IP Library Granted Patent US 8,639,518
Granted Patent B2
US 8,639,518 · App. 13/540,048 · Granted Jan 28, 2014

Information retrieving apparatus, information retrieving method, and computer program product

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,639,518
App. No.
13/540,048
Granted
Jan 28, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to an embodiment, an information retrieving apparatus includes a housing; an input-output unit to perform dialogue processing with a user; a first detecting unit to detect means of transfer which indicates present means of transfer for the user; a second detecting unit to detect a holding status which indicates whether the user is holding the housing; a third detecting unit to detect a talking posture which indicates whether the housing is held near the face of the user; a selecting unit to select, from among a plurality of interaction modes that establish the dialogue processing, an interaction mode according to a combination of the means of transfer, the holding status, and the talking posture; an dialogue manager to control the dialogue processing according to the selected interaction mode; and a information retrieval unit to retrieve information using a keyword that is input during the dialogue processing.

Claims (31)

1. An information retrieving apparatus comprising:

a housing;

an input-output unit configured to perform dialogue processing with a user;

a first detecting unit configured to detect means of transfer which indicates present means of transfer for the user;

a second detecting unit configured to detect a holding status which indicates whether or not the user is holding the housing;

a third detecting unit configured to detect a talking posture which indicates whether or not the housing is held near the face of the user;

a selecting unit configured to select, from among a plurality of interaction modes that establish the dialogue processing, an interaction mode according to a combination of the means of transfer, the holding status, and the talking posture;

a dialogue manager configured to control the dialogue processing according to the selected interaction mode; and

an information retrieval unit configured to retrieve dialog based information by using a keyword that is input during the dialogue processing and by using a search scope on the dialog based information that is narrowed down according to the selected interaction mode; and

an output unit configured to provide an output to the user based on the retrieved information.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interaction modes correspond to a plurality of dialogue processing patterns, each of which having at least a different manner of using the input-output unit or different details of information presented to the user.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first detecting unit detects the means of transfer as one of walking, travelling by a car, and travelling by a train.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a fourth detecting unit configured to detect a wearing status which indicates whether or not the user is wearing a wireless headset, wherein

from among the plurality of interaction modes that establish the dialogue processing, the selecting unit selects an interaction mode according to a combination of the means of transfer, the holding status, the talking posture, and the wearing status.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a fifth detecting unit configured to detect an action steadiness which indicates whether or not a present action of the user is steady, wherein

from among the plurality of interaction modes that establish the dialogue processing, the selecting unit selects an interaction mode according to a combination of the means of transfer, the holding status, the talking posture, and the action steadiness.

6. An information retrieving method implemented in an information retrieving apparatus that includes an input-output unit for performing dialogue processing with a user, the information retrieving method comprising:

detecting at least one means of transfer which indicates present means of transfer for the user;

detecting a holding status which indicates whether or not the user is holding the housing;

detecting a talking posture which indicates whether or not the housing is held near the face of the user;

selecting, from among a plurality of interaction modes that establish the dialogue processing, an interaction mode according to a combination of the means of transfer, the holding status, and the talking posture;

controlling the dialogue processing according to the selected interaction mode;

and

retrieving dialog based information by using a keyword that is input during the dialogue processing and by using a search scope on the dialog based information that is narrowed down according to the selected interaction mode; and providing an output to the user based on the retrieved information.

7. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing information retrieving program executed by a computer that includes an input-output unit for performing dialogue processing with a user, the program causing the computer to perform:

detecting at least one means of transfer which indicates present means of transfer for the user;

detecting a holding status which indicates whether or not the user is holding the housing;

detecting a talking posture which indicates whether or not the housing is held near the face of the user;

selecting, from among a plurality of interaction modes that establish the dialogue processing, an interaction mode according to a combination of the means of transfer, the holding status, and the talking posture;

controlling the dialogue processing according to the selected interaction mode; and

retrieving dialog based information by using a keyword that is input during the dialogue processing and by using a search scope on the dialog based information that is narrowed down according to the selected interaction mode; and providing an output to the user based on the retrieved information.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY'S ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 048547 FRAME 0187. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Recorded May 6, 2020
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052595/0307 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ADD SECOND RECEIVING PARTY PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 48547 FRAME: 187. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Aug 13, 2019
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050041/0054 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 8, 2019
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048547/0187 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2012
From: WAKAKI, HIROMI; SUMITA, KAZUO; FUJII, HIROKO; SUZUKI, MASARU; ARIGA, MICHIAKI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 028987/0299 →