IP Library Granted Patent US 10,516,637
Granted Patent B2
US 10,516,637 · App. 15/786,184 · Granted Dec 24, 2019

Smart communications assistant with audio interface

Inventors: Nikrouz Ghotbi (Redmond, WA); August Niehaus (Redmond, WA); Sachin Venugopalan (Redmond, WA); Aleksandar Antonijevic (Bellevue, WA); Tvrtko Tadic (Seattle, WA); Vashutosh Agrawal (Bellevue, WA); Lisa Stifelman (Palo Alto, CA)
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
H04L51/063G06F3/167G06F16/345G06F17/2785G06N5/02G10L15/22H04L51/046H04L51/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,516,637
App. No.
15/786,184
Granted
Dec 24, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for a smart communications assistant with an audio interface. One method includes an operation for getting messages addressed to a user. The messages are from one or more message sources and each message comprising message data that includes text. The method further includes operations for analyzing the message data to determine a meaning of each message, for generating a score for each message based on the respective message data and the meaning of the message, and for generating a textual summary for the messages based on the message scores and the meaning of the messages. A speech summary is created based on the textual summary and the speech summary is then sent to a speaker associated with the user. The audio interface further allows the user to verbally request actions for the messages.

Claims (59)

1. A method comprising:

getting, by one or more processors, one or more messages from one or more message sources, the one or more messages being addressed to a user, each message comprising message data that includes message text;

analyzing, by the one or more processors, the message data to determine a meaning of the message text in each message;

generating, by the one or more processors, a score for each message based on the respective message data and the meaning of the message;

selecting messages based on the score of each message;

generating, by the one or more processors, a textual summary for the selected messages based on the meaning of the message text;

creating, by the one or more processors, a speech summary for each selected message, based on the textual summary and the meaning of the message text; and

sending, by the one or more processors, the speech summary for the selected messages to a speaker associated with the user.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein generating the score further includes:

for each message, identifying an attribute value for each of a plurality of attributes based on the message data;

for each attribute, generating an attribute score based on the attribute values; and

generating the score for each message based on the attribute scores of the message.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein a first attribute is whether the message is from a boss of the user.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein a second attribute is a work relationship between a sender of the message and the user, the work relationship being based on an organizational chart.

5. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein a third attribute is detecting in the message text a request for an action to be performed by the user.

6. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein a fourth attribute is detecting urgency in the message, the urgency being detected based on words in the message text.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a speech interface to the user for receiving commands from the user, the commands comprising one or more of a request for the speech summary, a request to read a message, a request to forward a message, a request to create a reminder, and a request for a summary of a message.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein getting one or more messages further comprises one or more of:

getting email messages;

getting text messages;

getting chat messages; and

getting messages from a team-based application.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein generating the textual summary further comprises:

creating a summary of the meaning of the message text of the selected messages for the textual summary.

10. A system comprising:

a memory comprising instructions; and

one or more computer processors, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to perform operations comprising:

getting one or more messages from one or more message sources, the one or more messages being addressed to a user, each message comprising message data that includes message text;

analyzing the message data to determine a meaning of the message text in each message;

generating a score for each message based on the respective message data and the meaning of the message text in each message;

selecting messages based on the score of each message;

generating a textual summary for the selected messages based on the meaning of the message text;

creating a speech summary for each selected message, based on the textual summary and the meaning of the message text; and

sending the speech summary for the selected messages to a speaker associated with the user.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein generating the score further includes:

for each message, identifying an attribute value for each of a plurality of attributes based on the message data;

for each attribute, generating an attribute score based on the attribute values; and

generating the score for each message based on the attribute scores of the message.

12. The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein a first attribute is whether the message is from a boss of the user, wherein a second attribute is a work relationship between a sender of the message and the user, the work relationship being based on an organizational chart.

13. The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein a third attribute is detecting in the message text a request for an action to be performed by the user, wherein a fourth attribute is detecting urgency in the message, the urgency being detected based on words in the message text.

14. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more computer processors to perform operations comprising:

providing a speech interface to the user for receiving commands from the user, the commands comprising one or more of a request for the speech summary, a request to read a message, a request to forward a message, a request to create a reminder, and a request for a summary of a message.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

getting one or more messages from one or more message sources, the one or more messages being addressed to a user, each message comprising message data that includes message text;

analyzing the message data to determine a meaning of the message text in each message;

generating a score for each message based on the respective message data and the meaning of the message;

selecting messages based on the score of each message;

generating a textual summary for the selected messages based on the meaning of the message text;

creating a speech summary for each selected message, based on the textual summary and the meaning of the message text; and

sending the speech summary for the selected messages to a speaker associated with the user.

16. The machine-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15 , wherein generating the score further includes:

for each message, identifying an attribute value for each of a plurality of attributes based on the message data;

for each attribute, generating an attribute score based on the attribute values; and

generating the score for each message based on the attribute scores of the message.

17. The machine-readable storage medium as recited in claim 16 , wherein a first attribute is whether the message is from a boss of the user, wherein a second attribute is a work relationship between a sender of the message and the user, the work relationship being based on an organizational chart.

18. The machine-readable storage medium as recited in claim 16 , wherein a third attribute is detecting in the message text a request for an action to be performed by the user, wherein a fourth attribute is detecting urgency in the message, the urgency being detected based on words in the message text.

19. The machine-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15 , wherein the machine further performs operations comprising:

providing a speech interface to the user for receiving commands from the user, the commands comprising one or more of a request for the speech summary, a request to read a message, a request to forward a message, a request to create a reminder, and a request for a summary of a message.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 2, 2018
From: GHOTBI, NIKROUZ; NIEHAUS, AUGUST; VENUGOPALAN, SACHIN; ANTONIJEVIC, ALEKSANDAR; TADIC, TVRTKO; AGRAWAL, VASHUTOSH; STIFELMAN, LISA
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 045412/0691 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190116144A1 · Apr 18, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,260,178