Method for extracting salient dialog usage from live data

Abstract

Systems and processes are disclosed for virtual assistant request recognition using live usage data and data relating to future events. User requests that are received but not recognized can be used to generate candidate request templates. A count can be associated with each candidate request template and can be incremented each time a matching candidate request template is received. When a count reaches a threshold level, the corresponding candidate request template can be used to train a virtual assistant to recognize and respond to similar user requests in the future. In addition, data relating to future events can be mined to extract relevant information that can be used to populate both recognized user request templates and candidate user request templates. Populated user request templates (e.g., whole expected utterances) can then be used to recognize user requests and disambiguate user intent as future events become relevant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, the one or more programs including instructions for:
 receiving a first user query at the user device;   providing a response indicating that the virtual assistant is untrained to respond to the first user query;   transmitting the first user query to a server associated with the virtual assistant;   receiving a second user query at the user device, wherein the second user query and the first user query are separate user queries, and wherein the second user query is substantially the same in substance as the first user query; and   in response to receiving the second user query, providing a trained response.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the trained response is determined by:
 generating a plurality of request templates based on the first user query;   associating a count with a request template of the plurality of request templates based on a number of times the request template is received; and   in response to a determination that the count is more than a predetermined amount, generating the trained response.   
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the trained response comprises a search result associated with the second user query. 
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
 transmitting contextual information related to the user query to the server.   
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the first user query is transmitted to the server prior to providing a response indicating that the virtual assistant is untrained to respond to the first user query. 
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 5 , wherein an indication the virtual assistant is untrained to respond to the first user query is received from the server. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the second user query is transmitted to the server. 
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the trained response is received from the server. 
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the trained response is received from the server prior to receiving the second user query. 
     
     
         10 . An electronic device comprising:
 one or more processors;   a memory; and   one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
 receiving a first user query at the user device; 
 providing a response indicating that the virtual assistant is untrained to respond to the first user query; 
 transmitting the first user query to a server associated with the virtual assistant; 
 receiving a second user query at the user device, wherein the second user query and the first user query are separate user queries, and wherein the second user query is substantially the same in substance as the first user query; and 
 in response to receiving the second user query, providing a trained response. 
   
     
     
         11 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the trained response is determined by:
 generating a plurality of request templates based on the first user query;   associating a count with a request template of the plurality of request templates based on a number of times the request template is received; and   in response to a determination that the count is more than a predetermined amount, generating the trained response.   
     
     
         12 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the trained response comprises a search result associated with the second user query. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
 transmitting contextual information related to the user query to the server.   
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the first user query is transmitted to the server prior to providing a response indicating that the virtual assistant is untrained to respond to the first user query. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein an indication the virtual assistant is untrained to respond to the first user query is received from the server. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the second user query is transmitted to the server. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the trained response is received from the server. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein the trained response is received from the server prior to receiving the second user query. 
     
     
         19 . A method for facilitating user interactions with a virtual assistant associated with a user device, the method comprising:
 receiving a first user query at the user device;   providing a response indicating that the virtual assistant is untrained to respond to the first user query;   transmitting the first user query to a server associated with the virtual assistant;   receiving a second user query at the user device, wherein the second user query and the first user query are separate user queries, and wherein the second user query is substantially the same in substance as the first user query; and   in response to receiving the second user query, providing a trained response.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the trained response is determined by:
 generating a plurality of request templates based on the first user query;   associating a count with a request template of the plurality of request templates based on a number of times the request template is received; and   in response to a determination that the count is more than a predetermined amount, generating the trained response.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the trained response comprises a search result associated with the second user query. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 transmitting contextual information related to the user query to the server.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first user query is transmitted to the server prior to providing a response indicating that the virtual assistant is untrained to respond to the first user query. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein an indication the virtual assistant is untrained to respond to the first user query is received from the server. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the second user query is transmitted to the server. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the trained response is received from the server. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the trained response is received from the server prior to receiving the second user query.