International Business Machines Corporation

Workgroup Technology Corporation

Nuance Communications, Inc.

Jeffrey G MacAllister

Steven I Ross

Elizabeth Anne Brownholtz

Julie F Alweis

Christopher Hyland

Marijane M Zeller

Martin Dickau

Robert C Armes

Lori C Marchak

Patrice A Tegan

Kathleen A Howard

A conversation manager processes spoken utterances from a user of a computer. The conversation manager includes a semantics analysis module and a syntax manager. A domain model that is used in processing the spoken utterances includes an ontology (i.e., world view for the relevant domain of the spoken utterances), lexicon, and syntax definitions. The syntax manager combines the ontology, lexicon, and syntax definitions to generate a grammatic specification. The semantics module uses the grammatic specification and the domain model to develop a set of frames (i.e., internal representation of the spoken utterance). The semantics module then develops a set of propositions from the set of frames. The conversation manager then uses the set of propositions in further processing to provide a reply to the spoken utterance.

System and method for relating syntax and semantics for a conversational speech application

A dialog management system functions to manage the dialog between a user of a computer system and one or more speech enabled software applications. The user provides spoken input to a microphone connected to the computer system, and hears responses from one or more applications through a speaker connected to the computer system. The dialog management system includes a dialog manager, a turn manager, a speak queue, dialog contexts, and dialog state. The dialog manager provides top-level control of the dialog and stores responses based on the user's spoken input in a speak queue for later output to the user. The turn manager controls delivery of the responses to the user based on the dialog context and the dialog state, to provide a polite asynchronous dialog with the user that enables the user to be in control of the dialog. The dialog context provides information about each dialog. The dialog state provides information about whose turn it is (computer or user) to speak.

Method and Apparatus for managing dialog management in a computer conversation

A dialog management system functions to manage the dialog between a user of a computer system and one or more speech enabled software applications. The user provides spoken input to a microphone connected to the computer system, and hears responses from one or more applications through a speaker connected to the computer system. The dialog management system includes a dialog manager, a turn manager, a speak queue, dialog contexts, and dialog state. The dialog manager provides top-level control of the dialog and stores responses based on the user's spoken input in a speak queue for later output to the user. The turn manager controls delivery of the responses to the user based on the dialog context and the dialog state, to provide a polite dialog with the user that enables the user to be in control of the dialog. The dialog context provides information about each dialog. The dialog state provides information about whose turn it is (computer or user) to speak.

Method and apparatus for performing dialog management in a computer conversational interface

A conversation manager processes a spoken utterance from a user of a computer that is directed to an application program hosted on the computer. The conversation manager includes a reasoning facility which accesses goal-directed rules stored in a rules base (e.g., database). The reasoning facility also has access to a conversational record that includes a record of previous utterances and a semantic analysis for each utterance. The reasoning facility processes a representation of the utterance by using the goal-directed rules. The reasoning facility uses means-end analysis to determine the proper rules to execute, and thus the script calls to make to achieve the goal of processing the utterance. While processing the utterance, the reasoning facility attempts to resolve any ambiguities in the representation of the utterance and to fill in any missing information that is needed to achieve its goal. The reasoning facility then generates a response to the utterance, which can be a question to the user or a command to the application program based on the utterance.

Method and apparatus for converting utterance representations into actions in a conversational system

A conversation manager processes spoken utterances from a user of a computer, and develops responses to the spoken utterances. The conversation manager includes a reasoning facility and a language generation module. Each response has a domain model associated with it. The domain model includes an ontology (i.e., world view for the relevant domain of the spoken utterances and responses), lexicon, and syntax definitions. The language generation module receives a response in the form of a formal belief structure from other components of the conversation manager. The reasoning facility selects a syntax template to use in generating a response output from the formal belief structure. The language generation module produces the response output based on the formal structure, the selected syntax template, and the domain model.

System and method for deriving natural language representation of formal belief structures

A system, and related method, for managing the development of a project includes a memory device and at least one category definition stored in the memory device. Each category definition is representative of a discrete work deliverable required to complete the project being managed and has at least one stage. Each stage defines a portion of the definition's life-cycle and is completed only upon the submission of substantive information required by the stage to create the discrete work deliverable.

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Chestnut Hill, MA, United States of America

Jeffrey G MacAllister