Menu-based natural language understanding system

Patent 4829423 Issued on May 9, 1989. Estimated Expiration Date:

April 3, 2007. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

3566370

Graph architecture information processing system
Patent #: 4177514
Issued on: 12/04/1979
Inventor: Rupp

Easily accessible formating of computer printouts Patent #: 4460975
Issued on: 07/17/1984
Inventor: Torkelsen , et al.

Inventors

Assignee

Texas Instruments Incorporated

Application

No. 07/035276 filed on 04/03/1987

US Classes:

704/8, Multilingual or national language support700/83Having operator control interface (e.g., control/display console)

Examiners

Primary: Zache, Raulfe B.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

International Classes

G06F 3/023 (20060101)
G06F 17/30 (20060101)
G06F 17/27 (20060101)

Abstract

A natural language interface for a computer system restricts inputs from a user to those which generate valid input sentences. The user selects a next input word from a menu showing which words are valid. When an input is selected, a parser uses a predefined grammar to determine which words are valid continuations after the selected word, and whether a complete sentence has been entered. Valid next words are presented to the user in menu form so that a next selection can be made. If an ambiguous complete sentence is entered, the interface allows the user to select the desired meaning therefor. The grammer can be context free grammar, and can use an associated lexicon to define elements therein.

Other References

1982 International Zurich Seminar On Digital Communications, Man-Machine Interaction, 9th-11th Mar. 1982, Zurich, Proceedings, IEEE, Cat. No. 82CH1735-D, pp. 153-158, H. G. Fischer et al. "User Friendly Interaction with an Integrated Database Information Retrieval System"
Computer, vol. 13, No. 7, Jul. 1980, pp. 43-48, Fox et al, "The Automated Dictionary"
IEEE Trans. On Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. PAMI-4, No. 2, Mar. 1982, pp. 221-223, J. W. Smith et al., "A Microcomputer System for Processing Natural Languages"
Philips Technical Review, vol. 38, No. 10, 1978/79, pp. 269-284, "Phliqa 1, A Question-Answering System For Data-Answering System For Data-Base Consulation in Natural English"