Method for operating a server system and for operating a recording device for recording a voice command; server system; recording device; and spoken dialogue system

A method for operating a server system that includes a plurality of servers for processing a voice command recorded by a recording device connected via an interface to the server system, the method comprising:

• upon or prior to the recording of the voice command, reading in, by the server system, a session activation signal, which represents a signal provided by the recording device via the interface;
• determining, by the server system, that there is an association between the session activation signal and a session ID;
• responsive to the determination, ascertaining, by the server system, an availability of one of the servers, which previously processed a session assigned to the session ID;
• activating the session, by the server system, in accordance with a result of the ascertainment by executing an algorithm that defines that (a) if the server that previously processed the session is ascertained by the ascertainment to be available, the activation includes activating the server that previously processed the session and (b) if the server that previously processed the session is ascertained by the ascertainment to be unavailable, the activation (1) includes activating a different, available one of the servers and (2) includes loading data assigned to the session from a session database;
• and
• receiving, by the server system, the voice command via the interface during or subsequent to the activation of the session.

A system comprising:

• a server system that includes:
• a receiving unit for receiving a voice command;
• a plurality of servers for processing the voice command recorded by a recording device connected to the server system via an interface;
• a reading-in unit for reading in, upon or prior to the recording of the voice command, a session activation signal, which represents a signal provided by the recording device via the interface;
• a session database;
• and
• a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
• determine whether there is an association between the session activation signal and a session ID;
• response to a result of the determination being that there is the association between the session activation signal and the session ID, ascertain whether one of the servers, which previously processed a session assigned to the session ID, is available;
• response to a result of the ascertainment being that the server that previously processed the session is available, activate the session on server that previously processed the session;
• response to the result of the ascertainment being that the server that previously processed the session is unavailable, activate the session on a different available one of the servers and load data assigned to the session from the session database;
• wherein the voice command is received by the receiving unit during or subsequent to the activation of the session.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which are stored instructions that are executable by a processor, and that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method for operating a server system that includes a plurality of servers for processing a voice command recorded by a recording device connected via an interface to the server system, the method comprising:

• upon or prior to the recording of the voice command, reading in a session activation signal, which represents a signal provided by the recording device via the interface;
• determining that there is an association between the session activation signal and a session ID;
• responsive to the determination, ascertaining an availability of one of the servers, which previously processed a session assigned to the session ID;
• activating the session in accordance with a result of the ascertainment by executing an algorithm that defines that (a) if the server that previously processed the session is ascertained by the ascertainment to be available, the activation includes activating the server that previously processed the session and (b) if the server that previously processed the session is ascertained by the ascertainment to be unavailable, the activation (1) includes activating a different, available one of the servers and (2) includes loading data assigned to the session from a session database;
• and
• receiving the voice command via the interface during or subsequent to the activation of the session.