Abstract: A platform for developing a virtual personal assistant (“VPA”) application includes an ontology that defines a computerized structure for representing knowledge relating to one or more domains. A domain may refer to a category of information and/or activities in relation to which the VPA application may engage in a conversational natural language dialog with a computing device user. Re-usable VPA components may be linked to or included in the ontology. An ontology populating agent may at least partially automate the process of populating the ontology with domain-specific information. The re-usable VPA components may be linked with the domain-specific information through the ontology. A VPA application created with the platform may include domain-adapted re-usable VPA components that may be called upon by an executable VPA engine to determine a likely intended meaning of conversational natural language input of the user and/or initiate an appropriate system response to the input.

Abstract: A device, method and system for automatically inferring a mobile user's current context includes applying a user activity knowledge base to real-time inputs and stored user-specific information to determine a current situation. Automated reasoning is used to infer a user-specific context of the current situation. Automated candidate actions may be generated and performed in accordance with the current situation and user-specific context.

Abstract: A platform for developing a virtual personal assistant (“VPA”) application includes an ontology that defines a computerized structure for representing knowledge relating to one or more domains. A domain may refer to a category of information and/or activities in relation to which the VPA application may engage in a conversational natural language dialog with a computing device user. Re-usable VPA components may be linked to or included in the ontology. An ontology populating agent may at least partially automate the process of populating the ontology with domain-specific information. The re-usable VPA components may be linked with the domain-specific information through the ontology. A VPA application created with the platform may include domain-adapted re-usable VPA components that may be called upon by an executable VPA engine to determine a likely intended meaning of conversational natural language input of the user and/or initiate an appropriate system response to the input.

Abstract: A platform for developing a virtual personal assistant (“VPA”) application includes an ontology that defines a computerized structure for representing knowledge relating to one or more domains. A domain may refer to a category of information and/or activities in relation to which the VPA application may engage in a conversational natural language dialog with a computing device user. Re-usable VPA components may be linked to or included in the ontology. An ontology populating agent may at least partially automate the process of populating the ontology with domain-specific information. The re-usable VPA components may be linked with the domain-specific information through the ontology. A VPA application created with the platform may include domain-adapted re-usable VPA components that may be called upon by an executable VPA engine to determine a likely intended meaning of conversational natural language input of the user and/or initiate an appropriate system response to the input.

Abstract: A virtual personal assistant (VPA) application analyzes intents to, among other things, enhance or personalize a user's dialog experience with the VPA application. A set of intents, or multiple sets of intents, are maintained over the course of one or more user-specific dialog sessions with the VPA. Inferences may be derived from the set or sets of intents and incorporated into a current or future dialog session between the VPA and a user of the VPA application. In some embodiments, the inferences are only made available through the systemic understanding of natural language discourse by the VPA.

Abstract: A vehicle personal assistant to engage a user in a conversational dialog about vehicle-related topics, such as those commonly found in a vehicle owner's manual, includes modules to interpret spoken natural language input, search a vehicle knowledge base and/or other data sources for pertinent information, and respond to the user's input in a conversational fashion. The dialog may be initiated by the user or more proactively by the vehicle personal assistant based on events that may be currently happening in relation to the vehicle. The vehicle personal assistant may use real-time inputs obtained from the vehicle and/or non-verbal inputs from the user to enhance its understanding of the dialog and assist the user in a variety of ways.

Abstract: A vehicle personal assistant to engage a user in a conversational dialog about vehicle-related topics, such as those commonly found in a vehicle owner's manual, includes modules to interpret spoken natural language input, search a vehicle knowledge base and/or other data sources for pertinent information, and respond to the user's input in a conversational fashion. The dialog may be initiated by the user or more proactively by the vehicle personal assistant based on events that may be currently happening in relation to the vehicle. The vehicle personal assistant may use real-time inputs obtained from the vehicle and/or non-verbal inputs from the user to enhance its understanding of the dialog and assist the user in a variety of ways.

Abstract: A device, method and system for automatically inferring a mobile user's current context includes applying a user activity knowledge base to real-time inputs and stored user-specific information to determine a current situation. Automated reasoning is used to infer a user-specific context of the current situation. Automated candidate actions may be generated and performed in accordance with the current situation and user-specific context.

