Contextual voice commands

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10540976-B2
Application number	US-47947709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2009
Priority date	Jun 5, 2009
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

Among other things, techniques and systems are disclosed for implementing contextual voice commands. On a device, a data item in a first context is displayed. On the device, a physical input selecting the displayed data item in the first context is received. On the device, a voice input that relates the selected data item to an operation in a second context is received. The operation is performed on the selected data item in the second context.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method including:
displaying, at a data processing device, a data item in a first application context, the first application context being associated with a currently active application;
receiving, at the data processing device, an input indicative of a selection of the data item;
receiving, at the data processing device; a first voice input including an operation to be performed and associating the selected data item with an identifier comprising a keyword, the operation being associated with a second application context;
in response to receiving the first voice input, providing a list of available applications configured to perform the operation;
receiving a second voice input including a selection of at least one of the list of available applications; and
performing the operation included in the first voice input on the data item to which the keyword included in the first voice input is associated while displaying the data item in the first application context, the operation being performed utilizing the at least one of the list of available applications selected in the second voice input.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the voice input is a first voice input, wherein the identifier is a first identifier, and the keyword is a first keyword, the method further comprising:
receiving an input modifying the data item; and
receiving a second voice input associating the modified data item with a second identifier, wherein the second identifier comprises a second keyword corresponding to the modification.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting the presence of one or more words from a plurality of predetermined words, wherein the predetermined words includes the keyword.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein at least a word of the plurality of predetermined words is application-specific.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to receiving the input indicative of a selection of the data item, providing an output indicative of a plurality of operations that can be performed on the data item.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the output includes an audio output, a visual output, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input indicative of a selection of the data item includes a speech input.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the voice input includes receiving the voice input while the data processing device is in a listening mode.

9. An electronic device, comprising:
a display;
one or more processors;
one or more sensors; and
a memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
displaying, at a data processing device, a data item in a first application context, the first application context being associated with a currently active application;
receiving an input indicative of a selection of the data item;
receiving a first voice input including an operation to be performed and associating the selected data item with an identifier comprising a keyword, the operation being associated with a second application context;
in response to receiving the first voice input, providing a list of available applications configured to perform the operation;
receiving a second voice input including a selection of at least one of the list of available applications; and
performing the operation included in the first voice input on the data item to which the keyword included in the first voice input is associated while displaying the data item in the first application context, the operation being performed utilizing the at least one of the list of available applications selected in the second voice input.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the voice input is a first voice input, wherein the identifier is a first identifier, and the keyword is a first keyword, the one or more programs further include instructions for:
receiving an input modifying the data item; and
receiving a second voice input associating the modified data item with a second identifier, wherein the second identifier comprises a second keyword corresponding to the modification.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
detecting the presence of one or more words from a plurality of predetermined words, wherein the predetermined words includes the keyword.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein at least a word of the plurality of predetermined words is application-specific.

13. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
in response to receiving the input indicative of a selection of the data item, providing an output indicative of a plurality of operations that can be performed on the data item.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the output includes an audio output, a visual output, or a combination thereof.

15. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the input indicative of a selection of the data item includes a speech input.

16. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
receiving the voice input includes receiving the voice input while the data processing device is in a listening mode.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device with a display, the one or more programs including instructions for:
displaying a data item in a first application context, the first application context being associated with a currently active application;
receiving an input indicative of a selection of the data item;
receiving a first voice input including an operation to be performed and associating the selected data item with an identifier comprising a keyword, the operation being associated with a second application context;
in response to receiving the first voice input, providing a list of available applications configured to perform the operation;
receiving a second voice input including a selection of at least one of the list of available applications; and
performing the operation included in the first voice input on the data item to which the keyword included in the first voice input is associated while displaying the data item in the first application context; the operation being performed utilizing the at least one of the list of available applications selected in the second voice input.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the voice input is a first voice input, wherein the identifier is a first identifier, and the keyword is a first keyword, the one or more programs further include instructions for:
receiving an input modifying the data item; and
receiving a second voice input associating the modified data item with a second identifier, wherein the second identifier comprises a second keyword corresponding to the modification.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:
detecting the presence of one or more words from a plurality of predetermined words, wherein the predetermined words includes the keyword.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein at least a word of the plurality of predetermined words is application-specific.

21. The no

Assignees

• Van Os Marcel
• Novick Gregory
• Herz Scott
• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Van Os Marcel
• Novick Gregory
• Herz Scott

Classifications

• G10L2015/228

  of application context · CPC title

• G10L15/26 Primary

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

• G10L15/22

  Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue · CPC title

• G06F3/167 Primary

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• H04M1/72469

  for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons · CPC title