Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Colloquis, Inc.

Gray Salmon Norton

Francois Huet

Timothy L Kay

Damien Saint Macary

Stephen D Klein

Pierre Berkaloff

Methods and apparatus provide the capability of receiving at least a portion of a message in natural language format from a user prior to submission of the message to an automated agent for a response, analyzing the at least the portion of the message, and providing a suggestion to the user, based upon the analyzed at least the portion of the message, for altering the message to improve ability of the automated agent to respond to the message.

Methods and apparatus to help users of a natural language system formulate queries

A system and method are provided for escalating a user or customer to a live agent from a conversational agent when predetermined criteria are met. The conversational agent textually converses in so-called natural language interaction and can run on a computer, such as a server. Upon receiving a first query, the conversational agent creates a new case, and interacts with the customer, in an attempt to resolve the case and satisfy the user. The predetermined criteria for escalation may include a determination that the conversational agent is unable to satisfy a computer-to-computer information request. Alternatively, the predetermined criteria may include patterns and/or words associated with frustration, for example, and/or unrecognized query subject matter, high priority queries, for example to increase sales, etc.

Methods and apparatus for use in computer-to-human escalation

A conversational agent receives a textual user message and escalates the user to a live agent if predetermined criteria are met.

Methods and apparatus to evaluate the semantic proximity between reference free-form text entry and a candidate free-form text request.

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Portola Valley, CA, United States of America

Gray Salmon Norton