Digital companions for human users

Abstract

A succession of conversations is facilitated between a user of a device and a non-human companion portrayed on the device, to develop a relationship between the user and the nonhuman companion over a time period that spans the successive conversations. The relationship is developed between the user and the non-human companion to cause a change in a state of the user over the time period. A conversation is facilitated by presenting a segment of speech of the non-human companion to the user and detecting a segment of speech of the user, the segments including a portion of the conversation. At the device, information is received from an intelligent agent about a next segment of speech to be presented to the user, as determined by the intelligent agent based on intelligent processes applied to the segment of speech of the user and to the change in state to be caused.

1 . A method comprising
 providing from a server to a mobile device associated with a user, information to cause the mobile device to portray a non-human companion engaging in a succession of two-way conversations with the user over a period of time as therapy for a psychological condition of the user,   the information from the server (a) corresponding to sound and motion content representative of a character of the companion, (b) configured to cause the character of the companion to be portrayed consistently in the succession of conversations over the period of time, and (c) adapted automatically to characteristics of the user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the server changing the information provided to each of the mobile devices to automatically adapt the character of the companion to characteristics of the user. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  in which the character of the companion is determined automatically the server. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  in which the information provided from the server is associated with features of the character of the companion including: responsiveness, initiative, moodiness, emotion, opinions, beliefs, correct ability, or self-awareness, or combinations of two or more of them. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  in which the information provided from the server is configured by the server to cause the character of the companion automatically to be portrayed consistently. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  the information provided from the server also is configured to cause the character of the companion to be portrayed predictably. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  in which the companion is to be portrayed as an animated figure. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the server storing information elicited at the device about the user's beliefs, opinions, emotions, goals, or desires, or a combination of two or more of them. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the server storing personal and demographic information about the user. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the server forming a knowledge graph for the user. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the server maintaining a log of the succession of conversations. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  comprising making the log available to a third party for study. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  in which the portraying of the character of the companion comprises correcting the companion when it makes a mistake. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the server stereotyping each of the users and other users who share common characteristics, and the information provided from the server also is based on the stereotyping. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  comprising providing the information from the server to cause the character of the companion to be portrayed as trustworthy, well behaved, or interesting, or combinations of two or more of them. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  in which the information provided from the server is configured to cause the content, tone, or style of language of the companion to be suitable for the characteristics of the user. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising
 a server automatically acquiring and updating over a period of time information indicative of behavioral characteristics of a user of a mobile device, and   based on the information indicative of the behavioral characteristics, the server causing the mobile device to portray a non-human companion engaging in a succession of two-way conversations with the user over a period of time as therapy for a psychological condition of the user,   the character of the companion being automatically portrayed consistently in the succession of conversations, the character of the companion being changed automatically over time based on changes in the information indicative of the behavioral characteristics.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  in which the character of the companion is changed automatically over time to adapt to characteristics of the user. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  comprising the server automatically determining the behavioral characteristics of the user. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  in which the information acquired and updated by the server is indicative of behavioral characteristics including: responsiveness, initiative, moodiness, emotion, opinions, beliefs, correct ability, or self-awareness, or combinations of two or more of them. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17  comprising causing the mobile device to automatically portray the character of the companion predictably. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17  in which the information acquired and updated by the server is indicative of emotions, goals, or desires, or a combination of two or more of them. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17  in which the information acquired and updated by the server comprises personal and demographic information about the user. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17  comprising the server forming a knowledge graph for the user. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17  comprising the server maintaining a log of the succession of conversations. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  comprising making the log available to a third party for study. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1  in which the server causes the mobile device to portray the companion as correcting a mistake. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 17  comprising the server stereotyping each of the users and other users who share common characteristics, and causing the mobile device to portray the companion based on the stereotyping. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 17  comprising the server causing the mobile device to portray the companion as trustworthy, well behaved, or interesting, or combinations of two or more of them. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 17  comprising the server causing the mobile device to portray the companion using a content, tone, or style of language of the companion suitable for characteristics of the user.