Intelligent device arbitration and control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12197817-B2
Application number	US-202318235755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2023
Priority date	Jun 11, 2016
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

This relates to systems and processes for using a virtual assistant to arbitrate among and/or control electronic devices. In one example process, a first electronic device samples an audio input using a microphone. The first electronic device broadcasts a first set of one or more values based on the sampled audio input. Furthermore, the first electronic device receives a second set of one or more values, which are based on the audio input, from a second electronic device. Based on the first set of one or more values and the second set of one or more values, the first electronic device determines whether to respond to the audio input or forego responding to the audio input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of a computer system, the one or more programs including instructions for:
receiving an audio input from a user;
receiving a command including a first parameter of a task and an identification of a user device, wherein the first parameter of the task is based on data corresponding to the audio input and wherein the identification of the user device is discovered in response to a determination that a record does not include a device with attributes corresponding to a second parameter derived from the data corresponding to the audio input; and
causing execution of the task with the first parameter at the user device.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
sending an identification of the first parameter to a database, and
wherein the first parameter is received from a database.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the second parameter includes an indication of a type of device.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the record stores a plurality of attributes respectively corresponding to a plurality of user devices.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the record is updated to include the user device and one or more attributes of the user device after the user device is discovered.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein discovering the user device includes discovering a user device associated with an indication of a named location of a user.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
receiving a plurality of identification corresponding to a plurality of user devices;
presenting the plurality of user devices as selectable options; and
receiving an input representing a selection of a particular user device of the plurality of user devices.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of user devices has an attribute matching the second parameter.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
updating the record to include the particular user device of the plurality of user devices.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
prior to receiving the command including the first parameter of the task and the identification of the user device:
receiving data corresponding to the user device;
presenting the user device as a confirmable option; and
receiving an input representing confirmation of the user device.

11. An electronic device comprising:
a microphone;
one or more processors;
a 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 an audio input from a user;
receiving a command including a first parameter of a task and an identification of a user device, wherein the first parameter of the task is based on data corresponding to the audio input and wherein the identification of the user device is discovered in response to a determination that a record does not include a device with attributes corresponding to a second parameter derived from the data corresponding to the audio input; and
causing execution of the task with the first parameter at the user device.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
sending an identification of the first parameter to a database, and
wherein the first parameter is received from a database.

13. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the second parameter includes an indication of a type of device.

14. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the record stores a plurality of attributes respectively corresponding to a plurality of user devices.

15. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the record is updated to include the user device and one or more attributes of the user device after the user device is discovered.

16. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein discovering the user device includes discovering a user device associated with an indication of a named location of a user.

17. The electronic device of claim 11 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
receiving a plurality of identification corresponding to a plurality of user devices;
presenting the plurality of user devices as selectable options; and
receiving an input representing a selection of a particular user device of the plurality of user devices.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of user devices has an attribute matching the second parameter.

19. The electronic device of claim 17 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
updating the record to include the particular user device of the plurality of user devices.

20. The electronic device of claim 11 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
prior to receiving the command including the first parameter of the task and the identification of the user device:
receiving data corresponding to the user device;
presenting the user device as a confirmable option; and
receiving an input representing confirmation of the user device.

21. A method comprising:
at an electronic device:
receiving an audio input from a user;
receiving a command including a first parameter of a task and an identification of a user device, wherein the first parameter of the task is based on data corresponding to the audio input and wherein the identification of the user device is discovered in response to a determination that a record does not include a device with attributes corresponding to a second parameter derived from the data corresponding to the audio input; and
causing execution of the task with the first parameter at the user device.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
sending an identification of the first parameter to a database, and
wherein the first parameter is received from a database.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the second parameter includes an indication of a type of device.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the record stores a plurality of attributes respectively corresponding to a plurality of user devices.

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein the record is updated to include the user device and one or more attributes of the user device after the user device is discovered.

26. The method of claim 21 , wherein discovering the user device includes discovering a user device associated with an indication of a named location of a user.

27. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
receiving a plurality of identification corresponding to a plurality of user devices;
presenting the plurality of user devices as selectable options; and
receiving an input representing a selection of a particular user device of the plurality of user devices.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Piersol Kurt W
• Orr Ryan M
• Mandel Daniel J

Classifications

• G10L2015/228

  of application context · CPC title

• G10L25/84

  for discriminating voice from noise · CPC title

• G10L15/30

  Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications · CPC title

• G10L15/22

  Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue · CPC title

• G10L2015/223

  Execution procedure of a spoken command · CPC title