SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING DIALOG CONTEXT IN SPEECH SYSTEMS
Methods and systems are provided for managing spoken dialog within a speech system. The method includes establishing a spoken dialog session having a first dialog context, and receiving a context trigger associated with an action performed by a user. In response to the context trigger, the system changes to a second dialog context. In response to a context completion condition, the system then returns to the first dialog context.
1 . A method for managing spoken dialog within a speech system, the method comprising:
establishing a spoken dialog session having a first dialog context;
receiving a context trigger associated with an action performed by a user;
in response to the context trigger, changing to a second dialog context; and
in response to a context completion condition, returning to the first dialog context.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the action performed by the user corresponds to a button press.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the button press corresponds to the pressing of a button incorporated into a steering wheel of an automobile.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the action performed by the user corresponds to at least one of: speaking a preselected phrase, performing a gesture, and speaking in a predetermined direction.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein data determined during the second dialog context is incorporated into data determined during the first dialog context in order to accomplish a session task.
6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising pushing the second set of data on a context stack prior to changing to the second dialog context.
7 . A speech system comprising:
a speech understanding module configured to receive a speech utterance from a user and produce a result list associated with the speech utterance;
a dialog manager module communicatively coupled to the speech understanding module, the dialog manager module including a context handler module configured to: receive the result list; establish, with the user, a spoken dialog session having a first dialog context based on the result list; receive a context trigger associated with an action performed by a user; in response to the context trigger, change to a second dialog context; and in response to a context completion condition, return to the first dialog context.
8 . The speech system of claim 7 , wherein the context trigger comprises a button press.
9 . The speech system of claim 8 , wherein the button press corresponds to the pressing of a button incorporated into a steering wheel of an automobile.
10 . The speech system of claim 7 , wherein the context trigger comprises a preselected phrase spoken by the user.
11 . The speech system of claim 7 , wherein the context trigger comprises a gesture performed by the user.
12 . The speech system of claim 7 , wherein the context trigger comprises a determination that the user is speaking in a predetermined direction.
13 . The speech system of claim 7 , wherein the context trigger comprises a determination that a second user has begun to speak.
14 . The speech system of claim 7 , wherein data determined during the second dialog context is incorporated into data determined during the first dialog context in order to accomplish a session task.
15 . The speech system of claim 14 , wherein the context handler module includes a context stack and is configured to push the second set of data on the context stack prior to changing to the second dialog context.
16 . The speech system of claim 7 , wherein the context completion condition comprises the completion of a sub-task performed by the user.
17 . Non-transitory computer-readable media bearing software instructions, the software instructions configured to instruct a speech system to:
establish, with a user, a spoken dialog session having a first dialog context;
receive a context trigger associated with an action performed by a user;
in response to the context trigger, change to a second dialog context; and
in response to a context completion condition, return to the first dialog context
18 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , context trigger corresponds to the pressing of a button incorporated into a steering wheel of an automobile.
19 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein data determined during the second dialog context is incorporated into data determined during the first dialog context in order to accomplish a session task.
20 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19 , wherein the software instructions instruct the processor to push the second set of data onto a context stack prior to changing to the second dialog context