Virtual assistant team identification

• US 9,823,811 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2014
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Next IT Corporation (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brown, Fred A, Miller, Tanya M
• Primary Examiner(s): TILLERY, RASHAWN N
• Application Number:
  US14/293,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20150185996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 715706, 715707, 715708
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90332 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/20 Education
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages

Abstract

Techniques and architectures for implementing a team of virtual assistants are described herein. The team may include multiple virtual assistants that are configured with different characteristics, such as different functionality, base language models, levels of training, visual appearances, personalities, and so on. The characteristics of the virtual assistants may be configured by trainers, end-users, and/or a virtual assistant service. The virtual assistants may be presented to end-users in conversation user interfaces to perform different tasks for the users in a conversational manner. The different virtual assistants may adapt to different contexts. The virtual assistants may additionally, or alternatively, interact with each other to carry out tasks for the users, which may be illustrated in conversation user interfaces.

Claims

1. One or more computer storage media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed, instruct one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

determining a first location of a smart device;

determining a first virtual assistant that is configured to perform a task that is related to the first location;

outputting the first virtual assistant via the smart device to facilitate a conversation with a user;

outputting a communication via the smart device from the first virtual assistant;

determining that the smart device has moved to a second location that is different than the first location;

based at least in part on the determining that the smart device has moved to the second location, identifying a second virtual assistant that is configured to perform a second task that is related to the second location of the smart device, the second task being different than the first task, the second virtual assistant being configured with a different characteristic than the first virtual assistant;

in response to identifying the second virtual assistant, outputting the second virtual assistant via the smart device to continue the conversation with the user; and

outputting a communication via the smart device from the second virtual assistant.

2. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the identifying the second virtual assistant is based on at least one of:

input that is received from the user while interacting with the smart device or another smart device;

or

input that is received from the user during the conversation of the user with the first virtual assistant.

3. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the identifying the second virtual assistant is based at least in part on a message that has been sent by the user via a messaging service, the second virtual assistant being configured to perform a task that is related to content of the message.

4. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the identifying the second virtual assistant is based at least in part on content that has been viewed or posted via a social networking service, the second virtual assistant being configured to perform a task that is related to the content that has been viewed or posted.

5. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the identifying the second virtual assistant is based at least in part on search input that is received from the user to initiate a search of content, the second virtual assistant being configured to perform a task that is related to the search input.

6. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the identifying the second virtual assistant is based at least in part on content that has been output to the user via another smart device, the second virtual assistant being configured to perform a task that is related to the content that has been output via the other smart device.

7. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the identifying the second virtual assistant is based at least in part on a current time of day, the second virtual assistant being configured to perform a task that has been performed previously at the current time of day.

13. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the identifying the second virtual assistant comprises identifying a travel virtual assistant based at least in part on determining that the second location is an airport.

14. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the first virtual assistant is configured for a first industry and the second virtual assistant is configured for a second industry that is different than the first industry.

17. A system comprising:

the one or more processors; and

the one or more computer storage media of claim 1.

8. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising;

causing a first virtual assistant of a group of virtual assistants to be output to a user along with a communication from the first virtual assistant, the first virtual assistant being configured to perform a first task;

obtaining contextual information related to a conversation between the user and the first virtual assistant, the contextual information identifying a location of the user;

based at least in part on the contextual information, determining that the user has changed locations to the location identified in the contextual information;

identifying a second virtual assistant of the group of virtual assistants that is configured to perform a second task that is related to the location of the user, the second task being different than the first task, the second virtual assistant being associated with a different persona than the first virtual assistant; and

causing the second virtual assistant to be output to the user along with a communication from the second virtual assistant to continue the conversation.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the identifying the second virtual assistant is based on at least one of conversation information describing the conversation or a previous conversation, content output history describing content that has been output to the user, messaging information describing a message that has been sent by the user via a messaging service, social media information describing content that has been viewed or posted via a social networking service, calendar information describing one or more events associated with the user, or preference information describing one or more preferences of the user.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the acts further comprise:

upon identifying the second virtual assistant, causing a suggestion to be presented to the user suggesting that the user converse with the second virtual assistant; and

receiving user input that includes a selection of the second virtual assistant,

wherein the second virtual assistant is caused to be output based at least in part on the selection of the second virtual assistant.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first virtual assistant is configured to dispatch the conversation among the group of virtual assistants to a virtual assistant that is configured to perform a task related to a current context of the conversation.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the acts further comprise determining the location of the user based at least in part on location data of a device through which the first virtual assistant is output.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the causing the first virtual assistant to be output to the user along with the communication from the first virtual assistant comprises sending data to a smart device associated with the user instructing the smart device to at least one of;

display information representing at least one of the first virtual assistant or the communication from the first virtual assistant;

or

output audio representing at least one of the first virtual assistant or the communication from the first virtual assistant; and

the causing the second virtual assistant to be output to the user along with the communication from the second virtual assistant comprises sending data to the smart device associated with the user instructing the smart device to at least one of;

display information representing at least one of the second virtual assistant or the communication from the second virtual assistant;

or

output audio representing at least one of the second virtual assistant or the communication from the second virtual assistant.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the causing the first virtual assistant to be output to the user along with the communication from the first virtual assistant comprises at least one of;

displaying information representing at least one of the first virtual assistant or the communication from the first virtual assistant;

or

output audio representing at least one of the first virtual assistant or the communication from the first virtual assistant; and

the causing the second virtual assistant to be output to the user along with the communication from the second virtual assistant comprises at least one of;

displaying information representing at least one of the second virtual assistant or the communication from the second virtual assistant;

or

outputting audio representing at least one of the second virtual assistant or the communication from the second virtual assistant.

18. A method comprising:

causing, by a computing device, a first virtual assistant of a group of virtual assistants to be output to a user along with a communication from the first virtual assistant, the first virtual assistant being configured to perform a first task;

obtaining, by the computing device, contextual information identifying a location of the user;

based at least in part on the contextual information, determining, by the computing device, that the user has changed locations to the location identified in the contextual information;

identifying a second virtual assistant of the group of virtual assistants that is configured to perform a second task that is related to the location of the user, the second task being different than the first task, the second virtual assistant being associated with a different persona than the first virtual assistant; and

causing, by the computing device, the second virtual assistant to be output to the user along with a communication from the second virtual assistant.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the identifying the second virtual assistant is based at least in part on conversation information describing a conversation between the user and the first virtual assistant.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the identifying the second virtual assistant is based on at least one of calendar information describing one or more events associated with the user or preference information describing one or more preferences of the user.