Universal Speech Dialog System for Multi-Application Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing speech dialog systems require users to input multiple statements to control different background applications, making the process tedious and reducing user friendliness.

Innovation Solution

A universal speech dialog system that links transactions and transaction parameters across multiple background applications using a unified dialog specification, allowing users to control multiple applications with fewer statements by determining functional and semantic correspondences between them.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If separate voice dialog systems are used for each background application, then each application can be controlled with dedicated dialog specifications, but the system complexity increases and user friendliness decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to control multiple background applicationsVSAvoidnumber of separate dialog systems required

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal voice dialog system that can control multiple different background applications (e.g., email, voicemail, calendar) through a single integrated interface. The system uses a unified dialog specification that maps user commands to multiple underlying applications, eliminating the need for separate dedicated dialog systems for each application while maintaining application-specific functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If users control multiple background applications separately, then each application receives focused control, but the number of user statements required increases making the process tedious

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser friendliness and ease of controlVSAvoidtime required for user input

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by establishing a universal dialog specification that pre-maps common user commands to multiple background applications before actual control is needed. When a user makes a statement, the system proactively determines which application(s) the command refers to based on the universal specification, reducing the need for repeated or explicit user input for each application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback mechanisms to dynamically determine the intended application based on user statements. The dialog management unit analyzes user input in the context of the universal dialog specification and provides appropriate responses or confirms the selected application, allowing the system to adapt to user intentions without requiring explicit specification of each application separately.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP1964110B1Method for triggering at least one first and second background application via a universal language dialogue system

Publication Date: 2018.01.10 UNIFY GMBH & CO KG

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AI summary

According to the invention, at least one transaction and at least one transaction parameter that is allocated thereto are determined based on at least one user statement in order to trigger at least one first and second background application via a universal language dialogue system, first transactions and first transaction parameters being assigned to the first background application and second transactions and second transaction parameters being associated with the second background application. The first and second transactions as well as the first and second transaction parameters are linked together via a universal dialogue specification which is evaluated to determine the at least one transaction and at least on associated transaction parameter in order to trigger at least one of the background applications via the universal language dialogue system.