Virtual assistant conversations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019102064-A1
Application number	US-201816148109-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 1, 2018
Priority date	Dec 31, 2013
Publication date	Apr 4, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Techniques and architectures for implementing a team of virtual assistants are described herein. The team may include multiple virtual assistants that are configured with different characteristics, such as different functionality, base language models, levels of training, visual appearances, personalities, and so on. The characteristics of the virtual assistants may be configured by trainers, end-users, and/or a virtual assistant service. The virtual assistants may be presented to end-users in conversation user interfaces to perform different tasks for the users in a conversational manner. The different virtual assistants may adapt to different contexts. The virtual assistants may additionally, or alternatively, interact with each other to carry out tasks for the users, which may be illustrated in conversation user interfaces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
under control of a computing device configured with executable instructions, identifying a virtual assistant with which another virtual assistant is to communicate; causing the virtual assistant and the other virtual assistant to communicate; and causing one or more dialog representations to be presented in a conversation user interface illustrating the communication between the virtual assistant and the other virtual assistant.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual assistant and the other virtual assistant communicate to perform a task for a user.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more dialog representations are presented over a period of time in a back-and-forth manner to emulate a human conversation.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more dialog representations indicate information that is communicated between the virtual assistant and the other virtual assistant.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual assistant and the other virtual assistant are associated with different entities.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more dialog representations include a summary conversation item that represents an entirety of the conversation between the virtual assistant and the other virtual assistant.

7 . One or more 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 output along with a first virtual assistant associated with a first entity; causing the first virtual assistant and a second virtual assistant to carry out a conversation to perform a task for a user, the second virtual assistant being associated with a second entity; and causing one or more conversation items to be output via the conversation user interface to represent the conversation between the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant.

8 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 7 , wherein the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant are configured with at least one different characteristic.

9 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 7 , wherein the causing the one or more conversation items to be output comprises:
outputting a first conversation item associated with the first virtual assistant; and after a period of time has passed from outputting the first dialog representation, outputting a second conversation item associated with the second virtual assistant.

10 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 7 , wherein the one or more conversation items indicate information that is communicated between the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant.

11 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the information that is communicated between the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant comprises information that is related to functionality of one of the first or second virtual assistants.

12 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 7 , wherein the one or more conversation items include a summary conversation item that represents an entirety of the conversation between the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant.

13 . The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:
before causing the first virtual assistant and the second virtual assistant to carry out a conversation, sending a request to the second entity for permission to communicate with the second entity; and receiving authorization from the second entity to communicate with the second entity.

14 . A smart device comprising:
a content output device to output a conversation user interface and a virtual assistant; one or more processors communicatively coupled to the content output device; and memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
identifying another virtual assistant with which the virtual assistant is to communicate to perform a task, the other virtual assistant comprising at least one characteristic that is different than a characteristic of the virtual assistant;
causing the virtual assistant and the other virtual assistant to communicate; and
causing one or more conversation items to be output via the content output device to illustrate communication between the virtual assistant and the other virtual assistant.

15 . The smart device of claim 14 , wherein the content output device comprises at least one of a display, a speaker, or a projector.

16 . The smart device of claim 14 , wherein the virtual assistant and the other virtual assistant are associated with different entities.

17 . The smart device of claim 14 , wherein the one or more conversation items indicates that the task has been completed.

18 . The smart device of claim 14 , wherein the causing the one or more conversation items to be output comprises:
causing display of a first conversation item associated with the virtual assistant via the content output device; and after a period of time has passed from displaying the first conversation item, causing display of a second conversation item associated with the other virtual assistant via the content output device.

19 . The smart device of claim 14 , wherein the one or more conversation items indicate information that is communicated between the virtual assistant and the other virtual assistant.

20 . The smart device of claim 19 , wherein the information that is communicated between the virtual assistant and the other virtual assistant comprises information that is related to functionality of at least one of the virtual assistant or the other virtual assistant.

Assignees

• Verint Americas Inc

Inventors

• Brown Fred A
• Miller Tanya M

Classifications

• G06N3/006

  based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO] · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F16/90332

  Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems · CPC title

• G06Q50/20

  Education · CPC title

• G06Q10/10

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title