Patents by Inventor Linda M. Boyer

Linda M. Boyer 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).

  • Patent number: 11093835
    Abstract: Methods, computer program products and systems for generating at least one factual question from a set of seed questions and answer pairs. One method includes: obtaining at least one seed question and answer pair from the set of seed question and answer pairs; extracting a set of features associated with the at least one seed question and answer pair using at least one common analysis system (CAS) in a set of CASs and a specific knowledge base; generating a set of candidate questions from the extracted set of features using a logistic regression algorithm and the specific knowledge base; and ranking each candidate question relative to a remainder of candidate questions in the set of candidate questions based on the extracted set of features and the at least one seed question and answer pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron K. Baughman, Linda M. Boyer, Wesley T. Chuang, Meilan Ding, William R. Gee, Palani Sakthi
  • Patent number: 10192543
    Abstract: A method (300) and system (100) is provided to add the creation of examples at a developer level in the generation of Natural Language Understanding (NLU) models, tying the examples into a NLU sentence database (130), automatically validating (310) a correct outcome of using the examples, and automatically resolving (316) problems the user has using the examples. The method (300) can convey examples of what a caller can say to a Natural Language Understanding (NLU) application. The method includes entering at least one example associated with an existing routing destination, and ensuring an NLU model correctly interprets the example unambiguously for correctly routing a call to the routing destination. The method can include presenting the example sentence in a help message (126) within an NLU dialogue as an example of what a caller can say for connecting the caller to a desired routing destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Balchandran, Linda M. Boyer, James R. Lewis, Brent D. Metz
  • Patent number: 9767092
    Abstract: A method of extracting information from text within a natural language understanding system can include processing a text input through at least one statistical model for each of a plurality of features to be extracted from the text input. For each feature, at least one value can be determined, at least in part, using the statistical model associated with the feature. One value for each feature can be combined to create a complex information target. The complex information target can be output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rajesh Balchandran, Linda M. Boyer, Gregory Purdy
  • Publication number: 20170076204
    Abstract: Methods, computer program products and systems for generating at least one factual question from a set of seed questions and answer pairs. One method includes: obtaining at least one seed question and answer pair from the set of seed question and answer pairs; extracting a set of features associated with the at least one seed question and answer pair using at least one common analysis system (CAS) in a set of CASs and a specific knowledge base; generating a set of candidate questions from the extracted set of features using a logistic regression algorithm and the specific knowledge base; and ranking each candidate question relative to a remainder of candidate questions in the set of candidate questions based on the extracted set of features and the at least one seed question and answer pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Aaron K. Baughman, Linda M. Boyer, Wesley T. Chuang, Meilan Ding, William R. Gee, Palani Sakthi
  • Patent number: 9535898
    Abstract: Methods, computer program products and systems for generating at least one factual question from a set of seed questions and answer pairs. One method includes: obtaining at least one seed question and answer pair from the set of seed question and answer pairs; extracting a set of features associated with the at least one seed question and answer pair using at least one common analysis system (CAS) in a set of CASs and a specific knowledge base; generating a set of candidate questions from the extracted set of features using a logistic regression algorithm and the specific knowledge base, wherein each candidate question includes an expansion of each of the extracted set of features; and ranking each candidate question relative to a remainder of candidate questions in the set of candidate questions based on the extracted set of features and the at least one seed question and answer pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron K. Baughman, Linda M. Boyer, Wesley T. Chuang, Meilan Ding, William R. Gee, Palani Sakthi
  • Publication number: 20160350281
    Abstract: A method of extracting information from text within a natural language understanding system can include processing a text input through at least one statistical model for each of a plurality of features to be extracted from the text input. For each feature, at least one value can be determined, at least in part, using the statistical model associated with the feature. One value for each feature can be combined to create a complex information target. The complex information target can be output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Rajesh Balchandran, Linda M. Boyer, Gregory Purdy
  • Patent number: 9454525
    Abstract: A method of extracting information from text within a natural language understanding system can include processing a text input through at least one statistical model for each of a plurality of features to be extracted from the text input. For each feature, at least one value can be determined, at least in part, using the statistical model associated with the feature. One value for each feature can be combined to create a complex information target. The complex information target can be output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rajesh Balchandran, Linda M. Boyer, Gregory Purdy
