System, method, and article of manufacture for agent-based navigation in a speech-based data navigation system

DC CAFC

US 6,523,061 B1
Filed: 06/30/2000
Issued: 02/18/2003
Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1999
Status: Expired due to Term

- Alert
- Pin

Associated Cases

Associated Defendants

First Claim

Patent Images

1. A method for utilizing agents for speech-based navigation of an electronic data source, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a spoken request for desired information from a user;

(b) rendering an interpretation of the spoken request;

(c) constructing a navigation query based upon the interpretation;

(d) routing the navigation query to at least one agent, wherein the at least one agent utilizes the navigation query to select a portion of the electronic data source; and

(e) invoking a user interface agent for outputting the selected portion of the electronic data source to the user, wherein a facilitator manages data flow among multiple agents and maintains a registration of each of said agents'"'"' capabilities.

View all claims

1 Assignment

Timeline View

Assignment View

Litigations

4 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

A system, method, and article of manufacture are provided for navigating an electronic data source by means of spoken language where a portion of the data link between a mobile information appliance of the user and the data source utilizes wireless communication. When a spoken input request is received from a user, it is interpreted. The resulting interpretation of the request is thereupon used to automatically construct an operational navigation query. The navigation query is routed to one or more agents, which use the navigation query to retrieve the desired information from one or more electronic network data sources.

565 Citations

18 Claims

1. A method for utilizing agents for speech-based navigation of an electronic data source, comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving a spoken request for desired information from a user;
  
  (b) rendering an interpretation of the spoken request;
  
  (c) constructing a navigation query based upon the interpretation;
  
  (d) routing the navigation query to at least one agent, wherein the at least one agent utilizes the navigation query to select a portion of the electronic data source; and
  
  (e) invoking a user interface agent for outputting the selected portion of the electronic data source to the user, wherein a facilitator manages data flow among multiple agents and maintains a registration of each of said agents'"'"' capabilities.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- - 2. The method of claim 1, wherein an agent renders the interpretation of the spoken request.
  - 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of rendering the interpretation of the spoken request is performed by a speech recognition agent and a parsing agent.
  - 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of soliciting additional input from the user, including user interaction in a modality different than the original request;
    - and refining the navigation query, based upon the additional input;
      
      wherein the at least one agent uses the refined navigation query to select a portion of the electronic data source.
  - 5. The method of claim 4, wherein agents are utilized for performing the steps of soliciting additional input from the user and refining the navigation query.
  - 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic data source is a web page, wherein the at least one agent scrapes the web page for selecting a portion of the web page.

7. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for utilizing agents for speech-based navigation of an electronic data source, comprising the steps of:
- (a) a code segment that receives a spoken request for desired information from a user;
  
  (b) a code segment that renders an interpretation of the spoken request;
  
  (c) a code segment that constructs a navigation query based upon the interpretation;
  
  (d) a code segment that routes the navigation query to at least one agent, wherein the at least one agent utilizes the navigation query to select a portion of the electronic data source; and
  
  (e) a code segment that invokes a user interface agent for outputting the selected portion of the electronic data source to the user, wherein a facilitator manages data flow among multiple agents and maintains a registration of each of said agents'"'"' capabilities.
- View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- - 8. The computer program of claim 7, wherein the code segment that renders the interpretation of the spoken request is executed by an agent.
  - 9. The computer program of claim 7, wherein a speech recognition agent and a parsing agent execute the code segment that renders the interpretation of the spoken request.
  - 10. The computer program of claim 7, further comprising a code segment that solicits additional input from the user, including user interaction in a modality different than the original request;
    - and a code segment that refines the navigation query, based upon the additional input;
      
      wherein the at least one agent uses the refined navigation query to select a portion of the electronic data source.
  - 11. The computer program of claim 10, wherein a solicitor agent executes the code segment that solicit the additional input from the user and a refining agent executes the code segment that refines the navigation query.
  - 12. The computer program of claim 7, wherein the electronic data source is a web page, wherein the at least one agent scrapes the web page for selecting a portion of the web page.

13. A system for utilizing agents for speech-based navigation of an electronic data source, comprising the steps of:
- (a) a client device, operable to receive a spoken request for desired information from a user;
  
  (b) spoken language processing logic, operable to render an interpretation of the spoken request;
  
  (c) query construction logic, operable to construct a navigation query based upon the interpretation;
  
  (d) routing logic, operable to route the navigation query to at least one agent, wherein the at least one agent utilizes the navigation query to select a portion of the electronic data source; and
  
  (e) invoking logic, operable to invoke a user interface agent for outputting the selected portion of the electronic data source to the user, Wherein a facilitator manages data flow among multiple agents and maintains a registration of each of said agents'"'"' capabilities.
- View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- - 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the query construction logic that renders the interpretation of the spoken request is executed by an agent.
  - 15. The system of claim 13, wherein a speech recognition agent and a parsing agent execute the spoken language processing logic that renders the interpretation of the spoken request.
  - 16. The system of claim 13, further comprising user interaction logic operable to solicit additional input from the user, including user interaction in a modality different than the original request;
    - and query refining logic operable to refine the navigation query, based upon the additional input;
      
      wherein the at least one agent uses the refined navigation query to select a portion of the electronic data source.
  - 17. The system of claim 16, wherein a solicitor agent executes the user interaction logic and a refining agent executes the query refinement logic.
  - 18. The system of in claim 13, wherein the electronic data source is a web page, wherein the at least one agent scrapes the web page for selecting a portion of the web page.

Specification

Resources

Litigation Campaign Assessment

Litigation Data

Current Assignee
IPA Technologies Inc. (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
Original Assignee
SRI International, Inc.
Inventors
Halverson, Christine, Julia, Luc, Voutsas, Dimitris, Cheyer, Adam
Primary Examiner(s)
Sheikh, Ayaz
Assistant Examiner(s)
NGUYEN, THU HA T

Application Number

US09/607,672
Time in Patent Office

963 Days
Field of Search

395/700.12, 370/331, 370/202, 709/217-219, 709/227, 379/88.01, 379/88.17, 379/88.22, 379/88.02, 379/90.01, 379/900, 704/270, 704/275, 382/313, 707/203
US Class Current

709/202
CPC Class Codes

G06F 16/3334   Selection or weighting of t...

G06F 16/90332   Natural language query form...

G06F 9/465   Distributed object oriented...

G10L 2015/223   Execution procedure of a sp...

H04M 2201/40   using speech recognition sp...

H04M 3/4936   Speech interaction details ...

H04M 3/4938   comprising a voice browser ...

System, method, and article of manufacture for agent-based navigation in a speech-based data navigation system

First Claim

1 Assignment

Litigations

4 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

565 Citations

18 Claims

Specification

Use Cases

Quick Links

Others

System, method, and article of manufacture for agent-based navigation in a speech-based data navigation system

First Claim

1 Assignment

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

Litigations

4 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

Subscription Required

Abstract

565 Citations

18 Claims

Specification

Subscription Required

Use Cases

Quick Links

Others