Dynamic interactive voice interface

• US 9,729,690 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2011
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ben Franklin Patent Holding LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Byrne, William J., Gardella, Henry W., Gilmore, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZENATI, AMAL S
• Application Number:
  US13/079,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20110246203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,318 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8818
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/645 with speech synthesis

Abstract

A dynamic voice user interface system is provided. The dynamic voice user interface system interacts with a user at a first level of formality. The voice user interface system then monitors history of user interaction and adjusts the voice user interface to interact with the user with a second level of formality based on the history of user interaction.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request for content corresponding to a content domain of a voice interface, the request comprising a voice command matching a domain vocabulary of the content domain that includes a term recognizable within the content domain, wherein the content domain represents an information group related to a common topic or subject and is located within a domain hierarchy of the voice interface including a plurality of content domains;

determining whether the request satisfies a request threshold of a minimum number of requests made to the content domain;

adding the term of the domain vocabulary to a global vocabulary for the voice interface based on satisfaction of the request threshold, wherein the term added to the global vocabulary is recognizable by the voice interface at any recognition instance within the domain hierarchy; and

repeating the determining and the adding for additional received requests for content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a personalization request comprising preference information used to configure the voice interface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein adding the term is further based on the personalization request.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

configuring one or more favorite domains of the voice interface based on the personalization request.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

configuring a traversal path for one or more content domains and sub-domains within the domain hierarchy of the voice interface based on the personalization request, wherein the traversal path represents an ordering preference of the one or more domains and sub-domains of the voice interface.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the request in an interaction history portion of a profile specific to a user of the voice interface; and

adjusting a conversational style of the voice interface to provide more formal or more informal voice responses to the user based on the interaction history.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the global vocabulary in a profile specific to a user of the voice interface.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the domain hierarchy further includes a plurality of primary content domains and content sub-domains, and wherein the content domain corresponding to the received request is one of a primary content domain or content sub-domain of the domain hierarchy.

23. The method of claim 6, wherein the adjusting further comprises:

providing extended or shortened voice menu prompts; and

increasing or reducing a speaker pace of the voice interface.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received at a recognition instance corresponding to a second content domain of the voice interface, and wherein the method further comprises:

processing the voice command against teens included in a second domain vocabulary corresponding to the second content domain; and

performing the determining and the adding when the voice command matches a term of the second domain vocabulary.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, execution of which, by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request for content corresponding to a content domain of a voice interface, the request comprising a voice command matching a domain vocabulary of the content domain that includes a term recognizable within the content domain, wherein the content domain represents an information group related to a common topic or subject and is located within a domain hierarchy of the voice interface including a plurality of content domains;

determining whether the request satisfies a request threshold of a minimum number of requests made to the content domain;

adding the term of the domain vocabulary to a global vocabulary for the voice interface based on satisfaction of the request threshold, wherein the term added to the global vocabulary is recognizable by the voice interface at any recognition instance within the domain hierarchy; and

repeating the determining and the adding for additional received requests for content.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

receiving a personalization request comprising preference information used to configure the voice interface.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein adding the term is further based on the personalization request.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

configuring one or more favorite domains of the voice interface based on the personalization request.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

configuring a traversal path for one or more content domains and sub-domains within the domain hierarchy of the voice interface based on the personalization request, wherein the traversal path represents an ordering preference of the one or more domains and sub-domains of the voice interface.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

storing the request in an interaction history portion of a profile specific to a user of the voice interface; and

adjusting a conversational style of the voice interface to provide more formal or more informal voice responses to the user based on the interaction history.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

storing the global vocabulary in a profile specific to a user of the voice interface.

24. The method of claim 8, wherein the domain hierarchy further includes a plurality of primary content domains and content sub-domains, and wherein the content domain corresponding to the received request is one of a primary content domain or content sub-domain of the domain hierarchy.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the adjusting further comprises:

providing extended or shortened voice menu prompts; and

increasing or reducing a speaker pace of the voice interface.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the request is received at a recognition instance corresponding to a second content domain of the voice interface, and wherein the operations further comprise:

processing the voice command against terms included in a second domain vocabulary corresponding to the second content domain; and

performing the determining and the adding when the voice command matches a term of the second domain vocabulary.

15. A system comprising:

a memory storing;

a receiving module configured to receive a request for content corresponding to a content domain of a voice interface, the request comprising a voice command matching a domain vocabulary the content domain that includes a term recognizable within the content domain, wherein the content domain represents an information group related to a common topic or subject and is located within a domain hierarchy of the voice interface including a plurality of content domains,

a determining module configured to determine whether the request satisfies a request threshold of a minimum number of requests made to the content domain, and

an adding module configured to add the term of the domain vocabulary to a global vocabulary for the voice interface based on satisfaction of the request threshold, wherein the term added to the global vocabulary is recognizable by the voice interface at any recognition instance within the domain hierarchy,

wherein the determining and the adding modules are further configured to repeat the determination and addition for additional received requests for content; and

one or more processors configured to process the modules.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a personalization module configured to receive a personalization request comprising preference information used to configure the voice interface.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein adding the term is further based on the personalization request.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the personalization module is further configured to configure one or more favorite domains of the voice interface based on the personalization request.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the personalization module is further configured to configure a traversal path for one or more content domains and sub-domains within the domain hierarchy of the voice interface based on the personalization request, wherein the traversal path represents an ordering preference of the one or more domains and sub-domains of the voice interface.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a storing module configured to store the request in an interaction history portion of a profile specific to a user of the voice interface; and

an adjusting module configured to adjust a conversational style of the voice interface to provide more formal or more informal voice responses to the user based on the interaction history.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a storing module configured to store the global vocabulary in a profile specific to a user of the voice interface.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the domain hierarchy further includes a plurality of primary content domains and content sub-domains, and wherein the content domain corresponding to the received request is one of a primary content domain or content sub-domain of the domain hierarchy.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein to adjust the conversational style the adjusting module is further configured to:

provide extended or shortened menu prompts; and

increase or reduce a speaker pace of the voice interface.

30. The system of claim 15, wherein the request is received at a recognition instance corresponding to a second content domain of the voice interface, and wherein the receiving module is further configured to:

process the voice command against terms included in a second domain vocabulary corresponding to the second content domain;

wherein the determining and the adding are performed when the voice command matches a term of the second domain vocabulary.