Abstract: The present invention provides a human-like customizable expert agent capable of having personalized conversational interactions with human users. The customizable expert agent combines natural language conversation, animated gestures, general expertise, and subject expertise to create enjoyable and effective online experiences in a variety of contexts. Each customizable expert agent is preferably a computer-controlled improvisational character having distinct personality, moods, and other life-like qualities. The customizable expert agent can act as a sales agent or a course coach and may proactively initiate a conversation with the user at any time. The present invention further provides an integrated software system and program products, including an application shell and an authoring tool, for desktop online application authoring and enterprise hosted web deployment.

Abstract: An interactive messenger method sends a computer-controlled interactive agent to a recipient via a communication channel such as email. A sender of the messenger provides content specific to one or many recipients and typically has a particular objective for sending the messenger, such as to invite the recipient to an event, introduce the sender to a new product, or conduct a survey. When the recipient selects a link in the received email message, an interaction between the messenger and recipient is initiated, for example, through a desktop application that opens on the recipient's computer. In addition to having a standard character persona, the agent delivers to and receives from the recipient specific information tailored to the recipient or the sender. For example, a Naughty Cupid messenger invites the recipient on a date, on behalf of a sender, but can also engage in conversation related to Cupid's personality and history.

Abstract: A system and method for directing the improvisational behavior of a computer-controlled character which enables the character to reflect personality, mood, and other life-like qualities. The method includes the step of storing in the system a set of possible behaviors for the character and state data representative of a current state of the character. The possible behaviors include both physical and verbal behaviors. The current state includes the character's current mood, directing state, activity state, and location in a virtual world. The method also includes the step of identifying from the set of possible behaviors a subset of feasible behaviors for the character in the current state. Each of the feasible behaviors is evaluated to determine a respective desirability rating of the feasible behavior in the current state. The method further includes the step of selecting a behavior to be executed by the character from the subset of feasible behaviors.

Abstract: A method for authoring content of a computer-controlled agent includes the steps of identifying a potential context of the agent to an author; receiving content for the agent in the potential context from the author; and storing the content such that it can be accessed by a run-time agent. The run-time agent uses the content to control behavior of the agent in an actual context that matches the potential context. Context is typically presented to the author via a graphical user interface that allows the author to enter content without having any technical understanding of the run-time engine or the system's computer code. When the agent is authored using the authoring method, it can interact with a user through dialogue and gestures that are specific to contexts defined by user input, internal states or events of the agent, or input from other systems.

Abstract: A system and method for directing the improvisational behavior of a computer-controlled character which enables the character to reflect personality, mood, and other life-like qualities. The method includes the step of storing in the system a set of possible behaviors for the character and state data representative of a current state of the character. The possible behaviors include both physical and verbal behaviors. The current state includes the character's current mood, directional state, activity state, and location in a virtual world. The method also includes the step of identifying from the set of possible behaviors a subset of feasible behaviors for the character in the current state. Each of the feasible behaviors is evaluated to determine a respective desirability rating of the feasible behavior in the current state. The method further includes the step of selecting a behavior to be executed by the character from the subset of feasible behaviors.