  • Publication number: 20160253991
    Abstract: A method (300) and system (100) is provided to add the creation of examples at a developer level in the generation of Natural Language Understanding (NLU) models, tying the examples into a NLU sentence database (130), automatically validating (310) a correct outcome of using the examples, and automatically resolving (316) problems the user has using the examples. The method (300) can convey examples of what a caller can say to a Natural Language Understanding (NLU) application. The method includes entering at least one example associated with an existing routing destination, and ensuring an NLU model correctly interprets the example unambiguously for correctly routing a call to the routing destination. The method can include presenting the example sentence in a help message (126) within an NLU dialogue as an example of what a caller can say for connecting the caller to a desired routing destination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Balchandran, Linda M. Boyer, James R. Lewis, Brent D. Metz
  • Patent number: 9384190
    Abstract: A method (300) and system (100) is provided to add the creation of examples at a developer level in the generation of Natural Language Understanding (NLU) models, tying the examples into a NLU sentence database (130), automatically validating (310) a correct outcome of using the examples, and automatically resolving (316) problems the user has using the examples. The method (300) can convey examples of what a caller can say to a Natural Language Understanding (NLU) application. The method includes entering at least one example associated with an existing routing destination, and ensuring an NLU model correctly interprets the example unambiguously for correctly routing a can to the routing destination. The method can include presenting the example sentence in a help message (126) within an NLU dialog as an example of what a caller can say for connecting the caller to a desired routing destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Balchandran, Linda M. Boyer, James R. Lewis, Brent D. Metz
  • Patent number: 9342588
    Abstract: A method of creating a statistical classification model for a classifier within a natural language understanding system can include processing training data using an existing statistical classification model. Sentences of the training data correctly classified into a selected class of the statistical classification model can be selected. The selected sentences of the training data can be assigned to a fringe group or a core group according to confidence score. The training data can be updated by associating the fringe group with a fringe subclass of the selected class and the core group with a core subclass of the selected class. A new statistical classification model can be built from the updated training data. The new statistical classification model can be output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rajesh Balchandran, Linda M. Boyer, Gregory Purdy
  • Patent number: 9058319
    Abstract: A method of classifying text input for use with a natural language understanding system can include determining classification information including a primary classification and one or more secondary classifications for a received text input using a statistical classification model (statistical model). A statistical classification sub-model (statistical sub-model) can be selectively built according to a model generation criterion applied to the classification information. The method further can include selecting the primary classification or the secondary classification for the text input as a final classification according to the statistical sub-model and outputting the final classification for the text input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rajesh Balchandran, Linda M. Boyer, Gregory Purdy
  • Publication number: 20140379330
    Abstract: Methods, computer program products and systems for generating at least one factual question from a set of seed questions and answer pairs. One method includes: obtaining at least one seed question and answer pair from the set of seed question and answer pairs; extracting a set of features associated with the at least one seed question and answer pair using at least one common analysis system (CAS) in a set of CASs and a specific knowledge base; generating a set of candidate questions from the extracted set of features using a logistic regression algorithm and the specific knowledge base; and ranking each candidate question relative to a remainder of candidate questions in the set of candidate questions based on the extracted set of features and the at least one seed question and answer pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Aaron K. Baughman, Linda M. Boyer, Wesley T. Chuang, Meilan Ding, William R. Gee, Palani Sakthi
  • Publication number: 20140222743
    Abstract: Methods, computer program products and systems for generating at least one factual question from a set of seed questions and answer pairs. One method includes: obtaining at least one seed question and answer pair from the set of seed question and answer pairs; extracting a set of features associated with the at least one seed question and answer pair using at least one common analysis system (CAS) in a set of CASs and a specific knowledge base; generating a set of candidate questions from the extracted set of features using a logistic regression algorithm and the specific knowledge base, wherein each candidate question includes an expansion of each of the extracted set of features; and ranking each candidate question relative to a remainder of candidate questions in the set of candidate questions based on the extracted set of features and the at least one seed question and answer pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aaron K. Baughman, Linda M. Boyer, Wesley T. Chuang, Meilan Ding, William R. Gee, Palani Sakthi
