What is claimed is:
1. A method for responding to a verbal question sent by a remote user to a natural language system via a communications network, comprising:
receiving the verbal question from the remote user;
transforming the verbal question into a textual format;
processing the textual format using a natural language system; and
returning an answer to the user.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications network comprises a cellular telephone for receiving the verbal question from the remote user.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the natural language system comprises a type structure.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the type structure includes a qualia.
5. A method for obtaining an answer to a verbal question from a natural language system by a user using a remote device comprising:
sending the verbal question by the remote device to a service provider system via a communications network; and
receiving the answer from the service provider system after the answer to the verbal question is determined by the natural language system.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the natural language system comprises a type structure.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the remote user uses a remote device selected from a group consisting of a radio, a transceiver, a cell phone, a mobile phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a telephone, a computer, an interactive TV, or an Internet phone.
8. A method for responding to a verbal question sent by a remote user to a natural language system via a communications network, comprising:
receiving a verbal question from the remote user;
converting the verbal question to a text question;
processing said text question using the natural language system; and
returning to the remote user a plurality of related categories generated by the natural language system.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user verbally selects a related category.
10. A natural language question and answer system for receiving a query from a remote user over a communications network and returning a result to the remote user, comprising:
a cellular telephone for receiving the query from the remote user; and
a computer system connected to the cellular telephone by the communications network for processing the question, wherein the computer system comprises:
a database comprising information to respond to the question; and
natural language software for analyzing the query and determining an answer using the database.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein the information comprises type information.
12. The system of claim 10 wherein the answer includes related category information.
13. A natural language system for responding to a verbal question sent by a remote user via a communications network, said system including a memory comprising:
code directed to receiving the verbal question from the remote user;
code directed to transforming the verbal question into a textual format;
code directed to processing the textual format using a natural language system; and
code directed to returning a result to the user.
14. The system of claim 13 further comprising code representing type information.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method comprising:
adding a chain extender during the polymerization process of a condensation polymer to provide a chain-extended condensation polymer, wherein the chain extender comprises a polymerization product of
at least one functional (meth)acrylic monomer, and
at least one styrene monomer, substituted styrene monomer, (meth)acrylic monomer, or a mixture of any two or more thereof.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the chain extender has a functionality of 2 or more.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the chain extender has a functionality of greater than 2.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the functional (meth)acrylic monomer is an epoxy-functional (meth)acrylic monomer.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the epoxy-functional (meth)acrylic monomer is glycidyl methacrylate.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the styrene monomer is styrene and the (meth)acrylic monomer is butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, or methyl (meth)acrylate.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the chain extender is added to the condensation polymer in an amount of about 0.03% to about 10% by weight of the total weight of the chain extender and the components of the condensation polymer.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the condensation polymer is selected from polyesters, polyamides, or polycarbonates.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the condensation polymer is a polyester.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the condensation polymer is a bio-polyester.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the bio-polyester is poly(lactic acid), poly(2-hydroxybutyric acid), or another biopolyester comprising the polymerization products of monomers with the general formula CH3\u2014CH(OH)\u2014(CH2)n\u2014COOH or CH2(OH)\u2014(CH2)n\u2014COOH, where n is greater than or equal to one.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein a solution intrinsic viscosity of at least about 0.6 dlg of the chain-extended condensation polymer is achieved in a time of no more than about 90 minutes.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the method does not comprise processing the chain-extended condensation polymer via solid state polymerization.
15. A method comprising:
adding a chain extender during the polymerization process of a polyester to provide a chain-extended polyester, wherein the chain extender comprises a polymerization product of
at least one epoxy-functional (meth)acrylic monomer, and
at least one styrene monomer, substituted styrene monomer, (meth)acrylic monomer, or a mixture of any two or more thereof.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the polymerization process is a batch polymerization process or a continuous polymerization process.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the chain extender is added during the polycondensation stage of the batch polymerization process.
18. A method comprising:
adding a chain extender during the polymerization process of a polyester to provide a chain-extended polyester, wherein the chain extender comprises a polymerization product of
at least one epoxy-functional (meth)acrylic monomer, and
at least one styrene monomer, substituted styrene monomer, (meth)acrylic monomer, or a mixture of any two or more thereof;
wherein:
the polymerization process is a batch polymerization process or a continuous polymerization process;
the chain extender is added when the solution intrinsic viscosity of the condensation polymer is no more than about 0.6 dLg; and
a molecular weight of the chain-extended condensation polymer is achieved in a time that is less than the time to achieve the molecular weight in the absence of the chain extender.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the chain-extended condensation polymer exhibits a greater melt viscosity than a condensation polymer formed in the absence of the chain extender.
20. A chain-extended condensation polymer formed by method of claim 1.