Bernie Zimmerman

Bio: Bernie Zimmerman is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Natural language & Voice user interface. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 9 publications receiving 534 citations.

System and method for providing a natural language voice user interface in an integrated voice navigation services environment

Abstract: A conversational, natural language voice user interface may provide an integrated voice navigation services environment. The voice user interface may enable a user to make natural language requests relating to various navigation services, and further, may interact with the user in a cooperative, conversational dialogue to resolve the requests. Through dynamic awareness of context, available sources of information, domain knowledge, user behavior and preferences, and external systems and devices, among other things, the voice user interface may provide an integrated environment in which the user can speak conversationally, using natural language, to issue queries, commands, or other requests relating to the navigation services provided in the environment.

Providing a natural language voice user interface in an integrated voice navigation services environment

Abstract: A conversational, natural language voice user interface may provide an integrated voice navigation services environment. The voice user interface may enable a user to make natural language requests relating to various navigation services, and further, may interact with the user in a cooperative, conversational dialogue to resolve the requests. Through dynamic awareness of context, available sources of information, domain knowledge, user behavior and preferences, and external systems and devices, among other things, the voice user interface may provide an integrated environment in which the user can speak conversationally, using natural language, to issue queries, commands, or other requests relating to the navigation services provided in the environment.

System and method for dynamically generating a recognition grammar in an integrated voice navigation services environment

Abstract: The system and method described herein may dynamically generate a recognition grammar associated with a conversational voice user interface in an integrated voice navigation services environment. In particular, in response to receiving a natural language utterance that relates to a navigation context at the voice user interface, a conversational language processor may generate a dynamic recognition grammar that organizes grammar information based on one or more topological domains. For example, the one or more topological domains may be determined based on a current location associated with a navigation device, whereby a speech recognition engine may use the grammar information organized in the dynamic recognition grammar according to the one or more topological domains to generate one or more interpretations associated with the natural language utterance.

System and method for providing advertisements in an integrated voice navigation services environment

Abstract: The system and method described herein may provide advertisements in an integrated voice navigation services environment. In particular, one or more advertisements may be identified based on affinities among a current location associated with a navigation device and shared knowledge and information used to interpret natural language utterances that relate to a navigation context, wherein the one or more advertisements may then be presented via a multi-modal output. As such, the shared knowledge and the information relating to the navigation context may provide the system and method with dynamic awareness relating to context, available information sources, domain knowledge, and user behavior and preferences, among other things, which may be used to deliver targeted and contextually relevant advertisements in the integrated navigation services environment.

System and method for providing a natural language voice user interface

Abstract: A conversational, natural language voice user interface may provide an integrated voice navigation services environment. The voice user interface may enable a user to make natural language requests relating to various navigation services, and further, may interact with the user in a cooperative, conversational dialogue to resolve the requests. Through dynamic awareness of context, available sources of information, domain knowledge, user behavior and preferences, and external systems and devices, among other things, the voice user interface may provide an integrated environment in which the user can speak conversationally, using natural language, to issue queries, commands, or other requests relating to the navigation services provided in the environment.

Intelligent Automated Assistant

Abstract: An intelligent automated assistant system engages with the user in an integrated, conversational manner using natural language dialog, and invokes external services when appropriate to obtain information or perform various actions. The system can be implemented using any of a number of different platforms, such as the web, email, smartphone, and the like, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the system is based on sets of interrelated domains and tasks, and employs additional functionally powered by external services with which the system can interact.

Systems and methods for responding to natural language speech utterance

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for receiving speech and non-speech communications of natural language questions and/or commands, transcribing the speech and non-speech communications to textual messages, and executing the questions and/or commands. The invention applies context, prior information, domain knowledge, and user specific profile data to achieve a natural environment for one or more users presenting questions or commands across multiple domains. The systems and methods creates, stores and uses extensive personal profile information for each user, thereby improving the reliability of determining the context of the speech and non-speech communications and presenting the expected results for a particular question or command.

Automated Response to and Sensing of User Activity in Portable Devices

Abstract: The various methods and devices described herein relate to devices which, in at least certain embodiments, may include one or more sensors for providing data relating to user activity and at least one processor for causing the device to respond based on the user activity which was determined, at least in part, through the sensors. The response by the device may include a change of state of the device, and the response may be automatically performed after the user activity is determined.

Mobile systems and methods of supporting natural language human-machine interactions

Abstract: A mobile system is provided that includes speech-based and non-speech-based interfaces for telematics applications. The mobile system identifies and uses context, prior information, domain knowledge, and user specific profile data to achieve a natural environment for users that submit requests and/or commands in multiple domains. The invention creates, stores and uses extensive personal profile information for each user, thereby improving the reliability of determining the context and presenting the expected results for a particular question or command. The invention may organize domain specific behavior and information into agents, that are distributable or updateable over a wide area network.

Using context information to facilitate processing of commands in a virtual assistant

Abstract: A virtual assistant uses context information to supplement natural language or gestural input from a user. Context helps to clarify the user's intent and to reduce the number of candidate interpretations of the user's input, and reduces the need for the user to provide excessive clarification input. Context can include any available information that is usable by the assistant to supplement explicit user input to constrain an information-processing problem and/or to personalize results. Context can be used to constrain solutions during various phases of processing, including, for example, speech recognition, natural language processing, task flow processing, and dialog generation.