  • Patent number: 8793381
    Abstract: A workload associated with a task is assessed with respect to each of a plurality of computing paradigms offered by a cloud computing environment. Adaptive learning is employed by maintaining a table of Q-values corresponding to the computing paradigms and the workload is distributed according to a ratio of Q-values. The Q-values may be adjusted responsive to a performance metric and/or a value, reward, and/or decay function. The workload is then assigned to available computing paradigms to be performed with improved utilization of resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron K. Baughman, Linda M. Boyer, Christopher F. Codella, Richard L. Darden, William G. Dubyak, Arnold Greenland
  • Publication number: 20140156265
    Abstract: A method (300) and system (100) is provided to add the creation of examples at a developer level in the generation of Natural Language Understanding (NLU) models, tying the examples into a NLU sentence database (130), automatically validating (310) a correct outcome of using the examples, and automatically resolving (316) problems the user has using the examples. The method (300) can convey examples of what a caller can say to a Natural Language Understanding (NLU) application. The method includes entering at least one example associated with an existing routing destination, and ensuring an NLU model correctly interprets the example unambiguously for correctly routing a can to the routing destination. The method can include presenting the example sentence in a help message (126) within an NLU dialogue as an example of what a caller can say for connecting the caller to a desired routing destination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Balchandran, Linda M. Boyer, James R. Lewis, Brent D. Metz
  • Patent number: 8630856
    Abstract: A method for processing language input can include the step of determining at least two possible meanings for a language input. For each possible meaning, a probability that the possible meaning is a correct interpretation of the language input can be determined. At least one relative data computation can be computed based at least in part upon the probabilities. At least one irregularity within the language input can be detected based upon the relative delta computation. The irregularity can include mumble, ambiguous input, and/or compound input. At least one programmatic action can be performed responsive to the detection of the irregularity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Balchandran, Linda M. Boyer
  • Publication number: 20130346614
    Abstract: A workload associated with a task is assessed with respect to each of a plurality of computing paradigms offered by a cloud computing environment. Adaptive learning is employed by maintaining a table of Q-values corresponding to the computing paradigms and the workload is distributed according to a ratio of Q-values. The Q-values may be adjusted responsive to a performance metric and/or a value, reward, and/or decay function. The workload is then assigned to available computing paradigms to be performed with improved utilization of resources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aaron K. Baughman, Linda M. Boyer, Christopher F. Codella, Richard L. Darden, William G. Dubyak, Arnold Greenland
  • Patent number: 8612229
    Abstract: A method (300) and system (100) is provided to add the creation of examples at a developer level in the generation of Natural Language Understanding (NLU) models, tying the examples into a NLU sentence database (130), automatically validating (310) a correct outcome of using the examples, and automatically resolving (316) problems the user has using the examples. The method (300) can convey examples of what a caller can say to a Natural Language Understanding (NLU) application. The method includes entering at least one example associated with an existing routing destination, and ensuring an NLU model correctly interprets the example unambiguously for correctly routing a call to the routing destination. The method can include presenting the example sentence in a help message (126) within an NLU dialogue as an example of what a caller can say for connecting the caller to a desired routing destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Balchandran, Linda M. Boyer, James R. Lewis, Brent D. Metz
  • Publication number: 20130262093
    Abstract: A method of extracting information from text within a natural language understanding system can include processing a text input through at least one statistical model for each of a plurality of features to be extracted from the text input. For each feature, at least one value can be determined, at least in part, using the statistical model associated with the feature. One value for each feature can be combined to create a complex information target. The complex information target can be output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rajesh Balchandran, Linda M. Boyer, Gregory Purdy
  • Patent number: 8521511
    Abstract: A method of extracting information from text within a natural language understanding system can include processing a text input through at least one statistical model for each of a plurality of features to be extracted from the text input. For each feature, at least one value can be determined, at least in part, using the statistical model associated with the feature. One value for each feature can be combined to create a complex information target. The complex information target can be output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rajesh Balchandran, Linda M. Boyer, Gregory Purdy