System and methods for a virtual assistant to manage and use context in a natural language dialog
US10418032B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 24, 2016 |
| Grant date | Sep 17, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 24, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG10L15/26
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A dialog with a conversational virtual assistant includes a sequence of user queries and systems responses. Queries are received and interpreted by a natural language understanding system. Dialog context information gathered from user queries and system responses is stored in a layered context data structure. Incomplete queries, which do not have sufficient information to result in an actionable interpretation, become actionable with use of context data. The system recognizes the need to access context data, and retrieves from context layers information required to transform the query into an executable one. The system may then act on the query and provide an appropriate response to the user. Context data buffers forget information, perhaps selectively, with the passage of time, and after a sufficient number and type of intervening queries.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.