Method for interacting with automated information agents using conversational queries

A device for accessing any one from among a plurality of automated information agents, the device being usable with a system comprising:

• (i) a message server for receiving a text-based, plain language query from the device, and for routing the plain language query to a user-selected agent from among the plurality of agents;
• and (ii) a conversational interpretation mechanism, in communication with the user-selected agent, for formulating an agent-readable query from the plain language query to which the specified agent is capable of responding, the device comprising:
• a communication mechanism for transmitting at least one of a user's selection of an agent or a text-based, plain language query to the message server;
• a text-based graphical user interface capable of displaying textual information and a hierarchical menu of agents;
• and
• an input mechanism, capable of accepting a user's selection of a specified agent from the hierarchical menu of agents, and capable of accepting a text-based, plain language query.

A method for reducing or eliminating ergonomic inefficiencies arising when an automated information agent is accessed from a device having a text-based graphical user interface, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating a list of agents that are accessible to the device;
• transmitting the list of agents to the device;
• receiving from the device a user's selection of an agent included in the list of agents;
• receiving a plain language query from the device;
• routing the plain language query to the user-selected agent;
• the user-selected agent routing the plain language query to a conversational interpretation mechanism;
• the conversational interpretation mechanism transforming the plain language query into an agent-readable query to which the user-selected agent is capable of responding, and routing the agent-readable query to the user-selected agent;
• and
• the user-selected agent formulating a response to the agent-readable query.

A method for using a device to access any of a plurality of automated information agents, the method comprising the following steps performed by the device:

• receiving a list of agents that are accessible to the device;
• displaying the list of agents in the form of a hierarchical menu;
• accepting a user's selection of an agent from the hierarchical menu;
• accepting a plain language query entered by a user;
• transmitting the plain language query to the agent selected from the hierarchical menu;
• and
• receiving a response to the plain language query from the agent.

A device for accessing any of a plurality of automated information agents, the device being usable with a system comprising a messaging transport mechanism for receiving a query from the device, and for routing the query to a user-selected agent from among the plurality of agents;

• the device comprising:
• a communication mechanism for transmitting at least one of a user's selection of an agent or a query to the messaging transport mechanism;
• a text-based graphical user interface capable of displaying a hierarchical menu of agents and a template for a user to complete;
• an input mechanism, capable of accepting a user's selection of a specified agent from the hierarchical menu of agents, and capable of accepting user input for completing the template to thereby generate a user-completed template;
• and
• a processing mechanism capable of transforming the user-completed template into a query.

A device for accessing a plurality of automated information agents, the device being usable with a system comprising a messaging-transport mechanism for receiving a query from the device, and for routing the query to a user-selected agent from among the plurality of agents;

• wherein the device comprises:
• a communication mechanism for transmitting a user's selection of at least a first agent and a second agent to the messaging transport mechanism;
• a text-based graphical user interface capable of displaying a hierarchical menu of agents including at least the first agent and the second agent;
• an input mechanism, capable of accepting a user's selection of at least the first agent and the second agent from the hierarchical menu of agents;
• the text-based graphical user interface being capable of displaying a first icon corresponding to the first agent, and a second icon corresponding to the second agent;
• the input mechanism being responsive to a user clicking on the first icon to display a first agent interaction screen corresponding to the first agent, and being responsive to a user clicking on the second icon to display a second agent interaction screen corresponding to the second agent;
• wherein the first and second agent interaction screens are each capable of accepting a user-entered query from the input mechanism, thereby permitting substantially instantaneous access to each of a plurality of agents.

A method for communicating with an automated information agent in the course of a group chat among a plurality of users over the Internet, wherein the agent is capable of responding to a query from any of the users to perform a search for information desired by the user, comprising:

• joining a specified agent to the group chat in response to a message from any one of the users;
• monitoring subsequent messages from the users during the group chat for any message that includes an agent identifier;
• and
• if an agent identifier is detected which has been assigned to the specified agent, processing the message as a query to perform an information search responsive to said query.