Charles A Rich

US Patent:

20060036970, Feb 16, 2006

Filed:

Aug 16, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/919117

Inventors:

Charles Rich - Newton MA, US
Neal Lesh - Cambridge MA, US
Candace Sidner - Newton MA, US
Andrew Garland - Ridgewood NJ, US
Shane Mihelic-Booth - Holland Landing, CA

International Classification:

G06F 17/00

US Classification:

715821000

Abstract:

A system includes a single common graphical user interface for a network of home appliances, comprising a communication window and a task window, both of which are connected to the network. A communication window includes agent utterance bubbles associated with a software agent, and user utterance bubbles associated with a user of the appliances. The agent utterance bubbles display agent utterances, and the user utterance bubbles display user utterances to be selected by the user in response to the agent utterances. A task window includes a selection window for selecting tasks and appliances, and an application program interface for a selected task and appliance. A network of home appliances includes several home appliances connected to an appliance controller by a network. The appliance controller includes the single common graphical user interface.

US Patent:

20060211383, Sep 21, 2006

Filed:

Mar 18, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/084383

Inventors:

Derek Schwenke - Marlborough MA, US
Brent Harsham - Newton MA, US
Bent Schmidt-Nielsen - Lexington MA, US
Charles Rich - Newton MA, US
Christopher Lee - Arlington MA, US

International Classification:

H04B 1/38
H04B 7/00
H04Q 7/20

US Classification:

455090200, 455518000

Abstract:

In a cellular network, a cell phone transmits a continuous voice signal over a voice channel to a server. The cell phone can also generate events, the events including on events and off events. The events can be time-stamped. The events are transmitted as a data signal over a data channel of the network to the server. In the server, only segments of the voice signal that substantially correspond to a particular on event and a following off event are converted by an automated speech recognition engine. The converted signal can be further processed by a dialog manager that generates speech signals for the cell phone in response to the converted signal.

US Patent:

57963967, Aug 18, 1998

Filed:

Jun 5, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/869468

Inventors:

Charles Rich - Newton MA

Assignee:

Mitsubishi Electric Information Technology Center America, Inc. - Cambridge MA

International Classification:

G06F 922

US Classification:

345332

Abstract:

A system is provided to automatically control input permission when multi users and/or software agents interact with a single, shared application in a window-based computing environment, and to indicate to all users which user or software agent currently is providing input or seeking input permission. The system operates by providing each user and agent with a specialized cursor icon that is used for displaying input-permission status and for requesting and relinquishing input-permission. Cursors have three modes with distinct appearances indicating whether the corresponding user or agent has, does not have, or desires input permission. Cursors are replicated on all displays, so that all users can at all times easily see who has or desires input permission. Users interact with the input-permission system by moving and clicking their mouse. Software agents achieve the same effects by sending control requests directly to a software interface provided as part of the invention.

US Patent:

58192433, Oct 6, 1998

Filed:

Nov 5, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/743313

Inventors:

Charles Rich - Newton MA
Candace L. Sidner - Newton MA

Assignee:

Mitsubishi Electric Information Technology Center America, Inc.

International Classification:

G06F 1518

US Classification:

706 11

Abstract:

The present invention relates to a discourse manager which permits effective collaboration between a user and a computer agent. The system operates according to a theory of collaborative discourse between humans, with the computer agent playing the same role as a human collaborator. The present invention does not concern the internal operation of a particular agent, but relates rather to the structures for managing a collaborative discourse between any type of agent and the user. The discourse manager includes a memory in which application-specific recipes are stored and a memory in which the discourse state is stored. Each recipe specifies a set of actions or subtasks which are performed to achieve an objective. The discourse state includes structures to track the agent's and user's current objectives, a selected recipe for each objective, and completed steps in each recipe. The discourse manager also includes a segmented interaction history, which is a chronological record of all the events in the interaction hierarchically grouped according to their purposes.