Method and apparatus for structuring and managing human communications by explicitly defining the types of communications permitted between participants

US5208748A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Action Technologies Ltd · US

Inventors

• Carlos F. Flores · Berkeley, US
• Juan J. Ludlow · Guanajuato, MX
• Chauncey F. Bell, III · San Rafael, US
• Raul Mora · Fort Lauderdale, US
• Terry A. Winograd · Stanford, US
• Michael J. Graves · Sunnyvale, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 19, 1989
• Grant date: May 4, 1993
• Expiry date: Jun 19, 2009

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q10/10
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method for managing communications between individuals utilizing a programmed computer system. The method involves several definitional steps that are critical to achieving a practicable methodology for conversation management. The integrated concepts of "moves in conversations" of two basic types (Conversation for Action and Conversation for Possibilities), conversational roles, types of incompletions, and logical/functional relationships between moves, incompletions, and roles, provide a set of constructs on which a powerful and practicable methodology for conversation management may be built. They provide a basis for defining a meaningful conversation record format which can be integrated into a conversation data base using standard data base building and management tools. A system for managing communications which incorporates the methodology of this invention provides a powerful framework for structuring human conversations. The method further involves creating a body of recommended declarative text for each move which the participant may include in the message as part of the data elements of the move. The method also features a variety of conversation database access facili…