Abstract: Conversational understanding systems allow users to conversationally interface with a computing device. In examples, a query may be received that includes a request for execution of a task. A data exchange task definition may be accessed. The data exchange task definition assists a conversational understanding system in managing task state tracking for information needed for task execution. Using the data exchange task definition, a per-turn policy for interacting with the user computing device is generated based on the state of a dialogue with a computing device and an evaluation of a process flow chart provided by a task owner resource. The task owner resource may be independent from the conversational understanding system. A response to the query may be generated and output based on the per-turn policy. In examples, the per-turn policy is used to generate one or more responses during a dialogue with a user via a computing device.

Abstract: Conversational understanding systems allow users to conversationally interface with a computing device. In examples, a query may be received that includes a request for execution of a task. A data exchange task definition may be accessed. The data exchange task definition assists a conversational understanding system in managing task state tracking for information needed for task execution. Using the data exchange task definition, a per-turn policy for interacting with the user computing device is generated based on the state of a dialogue with a computing device and an evaluation of a process flow chart provided by a task owner resource. The task owner resource may be independent from the conversational understanding system. A response to the query may be generated and output based on the per-turn policy. In examples, the per-turn policy is used to generate one or more responses during a dialogue with a user via a computing device.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for discriminating ambiguous expressions to enhance user experience. For example, a natural language expression may be received by a speech recognition component. The natural language expression may include at least one of words, terms, and phrases of text. A dialog hypothesis set from the natural language expression may be created by using contextual information. In some cases, the dialog hypothesis set has at least two dialog hypotheses. A plurality of dialog responses may be generated for the dialog hypothesis set. The dialog hypothesis set may be ranked based on an analysis of the plurality of the dialog responses. An action may be performed based on ranking the dialog hypothesis set.

Abstract: Representative embodiments disclose mechanisms to automatically rank and select extensions triggered in a digital assistant. A sample set of extensions are executed against a set of curated queries in order to extract a set of features and/or statistics. The system trains a machine learning model based on the features and/or statistics to rank and select extensions based on their response to a query. New extension incorporated into the system are executed against a second set of curated queries to obtain a set of extracted features and/or statistics which are saved for use at runtime. At runtime, a query phrase received by the system triggers one or more tasks from extensions. Extracted features for the triggered extensions are combined with stored features/statistics and at least a subset of the results presented to the trained ranking and selection model. The model ranks and selects appropriate tasks which are presented to the user.

Abstract: A method of determining an alignment sequence between a reference sequence of symbols and a hypothesis sequence of symbols includes loading a reference sequence of symbols to a computing system and creating a reference finite state automaton for the reference sequence of symbols. The method further includes loading a hypothesis sequence of symbols to the computing system and creating a hypothesis finite state automaton for the hypothesis sequence of symbols. The method further includes traversing the reference finite state automaton, adding new reference arcs and new reference transforming properties arcs and traversing the hypothesis finite state automaton, adding new hypothesis arcs and new hypothesis transforming properties arcs. The method further includes composing the hypothesis finite state automaton with the reference finite state automaton creating alternative paths to form a composed finite state automaton and tracking a number of the alternative paths created.

Abstract: Aspects herein provide third party application authors with a user interface authoring platform that automates and simplifies a task definition process while also providing the ability to leverage pre-existing language understanding models and canonicalization and resolution modules that are provided by the operating system on which the CU system resides or as provided by other third parties. In particular, the present disclosure provides a method and system for authoring a task using a user interface authoring platform.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for transcript generation includes receiving an audio file and dividing it into a plurality of chunks. The method further includes sending each instance of the plurality of chunks to a speech service module. The method further includes converting speech to text for each instance of the plurality of chunks and returning the text for each instance of the plurality of chunks. The method further includes merging the text for each instance of the plurality of chunks to yield an audio file transcript and sending the audio file and chunks to a diarization module. The method further includes performing first pass diarization on the chunks to yield a plurality of diarized chunks and performing second pass diarization on the plurality of diarized chunks and the audio file to yield a diarized audio file. The method further includes merging the files to yield a final transcript.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for transcript generation includes receiving an audio file and dividing it into a plurality of chunks. The method further includes sending each instance of the plurality of chunks to a speech service module. The method further includes converting speech to text for each instance of the plurality of chunks and returning the text for each instance of the plurality of chunks. The method further includes merging the text for each instance of the plurality of chunks to yield an audio file transcript and sending the audio file and chunks to a diarization module. The method further includes performing first pass diarization on the chunks to yield a plurality of diarized chunks and performing second pass diarization on the plurality of diarized chunks and the audio file to yield a diarized audio file. The method further includes merging the files to yield a final transcript.

Abstract: Aspects herein provide third party application authors with a user interface authoring platform that automates and simplifies a task definition process while also providing the ability to leverage pre-existing language understanding models and canonicalization and resolution modules that are provided by the operating system on which the CU system resides or as provided by other third parties. In particular, the present disclosure provides a method and system for authoring a task using a user interface authoring platform.

Abstract: Conversational understanding systems allow users to conversationally interface with a computing device. In examples, a query may be received that includes a request for execution of a task. A data exchange task definition may be accessed. The data exchange task definition assists a conversational understanding system in managing task state tracking for information needed for task execution. Using the data exchange task definition, a per-turn policy for interacting with the user computing device is generated based on the state of a dialogue with a computing device and an evaluation of a process flow chart provided by a task owner resource. The task owner resource may be independent from the conversational understanding system. A response to the query may be generated and output based on the per-turn policy. In examples, the per-turn policy is used to generate one or more responses during a dialogue with a user via a computing device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for transcript generation includes receiving an audio file and dividing it into a plurality of chunks. The method further includes sending each instance of the plurality of chunks to a speech service module. The method further includes converting speech to text for each instance of the plurality of chunks and returning the text for each instance of the plurality of chunks. The method further includes merging the text for each instance of the plurality of chunks to yield an audio file transcript and sending the audio file and chunks to a diarization module. The method further includes performing first pass diarization on the chunks to yield a plurality of diarized chunks and performing second pass diarization on the plurality of diarized chunks and the audio file to yield a diarized audio file. The method further includes merging the files to yield a final transcript.

