to perform the task and as the user would infer and interact if performing the task, the manner comprising executing the task consistent with a behavioral and cognitive model, the behavioral and cognitive model based upon an emotion and a feeling of the user that affect the user'"'"'s reasoning, such that the number of tasks can be offloaded from the number of tasks the user would be required to decide to execute and then execute.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising computer usable program code for:

responsive to detecting the input from the user, processing the user input received using a number of input processing modules to form input-oriented data;

processing the input-oriented data using a number of cognitive processing modules to form output-oriented data;

processing the output-oriented data using a number of output processing modules to form output data; and

presenting the output data using an interface.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising computer usable program code for:

detecting a presence of the user; and

authenticating the user, wherein the presence of the user is detected and the user is authenticated using a single sign-on control module.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising computer usable code for:

identifying the user based on captured images, wherein the captured images include video input.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising computer usable code for:

identifying the user based on captured acoustic data.