Social identity models for automated entity interactions

• US 9,117,316 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Crutchfield, James H. Jr., Price, Reginald H., Tourville, Steven J., Pham, Hien Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Li-Wu
• Application Number:
  US13/722,293
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/205 driven by audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]

Abstract

One or more social interactive goals for an automated entity such as an avatar may be determined during a social interaction between the automated entity and a selected entity such as a human. Identity attributes of identity images from an identity model of the automated entity may be used to determine a set of behavioral actions the automated entity is to take for the determined goals. Paralanguage elements expressed for the automated entity via a user interface may be altered based on the determined set of behavioral actions. The automated entity may refer to a computer implemented automaton that simulates a human in the user interface of an interactive computing environment. By way of example, an avatar cybernetic goal seeking behavior may be implemented in accordance with an identity theory model.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

at least one tangible memory device;

one or more processors;

program instructions, stored in the at least one tangible memory device for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, configured to automate behavior of an automated entity to emulate social human behavior according to an interactive social identity image model (SIIM) to exhibit goal seeking behavior from the automated entity during a social interaction between the automated entity and a selected entity, and including paralanguage behavior instructions to alter paralanguage behaviors expressed for the automated entity via a user interface, based on a determined set of behavioral actions within the user interface;

a data store including the interactive social identity image model (SIIM) for the automated entity, wherein the interactive SIIM comprises a plurality of social identity images, each social identity image having a plurality of social identity image attributes (SIIAs), and wherein at least one value of the plurality of SIIAs changes with each behavior of the automated entity and with each behavior of a selected entity during the social interaction between the automated entity and the selected entity; and

a sensor-filter array receiving paralanguage elements of the selected entity, wherein the one of more processors determines the paralanguage elements to be employed and updates social identity images of the social identity image model of the automated entity based on the employed paralanguage elements; and

a plurality of cultural interaction protocols (CIPs) associated with an interaction strategy, wherein the program instructions use at least one CIP to affect social interactions between the automated entity and the selected entity with which the automated entity interacts in accordance with a culturally influenced behavior exchange.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of social identity images comprises:

a reflexive social identity image (RSII) configured as a perceived social identity state of the automated entity itself;

an actual social identity image (ASII) configured as a social identity image the automated entity has of the selected entity;

a reflexive target social identity image (RTSII) configured as a social identity image that the automated entity wants the selected entity to have of the automated entity; and

a target social identity image (TSII) configured as a social identity target state of the selected entity.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the SIIAs comprises a list of descriptive attributes selected from the group of attributes consisting of arousal, pleasure, engagement, affect, trust, openness, competency, indebtedness, commonality, risk, relationship value, relationship density, normative control, and third person influence.

4. The computer system of claim 1,

wherein the interaction strategy comprises a plurality of interaction strategies stored in the at least one tangible memory device, and wherein the program instructions use the interaction strategies to determine the social human behavior of the automated entity.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the program instructions to automate the automated entity behavior and alter paralanguage behaviors expressed for the automated entity.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions further comprise:

social interaction instructions to determine one or more social interaction goals (SIGs) for the automated entity during the social interaction between the automated entity and the selected entity; and

behavioral action instructions that use the plurality of social identity image attributes (SIIAs) of the interactive SIIM of the automated entity to determine a set of behavioral actions that the automated entity is to take for the determined one or more SIGs.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions further comprise:

interaction event instructions to detect an interaction event for the automated entity and the selected entity;

update instructions to update, in response to the interaction event, the interactive SIIM of the automated entity;

social interaction instructions to determine at least one social interaction goal (SIG) for the automated entity;

interaction strategy instructions to decide an interaction strategy for the automated entity to achieve the at least one SIG;

behavioral action instructions to determine a set of one or more behavioral actions according to the interaction strategy; and

performance instructions to cause the automated entity to perform the set of behavioral actions during the social interaction within a user interface.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the automated entity is an avatar and wherein the selected entity is a human.