Patents by Inventor Gray Salmon Norton

Gray Salmon Norton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Methods and apparatus to help users of a natural language system formulate queries
    Patent number: 8548799
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide the capability of receiving at least a portion of a message in natural language format from a user prior to submission of the message to an automated agent for a response, analyzing the at least the portion of the message, and providing a suggestion to the user, based upon the analyzed at least the portion of the message, for altering the message to improve ability of the automated agent to respond to the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gray Salmon Norton, Francois Huet, Pierre Berkaloff
  • Methods and apparatus for use in computer-to-human escalation
    Patent number: 8275117
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for escalating a user or customer to a live agent from a conversational agent when predetermined criteria are met. The conversational agent textually converses in so-called natural language interaction and can run on a computer, such as a server. Upon receiving a first query, the conversational agent creates a new case, and interacts with the customer, in an attempt to resolve the case and satisfy the user. The predetermined criteria for escalation may include a determination that the conversational agent is unable to satisfy a computer-to-computer information request. Alternatively, the predetermined criteria may include patterns and/or words associated with frustration, for example, and/or unrecognized query subject matter, high priority queries, for example to increase sales, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Francois Huet, Damien Saint Macary, Gray Salmon Norton, Stephen D. Klein, Timothy Kay
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR USE IN COMPUTER-TO-HUMAN ESCALATION
    Publication number: 20110235797
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for escalating a user or customer to a live agent from a conversational agent when predetermined criteria are met. The conversational agent textually converses in so-called natural language interaction and can run on a computer, such as a server. Upon receiving a first query, the conversational agent creates a new case, and interacts with the customer, in an attempt to resolve the case and satisfy the user. The predetermined criteria for escalation may include a determination that the conversational agent is unable to satisfy a computer-to-computer information request. Alternatively, the predetermined criteria may include patterns and/or words associated with frustration, for example, and/or unrecognized query subject matter, high priority queries, for example to increase sales, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Francois Huet, Damien Saint Macary, Gray Salmon Norton, Stephen D. Klein, Timothy Kay
  • Methods and apparatus for use in computer-to-human escalation
    Patent number: 7983411
    Abstract: A conversational agent receives a textual user message and escalates the user to a live agent if predetermined criteria are met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Francois Huet, Damien Saint Macary, Gray Salmon Norton, Stephen D. Klein, Timothy Kay
  • Methods and apparatus for evaluating semantic proximity
    Patent number: 7877349
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to evaluate the semantic proximity between reference free-form text entry and a candidate free-form text request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Francois Huet, Gray Salmon Norton
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR EVALUATING SEMANTIC PROXIMITY
    Publication number: 20100191521
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to evaluate the semantic proximity between reference free-form text entry and a candidate free-form text request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: COLLOQUIS, INC.
    Inventors: Francois Huet, Gray Salmon Norton
  • Methods and apparatus for evaluating semantic proximity
    Patent number: 7702665
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to evaluate the semantic proximity between reference free-form text entry and a candidate free-form text request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Colloquis, Inc.
    Inventors: Francois Huet, Gray Salmon Norton