IP Library Granted Patent US 8,903,727
Granted Patent B2
US 8,903,727 · App. 13/786,650 · Granted Dec 2, 2014

Machine, system and method for user-guided teaching and modifying of voice commands and actions executed by a conversational learning system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,903,727
App. No.
13/786,650
Granted
Dec 2, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A machine, system and method for user-guided teaching and modifications of voice commands and actions to be executed by a conversational learning system. The machine includes a system bus for communicating data and control signals received from the conversational learning system to a computer system, a vehicle data and control bus for connecting devices and sensors in the machine, a bridge module for connecting the vehicle data and control bus to the system bus, machine subsystems coupled to the vehicle data and control bus having a respective user interface for receiving a voice command or input signal from a user, a memory coupled to the system bus for storing action command sequences learned for a new voice command and a processing unit coupled to the system bus for automatically executing the action command sequences learned when the new voice command is spoken.

Claims (36)

1. A method for operating a machine including a conversational system and at least one device, comprising:

initiating, by the conversational system, a dialog between a user and a command modification tool in response to a request received from the user to learn a new voice command;

receiving, by the command modification tool, a new voice command during the dialog with the user;

adding, by the command modification tool, the new voice command to a vocabulary of the conversational system;

establishing, by the command modification tool, at least one new action command that corresponds to the new voice command by receiving at least one known command uttered by the user during the dialog and converting the known command to the at least one new action command, wherein the at least one known command defines an action to be taken when the new voice command is spoken by the user and wherein the at least one new action command, when executed, controls the at least one device;

appending the at least one new action command to the corresponding new voice command in the vocabulary of the conversational system; and

executing the at least one new action command by automatically sending a command message to the at least one device when the new voice command is spoken by the user.

2. A method for operating a machine as defined in claim 1 , wherein establishing at least one new action command further comprises receiving a user action performed by the user on the at least one device during the dialog and converting the user action to the new action command.

3. A method for operating a machine as defined in claim 2 , wherein receiving a user action comprises monitoring adjustments made by the user to the at least one device.

4. A method for operating a machine as defined in claim 1 , wherein establishing at least one new action command further comprises receiving a user action performed on an input device of the machine and converting the user action to the new action command.

5. A method for operating a machine as defined in claim 1 , wherein the machine comprises a vehicle system and the at least one device comprises a vehicle subsystem.

6. A method for operating a machine as defined in claim 1 , wherein establishing at least one new action command comprises establishing two or more new action commands that correspond to the new voice command.

7. A computer-readable storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform the method of claim 1 .

8. A method for operating a machine as defined in claim 1 , wherein the conversational system receives an input from the at least one device in response to a user action performed on the at least one device during the dialog with the user and provides in response thereto the at least one new action command that corresponds to the new voice command.

9. A machine comprising a processing unit, at least one device and a memory encoded with instructions of a conversational system, including instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the machine to:

initiate a dialog between a user and a command modification tool in response to a request by the user to learn a new voice command;

receive a new voice command during the dialog with the user;

add the new voice command to a vocabulary of the conversational system;

establish at least one new action command that corresponds to the new voice command by receiving at least one known command uttered by the user during the dialog and converting the known command to the at least one new action command, wherein the at least one known command defines an action to be taken when the new voice command is spoken by the user and wherein the at least one new action command, when executed, controls the at least one device;

append the at least one new action command to the corresponding new voice command in the vocabulary of the conversational system; and

execute the at least one new action command by automatically sending a command message to the at least one device when the new voice command is spoken by the user.

10. A machine as defined in claim 9 , wherein the instructions are further configured to establish at least one new action command by receiving a user action performed by the user on the at least one device during the dialog and converting the user action to the new action command.

11. A machine as defined in claim 10 , wherein receiving a user action comprises monitoring adjustments made by the user to the at least one device.

12. A machine as defined in claim 9 , wherein the instructions are further configured to establish at least one new action command by receiving a user action performed on an input device of the machine and converting the user action to the new action command.

13. A machine as defined in claim 9 , wherein the machine comprises a vehicle system and the at least one device comprises a vehicle subsystem.

14. A machine as defined in claim 9 , wherein the instructions are configured to establish at least one new action command by establishing two or more new action commands that correspond to the new voice command.

15. A machine as defined in claim 9 , wherein the conversational system receives an input from the at least one device in response to a user action performed on the at least one device during the dialog with the user and provides in response thereto the at least one new action command that corresponds to the new voice command.

16. A method for operating a vehicle system including a conversational system and at least one vehicle subsystem, comprising:

initiating, by the conversational system, a dialog between a user and a command modification tool in response to a request received from the user to learn a new voice command;

receiving, by the command modification tool, a new voice command during the dialog with the user;

adding, by the command modification tool, the new voice command to a vocabulary of the conversational system;

establishing, by the command modification tool, at least one new action command that corresponds to the new voice command, by receiving at least one known command uttered by the user during the dialog and converting the known command to the at least one new action command, wherein the at least one known command defines an action to be taken when the new voice command is spoken by the user and wherein the at least one new action command, when executed, controls the at least one vehicle subsystem;

appending the at least one new action command to the corresponding new voice command in the vocabulary of the conversational system; and

executing the new action command, in response to receiving an utterance by the user of the new voice command, by automatically sending a command message to the at least one vehicle subsystem.

17. A method for operating a vehicle system as defined in claim 16 , wherein establishing at least one new action command comprises establishing two or more new action commands that correspond to the new voice command.

18. A computer-readable storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform the method of claim 16 .

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2023
From: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 065532/0152 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2013
From: COMERFORD, LIAM D.; VISWANATHAN, MAHESH
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 030077/0444 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2013
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 030077/0497 →