Dialogue flow interpreter development tool7024348Abstract A computer software product is used to create applications for enabling a dialogue between a human and a computer. The software product provides a programming tool that insulates software developers from time-consuming, technically-challenging programming tasks by enabling the developer to specify generalized instructions to a Dialogue Flow Interpreter, which invokes functions to implement a speech application, automatically populating a library with dialogue objects that are available to other applications. The speech applications created through the DFI may be implemented as COM (component object model) objects, and so the applications can be easily integrated into a variety of different platforms. In addition, "translator" object classes are provided to handle specific types of data, such as currency, numeric data, dates, times, string variables, etc. These translator object classes have utility either as part of the DFI library or as a sub-library separate from dialogue implementation. Claims We claim: Description FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Hence a dialogue-based speech application includes a set of states that guide a user to his goal. Previously the developer had to code each step in the dialogue, coding for each possible event and each possible response in the universe of possible events, a time-consuming and technically-complex task. The developer had to choose an interactive voice response (IVR) system, such as Parity, for example, and code the application in the programming language associated with that language, using a speech recognition engine such as Nuance, Lernout and Hauspie or another speech recognition engine that would plug into the IVR environment. Speech objects are commercially available. Referring to FIG. 3, speech objects, 322, 324 are pre-packaged bits of all the things that go into a speech act, typically, a prompt, a grammar, and a response. In this scheme, a speech object, for example, Get Social Security Number, 322, is purchased from a vendor. A developer writes software code, 320, in the programming language required for the speech objects chosen, and places the purchased Get Social Security Number speech object, 322, into his software. When the program executes and reaches a point where the social security number is required, the Get Social Security Number speech object, 322, is invoked. The application may have changed slightly how the question was asked, but the range of flexibility of the speech object is limited. After the response from the user is obtained, control is returned to the application, 320. The application, 320, written by the developer, then must handle the transition to the next state, Get PIN Number, 324, and so on. Speech objects are implemented to a specific deployment system (e.g. Nuance's "IVR system" called Speech Channels, and SpeechWorks' "IVR system" referred to as an application framework). These reusable pieces are only reusable within the environment for which they were built. For example, a SpeechWorks implementation of this, called Dialog Modules, will only work within the SpeechWorks application framework.) The core logic is not reusable because it is tied to the implementation platform. DFI Design Tool In contrast, in accordance with the present invention, referring to FIG. 4, the developer would use the DFI design tool, 400, to enter a design of the whole application, as depicted in step 410, including many such states such as Get Social Security Number, Get PIN Number and so on. Once the application is rehearsed in the simulator (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,823,313), step 420, files may be generated that represent that design, steps 440 and 450. As shown in FIG. 5, the software application, 510, coded by the developer in any of a variety of programming languages, instantiates the dialogue flow interpreter, 530, and tells it to interpret the design specified in the file, 520, generated above by the DFI design tool. The dialogue flow interpreter, 530, controls the flow through the application, supplying all the underlying code, 540, that previously the developer would have had to write. As can be seen from FIG. 6A, 612 and FIG. 6B, 622, the amount of code having to be written by a programmer is substantially reduced. Indeed, in some applications it can be entirely eliminated. Dialogue Flow Interpreter The Dialogue Flow Interpreter, or DFI, of the present invention provides a library of "standardized" objects that implement low-level details of dialogues. The DFI may be implemented as an application programming interface (API) that simplifies the implementation of speech applications. The speech applications may be designed using a tool referred to as the DFI Development Tool. The simplification provided by the invention comes from the fact that the DFI is able to drive the entire dialogue of a speech application from start to finish automatically, thus eliminating the crucial and often complex task of dialogue management. Traditionally, such a process is application dependent and therefore requires re-implementation for each new application. The DFI solves this problem by providing a write-once, run-many approach. FIG. 2 illustrates the relationship between the DFI Design Tool, 210, the Dialogue Flow Interpreter, 232, and other speech application components. (In this diagram, block arrows illustrate the direction of data flow.) Functional Elements A speech application includes a series of transitions between states. Each state has its own set of properties that include the prompt to be played, the speech recognizer's grammar to be loaded (to listen for what the user of the voice system might say), the reply to a caller's response, and actions to take based on each response. The DFI keeps track of the state of the dialogue at any given time throughout the life of the application, and exposes functions to access state properties. Referring to FIG. 7, it can be seen that state properties are stored in objects called "shared objects", 710. Examples of these objects include but are not limited to, a Prompt object, a Snippet object, a Grammar object, a Response object, an Action object, and a Variable object. Exemplary DFI functions, 780, return some of the objects described above. These functions include:
Other DFI functions are used to retrieve state-independent properties (i.e., global project properties). These include but are not limited to:
DFI Alternative Uses Logging device for dialogue metrics—Because the DFI controls the internals of transitioning between states, it would be a simple matter to count how many times a certain state was entered, for example, so that statistics concerning how a speech application is used or how a speech application operates, may be collected.
