System and method of conversational assistance in an interactive information system
First Claim
1. A method of providing information assistance services comprising:
- receiving a single client request with a processor;
generating a plurality of request elements with reference to the single client request and at least one ontology stored in a memory operatively connected to the processor;
generating a plurality of service requests with the processor, the plurality of service requests corresponding to the plurality of request elements;
sending at least one generated service request in the plurality of service requests to at least one data service provider in a first plurality of data service providers that are software programs executed by the processor;
sending at least one other generated service request in the plurality of service requests to at least one data service provider in a second plurality of data service providers that are external data service providers communicatively coupled to the processor through a data network;
receiving a plurality of service responses including a service response from each data service provider in the first plurality of data service providers and the second plurality of data service providers that received a generated service request;
generating at least one output message element corresponding to the service responses received from the service providers;
generating output message data with reference to the at least one output message element, the generating of the output message data further comprising;
associating a first service response in the plurality of service responses to a first output message element in the plurality of output message elements with the processor;
associating a second service response in the plurality of service responses to the first output message element with the processor, the second service response being different than the first service response;
generating a ranking of the first service response and the second service response with reference to the at least one ontology stored in the memory; and
associating only one of the first service response or the second service response with the first output message element with reference to the ranking; and
sending the output message data to at least one output device that is operatively connected to the processor to produce a response to the client request.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of providing information assistance services includes generating a plurality of service requests for a plurality of request elements that are generated from a single client request received by a processor. The service requests are sent to both software application service providers that are executed by the processor and remote service providers that are connected to the local processor through a data network. The processor receives a plurality of service responses from the service providers, generating at least one output message element corresponding to the service responses, and sending the output message data to at least one output device that is operatively connected to the processor to produce a response to the client request.
42 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of providing information assistance services comprising:
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receiving a single client request with a processor; generating a plurality of request elements with reference to the single client request and at least one ontology stored in a memory operatively connected to the processor; generating a plurality of service requests with the processor, the plurality of service requests corresponding to the plurality of request elements; sending at least one generated service request in the plurality of service requests to at least one data service provider in a first plurality of data service providers that are software programs executed by the processor; sending at least one other generated service request in the plurality of service requests to at least one data service provider in a second plurality of data service providers that are external data service providers communicatively coupled to the processor through a data network; receiving a plurality of service responses including a service response from each data service provider in the first plurality of data service providers and the second plurality of data service providers that received a generated service request; generating at least one output message element corresponding to the service responses received from the service providers; generating output message data with reference to the at least one output message element, the generating of the output message data further comprising; associating a first service response in the plurality of service responses to a first output message element in the plurality of output message elements with the processor; associating a second service response in the plurality of service responses to the first output message element with the processor, the second service response being different than the first service response; generating a ranking of the first service response and the second service response with reference to the at least one ontology stored in the memory; and associating only one of the first service response or the second service response with the first output message element with reference to the ranking; and sending the output message data to at least one output device that is operatively connected to the processor to produce a response to the client request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An information assistance system comprising:
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at least one input device; at least one output device; a network device; a memory configured to store; at least one ontology include domain data corresponding to request elements in a client request and service requests corresponding to the request elements; and stored program instructions for a plurality of software programs that are executed by the information assistance system; and a processor operatively connected to the at least one input device, at least one output device, network device, and memory, the processor being configured to execute programmed instructions to; receive a client request from the at least one input device; generate a plurality of request elements with reference to the single client request and the at least one ontology; generate a plurality of service requests corresponding to the plurality of request elements; send at least one generated service request in the plurality of service requests to at least one software program in the plurality of software programs executed by the processor; send at least one other generated service request in the plurality of service requests through a data network with the network device to at least one external data service provider in a plurality of data external data service providers; receive a plurality of service responses including a service response from each software program in the plurality of software programs and each data service provider in the plurality of data service providers that received a generated service request; generate at least one output message element corresponding to the service responses; generate output message data with reference to the at least one output message element, the processor being further configured to; associate a first service response in the plurality of service responses to a first output message element in the plurality of output message elements with the processor; associate a second service response in the plurality of service responses to the first output message element with the processor, the second service response being different than the first service response; generate a ranking of the first service response and the second service response with reference to the at least one ontology stored in the memory; and associate only one of the first service response or the second service response with the first output message element with reference to the ranking; and send the output message data to the at least one output device to produce a response to the client request. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification