Systems and methods for recognizing textual identifiers within a plurality of words

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10019994-B2
Application number	US-201313913173-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2013
Priority date	Jun 8, 2012
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

Methods and systems for recognizing textual identifiers within a plurality of words are described. A textual representation of a voice input is received from a user. The textual representation includes a plurality of words. A keyword is identified in the textual representation. It is determined whether one or more words adjacent to the keyword correspond to a textual identifier of a collection of textual identifiers. Responsive to a determination that the one or more adjacent words correspond to a textual identifier, the keyword and the one or more adjacent words are replaced with the textual identifier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of recognizing textual identifiers within a plurality of words, comprising:
at an electronic device, which comprises a digital assistant, having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs that when executed by the one or more processors cause the electronic device to perform the method:
receiving voice input from a user and processing the voice input using natural language processing to produce a textual representation, the textual representation including a plurality of words;
identifying, from the textual representation, an actionable intent from among a plurality of actionable intents recognizable by the electronic device, the actionable intent corresponding to tasks that can be performed by the electronic device;
identifying a keyword in the textual representation;
determining whether one or more words adjacent to the keyword correspond to a textual identifier of a collection of textual identifiers; and
wherein, responsive to the identified actionable intent and a determination that the one or more adjacent words correspond to a properly formatted textual identifier, the digital assistant replaces the keyword and the one or more adjacent words with the textual identifier,
wherein the textual identifier is a known hashtag or a username,
wherein, if the textual identifier is a known hashtag, the collection includes hashtags that were previously identified by a social network,
wherein, if the textual identifier is a username, the collection is a set of usernames that are registered in the social network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the textual identifier is a known hashtag.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the known hashtag includes the symbol “#” followed by one or more words.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the collection includes hashtags that meet a predefined popularity metric.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the predefined popularity metric is a frequency of appearance in the social network within a predefined time period.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the textual identifier is a username.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the keyword corresponds to the symbol “@” and the word “at”.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the collection is a contact list of the user.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the collection is a set of usernames previously input by the user.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjacent words immediately follow the keyword.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the textual identifier is a concatenation of the one or more adjacent words without interstitial spaces.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the textual identifier is a concatenation of a symbol and the one or more adjacent words without interstitial spaces.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying the textual representation on a display of the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein replacing the keyword and the one or more adjacent words with the textual identifier comprises replacing the keyword and the one or more adjacent words with the textual identifier on the display of the electronic device.

15. An electronic device, comprising:
one or more processors;
memory; and
one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
receiving voice input from a user and processing the voice input using natural language processing to produce a textual representation, the textual representation including a plurality of words;
identifying, from the textual representation, an actionable intent from among a plurality of actionable intents recognizable by the electronic device, the actionable intents corresponding to tasks that can be performed by the electronic device;
identifying a keyword in the textual representation;
determining whether one or more words adjacent to the keyword correspond to a textual identifier of a collection of textual identifiers; and
wherein, responsive to the identified actionable intent and a determination that the one or more adjacent words correspond to a properly formatted textual identifier, the digital assistant replaces the keyword and the one or more adjacent words with the textual identifier,
wherein the textual identifier is a known hashtag or a username,
wherein, if the textual identifier is a known hashtag, the collection includes hashtags that were previously identified by a social network,
wherein if the textual identifier is a username the collection is a set of usernames that are registered in the social network.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the textual identifier is a known hashtag.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the known hashtag includes the symbol “#”followed by one or more words.

18. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the textual identifier is a concatenation of the one or more adjacent words without interstitial spaces.

19. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the textual identifier is a concatenation of a symbol and the one or more adjacent words without interstitial spaces.

20. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: displaying the textual representation on a display of the electronic device.

21. The electronic device of claim 20 , wherein replacing the keyword and the one or more adjacent words with the textual identifier comprises replacing the keyword and the one or more adjacent words with the textual identifier on the display of the electronic device.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs including instructions, which when executed by an electronic device, cause the device to:
receive voice input from a user and processing the voice input using natural language processing to produce a textual representation the textual representation including a plurality of words;
identify, from the textual representation, an actionable intent from among a plurality of actionable intents recognizable by the electronic device, the actionable intent corresponding to tasks that can be performed by the electronic device;
identify a keyword in the textual representation;
determine whether one or more words adjacent to the keyword correspond to a textual identifier of a collection of textual identifiers; and
wherein, responsive to the identified actionable intent and a determination that the one or more adjacent words correspond to a properly formatted textual identifier, replaeeth_e digital assistant replaces the keyword and the one or more adjacent words with the textual identifier,
wherein the textual identifier is a known hashtag or a username, wherein, if the textual identifier is a known hashtag, the collection includes hashtags that were previously identified by a social network,
wherein if the textual identifier is a username the collection is a set of usernames that are registered in the social network.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the textual identifier is a known hashtag.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the known hashtag includes the symbol“#” followed by one or more words.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22 , wherein the textual i

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Keen Daniel

Classifications

• G06F16/00

  Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor · CPC title

• G10L15/26 Primary

  Speech to text systems (G10L15/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F40/10

  Text processing (natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40) · CPC title

• G06F40/289 Primary

  Phrasal analysis, e.g. finite state techniques or chunking · CPC title

• G06F17/21

  Physics · mapped topic