Real-time digital assistant knowledge updates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10659851-B2
Application number	US-201414498391-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2014
Priority date	Jun 30, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

Systems and processes are disclosed for real-time updating of virtual assistant media knowledge. Virtual assistant knowledge can be updated with timely information associated with playing media (e.g., a sporting event, a television show, or the like). A data feed can be received that includes data relating events to particular times in a media stream. A user request can be received based on speech input, and the user request can be associated with an event in a media stream or show. In response to receiving the request, the media stream can be cued to commence playback at a time in the media stream associated with the event referred to in the request. In another example, a response to the user request can be generated based on the data relating to the events. The response can then be delivered to the user (e.g., spoken aloud, displayed, etc.).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for integrating information into digital assistant knowledge, the method comprising:
at an electronic device:
receiving a data feed, wherein the data feed comprises data relating to an event associated with a time in a media stream;
receiving a user request based on speech input from a user, wherein the user request is associated with the event;
determining, based on the user request, a user intent;
generating a response to the user request based on the data relating to the event, the user intent, a current playback position of currently playing media, and a predefined user preference, wherein the predefined user preference enables a determination of whether to include, within the generated response, up-to-date information regardless of the current playback position; and
causing the response to be delivered.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the response further comprises generating the response based on currently playing media.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the response further comprises generating the response based on media content previously consumed by the user.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the response further comprises generating the response based on one or more of on-screen actors, on-screen players, a list of game participants, a list of actors in a show, or a team roster.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to the user request comprising a request for information contemporaneous with a current playback position of currently playing media, generating the response based on data contemporaneous with the current playback position, wherein the data contemporaneous with the current playback position excludes up-to-date data associated with a time after the current playback position; and
in response to the user request comprising a request for up-to-date information, generating the response based on up-to-date data.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the response to be delivered comprises causing the response to be displayed or played on a playback device other than the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the response to be delivered comprises causing the response to be delivered to a playback device other than the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the user intent further comprises determining the user intent based on one or more additional predefined user preferences, wherein the one or more additional predefined user preferences are previously defined by a user.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the user intent further comprises determining the user intent based on one or more additional predefined user preferences, wherein the one or more additional predefined user preferences are associated with the media stream.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the response is delivered without interrupting playback of the currently playing media.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the response to be delivered does not interrupt the current playback position.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for:
receiving a data feed, wherein the data feed comprises data relating to an event associated with a time in a media stream;
receiving a user request based on speech input from a user, wherein the user request is associated with the event;
determining, based on the user request, a user intent;
generating a response to the user request based on the data relating to the event, the user intent, a current playback position of currently playing media, and a predefined user preference, wherein the predefined user preference enables a determination of whether to include, within the generated response, up-to-date information regardless of the current playback position; and
causing the response to be delivered.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein generating the response further comprises generating the response based on currently playing media.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein generating the response further comprises generating the response based on media content previously consumed by the user.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein causing the response to be delivered comprises causing the response to be displayed or played on a playback device other than the electronic device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , further comprising instructions for:
in response to the user request comprising a request for information contemporaneous with a current playback position of currently playing media, generating the response based on data contemporaneous with the current playback position, wherein the data contemporaneous with the current playback position excludes up-to-date data associated with a time after the current playback position; and
in response to the user request comprising a request for up-to-date information, generating the response based on up-to-date data.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein causing the response to be delivered does not interrupt the current playback position.

18. A system for integrating information into digital assistant knowledge, the system 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 a data feed, wherein the data feed comprises data relating to an event associated with a time in a media stream;
receiving a user request based on speech input from a user, wherein the user request is associated with the event;
determining, based on the user request, a user intent;
generating a response to the user request based on the data relating to the event, the user intent, a current playback position of currently playing media, and a predefined user preference, wherein the predefined user preference enables a determination of whether to include, within the generated response, up-to-date information regardless of the current playback position; and
causing the response to be delivered.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein generating the response further comprises generating the response based on currently playing media.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein generating the response further comprises generating the response based on media content previously consumed by the user.

21. The system of claim 18 , wherein causing the response to be delivered comprises causing the response to be displayed or played on a playback device other than the electronic device.

22. The system of claim 18 , wherein causing the response to be delivered does not interrupt the current playback position.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Lister Patrick M
• Orr Ryan M
• Crawford Jared A

Classifications

• H04N5/93

  Regeneration of the television signal or of selected parts thereof · CPC title

• H04N21/2387

  Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play · CPC title

• G06F16/73

  Querying · CPC title

• H04N21/84

  Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors {(systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73)} · CPC title

• H04N21/8456 Primary

  by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments · CPC title