Dialog reuse for a visual bot builder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10698581-B2
Application number	US-201815884011-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2018
Priority date	Nov 3, 2017
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed herein are embodiments for a visual bot builder. An embodiment operates by visually displaying, within a user interface, a plurality of selectable chat bot functions associated with a first dialog. A first selection of one of the bot functions is received. It is determined that the first selection corresponds to calling a selectable second dialog from a one or more previously configured dialogs. A link to the one or more selectable previously configured dialogs is provided and a second selection of one of the previously configured dialogs is received as the second dialog. The execution of the first dialog is linked to an execution of the second dialog. A preview of the execution of the first dialog including the second dialog is provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
visually displaying, within a user interface, a plurality of selectable chat bot functions associated with a first dialog, wherein each chat bot function corresponds to an interaction between a chat bot executing on a computing device and a recipient during an execution of the first dialog by the chat bot;
receiving, via the user interface, a first selection of one of the bot functions;
determining that the first selection corresponds to calling a selectable previously compiled second dialog from a one or more previously compiled dialogs;
providing, within the user interface, a link to the one or more selectable previously compiled dialogs;
receiving, via the user interface, a second selection of one of the previously compiled dialogs as the second dialog;
linking the execution of the first dialog to an execution of the previously compiled second dialog, wherein the previously compiled second dialog is also linked to the execution of a third dialog; and
providing a preview of the execution of the first dialog including the second dialog.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chat bot functions include a calling function to call the selectable second dialog, a requesting information function which when executed causes the chat bot to request information from the user, and script running function which when executed causes the chat bot to execute a script.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving, subsequent to the second selection, a third selection of one of the requesting information function or the script running function; and
visually updating the preview of the execution of the first dialog to include the third selection.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
returning the execution of the chat bot to the first dialog after completion of the execution of the second dialog.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the preview comprises a simulated interaction between the chat bot and the user.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the linking comprises:
displaying, via the interface, a visual indication of the second dialog being executed subsequent to the first dialog.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the visually displaying comprises:
displaying, via the interface, a visual indication of a third dialog from which the first dialog was launched.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that second dialog has been modified and recompiled, wherein an execution of the modified and recompiled second dialog is linked to both the first dialog and the third dialog.

9. A system, comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
visually display, within a user interface, a plurality of selectable chat bot functions associated with a first dialog, wherein each chat bot function corresponds to an interaction between a chat bot computing device and a recipient during an execution of the first dialog by the chat bot;
receive, via the user interface, a first selection of one of the chat bot functions;
determine that the first selection corresponds to calling a selectable previously compiled second dialog from a one or more previously compiled dialogs;
provide, within the user interface, a link to the one or more selectable previously compiled dialogs;
receive, via the user interface, a second selection of one of the previously compiled dialogs as the second dialog;
link the execution of the first dialog to an execution of the previously compiled second dialog, wherein the previously compiled second dialog is also linked to the execution of a third dialog; and
provide a preview of the execution of the first dialog including the second dialog.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the chat bot functions include a calling function to call the selectable second dialog, a requesting information function which when executed causes the chat bot to request information from the user, and script running function which when executed causes the chat bot to execute a script.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive, subsequent to the second selection, a third selection of one of the requesting information function or the script running function; and
visually update the preview of the execution of the first dialog to include the third selection.

12. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
returning the execution of the chat bot to the first dialog after completion of the execution of the second dialog.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the preview comprises a simulated interaction between the chat bot and the user.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor that links is configured to:
display, via the interface, a visual indication of the second dialog being executed subsequent to the first dialog.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor that visually displays is configured to:
display, via the interface, a visual indication of a third dialog from which the first dialog was launched.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable device having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one computing device, causes the at least one computing device to perform operations comprising:
visually displaying, within a user interface, a plurality of selectable chat bot functions associated with a first dialog, wherein each chat bot function corresponds to an interaction between a chat bot computing device and a recipient during an execution of the first dialog by the chat bot;
receiving, via the user interface, a first selection of one of the chat bot functions;
determining that the first selection corresponds to calling a selectable previously compiled second dialog from a one or more previously compiled dialogs;
providing, within the user interface, a link to the one or more selectable previously compiled dialogs;
receiving, via the user interface, a second selection of one of the previously compiled dialogs as the second dialog;
linking the execution of the first dialog to an execution of the previously compiled second dialog, wherein the previously compiled second dialog is also linked to the execution of a third dialog; and
providing a preview of the execution of the first dialog including the second dialog.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the chat bot functions include a calling function to call the selectable second dialog, a requesting information function which when executed causes the chat bot to request information from the user, and script running function which when executed causes the chat bot to execute a script.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the one computing device is further configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving, subsequent to the second selection, a third selection of one of the requesting information function or the script running function; and
visually updating the preview of the execution of the first dialog to include the third selection.

19. The device of claim 16 , wherein the one computing device is further configured to perform operations comprising:
returning the execution of the chat bot to the first dialog after completion of the execution of the second dialog.

20. The device of claim 16 , wherein the one computing device is further configured to perform operations comprising:
displaying, via the interface, a visual indication of the second dialog being executed subsequent to the first dialog; and
displaying, via th

Assignees

• Salesforce Com Inc

Inventors

• Krishnan Arvind
• Hu George
• Myles Benjamin
• Morales Jonathan Rico
• Bennett Gregory A
• Mahar Molly

Classifications

• H04L51/02 Primary

  using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F3/0484 Primary

  for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range · CPC title

• G06F40/35

  Discourse or dialogue representation · CPC title

• G06Q10/00

  Administration; Management · CPC title