Conversational computing via conversational virtual machine

US7137126B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Daniel M. Coffman · Bethel, US
• Liam D. Comerford · Carmel, US
• Steven DeGennaro · Stratford, US
• Edward A. Epstein · Putnam Valley, US
• Ponani Gopalakrishnan · New Delhi, IN
• Stephane H. Maes · Fremont, US
• David Nahamoo · Great Neck, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 1, 1999
• Grant date: Nov 14, 2006
• Expiry date: Oct 1, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04M2250/74
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A conversational computing system that provides a universal coordinated multi-modal conversational user interface (CUI) (10) across a plurality of conversationally aware applications (11) (i.e., applications that “speak” conversational protocols) and conventional applications (12). The conversationally aware maps, applications (11) communicate with a conversational kernel (14) via conversational application APIs (13). The conversational kernel (14) controls the dialog across applications and devices (local and networked) on the basis of their registered conversational capabilities and requirements and provides a unified conversational user interface and conversational services and behaviors. The conversational computing system may be built on top of a conventional operating system and APIs (15) and conventional device hardware (16). The conversational kernel (14) handles all I/O processing and controls conversational engines (18). The conversational kernel (14) converts voice requests into queries and converts outputs and results into spoken messages using conversational engines (18) and conversational arguments (17). The conversational application API (13) conveys all the informat…