Intelligent digital assistant in a multi-tasking environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10733993-B2
Application number	US-201816024447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2018
Priority date	Jun 10, 2016
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

Systems and processes for operating a digital assistant are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving a first speech input from a user. The method further includes identifying context information and determining a user intent based on the first speech input and the context information. The method further includes determining whether the user intent is to perform a task using a searching process or an object managing process. The searching process is configured to search data, and the object managing process is configured to manage objects. The method further includes, in accordance with a determination the user intent is to perform the task using the searching process, performing the task using the searching process; and in accordance with the determination that the user intent is to perform the task using the object managing process, performing the task using the object managing process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for providing a digital assistant service, comprising:
at a user device with one or more processors and memory:
receiving a speech input from a user to manage one or more user configurable system settings of the user device, wherein the user device is concurrently displaying a plurality of graphical user interfaces associated with a plurality of corresponding applications;
identifying context information associated with the user device;
determining a user intent based on the speech input and context information;
determining whether the user intent indicates an informational request related to the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device or a request for performing a task related to one of the plurality of corresponding applications;
in accordance with a determination that the user intent indicates the informational request related to the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device:
providing a spoken response to the informational request including a status of the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device;
displaying an affordance for managing the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device; and
displaying a link associated with the informational request, wherein the link displays a user interface for managing the one or more user configurable system settings when selected by the user; and

in accordance with a determination that the user intent indicates a request for performing the task, instantiating a process associated with the user device to perform the task.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to receiving the speech input:
displaying, on a display of the user device, an affordance to invoke the digital assistant.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
instantiating the digital assistant service in response to receiving a pre-determined phrase.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
instantiating the digital assistant service in response to receiving a selection of the affordance.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device comprise audio configurations.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device comprise date and time configurations.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device comprise dictation configurations.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device comprise display configurations.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device comprise input device configurations.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device comprise network configurations.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device comprise notification configurations.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device comprise printer configurations.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device comprise security configurations.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device comprise backup configurations.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device comprise application configurations.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device comprise user interface configurations.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the user intent comprises:
determining one or more actionable intents; and
determining one or more parameters associated with the actionable intent.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the context information comprises at least one of: user-specific data, device configuration data, and sensor data.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the user intent indicates the informational request or a request for performing the task comprises:
determining whether the user intent is to vary a user configurable system setting.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the spoken response to the informational request including a status of the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device further comprises:
obtaining the status of the one or more user configurable system settings according to the informational request.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the user interface is a first user interface, further comprising, in accordance with the determination that the user intent indicates the informational request:
displaying a second user interface providing information according to the status of the one or more user configurable system settings.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein instantiating the process associated with the user device to perform the task comprises:
performing the task using the process.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
providing a second spoken response according to a result of performing the task.

24. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
providing a third user interface enabling the user to manipulate a result of performing the task.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the third user interface comprises a link associated with the result of performing the task.

26. The method of claim 1 , wherein instantiating the process associated with the user device to perform the task comprises:
providing a fourth user interface enabling the user to perform the task.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the fourth user interface includes a link enabling the user to perform the task.

28. The method of claim 26 , further comprising providing a third spoken response associated with the fourth user interface.

29. A user device comprising:
one or more processors;
memory; and
one or more programs stored in memory, the one or more programs including instructions for performing:
receiving a speech input from a user to manage one or more user configurable system settings of the user device, wherein the user device is concurrently displaying a plurality of graphical user interfaces associated with a plurality of corresponding applications;
identifying context information associated with the user device;
determining a user intent based on the speech input and context information;
determining whether the user intent indicates an informational request related to the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device or a request for performing a task related to one of the plurality of corresponding applications;
in accordance with a determination that the user intent indicates the informational request related to the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device:
providing a spoken response to the informational request including a status of the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device;
displaying an affordance for managing the one or more user configurable system settings of the user device; and
displaying a link associated with the informational request, w

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Kudurshian Aram D
• JONES Bronwyn
• Cranfill Elizabeth Caroline
• Saddler Harry J

Classifications

• G10L15/1822

  Parsing for meaning understanding · CPC title

• G06F9/4843

  by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system · CPC title

• G06F9/453 Primary

  Help systems · CPC title

• G06F3/167

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

• G10L2015/228

  of application context · CPC title