Abstract: Aspects herein provide third party application authors with a user interface authoring platform that automates and simplifies a task definition process while also providing the ability to leverage pre-existing language understanding models and canonicalization and resolution modules that are provided by the operating system on which the CU system resides or as provided by other third parties. In particular, the present disclosure provides a method and system for authoring a task using a user interface authoring platform.

Abstract: Representative embodiments disclose mechanisms to automatically rank and select extensions triggered in a digital assistant. A sample set of extensions are executed against a set of curated queries in order to extract a set of features and/or statistics. The system trains a machine learning model based on the features and/or statistics to rank and select extensions based on their response to a query, New extension incorporated into the system are executed against a second set of curated queries to obtain a set of extracted features and/or statistics which are saved for use at runtime. At runtime, a query phrase received by the system triggers one or more tasks from extensions. Extracted features for the triggered extensions are combined with stored features/statistics and at least a subset of the results presented to the trained ranking and selection model. The model ranks and selects appropriate tasks which are presented to the user.

Abstract: Representative embodiments disclose mechanisms to automatically rank and select extensions triggered in a digital assistant. A sample set of extensions are executed against a set of curated queries in order to extract a set of features and/or statistics. The system trains a machine learning model based on the features and/or statistics to rank and select extensions based on their response to a query. New extension incorporated into the system are executed against a second set of curated queries to obtain a set of extracted features and/or statistics which are saved for use at runtime. At runtime, a query phrase received by the system triggers one or more tasks from extensions. Extracted features for the triggered extensions are combined with stored features/statistics and at least a subset of the results presented to the trained ranking and selection model. The model ranks and selects appropriate tasks which are presented to the user.

Abstract: Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure describe decoupling task state tracking that is managed by a shared task completion platform from execution of tasks by a task resource owner. Task registration data is received at a shared task state platform for a task that is executable by a task owner resource. Task registration data comprises parameters to be collected for execution of the task and ancillary information, such as the name of the task and whether to confirm the values of the parameters after collection. During interaction with a user, the shared task completion platform receives an input and determines the task is associated with the received input. During the interaction, parameters of the received task registration data are utilized to collect data for execution of the task. The collected data is transmitted to the task owner resource for execution of the task.

Abstract: An arrangement and corresponding method are described for multi-domain natural language processing. Multiple parallel domain pipelines are used for processing a natural language input. Each domain pipeline represents a different specific subject domain of related concepts. Each domain pipeline includes a mention module that processes the natural language input using natural language understanding (NLU) to determine a corresponding list of mentions, and an interpretation generator that receives the list of mentions and produces a rank-ordered domain output set of sentence-level interpretation candidates. A global evidence ranker receives the domain output sets from the domain pipelines and produces an overall rank-ordered final output set of sentence-level interpretations.

Abstract: In language evaluation systems, user expressions are often evaluated by speech recognizers and language parsers, and among several possible translations, a highest-probability translation is selected and added to a dialog sequence. However, such systems may exhibit inadequacies by discarding alternative translations that may initially exhibit a lower probability, but that may have a higher probability when evaluated in the full context of the dialog, including subsequent expressions. Presented herein are techniques for communicating with a user by formulating a dialog hypothesis set identifying hypothesis probabilities for a set of dialog hypotheses, using generative and/or discriminative models, and repeatedly re-ranks the dialog hypotheses based on subsequent expressions.

Abstract: Representative embodiments disclose mechanisms to automatically rank and select extensions triggered in a digital assistant. A sample set of extensions are executed against a set of curated queries in order to extract a set of features and/or statistics. The system trains a machine learning model based on the features and/or statistics to rank and select extensions based on their response to a query. New extension incorporated into the system are executed against a second set of curated queries to obtain a set of extracted features and/or statistics which are saved for use at runtime. At runtime, a query phrase received by the system triggers one or more tasks from extensions. Extracted features for the triggered extensions are combined with stored features/statistics and at least a subset of the results presented to the trained ranking and selection model. The model ranks and selects appropriate tasks which are presented to the user.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for discriminating ambiguous expressions to enhance user experience. For example, a natural language expression may be received by a speech recognition component. The natural language expression may include at least one of words, terms, and phrases of text. A dialog hypothesis set from the natural language expression may be created by using contextual information. In some cases, the dialog hypothesis set has at least two dialog hypotheses. A plurality of dialog responses may be generated for the dialog hypothesis set. The dialog hypothesis set may be ranked based on an analysis of the plurality of the dialog responses. An action may be performed based on ranking the dialog hypothesis set.

Abstract: Conversational understanding systems allow users to conversationally interface with a computing device. In examples, a query may be received that includes a request for execution of a task. A data exchange task definition may be accessed. The data exchange task definition assists a conversational understanding system in managing task state tracking for information needed for task execution. Using the data exchange task definition, a per-turn policy for interacting with the user computing device is generated based on the state of a dialogue with a computing device and an evaluation of a process flow chart provided by a task owner resource. The task owner resource may be independent from the conversational understanding system. A response to the query may be generated and output based on the per-turn policy. In examples, the per-turn policy is used to generate one or more responses during a dialogue with a user via a computing device.