Hierarchical Dialog Act Annotation for Conversation Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for annotating conversations between users and electronic assistants lack a flexible and efficient structure for improving the quality of the assistant over time, as they fail to effectively capture and utilize the interrelations between dialog acts in real-time and sequential conversations.
Innovation Solution
A hierarchical annotation system that represents dialog acts as trees with unique annotation identifiers, allowing for dynamic addition of annotations and arcs, enabling real-time processing and post-processing of annotation records to improve the dialog management engine through training examples and failure pattern identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a hierarchical annotation structure with parent-child nodes is used to represent dialog acts, then the precision of conversation analysis is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the conversation annotation into hierarchical tree structures where each dialog act is divided into parent nodes and child nodes representing different annotation layers. This segmentation allows precise tracking of dialog act relationships while organizing complexity into manageable hierarchical units rather than a monolithic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the annotation structure by organizing dialog acts into multiple levels (parent-child relationships). This dimensional transformation from flat to hierarchical organization enables precise multi-layered analysis of conversation while systematically managing the inherent complexity through structured nesting.
2Adaptability or versatility
If dynamic addition of annotations and arcs is enabled in real-time, then the adaptability of the annotation system is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic annotation trees that can be added, modified, and linked in real-time during conversation processing. The system allows annotations and arcs to be dynamically inserted into the hierarchical structure without requiring complete reprocessing, enabling the system to adapt to new dialog acts as they occur while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses annotation identifiers as intermediary elements that facilitate real-time linking between dialog acts. These identifiers act as mediators that enable dynamic connections between parent and child nodes across different turns in the conversation, simplifying the detection and measurement processes by providing standardized reference points.
3Loss of information
If post-processing of annotation records is performed to add offline information, then the completeness of annotation data is improved, but the loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary annotation during real-time conversation processing, capturing essential dialog act information as it occurs. This preliminary action ensures that core annotations are immediately recorded, while post-processing is reserved for adding supplementary offline information, thereby minimizing time loss while still achieving complete annotation data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous annotation processing by combining real-time annotation during conversation with subsequent post-processing phases. This continuous approach ensures that useful annotation actions never stop - real-time processing captures immediate data while post-processing continuously enriches it with offline information, optimizing both completeness and time efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for annotating conversations between a user and an electronic assistant in a hierarchical manner are disclosed. An example system includes a data store of hierarchical annotation records. The hierarchical annotation records include root records and non-root records. Each root record has a conversation identifier and an annotation identifier. Each non-root record includes an annotation identifier and a parent identifier, the parent identifier being an annotation identifier of another record. At least some of the non-root records further include an annotation tag. The system generates a first new root record and first non-root records for an input dialog act and generates a second new root record and second non-root records for an output dialog act that is responsive to the input dialog act. At least one of the second non-root records includes an annotation tag linking back to a record of the first non-root records.