Multiple digital assistant coordination in vehicular environments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022343912-A1
Application number	US-202217861615-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 11, 2022
Priority date	Oct 3, 2017
Publication date	Oct 27, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure is generally related to a data processing system to selectively invoke applications for execution. A data processing system can receive an input audio signal and can parse the input audio signal to identify a command. The data processing system can identify a first functionality of a first digital assistant application hosted on the data processing system in the vehicle and a second functionality of a second digital assistant application accessible via a client device. The data processing system can determine that one of the first functionality or the second functionality supports the command. The data processing system can select one of the first digital assistant application or the second digital assistant application based on the determination. The data processing system invoke one of the first digital assistant application or the second digital assistant application based on the selection.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A method implemented by one or more processors a vehicle computing device of a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, via one or more microphones of the vehicle computing device, an input audio signal that captures a request provided by a user of the vehicle; identifying, based on processing the input audio signal, an action to be performed responsive to the request provided by the user; determining a type of the action to be performed responsive to the request provided by the user; identifying at least a first digital assistant application and a second digital assistant application that is accessible by the vehicle computing device; in response to determining that the type of the action to be performed responsive to the request provided by the user corresponds to a first type of action:
selecting, from among at least the first digital assistant application and the second digital assistant application, the first digital assistant application to perform the action; and
causing the first digital assistant application to perform the action to satisfy the request; and
in response to determining that the type of the action to be performed responsive to the request provided by the user corresponds to a second type of action:
selecting, from among at least the first digital assistant application and the second digital assistant application, the second digital assistant application to perform the action; and
causing the second digital assistant application to perform the action to satisfy the request.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a third digital assistant application that is accessible by the vehicle computing device; wherein selecting the first digital assistant application to perform the action comprises:
selecting, from among the first digital assistant application, the second digital assistant application, and the third digital assistant application, the first digital assistant application to perform the action; and
wherein selecting the second digital assistant application to perform the action comprises:
selecting, from among the first digital assistant application, the second digital assistant application, and the third digital assistant application, the second digital assistant application to perform the action.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
in response to determining that the type of the action to be performed responsive to the request provided by the user corresponds to a third type of action:
selecting, from among the first digital assistant application, the second digital assistant application, and third digital assistant application, the third digital assistant application to perform the action; and
causing the third digital assistant application to perform the action to satisfy the request.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first digital assistant application is integral to the vehicle computing device.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the second digital assistant application is integral to a client device of the user of the vehicle, and wherein the second digital assistant application is accessible by the vehicle computing device via a communication link between the client device and the vehicle computing device.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the first type of action includes controlling one or more functionalities of the vehicle, and wherein the second type of action includes controlling playback of media via one or more of the speakers of the vehicle computing device.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more functionalities of the vehicle comprises one or more of: changing temperature controls of the vehicle, actuating one or more locks or windows of the vehicle, or turning on or off a device of the vehicle.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein controlling playback of media via one or more of the speakers of the vehicle computing device comprising causing the second digital assistant application to utilize a media application installed locally at the client device to control playback of the media via one or more of the speakers of the vehicle computing device and by the communication link between the client device and the vehicle computing device.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the input audio signal comprises:
parsing, using a natural language processor component of the vehicle computing device, the audio input signal to identify the action to be performed responsive to the request provided by the user.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first digital assistant application is a default digital assistant application utilized by the vehicle computing device.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the second digital assistant application is a secondary digital assistant application utilized by the vehicle computing device.

12 . A vehicle computing device of a vehicle, the vehicle computing comprising:
one or more microphones; one or more speakers; one or more communication links; one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
receive, via one or more of the microphones, an input audio signal that captures a request provided by a user of the vehicle;
identify, based on processing the input audio signal, an action to be performed responsive to the request provided by the user;
determine a type of the action to be performed responsive to the request provided by the user;
identify at least a first digital assistant application and a second digital assistant application that is accessible by the vehicle computing device;
in response to determining that the type of the action to be performed responsive to the request provided by the user corresponds to a first type of action:
select, from among at least the first digital assistant application and the second digital assistant application, the first digital assistant application to perform the action; and
cause the first digital assistant application to perform the action to satisfy the request; and

in response to determining that the type of the action to be performed responsive to the request provided by the user corresponds to a second type of action:
select, from among at least the first digital assistant application and the second digital assistant application, the second digital assistant application to perform the action; and
cause the second digital assistant application to perform the action to satisfy the request.

13 . The vehicle computing device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further to:
identify a third digital assistant application that is accessible by the vehicle computing device; wherein the instructions to select the first digital assistant application to perform the action comprise instructions to:
select, from among the first digital assistant application, the second digital assistant application, and the third digital assistant application, the first digital assistant application to perform the action; and
wherein the instructions to select the second digital assistant application to perform the action comprise instructions to:
select, from among the first digital assistant application, the second digital assistant application, and the third digital assistant application, the second digital assistant application to perform the action.

14 . The vehicle computing device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further to:
in response to determining that the type of the action to be performed responsive to the request provided by the user corresponds to a third ty

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Ramic Haris
• Aggarwal Vikram
• Gali Moises Morgenstern
• Stuut Brandon

Classifications

• G06F9/44536

  Selecting among different versions · CPC title

• G06F9/44505

  Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files · CPC title

• G10L15/22 Primary

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

• G10L2015/223

  Execution procedure of a spoken command · CPC title

• G10L2015/088

  Word spotting · CPC title