Dialog Reuse for a Visual Bot Builder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019138171-A1
Application number	US-201815884011-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 30, 2018
Priority date	Nov 3, 2017
Publication date	May 9, 2019
Grant date	—

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 second dialog from a one or more previously configured dialogs; providing, within the user interface, a link to the one or more selectable previously configured dialogs; receiving, via the user interface, a second selection of one of the previously configured dialogs as the second dialog; linking the execution of the first dialog to an execution of the second 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 . 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 second dialog from a one or more previously configured dialogs;
provide, within the user interface, a link to the one or more selectable previously configured dialogs;
receive, via the user interface, a second selection of one of the previously configured dialogs as the second dialog;
link the execution of the first dialog to an execution of the second dialog; and
provide a preview of the execution of the first dialog including the second dialog.

9 . The system of claim 8 , 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.

10 . The system of claim 9 , 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.

11 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
returning the execution of the chat bot to the first dialog after completion of the execution of the second dialog.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the preview comprises a simulated interaction between the chat bot and the user.

13 . The system of claim 8 , 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.

14 . The system of claim 13 , 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.

15 . 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 second dialog from a one or more previously configured dialogs; providing, within the user interface, a link to the one or more selectable previously configured dialogs; receiving, via the user interface, a second selection of one of the previously configured dialogs as the second dialog; linking the execution of the first dialog to an execution of the second dialog; and providing a preview of the execution of the first dialog including the second dialog.

16 . The device of claim 15 , 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.

17 . The device of claim 16 , 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.

18 . The device of claim 15 , 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.

19 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the preview comprises a simulated interaction between the chat bot and the user.

20 . The device of claim 15 , 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 the interface, a visual indication of a third dialog from which the first dialog was launched.

Assignees

• Salesforce Com Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06F40/232

  Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation · CPC title

• G06F40/35

  Discourse or dialogue representation · CPC title

• G06Q10/00

  Administration; Management · CPC title

• G06F40/30

  Semantic analysis · CPC title

• G06F8/34

  Graphical or visual programming · CPC title