FIG. 7 illustrates how the DFI functions 780 may be implemented or viewed as an applications programming interface (API). Comparison of DFI to Speech Objects Speech Objects (a common concept in the industry) represent prepackaged bits of all the things that go into a "speech act," typically, a prompt (something to say), a grammar (something to listen for) and perhaps some sort of reaction on the part of the system. This might cover the gathering of a single bit of information (which seems simple until you consider everything that could go wrong). One approach is to offer pre-packaged functionally (e.g., SpeechWorks (www.speechworks.com)). An example of the basic model is as follows: The designer buys (e.g., from Nuance) a speech object called Get Social Security Number and puts it into his program. When the program reaches a point where a user's social security number is needed, the designer invokes the Get Social Security Number object. The application may have altered it a bit by changing exactly how the question is asked or extending the range of what it will hear, but the basic value is the prepackaged methodology and pre-tuned functionality of the object. In the Dialogue Flow Interpreter Development Tool of the present invention, the designer would use a design tool (say, the DFI tool offered by Unisys Corp.) to enter a design of the whole application (potentially including many states such as getting SS# and getting PIN and so on). Once this application is rehearsed in a simulator (Wizard of Oz tester), files are generated that represent that design (e.g., MySpeechApp). The DFI is instantiated by the "runtime" application (written in some programming language) and told to interpret the design (MySpeechApp) produced by the design tool. Once set up, the application code need only give the DFI the details of what is going on to "read back" the design for what to do next. So, for example, the designer may indicate a sequence such as:
Although they address similar problems, the DFI is very different from the Speech Objects model. Speech Objects set up defaults a program can override (the program has to know this from somewhere) whereas DFI provides the application with what to do next. Speech Objects are rigid and preprogrammed and of limited scope, whereas the DFI is built for a whole application and is dynamic. Speech Objects are "tuned" for a special purpose. This tuning may be provided through the DFI design tool, as well. Another way to think of the difference is that the DFI delivers "custom" speech capabilities built through the tool, including how they "link" together. Speech Objects provide "prepackaged" capabilities (with the advantage of "expert design" and tuning) and with no "flow" between them. Translator Object Classes A speech application needs to be able to retrieve information in a form that the software can interpret. Once the information is obtained, it may be desirable to output that information in a particular speech format to the outside world. In accordance with the present invention, translator object classes enable a developer to provide parameters to specify details about how a particular piece of information should be output and the DFI will return everything necessary to perform that task. For example, when the desired object is to output what time it is presently in Belgium in English in standard time, the developer would specify the language (English), the region (Belgium), the time (the time right now in Belgium) and the format (standard time), and the DFI will return a play list of everything required to enable the listener to hear the data structure with those characteristics (the time in Belgium right now in standard format, spoken in English.) For example, when the DFI is completing the prompting, the DFI would access the function GET PROMPT, FIG. 7, 720, which would return, (when the output speech is a recorded file): The listener would hear: "It is now twelve thirty-five pm in Belgium." It should be understood that the above example is for exemplary purposes only. The present invention also includes text-to-speech (computer-generated) speech output. Alternately, if the developer wanted to use the object directly in his application, without using the DFI, the application could access the translator directly. The translator would return the value of the time instance (12:35) and the associated files: Although commercially available speech objects may provide similar functionality, the inventiveness of translator object classes lies in that the developer does not lose control of the low-level details of the way the information is output because the developer can write his own objects to add to the class. When a developer uses commercially available speech objects, the developer must accept the loss of flexibility to control the way the speech object works. With translator objects according to the present invention, the developer maintains control of the low-level details while still obtaining the maximum amount of automation. CONCLUSION In sum, the present invention provides system and methods to create interactive dialogues between a human and a computer, such as in an IVR system or the like. It is understood, however, that the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions. There is no intention to limit the invention to the specific constructions described herein. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the present invention may support non-speech-enabled applications in which a computer and a human interact. The present invention will allow the recall of a textual description of a prompt which may be displayed textually, the user responding by typing into an edit box. In other words, it is the dialogue flow and properties of each state that is the core of the invention, not the realization of the dialog. Such an embodiment may be utilized in a computer game or within software that collects configuration information, or in an Internet application which is more interactive than simple graphical user interface (GUI) techniques enable. It should also be noted that the present invention may be implemented in a variety of computer environments. For example, the present invention may be implemented in Java, enabling direct access from any Java programming language. Additionally, the implementation may be wrapped by a COM layer, allowing any language which supports COM to access the functions, thus enabling traditional development environments such as Visual Basic, C/C++, etc. to use the present invention. The present invention may also be accessible from inside Microsoft applications, including but not limited to Word, Excel, etc. through, for example, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). Traditional DTMF-oriented systems, such as Parity, for example, which are commercially available, may embed the present invention into their platform. The present invention and its related objects may also be deployed in development environments for the world wide web and Internet, enabling hypertext markup language (HTML) and similar protocols to access the DFI development tool and its objects. The various techniques described herein may be implemented in hardware or software, or a combination of both. Preferably, the techniques are implemented in computer programs executing on programmable computers that each include a processor, a storage medium readable by the processor (including volatile and non-volatile memory and/or storage elements), at least one input device, and at least one output device. Program code is applied to data entered using the input device to perform the functions described above and to generate output information. The output information is applied to one or more output devices. Each program is preferably implemented in a high level procedural or object oriented programming language to communicate with a computer system. However, the programs can be implemented in assembly or machine language, if desired. In any case, the language may be a compiled or interpreted language. Each such computer program is preferably stored on a storage medium or device (e.g., ROM or magnetic disk) that is readable by a general or special purpose programmable computer for configuring and operating the computer when the storage medium or device is read by the computer to perform the procedures described above. The system may also be considered to be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium, configured with a computer program, where the storage medium so configured causes a computer to operate in a specific and predefined manner. Although an exemplary implementation of the invention has been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many additional modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the invention. Accordingly, these and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention.
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