Abstract: A device, method and system for automatically inferring a mobile user's current context includes applying a user activity knowledge base to real-time inputs and stored user-specific information to determine a current situation. Automated reasoning is used to infer a user-specific context of the current situation. Automated candidate actions may be generated and performed in accordance with the current situation and user-specific context.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for exploiting human feedback in an intelligent automated assistant. One embodiment of a method for conducting an interaction with a human user includes inferring an intent from data entered by the human user, formulating a response in accordance with the intent, receiving feedback from a human advisor in response to at least one of the inferring and the formulating, wherein the human advisor is a person other than the human user, and adapting at least one model used in at least one of the inferring and the formulating, wherein the adapting is based on the feedback.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for tailoring the output of an intelligent automated assistant. One embodiment of a method for conducting an interaction with a human user includes collecting data about the user using a multimodal set of sensors positioned in a vicinity of the user, making a set of inferences about the user in accordance with the data, and tailoring an output to be delivered to the user in accordance with the set of inferences.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a new method enables an individual to selectively preserve the integrity of potentially private data such as identity, current location and the like while using a mobile communications device (e.g., a cell phone) for media access. In one embodiment, the method receives a request for media content from the user in the form of a verbal command. The method then determines whether execution of the command would require the revelation of any potentially private user information. If execution would require such a revelation, the method prompts the user to either permit revelation of the information or to reformulate the request in a way that would not require the information to be revealed. Once data integrity has been resolved, the method searches for and retrieves the requested content.

Abstract: A distributed agent community is able to dynamically interact with alternative sofware technologies that manage distributed objects. The leveraging of capabilities of distributed object systems greatly expands the flexibility and capabilites of the distributed agent community. Through access to distributed object systems, the distributed agent community can draw on the capabilites of all the objects managed by the distributed object systems. The access to distributed systems by the distributed agent community allows for collaboration and intelligent planning that the distributed object systems do not themsleves provide.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a new method enables an individual to selectively preserve the integrity of potentially private data such as identity, current location and the like while using a mobile communications device (e.g., a cell phone) for media access. In one embodiment, the method receives a request for media content from the user in the form of a verbal command. The method then determines whether execution of the command would require the revelation of any potentially private user information. If execution would require such a revelation, the method prompts the user to either permit revelation of the information or to reformulate the request in a way that would not require the information to be revealed. Once data integrity has been resolved, the method searches for and retrieves the requested content.

Abstract: A computer-based tool, in the form of a computer system and method, for designing, constructing and interacting with any system containing or comprising concurrent asychronous processes, such as a factory operation. In the system according to the invention a variety of development and execution tools are supported. The invention features a highly visual user presentation of a control system, including structure, specification, and operation, offering a user an interactive capability for rapid design, modification, and exploration of the operating characteristics of a control system comprising asynchronous processes. The invention captures a representation of the system (RS) that is equivalent to the actual system (AS)--rather than a simulation of the actual system. This allows the invention to perform tests and modification on RS instead of AS, yet get accurate results. RS and AS are equivalent because AS is generated directly from RS by an automated process.

Abstract: The disclosed fin and nozzle unit comprises a generally cylindrical nozzle body having an axial nozzle opening therein for discharging a gaseous propulsion stream, a plurality of fins having pivot means mounting such fins on a rear end portion of the nozzle body for swinging movement between retracted launch positions and extended flight positions in which such fins are swung outwardly from the launch positions through a predetermined angle, such fins having bent or skewed portions which are positioned in the gaseous propulsion stream when the fins are in their retracted launch positions for causing the gaseous propulsion stream to act upon the bent portions so as to produce spinning movement of the rocket when it is being launched, the bent portions being movable outwardly out of the gaseous propulsion stream when the fins are swung outwardly into their extended flight positions to avoid imparting further spin to the rocket during flight.

Abstract: An electronic time opener and opener system is utilized for initiating the pening of a plurality of munition cannisters at an accurate settable time after ejection from a high speed aircraft. Analogue circuitry is used in the opener setter to measure the capacitance of an RC circuit of the electronic time opener, immediately prior to cannister ejection. Upon the basis of this pre-ejection measurement a proper voltage charge is generated to obtain sufficient energy to actuate a detonator in the munition at the proper time. The combined opener and opener setter system permit accurate tuning while using wide tolerance capacitance components in the electronic time opener.