Intelligent automated assistant for media search and playback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11809483-B2
Application number	US-202117193967-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2021
Priority date	Sep 8, 2015
Publication date	Nov 7, 2023
Grant date	Nov 7, 2023

Abstract

Systems and processes are disclosed for operating a digital assistant in a media environment. In an example process, a primary set of media items can be displayed. An audio input containing a media-related request can be received. A primary user intent corresponding to the media-related request can be determined. In accordance with a determination that the primary user intent comprises a user intent to narrow the primary media search query, a second primary media search query corresponding to the primary user intent can be generated. The second primary media search query can be based on the media-related request and the primary media search query. The second primary media search query can be performed to obtain a second primary set of media items. Display of the primary set of media items can be replaced with display of the second primary set of media items.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device for operating a digital assistant, the electronic device comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing one or more programs, the one or more programs including instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the electronic device to:
receive, from a user, an audio input comprising a first media search request;
obtain a primary set of media items responsive to the first media search request;
determine whether one or more second media search requests exist, the one or more second media search requests received prior to the first media search request; and
in response to determining that one or more second media search requests exist:
determine a ranking score for each of the one or more secondary media search requests, wherein the ranking score is based on a selection history of the user;
obtain a plurality of secondary sets of media items based on a plurality of combinations of the first media search request and the one or more second media search requests, wherein the plurality of combinations excludes one or more combinations associated with a less than a predetermined number of media items; and
display the primary set of media items and the plurality of secondary sets of media items, wherein each secondary set of media items is displayed based on the ranking score for each of the one or more secondary media search requests.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the primary set of media items is obtained by performing a string search based on the first media search request.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs include further instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the electronic device to:
determine whether the first media search request includes an explicit request to narrow the one or more second media search requests received prior to the first media search request; and
in accordance with a determination that the first media search request contains an explicit request to narrow the one or more second media search requests:
obtain the plurality of secondary sets of media items based on the first media search request and the one or more second media search requests.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs include further instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the electronic device to:
in response to determining that one or more second media search requests do not exist, display the primary set of media items in a portion of a user interface.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the plurality of secondary sets of media items further comprises:
determining whether the plurality of combinations includes one or more incompatible combinations, wherein a combination is incompatible if it contains more than one parameter value for a parameter predetermined to require a singular value; and
updating the plurality of combinations to exclude the one or more incompatible combinations.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein displaying the primary set of media items and the plurality of secondary sets of media items comprises:
displaying at least a portion of the primary set of media items on a first set of rows of a user interface; and
displaying at least a portion of the secondary set of media items on a second set of rows of the user interface.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the user interface includes a textual representation of one or more words referring to a media item of the primary set of media items.

8. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein each row of the second set of rows corresponds to a respective second media search request of the one or more second media search requests.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein display of the primary set of media items and the plurality of secondary sets of media items comprising:
determining a ranking score for the first media search request;
and
displaying the primary set of media items and the plurality of secondary sets of media items based on the ranking score for the first media search request and the ranking scores for each of the one or more second media search requests.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the ranking score for the first media search request and the ranking score for each of the one or more second media search requests are determined based on an order in which the first media search request and the one or more second media search requests are received.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the ranking score for the first media search request is determined based on the selection history of the user, the selection history comprising media items previously selected by the user.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein displaying the primary set of media items and the plurality of secondary sets of media items comprises:
displaying media content on a user interface while displaying the at least a portion of the primary set of media items and the at least a portion of the secondary set of media items.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more second media search requests is a natural language user speech input.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the secondary set of media items is obtained by performing a structured search based on one or more parameter values associated with a media item of the primary set of media items.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein each media item of the primary set of media items is associated with a quality rating, and wherein the first media search request defines a parameter value associated with the quality rating.

16. A method for interacting with a digital assistant of a media system, the method comprising:
at one or more electronic devices comprising one or more processors and memory:
receiving, from a user, an audio input comprising a first media search request;
obtaining a primary set of media items responsive to the first media search request;
determining whether one or more second media search requests exist, the one or more second media search requests received prior to the first media search request; and
in response to determining that one or more second media search requests exist:
determining a ranking score for each of the one or more secondary media search requests, wherein the ranking score is based on a selection history of the user;
obtaining a plurality of secondary sets of media items based on a plurality of combinations of the first media search request and the one or more second media search requests, wherein the plurality of combinations excludes one or more combinations associated with a less than a predetermined number of media items; and
displaying the primary set of media items and the plurality of secondary sets of media item, wherein each secondary set of media items is displayed based on the ranking score for each of the one or more secondary media search requests.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the primary set of media items is obtained by performing a string search based on the first media search request.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
determining whether the first media search request includes an explicit request to narrow the one or more second media search requests received prior to the first media search request; and
in accordance with a determination

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Orr Ryan M
• Sidki Raumi N
• Lister Patrick M
• Russell Jonathan H

Classifications

• G06F16/48 Primary

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

• G06F3/048

  Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] · CPC title

• G06F3/167

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

• G06F16/3329

  Natural language query formulation · CPC title

• G06F16/438

  Presentation of query results · CPC title