Agent apparatus, agent apparatus control method, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020320997-A1
Application number	US-202016808413-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 4, 2020
Priority date	Mar 7, 2019
Publication date	Oct 8, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An agent apparatus includes: a first acquirer configured to acquire voice of a user; a recognizer configured to recognize the voice acquired by the first acquirer; and a plurality of agent functional units, each of the agent function unit being configured to provide services including causing an output unit to output a response on the basis of a recognition result of the recognizer, wherein, when a first agent functional unit included in the plurality of agent functional units is not able to cope with a request included in the voice recognized by the recognizer and another agent functional unit of the plurality of agent functional units is able to cope with the request, the first agent functional unit causes the output unit to output information for recommending the other agent functional unit to the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An agent apparatus comprising:
a first acquirer configured to acquire voice of a user; a recognizer configured to recognize the voice acquired by the first acquirer; and a plurality of agent functional units, each of the agent functional unit being configured to provide a service including causing an output unit to output a response on the basis of a recognition result of the recognizer, wherein, when a first agent functional unit included in the plurality of agent functional units is not able to cope with a request included in the voice recognized by the recognizer and another agent functional unit of the plurality of agent functional units is able to cope with the request, the first agent functional unit causes the output unit to output information for recommending the other agent functional unit to the user.

2 . The agent apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein, when the first agent functional unit is not able to cope with the request and the other is able to cope with the request, the first agent functional unit provides information representing that the first agent functional unit is not able to cope with the request to the user and causes the output unit to output the information for recommending the other agent functional unit to the user.

3 . The agent apparatus according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a second acquirer configured to acquire function information of each of the plurality of agent functional unit, wherein the first agent functional unit acquires information on another agent functional unit which is able to cope with the request on the basis of the function information acquired by the second acquirer.

4 . The agent apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein, when the first agent functional unit is not able to cope with the request and the request includes a predetermined request, the first agent functional unit does not cause the output unit to output the information for recommending the other agent functional unit to the user.

5 . The agent apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the predetermined request includes a request for causing the first agent functional unit to execute a specific function.

6 . The agent apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the specific function includes a function of controlling a moving body in which the plurality of agent functional units are mounted.

7 . An agent apparatus control method, using a computer, comprising:
activating a plurality of agent functional units; recognizing acquired voice of a user and providing services including causing an output unit to output a response on the basis of a recognition result as functions of the activated agent functional units; and when a first agent functional unit included in the plurality of agent functional units is not able to cope with a request included in the recognized voice and another agent functional unit of the plurality of agent functional units is able to cope with the request, causing the output unit to output information for recommending the other agent functional unit to the user.

8 . A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing a program causing a computer to:
activate a plurality of agent functional units; recognize acquired voice of a user and provide services including causing an output unit to output a response on the basis of a recognition result as functions of the activated agent functional units; and when a first agent functional unit included in the plurality of agent functional units is not able to cope with a request included in the recognized voice and another agent functional unit of the plurality of agent functional units is able to cope with the request, cause the output unit to output information for recommending the other agent functional unit to the user.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wagatsuma Yoshifumi
• Furuya Sawako

Classifications

• B60K35/81

  for controlling displays · CPC title

• B60K35/50

  Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60K35/29

  Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions · CPC title

• B60K35/85

  Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data · CPC title

• B60K35/265

  Voice · CPC title