Abstract: An interaction assistant conducts multiple turn interaction dialogs with a user in which context is maintained between turns, and the system manages the dialog to achieve an inferred goal for the user. The system includes a linguistic interface to a user and a parser for processing linguistic events from the user. A dialog manager of the system is configured to receive alternative outputs from the parser, and selecting an action and causing the action to be performed based on the received alternative outputs. The system further includes a dialog state for an interaction with the user, and the alternative outputs represent alternative transitions from a current dialog state to a next dialog state. The system further includes a storage for a plurality of templates, and wherein each dialog state is defined in terms of an interrelationship of one or more instances of the templates.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for advertising on a mobile phone. In one embodiment the method includes the steps of downloading an advertisement to the mobile phone using an advertisement server; selecting the downloaded advertisement on the mobile phone by a user of the mobile phone; providing by a server additional information in response to the user selection; and tracking the selection and additional information by the server. In another embodiment the compensation provided is in response to the display screen of said advertisement. In another embodiment the step of providing additional information includes the step of using space reserved, in the user interface of the mobile phone, for advertisements. Another aspect the invention relates to a system for displaying advertisements on a mobile phone. In one embodiment the system includes a server; and a mobile phone in communication with said server.

Abstract: A method and system are provided by which a wireless mobile device takes a vocally entered query and transmits it in a text message format over a wireless network to a search engine; receives search results based on the query from the search engine over the wireless network; and displays the search results.

Abstract: A method for configuring an automated dialogue system uses traces of interactions via a graphical user interface (GUI) for an application. Each trace includes interactions in the context of a plurality of presentations of the GUI. Elements of one or more presentations of the GUI are identified, and templates are associated with portions of the trace. Each template has one or more defined inputs and a defined output. For each template of the plurality of templates, the portions of the traces are processed to automatically configure the template by specifying a procedure for providing values of inputs to the template via the GUI and obtaining a value of an output. The automated dialogue system is configured with the configured templates, thereby avoiding manual configuration of the dialogue system.

Abstract: An interaction assistant conducts multiple turn interaction dialogs with a user in which context is maintained between turns, and the system manages the dialog to achieve an inferred goal for the user. The system includes a linguistic interface to a user and a parser for processing linguistic events from the user. A dialog manager of the system is configured to receive alternative outputs from the parser, and selecting an action and causing the action to be performed based on the received alternative outputs. The system further includes a dialog state for an interaction with the user, and the alternative outputs represent alternative transitions from a current dialog state to a next dialog state. The system further includes a storage for a plurality of templates, and wherein each dialog state is defined in terms of an interrelationship of one or more instances of the templates.

Abstract: An approach to providing communication assistance to an operator of a vehicle makes use software having a first component executing on a personal device of the operator as well as a second component executing on a server in communication with the personal device. In some implementations, handling a call involves establishing a first two-way audio link between the server and the calling device is established, and a second two-way audio link between a server and the user device. The server passes some of the audio from the calling device to the user device, and monitors a user's voice input, of lack thereof, to determine how to handle the call.

