Systems and methods for generating smart responses for natural language queries

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for generating a response to a natural language query. Specifically, the natural language query is received and a query template that corresponds to the natural language query is determined. One or more search results corresponding to the natural language query are retrieved. One or more attributes associated with a user are selected based on selection criteria. Based on those attributes, a response template previously assigned to the query template is identified. A response to the natural language query is generated based on the identified response template and the retrieved one or more search results.

1 - 50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . A system for generating a response to a natural language query, the system comprising:
 a user input interface configured to receive the natural language query; and   control circuitry configured to:
 receive, from the user input interface, the natural language query; 
 identify which query template of a plurality of query templates corresponds to the natural language query, wherein a plurality of response templates are assigned to the identified query template, and wherein the plurality of response templates comprises a first template for providing an audio-visual response to the natural language query and at least one of:
 a second response template for providing an audio-only response to the natural language query; and 
 a third response template for providing a visual-only response to the natural language query; 
 
 retrieve one or more search results corresponding to the natural language query; 
 determine whether a user equipment device is associated with an audio component and a display; 
 in response to determining that the user equipment device is associated with the audio component and the display, select the first response template for providing the audio-visual response to the natural language query by the user equipment device; and 
 generate the response to the natural language query based on the selected first response template and the retrieved one or more search results. 
   
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate the response to the natural language query based on one or more attributes associated with the user equipment device. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the one or more attributes associated with the user equipment device comprise: a location of the user equipment device, a date associated with the user equipment device, an orientation of the user equipment device, previous application interactions of a user of the user equipment device, or a time of day associated with the user equipment device. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein, to generate the response to the natural language query based on the one or more attributes, the control circuitry is configured to:
 retrieve a plurality of attributes associated with the user equipment device;   determine a weight associated with each attribute of the plurality of attributes associated with the user equipment device; and   identify the one or more attributes based on the weight associated with each attribute of the plurality of attributes.   
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 identify an application of the user equipment device that the user interacted with last as an attribute of the one or more attributes; and   generate the response to the natural language query based on the identified application.   
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 51  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 receive a generic response template associated with the natural language query; 
 determine whether the generic response template may be converted into an audio-visual response template; 
 based on determining that the generic response template can be converted into the audio-visual response template, convert the generic response template into the first response template. 
 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 51  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 identify a user that is associated with the natural language query; 
 determine whether the user prefers to receive one of an audio-only response, a visual-only response, or an audio-visual response from the user equipment device; 
 in response to determining that the user prefers the audio-only response, select the second response template for providing the audio-only response to the natural language query; and 
 generate the response to the natural language query based on the selected response template and the retrieved one or more search results. 
 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 51  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 identify a user that is associated with the natural language query; 
 determine whether the user prefers to receive one of an audio-only response, a visual-only response, or an audio-visual response from the user equipment device; 
 in response to determining that the user prefers the visual-only response, select the third response template for providing the visual-only response to the natural language query; and 
 generate the response to the natural language query based on the selected response template and the retrieved one or more search results. 
 
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the at least one of the second response template for providing an audio-only response to the natural language query and third response template for providing a visual-only response to the natural language query comprises both the second response template and the third response template. 
     
     
         60 . A method comprising:
 receiving a natural language query;   identifying which query template of a plurality of query templates corresponds to the natural language query, wherein a plurality of response templates are assigned to the identified query template, and wherein the plurality of response templates comprises a first template for providing an audio-visual response to the natural language query and at least one of:
 a second response template for providing an audio-only response to the natural language query; and 
 a third response template for providing a visual-only response to the natural language query; 
   retrieving one or more search results corresponding to the natural language query;   determining whether a user equipment device is associated with an audio component and a display;   in response to determining that the user equipment device is associated with the audio component and the display, selecting the first response template for providing the audio-visual response to the natural language query by the user equipment device; and   generating the response to the natural language query based on the selected first response template and the retrieved one or more search results.   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , further comprising generating the response to the natural language query based on one or more attributes associated with the user equipment device. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the one or more attributes associated with the user equipment device comprise: a plurality of characteristics associated with the user equipment device, a location of the user equipment device, a date associated with the user equipment device, an orientation of the user equipment device, and a time of day associated with the user equipment device. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein generating the response to the natural language query based on the one or more attributes comprises:
 retrieving a plurality of attributes associated with the user equipment device;   determining a weight associated with each attribute of the plurality of attributes associated with the user equipment device; and   identifying the one or more attributes based on the weight associated with each attribute of the plurality of attributes.   
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 61 , further comprising:
 identifying an application of the user equipment device that the user interacted with last as an attribute of the one or more attributes; and   generating the response to the natural language query based on the identified application.   
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 60 , further comprising:
 receiving a generic response template associated with the natural language query;   determining whether the generic response template may be converted into an audio-visual response template;   based on determining that the generic response template can be converted into the audio-visual response template, converting the generic response template into the first response template.   
     
     
         66 . A system for generating a response to a natural language query, the system comprising:
 a user input interface configured to receive the natural language query; and   control circuitry configured to:
 receive, from the user input interface, the natural language query; 
 identify which query template of a plurality of query templates corresponds to the natural language query; 
 retrieve one or more search results corresponding to the natural language query; 
 determine whether a user equipment device is associated with an audio component and a display, only the audio component, or only the display; 
 determine a first response to the natural language query based on the query template and the one or more search results if the user equipment is associated with either only the audio component or only the display; 
 determine a second response different from the first response based on the query template and the one or more search results if the user equipment is associated with the audio component and the display; 
 in response to determining that the user equipment device is associated with the audio component and the display, select the second response and generate the response to the natural language query as an audio-visual response based on the second response and the retrieved one or more search results. 
   
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 66 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate the response to the natural language query based on one or more attributes associated with the user equipment device. 
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 67 , wherein the one or more attributes associated with the user equipment device comprise: a location of the user equipment device, a date associated with the user equipment device, an orientation of the user equipment device, previous application interactions of a user of the user equipment device, or a time of day associated with the user equipment device. 
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 67 , wherein, to generate the response to the natural language query based on the one or more attributes, the control circuitry is configured to:
 retrieve a plurality of attributes associated with the user equipment device;   determine a weight associated with each attribute of the plurality of attributes associated with the user equipment device; and   identify the one or more attributes based on the weight associated with each attribute of the plurality of attributes.   
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 67 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 identify an application of the user equipment device that the user interacted with last as an attribute of the one or more attributes; and   generate the response to the natural language query based on the identified application.