Conversational computing via conversational virtual machine

US7729916B2 · kind B2 · 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 23, 2006
• Grant date: Jun 1, 2010
• Expiry date: Dec 7, 2028

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 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 information for th…