IP Library Granted Patent US 8,082,153
Granted Patent B2
US 8,082,153 · App. 12/544,473 · Granted Dec 20, 2011

Conversational computing via conversational virtual machine

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,082,153
App. No.
12/544,473
Granted
Dec 20, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for conversational computing includes executing code embodying a conversational virtual machine, registering a plurality of input/output resources with a conversational kernel, providing an interface between a plurality of active applications and the conversational kernel processing input/output data, receiving input queries and input events of a multi-modal dialog across a plurality of user interface modalities of the plurality of active applications, generating output messages and output events of the multi-modal dialog in connection with the plurality of active applications, managing, by the conversational kernel, a context stack associated with the plurality of active applications and the multi-modal dialog to transform the input queries into application calls for the plurality of active applications and convert the output messages into speech, wherein the context stack accumulates a context of each of the plurality of active applications.

Claims (26)

1. A method for conversational computing comprising:

executing code embodying a conversational virtual machine;

registering a plurality of input/output resources with a conversational kernel;

providing an interface between a plurality of active applications and the conversational kernel processing input/output data;

receiving input queries and input events of a multi-modal dialog across a plurality of user interface modalities of the plurality of active applications;

generating output messages and output events of the multi-modal dialog in connection with the plurality of active applications;

managing, by the conversational kernel, a context stack associated with the plurality of active applications and the multi-modal dialog to transform the input queries into application calls for the plurality of active applications and convert the output messages into speech, wherein the context stack accumulates a context of each of the plurality of active applications.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling and accessing a conversational engine through a conversational engine application program interface to process the input queries and input events and to generate the multi-modal dialog and the output events.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing conversational services and behaviors accessible by the plurality of active applications through a conversational engine application program interface.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

managing the multi-modal dialog across the plurality of active applications and selecting an active dialog and a resource of an application of the plurality of active applications based on the input queries;

managing and allocating conversational engines during execution of conversational tasks;

coordinating and dispatching the conversational tasks; and

accumulating the contexts of the plurality of active applications implementing an active discourse of a conversational task.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the context stack comprises a variable, a state, the input/output data of the multi-modal dialog across the different user interface modalities of the plurality of active applications.

6. A computer program product for conversational computing, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code configured to execute code embodying a conversational virtual machine, register a plurality of input/output resources with a conversational kernel, provide an interface between a plurality of active applications and the conversational kernel processing input/output data, receive input queries and input events of a multi-modal dialog across a plurality of user interface modalities of the plurality of active applications, generate output messages and output events of the multi-modal dialog in connection with the plurality of active applications, manage, by the conversational kernel, a context stack associated with the plurality of active applications and the multi-modal dialog to transform the input queries into application calls for the plurality of active applications and convert the output messages into speech, wherein the context stack accumulates a context of each of the plurality of active applications.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising controlling and accessing a conversational engine through a conversational engine application program interface to process the input queries and input events and to generate the multi-modal dialog and the output events.

8. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising providing conversational services and behaviors accessible by the plurality of active applications through a conversational engine application program interface.

9. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising:

managing the multi-modal dialog across the plurality of active applications and selecting an active dialog and a resource of an application of the plurality of active applications based on the input queries;

managing and allocating conversational engines during execution of conversational tasks;

coordinating and dispatching the conversational tasks; and

accumulating the contexts of the plurality of active applications implementing a conversational task.

10. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the context stack comprises a variable, a state, the input/output data of the multi-modal dialog across the different user interface modalities of the plurality of active applications.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2013
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 030381/0123 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 11, 2011
From: COFFMAN, DANIEL; COMERFORD, LIAM D.; DEGENNARO, STEVEN; EPSTEIN, EDWARD A.; GOPALAKRISHNAN, PONANI; MAES, STEPHANE H.; NAHAMOO, DAVID
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026732/0594 →