Social identity models for automated entity interactions

• US 9,805,493 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2015
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• 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, Jr., James H., Pham, Hien Q., Price, Reginald H., Tourville, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, LI WU
• Application Number:
  US14/834,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20160086366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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-implemented method for simulating intelligent behavior, the method comprising:

determining, by at least one processor, one or more social interactive goals (SIGs) for an automated entity during a social interaction between the automated entity and a selected entity based on a social identity target state and a perceived identity state;

determining, by the at least one processor, a set of behavioral actions for the automated entity based on the determined one or more SIGs and an interaction strategy associated with a plurality of Cultural Interaction Protocols (CIPs) that affect the social interaction by causing the automated entity to interact with the selected entity with a culturally influenced behavior exchange; and

altering paralanguage elements expressed for the automated entity via a user interface based on the determined set of behavioral actions, wherein the automated entity emulates human social behaviors.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the paralanguage elements comprise a facial expression, a gesture, body language, or combinations thereof for the automated entity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the paralanguage elements comprise at least one acoustic paralanguage element from a group of elements including pitch, volume, intonation, or combinations thereof for speech produced by the automated entity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected entity is a human interacting with the automated entity, the method further comprising:

receiving input from a sensor/filter array;

determining, by the at least one processor, paralanguage elements of the human from the received input; and

updating, by the at least one processor, social identity images of a social identity image model of the automated entity based on the determined paralanguage elements of the human.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the social identity target state is expressed by 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 entity, and

wherein the perceived identity state is expressed by an actual social identity image (ASII) configured as a social identity image the automated entity has of the selected entity and a reflexive social identity image (RSII) configured as a perceived social identity state of the automated entity itself.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the RTSII, TSII, ASII and RSII comprises a list of descriptive attributes selected from a 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.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method implements cybernetic goal seeking behavior to emulate the human social behaviors.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

during the social interaction, classifying social behaviors by the entity by the at least one processor; and

determining, by the at least one processor, the perceived identity state based on the classified social behaviors.

9. The method claim 1, wherein the automated entity is an avatar.

10. A computer system comprising:

at least one processor;

means for determining, by the at least one processor, one or more social interactive goals (SIGs) for an automated entity during a social interaction between the automated entity and a selected entity based on a social identity target state and a perceived identity state;

means for determining, by the at least one processor, a set of behavioral actions for the automated entity based on the determined one or more SIGs and an interaction strategy associated with a plurality of Cultural Interaction Protocols (CIPs) that affect the social interaction by causing the automated entity to interact with the selected entity with a culturally influenced behavior exchange; and

a user interface for altering paralanguage elements expressed for the automated entity based on the determined set of behavioral actions, wherein the automated entity emulates human social behaviors.

11. The system claim 10, wherein the paralanguage elements comprise a facial expression, a gesture, body language, or combinations thereof for the automated entity.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the paralanguage elements comprise at least one acoustic paralanguage element from a group of elements including pitch, volume, intonation, or combinations thereof for speech produced by the automated entity.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the selected entity is a human interacting with the automated entity, and wherein the system further comprises:

means for receiving input from a sensor-filter array;

means for determining, by the at least one processor, paralanguage elements of the human from the received input; and

means for updating, by the at least one processor, social identity images of a social identity image model of the automated entity based on the determined paralanguage elements of the human.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the social identity target state is expressed by a reflexive target social identity image (RTSII) configured as a social identity image that the automated entity wants the entity to have of the automated entity and a target social identity image (TSII) configured as a social identity target state of the entity, and

wherein the perceived identity state is expressed by an actual social identity image (ASII) configured as a social identity image the automated entity has of the selected entity and a reflexive social identity image (RSII) configured as a perceived social identity state of the automated entity itself.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the RTSII, TSII, ASII and RSII 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.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein cybernetic goal seeking behavior is implemented to emulate the social human behaviors.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

means for classifying social behaviors by the selected entity by the at least one processor; and

means for determining, by the at least one processor, the perceived identity state based on the classified social behaviors.

18. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the automated entity is an avatar.