Abstract: A method and system (102) is provided for a multi-modal task-oriented dialog management implemented on a computer-based system. The system (102) maximizes the probability of successful task completion after a task is requested (302). Every task is associated with a task model comprising recipes, acts, parameters and modalities. Confidence measures are calculated at various levels for each task. The confidence measures represent the probability of success of the action depending on the user preferences. The most suitable recipe, act, parameter and modality are selected at runtime using the provided confidence measures (304) to maximize the probability of task completion. After each act, confidence measures are modified (312) depending on the user response, and the next suitable act is accordingly selected. Optionally, a post evaluation module (PEM) is provided for monitoring the user response and modifying the formulation for the confidence measures calculation.

Abstract: A radio telecommunications network for providing information services to a mobile subscriber (22) includes a distributed arrangement of Agent Transceiver Systems (13, 14, 15), each associated with a base station (17, 18, 19) serving a respective geographical area, and each acting as a host platform for local information services. This distributed arrangement keeps the transmission loads due to accessed information which is added to the radio communications system to a minimum. A further feature of the invention allows mobility of a subscriber's personalised details to be moved around from platform to platform as he moves from one location to another, without interfering with the usual operation of the telecommunications system. Links (20, 21, 23) to a global services platform also provide access to Internet-type services.