Abstract: A dermatologic treatment device having a light source emitting optical radiation beneficial to a dermatologic treatment, and a user interface selectively operating the device in at least one of a pulse mode and strobe mode. The light source emits a single optical radiation pulse in pulse mode to spot treat a portion of a skin surface during the dermatologic treatment, and the light source emits a continuous sequence of optical radiation pulses in strobe mode to treat multiple locations on the skin surface during the dermatologic treatment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for advertising on a mobile phone. In one embodiment the method includes the steps of downloading an advertisement to the mobile phone using an advertisement server; selecting the downloaded advertisement on the mobile phone by a user of the mobile phone; providing by a server additional information in response to the user selection; and tracking the selection and additional information by the server. In another embodiment the compensation provided is in response to the display screen of said advertisement. In another embodiment the step of providing additional information includes the step of using space reserved, in the user interface of the mobile phone, for advertisements. Another aspect the invention relates to a system for displaying advertisements on a mobile phone. In one embodiment the system includes a server; and a mobile phone in communication with said server.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for advertising on a mobile phone. In one embodiment the method includes the steps of downloading an advertisement to the mobile phone using an advertisement server; selecting the downloaded advertisement on the mobile phone by a user of the mobile phone; providing by a server additional information in response to the user selection; and tracking the selection and additional information by the server. In another embodiment the compensation provided is in response to the display screen of said advertisement. In another embodiment the step of providing additional information includes the step of using space reserved, in the user interface of the mobile phone, for advertisements. Another aspect the invention relates to a system for displaying advertisements on a mobile phone. In one embodiment the system includes a server; and a mobile phone in communication with said server.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for advertising on a mobile phone. In one embodiment the method includes the steps of downloading an advertisement to the mobile phone using an advertisement server; selecting the downloaded advertisement on the mobile phone by a user of the mobile phone; providing by a server additional information in response to the user selection; and tracking the selection and additional information by the server. In another embodiment the compensation provided is in response to the display screen of said advertisement. In another embodiment the step of providing additional information includes the step of using space reserved, in the user interface of the mobile phone, for advertisements. Another aspect the invention relates to a system for displaying advertisements on a mobile phone. In one embodiment the system includes a server; and a mobile phone in communication with said server.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for synthesizing audible phrases (words) that includes capturing a spoken utterance, which may be a word, and extracting prosodic information (parameters) there from, then applying the prosodic parameters to a synthesized (nominal) word to produce a prosodic mimic word corresponding to the spoken utterance and the nominal word.

Abstract: A mobile device, such as a cellular telephone includes a voice interface that includes one part that may not be specific to a particular carrier, and a second part that provides an interface to services that are specific to a carrier or to service or information providers that are not necessarily available with all carriers. A voice command interface provides easy access to the carrier services. The set of carrier services is optionally extendible by the carrier.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for advertising on a mobile phone. In one embodiment the method includes the steps of downloading an advertisement to the mobile phone using an advertisement server; selecting the downloaded advertisement on the mobile phone by a user of the mobile phone; providing by a server additional information in response to the user selection; and tracking the selection and additional information by the server. In another embodiment the compensation provided is in response to the display screen of said advertisement. In another embodiment the step of providing additional information includes the step of using space reserved, in the user interface of the mobile phone, for advertisements. Another aspect the invention relates to a system for displaying advertisements on a mobile phone. In one embodiment the system includes a server; and a mobile phone in communication with said server.

Abstract: A method for a portable device includes receiving a spoken utterance of a word or phrase, generating a plurality of alternative pronunciations of the spoken utterance, scoring one or more pronunciations of the plurality of alternative pronunciations using the spoken utterance, and updating a lexicon with at least one scored pronunciation.

Abstract: A method of generating an alternative pronunciation for a word or phrase, given an initial pronunciation and a spoken example of the word or phrase, includes providing the initial pronunciation of the word or phrase, and generating the alternative pronunciation by searching a neighborhood of pronunciations about the initial pronunciation via a constrained hypothesis, wherein the neighborhood includes pronunciations that differ from the initial pronunciation by at most one phoneme. The method further includes selecting a highest scoring pronunciation within the neighborhood of pronunciations.

Abstract: Facilitating a dermatologic treatment by providing a light source emitting optical radiation and having a plurality of wavelengths, reflecting some of the emitted optical radiation back to the light source to enhance the brightness of the optical radiation, and applying at least some of the enhanced optical radiation to a skin surface to facilitate a dermatologic treatment.

Abstract: A method and system are provided by which a wireless mobile device takes a vocally entered query and transmits it in a text message format over a wireless network to a search engine; receives search results based on the query from the search engine over the wireless network; and displays the search results.

Abstract: The invention is a method of improving the performance of a speech recognizer. The method generally involves: providing a lexicon for the speech recognizer; monitoring a user's interaction with a network; accessing a plurality of words associated with the monitored interaction; and including the plurality of words in the lexicon.

Abstract: A method of operating a mobile communication device is described. A text message is received over a wireless messaging channel, wherein the text message contains a non-text representation of an utterance. The non-text representation is extracted from the text message, and an audio representation of the spoken utterance is synthesized from the non-text representation.

Abstract: A dermatologic treatment device having a light source emitting optical radiation beneficial to at least one dermatologic treatment, a brightness enhancer enhancing the brightness of at least some of the emitted optical radiation, and a replacement cartridge containing the light source and brightness enhancer. The cartridge facilitating replacement of the light source and brightness enhancer by a user of the device between dermatologic treatments.