Data processing: speech signal processing – linguistics – language – Speech signal processing – Application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-10
2003-12-02
Dorvil, Richemond (Department: 2654)
Data processing: speech signal processing, linguistics, language
Speech signal processing
Application
C704S270000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06658388
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to conversational systems, and more particularly to a method and system which provides personality, initiative and emotions for interacting with human users.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conversational systems exhibit a low level of initiative, typically provide no personality, and typically exhibit no emotions. These conventional systems may provide desired functionality, but lack the capability for human-like interaction. Even in the present computer oriented society of today many would-be computer users are intimidated by computer systems. Although conversational systems provide a more natural interaction with humans, human communication involves many different characteristics. For example, gestures, inflections, emotions, etc. are all employed in human communication.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method for increasing a level of system initiative, defining and managing personality, and generating emotions for a computer system. A further need exists for a system which customizes and/or adapts initiative, emotions and personality responsive to human interactions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method, in accordance with the present invention, which may be implemented by a program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform steps for providing a personality for a conversational system, includes providing a plurality of attributes for determining a behavior of the conversational system. When a command is presented to the conversational system for execution, the command is responded to by employing the plurality of attributes such that the user experiences an interface with human characteristics.
In alternate steps, the attributes may include a manner of presenting information to the user. The attributes may include at least one of language characteristics, grammar, speech models, vocabulary, emotions, sense of humor and learning ability. The attributes are preferably selectable by the user. The attributes may include user customized attributes, adaptable attributes based on interaction between the user and the conversational system, and/or application dependent attributes. The step of responding to the command by employing the plurality of attributes may include the step of adapting the attributes in accordance with user preferences. The personality may include emotions and the step of providing a plurality of attributes may include providing emotions associated with the personality attributes, each personality comprising a set of emotional levels for determining the behavior of the conversational system. The manner of presenting information to the user may include employing voices defined by specifying pitch, range, speaking rate and volume.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6144938 (2000-11-01), Surace et al.
patent: 6185534 (2001-02-01), Breese et al.
patent: 6275806 (2001-08-01), Pertrushin
Papineni et al., “Free-Flow Dialog Management Using Forms,” Eurospeech, Budapest, Hungary, Sep. 1999.
Lamel et al., “The LIMSI ARISE System for Train Travel Information,” International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing, Phoenix, Arizona, Mar. 1999.
Ward et al., “Towards Speech Understanding Across Multiple Languages,” International Conference on Spoken Language Processing, Sydney, Australia, Dec. 1998.
Coffman Daniel M.
Gopalakrishnan Ponani
Kleindienst Jan
Ramaswamy Ganesh N.
Azad Abul K.
Dorvil Richemond
F. Chau & Associates LLC
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