公开(公告)号：EP1275042A2

公开(公告)日：2003-01-15

申请号：EP01918361.5

申请日：2001-03-06

申请人： Kanisa Inc.

发明人： ANDERSON, Monica ,  ANGEL, Mark, A. ,  COPPERMAN, Max ,  FRATKINA, Raya ,  HUFFMAN, Scott ,  KAY, David ,  STERN, Robert

IPC分类号： G06F3/033

CPC分类号： G06F17/30654 ,  G06F17/30873 ,  G06N5/042 ,  Y10S707/99933 ,  Y10S707/99945

摘要： A method and system are disclosed for retrieving information through the use of a multi-stage interaction with a client to identify particular knowledge content associated with a knowledge map. The present invention is an application program running on a server accessed via the world-wide web or other data network using standard Internet protocols, a web browser and web server software. In addition to an automated portion, the present invention allows a human dialog designer to model the way the system elicits information, giving a human feel to the dialog and a better customer experience. In operation, users start a dialog by directing their web browser to a designated web page. This web page asks the user some initial questions that are then passed to a dialog engine. The dialog engine then applies its methods and algorithms to a knowledge map, using dialog control information/and the user's responses to provide feedback to the user. The feedback may include follow-up questions, relevant documents, and instructions to the user (e.g., instructions to contact a human customer service representative). This dialog engine response is rendered as a web page and returned to the user's web browser. The user can then respond further to the follow-up questions he or she is presented, and the cycle repeats. The invention can be implemented so that it can interact with customers through a wide variety of communication channels including the Internet, wireless devices (e.g., telephone, pager, etc.), handheld devices such as a Personal Data Assistant (PDA), email, and via a telephone where the automated system is delivered using an interactive voice response (IVR) and/or speech-recognition system.