Interactive agent for imitating and reacting to a user based on user inputs

A control method of an interactive system for providing an interactive interface which performs an interaction with a user,

• wherein the interactive system is provided with a computer including an arithmetic unit, a storage unit coupled to the arithmetic unit, and an interface coupled to the arithmetic unit, and a measurement device to measure a signal related to speech of the user,
• the control method comprising the following steps of:
• calculating a first feature amount indicating feature of a user action in the speech of the user, based on the signal measured by the measurement device, by the arithmetic unit;
• calculating a second feature amount that is a control value of a response action to the user performed by the interactive interface, based on the first feature amount, by the arithmetic unit;
• calculating a control time of adjusting a timing of controlling the response action, depending on a type of the response action, by the arithmetic unit;
• and
• controlling the interactive interface, based on the second feature amount and the control time, by the arithmetic unit,
• wherein the storage unit holds control time defining information to manage the control times set for every type of the response actions,
• wherein the delay time calculating step further includes a step of calculating the control time of the respective response action, based on the control time defining information, by the arithmetic unit,
• wherein the control time defining information contains an entry including a type of the response action and a set range of possible control times for the type of the response action, and
• wherein the delay time calculating step further includes a step of selecting, by the arithmetic unit, a random control time from within the set range of the possible control times for the type of the response action as the control time for controlling the response action,
• wherein the storage unit holds history information to manage history of the response actions performed by the interactive interface, and
• wherein the history information includes an index indicating effectiveness of the response action,
• the control method further comprising the steps of:
• analyzing a relationship between the index and the control time, with reference to the history information, by the arithmetic unit;
• and
• updating the control time defining information, based on a result of analyzing the relationship between the index and the control time, by the arithmetic unit.

A device for providing an interactive interface which performs an interaction with a user, comprising:

• an arithmetic unit;
• a storage unit coupled to the arithmetic unit;
• an interface coupled to the arithmetic unit;
• and
• a measurement unit to measure a signal related to speech of the user,
• wherein the storage unit holds delay time defining information to manage delay times for adjusting a timing of controlling response actions, in every type of the response actions to imitate actions of the user, performed on the user by the interactive interface, and
• wherein the arithmetic unit:
• calculates a first feature amount indicating feature of the user action in the speech of the user, based on the signal measured by the measurement unit;
• calculates a second feature amount that is a control value of the response action to the user performed by the interactive interface, based on the first feature amount;
• calculates the delay time depending on the type of the response action, based on the delay time defining information;
• and
• controls the interactive interface, based on the second feature amount and the delay time,
• wherein the storage unit holds control time defining information to manage the control times set for every type of the response actions,
• wherein the arithmetic unit calculates the control time of the response action, based on the control time defining information,
• wherein the control time defining information contains an entry including the type of the response action and a set range of possible control times for the type of response action, and
• wherein the arithmetic unit selects a random control time from within the set range of the possible control times for the type of the response action as the control time for controlling the response action,
• wherein the storage unit holds history information to manage history of the response actions performed by the interactive interface,
• wherein the history information includes an index indicating effectiveness of the response action, and
• wherein the arithmetic unit:
• analyzes a relationship between the index and the control time, with reference to the history information;
• and
• updates the control time defining information, based on a result of analyzing the relationship between the index and the control time.