Method and apparatus for dynamic modification of command weights in a natural language understanding system
View Patent ↗A method and system for dynamically assigning weights to the subset of commands in a natural language dialog system based on prior context of the user's interaction with the system. The search space of the translation process may be reduced when some context information is available. A user presents input to the natural language understanding system. The system translates the user input into a formal command and calculates a weight value for a next set of formal commands based on the formal command. The command weights may then be dynamically boosted for the next set of formal commands before executing the formal command. The exemplary aspects of the present invention reduce the time needed to complete a task since the search space of the translation process may be reduced if context information is available and improve the accuracy of the process by using knowledge that users regularly use repeating patterns for repeating tasks.
1. A method for context-based dynamic assignment of weights for formal commands in a natural language understanding system, comprising:
receiving a user input;
translating the user input into a formal command;
determining a weight value for a next set of formal commands based on the formal command;
dynamically boosting the command weights for the next set of formal commands;
resetting the boosted command weights to a default value, wherein the step of resetting the boosted command weights includes allowing the boosted command weights to decay over time; and
executing the formal command.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein allowing the boosted command weights to decay over time includes resetting the boosted command weights when the command weights reach a minimum value.
3. A data processing system for context-based dynamic assignment of weights for formal commands in a natural language understanding system, comprising:
means for receiving a user input;
means for translating the user input into a formal command;
means for determining a weight value for a next set of formal commands based on the formal command;
means for dynamically boosting the command weights for the next set of formal commands;
means for resetting the boosted command weights to a default value, wherein the means for resetting the boosted command weights includes allowing the boosted command weights to decay over time; and
means for executing the formal command.
4. The data processing system of claim 3 , wherein allowing the boosted command weights to decay over time includes resetting the boosted command weights when the command weights reach a minimum value.
5. A system for context-based dynamic assignment of weights for formal commands in a natural language understanding system, the system comprising:
user interface for generating a user input;
a natural language understanding system, wherein the user input is translated into a formal command;
a command booster for calculating a weight value for a next set of formal commands based on the formal command, dynamically boosting the command weights for the next set of formal commands, and resetting the boosted command weights to a default value, wherein the step of resetting the boosted command weights includes allowing the boosted command weights to decay over time; and
a command executor for executing the formal command.
6. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having encoded thereon computer usable program code for context-based dynamic assignment of weights for formal commands in a natural language understanding system, the computer program product comprising:
computer usable program code for receiving a user input;
computer usable program code for translating the user input into a formal command;
computer usable program code for determining a weight value for a next set of formal commands based on the formal command;
computer usable program code for dynamically boosting the command weights for the next set of formal commands;
computer usable program code for resetting the boosted command weights to a default value, wherein the instructions for resetting the boosted command weights includes allowing the boosted command weights to decay over time; and
computer usable program code for executing the formal command.
7. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein allowing the boosted command weights to decay over time includes resetting the boosted command weights when the command weights reach a minimum value.