Virtual assistant for media playback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11010127-B2
Application number	US-201916360695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2019
Priority date	Jun 29, 2015
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

An exemplary method for identifying media may include receiving user input associated with a request for media, where that user input includes unstructured natural language speech including one or more words; identifying at least one context associated with the user input; causing a search for the media based on the at least one context and the user input; determining, based on the at least one context and the user input, at least one media item that satisfies the request; and in accordance with a determination that the at least one media item satisfies the request, obtaining the at least one media item.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to:
receive a first natural language speech input indicative of a media request;
determine a first search criteria included in the first natural language speech input;
obtain a first media item satisfying the media request, wherein obtaining the first media item includes:
causing a first search for a first plurality of media items to obtain the first media item, the first search including the first search criteria and a first context;
while causing the first search, causing a second search including the first search criteria and a second context to obtain a candidate media item; and
determining that the first media item from the first plurality of media items matches the candidate media item;

provide playback of a first media item from the first plurality of media items;
while providing playback of the first media item, receive a second natural language speech input;
determine, based on the second natural language speech input, a user intent of obtaining a media item different from the first media item; and
in accordance with determining the user intent of obtaining a media item different from the first media item:
obtain a second media item different from the first media item based on the first search criteria and the second natural language speech input, wherein obtaining the second media item includes:
initiating a third search for a second plurality of media items, the third search including the previously determined first search criteria included in the first natural language speech input; and

provide the second media item from the second plurality of media items.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the first context is based on a context of the first natural language speech input.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein determining the user intent of obtaining a media item different from the first media item includes determining the user intent of obtaining a media item different from the first media item based on a context of the second natural language speech input.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein initiating the third search for the second plurality of media items further includes:
searching for the second media item based on a context of the second natural language speech input.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 4 , wherein the context of the second natural language speech input includes device context.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the device context includes a content of the first media item.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the device context includes data associated with media stored on the electronic device.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 4 , wherein the context of the second natural language speech input includes a user context.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the user context includes a content of the second natural language speech input.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the user context includes media associated with a user.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the user context includes information relating to a musical preference of a user.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 4 , wherein the context of the second natural language input includes social context.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the social context includes an access frequency of a particular media item across a plurality of users.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the social context includes a number of references to a media item in a social media database.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein initiating the third search for the second plurality of media items includes:
searching for a set of media items based on the first search criteria; and
discarding, from the set of media items, one or more media items matching the first media item.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein providing the second media item includes:
terminating playback of the first media item; and
providing playback of the second media item.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to:
present, to a user, an option to add the second media item to a library associated with the user;
receive from the user, a user selection of the option; and
in response to receiving the user selection of the option, add the second media item to the library associated with the user.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to:
while providing the second media item, receive a third natural speech input including a request for alternate media; and
in accordance with receiving the third natural language speech input, provide a third media item different from the second media item.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the third media item includes a different version of the second media item.

20. A method for operating a digital assistant comprising:
at an electronic device with one or more processors and memory:
receiving a first natural language speech input indicative of a media request;
determining a first search criteria included in the first natural language speech input;
obtaining a first media item satisfying the media request, wherein obtaining the first media item includes:
causing a first search for a plurality of media items to obtain the first media item, the first search including the first search criteria and a first context;
while causing the first search, causing a second search including the first search criteria and a second context to obtain a candidate media item; and
determining that the first media item from the first plurality of media items matches the candidate media item;

providing playback of a first media item from the first plurality of media items;
while providing playback of the first media item, receiving a second natural language speech input;
determining, based on the second natural language speech input, a user intent of obtaining a media item different from the first media item; and
in accordance with determining the user intent of obtaining a media item different from the first media item:
obtaining a second media item different from the first media item based on the first search criteria and the second natural language speech input, wherein obtaining the second media item includes:
initiating a third search for a second plurality of media items, the third search including the previously determined first search criteria included in the first natural language speech input; and

providing the sec

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Orr Ryan M
• Mandel Daniel J
• Sinesio Andrew J
• Barnett Connor J

Classifications

• G06F16/48 Primary

  Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually · CPC title

• G10L15/26

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

• G06F3/167 Primary

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

• G06F40/169

  Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes · CPC title

• G06F40/30

  Semantic analysis · CPC title