Virtual assistant for media playback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11947873-B2
Application number	US-202117226988-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2021
Priority date	Jun 29, 2015
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

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 user request;
determine a first search criteria included in the first natural language speech input;
obtain a first result satisfying the user request, wherein obtaining the first result includes:
causing a first search for a first plurality of results to obtain the first result, the first search including the first search criteria and a first context;
while causing the first search, concurrently causing a second search including the first search criteria and a second context to obtain a candidate result, wherein the second context is different from the first context, wherein the first search occurs at a server that is located remotely to the electronic device or locally at the electronic device, and wherein the second search occurs locally at the electronic device; and
determining that the first result obtained by the first search matches the candidate result obtained by the second search; and

provide the first result from the first plurality of results.

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 the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to:
while providing playback of the first result, receive a second natural language speech input;
determine, based on the second natural language speech input, a user intent of obtaining a result different from the first result; and
in accordance with determining the user intent of obtaining a result different from the first result:
obtain a second result different from the first result based on the first search criteria and the second natural language speech input, wherein obtaining the second result includes:
initiating a third search for a second plurality of results, the third search including the previously determined first search criteria included in the first natural language speech input; and

provide the second result from the second plurality of results.

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

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3 , wherein initiating the third search for the second plurality of results further includes:
searching for the second result based on a context of the second natural language speech input.

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

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

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the device context includes data associated with one or more results stored on the electronic device.

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

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

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the user context includes one or more results associated with a user.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the user context includes information relating to a musical preference of a user.

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

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

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the social context includes a number of references to a result in a social media database.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3 , wherein initiating the third search for the second plurality of results includes:
searching for a set of results based on the first search criteria; and
discarding, from the set of results, one or more results matching the first result.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3 , wherein providing the second result includes:
terminating playback of the first result; and
providing playback of the second result.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3 , 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 result 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 result to the library associated with the user.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein providing the first result includes displaying a user interface associated with the first result.

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 user request;
determining a first search criteria included in the first natural language speech input;
obtaining a first result satisfying the user request, wherein obtaining the first result includes:
causing a first search for a first plurality of results to obtain the first result, the first search including the first search criteria and a first context;
while causing the first search, concurrently causing a second search including the first search criteria and a second context to obtain a candidate result, wherein the second context is different from the first context, wherein the first search occurs at a server that is located remotely to the electronic device or locally at the electronic device, and wherein the second search occurs locally at the electronic device; and
determining that the first result obtained by the first search matches the candidate result obtained by the second search; and

providing the first result from the first plurality of results.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first context is based on a context of the first natural language speech input.

22. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
while providing playback of the first result, receiving a second natural language speech input;
determining, based on the second natural language speech input, a user intent of obtaining a result different from the first result; and
in accordance with determining the user intent of obtaining a result different from the first result:
obtaining a second result diffe

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06F3/167 Primary

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

• G06F16/48 Primary

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

• G06F40/169

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

• G06F40/279

  Recognition of textual entities · CPC title

• G06F40/30

  Semantic analysis · CPC title