IP Library Granted Patent US 8,639,517
Granted Patent B2
US 8,639,517 · App. 13/524,714 · Granted Jan 28, 2014

Relevance recognition for a human machine dialog system contextual question answering based on a normalization of the length of the user input

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 8,639,517
App. No.
13/524,714
Granted
Jan 28, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are systems, methods and computer-readable media for controlling a computing device to provide contextual responses to user inputs. The method comprises receiving a user input, generating a set of features characterizing an association between the user input and a conversation context based on at least a semantic and syntactic analysis of user inputs and system responses, determining with a data-driven machine learning approach whether the user input begins a new topic or is associated with a previous conversation context and if the received question is associated with the existing topic, then generating a response to the user input using information associated with the user input and any previous user input associated with the existing topic, based on a normalization of the length of the user input.

Claims (31)

1. A method comprising:

generating, via a processor, a set of features characterizing an association between a user input and a conversation context using prior user inputs;

determining, by normalizing a length of the user input to a previous input in the prior user inputs and using a data-driven machine learning approach, whether the user input is associated with an existing topic related to a previous conversation context; and

when the user input is associated with the existing topic, generating a response to the user input using information associated with the user input and content associated with any previous user input on the existing topic.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the response to the user input further comprises using a model trained for context fusion.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data-driven machine learning approach is applied using one of a decision tree, Adaboost, Support Vector Machines, and Maxent.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user input is a natural language request.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising classifying the prior user inputs based on context space.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the response to the user input further comprises an information fusion of the user input and the previous user input.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the set of features further comprises using a semantic and syntactic analysis of the user input and the prior user inputs.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the user input is associated with the existing topic related to the previous conversation context further comprises comparing semantic similarity information of a normalized feature and a non-normalized feature.

9. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

generating a set of features characterizing an association between a user input and a conversation context using prior user inputs;

determining, by normalizing a length of the user input to a previous input in the prior user inputs and using a data-driven machine learning approach, whether the user input is associated with an existing topic related to a previous conversation context; and

when the user input is associated with the existing topic, generating a response to the user input using information associated with the user input and content associated with any previous user input on the existing topic.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein generating the response to the user input further comprises using a model trained for context fusion.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the data-driven machine learning approach is applied using one of a decision tree, Adaboost, Support Vector Machines, and Maxent.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the user input is a natural language request.

13. The system of claim 9 , the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which result in the operations further comprising classifying the prior user inputs based on context space.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein generating the response to the user input further comprises an information fusion of the user input and the previous user input.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein generating the set of features further comprises using a semantic and syntactic analysis of the user input and the prior user inputs.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein determining whether the user input is associated with the existing topic related to the previous conversation context further comprises comparing semantic similarity information of a normalized feature and a non-normalized feature.

17. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

generating a set of features characterizing an association between a user input and a conversation context using prior user inputs;

determining, by normalizing a length of the user input to a previous input in the prior user inputs and using a data-driven machine learning approach, whether the user input is associated with an existing topic related to a previous conversation context; and

when the user input is associated with the existing topic, generating a response to the user input using information associated with the user input and content associated with any previous user input on the existing topic.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17 , wherein generating the response to the user input further comprises using a model trained for context fusion.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17 , wherein the data-driven machine learning approach is applied using one of a decision tree, Adaboost, Support Vector Machines, and Maxent.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17 , wherein the user input is a natural language request.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2023
From: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 065566/0013 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2017
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY II, L.P.
To: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 041512/0608 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2016
From: AT&T CORP.
To: AT&T PROPERTIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 038275/0238 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2016
From: AT&T PROPERTIES, LLC
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY II, L.P.
Reel/Frame 038275/0310 →