Virtual assistant focused user interfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12182595-B2
Application number	US-202117404189-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2021
Priority date	Apr 18, 2013
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

Conversation user interfaces that are configured for virtual assistant interaction may include contextual interface items that are based on contextual information. The contextual information may relate to a current or previous conversation between a user and a virtual assistant and/or may relate to other types of information, such as a location of a user, an orientation of a device, missing information, and so on. The conversation user interfaces may additionally, or alternatively, control an input mode based on contextual information, such as an inferred input mode of a user or a location of a user. Further, the conversation user interfaces may tag conversation items by saving the conversation items to a tray and/or associating the conversation items with indicators.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed, instruct one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
causing a conversation user interface to be presented by a smart device to enable a conversation between a user of the smart device and a virtual assistant implemented at least in part by the smart device;
receiving an input request through the conversation user interface from the user that is received during the current conversation between the user and the virtual assistant [wherein the input from the user is open to multiple interpretations];
identifying, by natural language processing, multiple interpretations of the input request;
identifying contextual information that is related to the conversation between the user and the virtual assistant; and
causing one or more contextual conversation items to be presented within the conversation user interface based at least in part on the contextual information, wherein the one or more contextual conversation items comprise a mixed response information indication item that includes a first subitem that identifies a task associated with [satisfies] one of the multiple interpretations of the input request of the user and a second subitem that identifies a second task associated with [satisfies] another of the multiple interpretations of the input request of the user, and wherein the first and second subitems are each presented partly behind the mixed response information indication item so that a portion of each subitem is hidden behind the mixed response information indication item and a second portion of each subitem is displayed; and
receiving a selection of the first or second subitem to present information in the first or second subitem in the conversation user interface and to execute the task associated therewith.

2. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1 , wherein the contextual information comprises at least one of a location of a user, an event associated with a user, environmental data obtained by a sensor of the smart device, a preference of the user, conversation history of the user with the virtual assistant in the current conversation, or conversation history of the user with virtual assistant in a previous conversation.

3. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1 , wherein:
the contextual information comprises event information related to a future event associated with the user; and
the one or more contextual conversation items comprise information that is relevant to the future event associated with the user, the information being personalized for the user based on previous interactions of the user with the virtual assistant.

4. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1 , wherein:
the contextual information comprises a portion of information that is needed for the virtual assistant to perform a task; and
the one or more contextual conversation items comprise a missing information item that indicates that the portion of the information has been obtained and indicates that another portion of the information is needed for the virtual assistant to perform the task.

5. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1 , wherein:
the contextual information comprises an input mode that is currently used by the user to interact with the virtual assistant; and
the one or more contextual conversation items comprise a suggestion item that suggests an alternative input mode to the input mode that is currently used by the user.

6. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1 , wherein:
the contextual information comprises collected information that has been collected during a current conversation between the user and the virtual assistant; and
the one or more contextual conversation items comprise an information item that represents the collected information in a condensed format.

7. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1 , wherein the information item further represents information for a task that has been performed by the virtual assistant based on the collected information.

8. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1 , wherein:
the contextual information identifies an orientation of the smart device; and
the one or more contextual conversation items are presented based at least in part on the orientation of the smart device.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein the one or more contextual conversation items are scrollable in a horizontal direction within the conversation user interface when the identified orientation of the smart device is a portrait orientation.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 9 , wherein the one or more contextual conversation items are presented on a timeline when the identified orientation of the smart device is a landscape orientation.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1 , wherein the one or more contextual conversation items comprise one or more option items representing options for the user.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1 , wherein the one or more contextual conversation items comprise one or more option items representing options for the user.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1 , further comprising controlling an input mode of the conversation user interface according to the contextual information.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 13 , wherein the controlling comprises causing the conversation user interface to be presented with an input mode that is selected based at least in part on a location of the smart device, the conversation user interface being configured with the input mode as a primary mode of input.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 13 , wherein:
the contextual information comprises location information indicating a location of the smart device; and
the controlling comprises causing the conversation user interface to be presented with an input mode that is selected based at least in part on the location of the smart device, the conversation user interface being configured with the input mode as a primary mode of input.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 13 , wherein:
the contextual information comprises input history indicating one or more input modes that the user has previously used to interact with the conversation user interface or another user interface; and
the controlling comprises causing the conversation user interface to be presented with an input mode from among the one or more input modes that have been previously used by the user, the conversation user interface being configured with the input mode as a primary mode of input.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 14 , wherein:
the contextual information indicates an inferred type of input mode of the user; and
the controlling comprises causing the conversation user interface to interact with the user through the inferred type of input mode of the user, the conversation user interface being configured with the input mode as a primary mode of input.

18. The one or more non-transitory

Assignees

• Verint Americas Inc

Inventors

• Brown Fred A
• Miller Tanya M
• Morris Richard

Classifications

• C07K16/1145

  Env proteins, e.g. gp41, gp110/120, gp160, V3, principal neutralising domain [PND] or CD4-binding site · CPC title

• G10L15/22

  Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue · CPC title

• C12N2740/16134

  Use of virus or viral component as vaccine, e.g. live-attenuated or inactivated virus, VLP, viral protein · CPC title

• C12N2740/16122

  New viral proteins or individual genes, new structural or functional aspects of known viral proteins or genes · CPC title

• C07K16/2812

  against CD4 · CPC title