Training an at least partial voice command system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9922642-B2
Application number	US-201414213878-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

An electronic device with one or more processors and memory includes a procedure for training a digital assistant. In some embodiments, the device detects an impasse in a dialog between the digital assistant and a user including a speech input. During a learning session, the device utilizes a subsequent clarification input from the user to adjust intent inference or task execution associated with the speech input to produce a satisfactory response. In some embodiments, the device identifies a pattern of success or failure associated with an aspect previously used to complete a task and generates a hypothesis regarding a parameter used in speech recognition, intent inference or task execution as a cause for the pattern. Then, the device tests the hypothesis by altering the parameter for a subsequent completion of the task and adopts or rejects the hypothesis based on feedback information collected from the subsequent completion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for training a digital assistant, performed at an electronic device including one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the method comprising:
detecting an impasse during a dialogue between the digital assistant and a user, wherein the dialogue includes at least one speech input from the user, wherein the at least one speech input includes a plurality of words;
in response to detecting the impasse, establishing a learning session associated with the at least one speech input;
during the learning session:
receiving one or more subsequent clarification inputs from the user;
based at least in part on the one or more subsequent clarification inputs, adjusting at least one of intent inference and task execution associated with the at least one speech input to produce a satisfactory response to the at least one speech input; and
associating the satisfactory response with the entirety of the at least one speech input for processing future occurrences of the at least one speech input, wherein the associating comprises replacing a respective initial response shared by a set of users in a community of users with the satisfactory response to the at least one speech input from the user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the impasse comprises:
during the dialogue between the digital assistant and the user:
receiving at least one speech input from the user;
inferring an initial intent based on the at least one speech input;
providing an initial response to fulfill the initial intent that has been inferred; and
receiving a follow-up speech input from the user rejecting the initial response.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the initial intent is a best guess;
and during the learning session, the method further comprising:
prior to receiving the one or more subsequent clarification inputs from the user, inferring a second intent based on the at least one speech input, wherein the second intent is a second best guess and the second intent is distinct from the initial intent; and

providing a second response to fulfill the second intent that has been inferred.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the impasse comprises one of a set consisting of:
a single user rejection of an initial response distinct from the satisfactory response;
two or more user rejections of the initial response; and
a user command ending the dialogue.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
during the learning session:
prior to receiving the one or more subsequent clarification inputs from the user, providing two or more alternative responses to the at least one speech input from the user.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
during the learning session:
reducing a respective intent inference or speech recognition threshold so as to generate the two or more alternative responses to the at least one speech input from the user.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
during the learning session:
prior to receiving the one or more subsequent clarification inputs from the user, rephrasing at least a portion of the at least one speech input from the user to elicit one or more subsequent clarification inputs from the user.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting an impasse during a dialogue between the digital assistant and the user comprises at least one of:
receiving a follow-up speech input from the user rejecting an initial response to the at least one speech input; and
determining that an actionable intent cannot be inferred from the at least one speech input.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the satisfactory response comprises at least one of: provision of an answer to requested information and performance of a requested task.

10. An electronic device, comprising:
a sound receiving unit configured to receive sound input;
a speaker unit configured to output sound; and
a processing unit coupled to the sound receiving unit and the speaker unit, the processing unit configured to:
detect an impasse during a dialogue between the digital assistant and a user, wherein the dialogue includes at least one speech input from the user, wherein the at least one speech includes a plurality of words;
in response to detecting the impasse, establish a learning session associated with the at least one speech input;
during the learning session:
receive one or more subsequent clarification inputs from the user;
based at least in part on the one or more subsequent clarification inputs, adjust at least one of intent inference and task execution associated with the at least one speech input to produce a satisfactory response to the at least one speech input; and
associate the satisfactory response with the entirety of the at least one speech input for processing future occurrences of the at least one speech input, wherein the associating comprises replacing a respective initial response shared by a set of users in a community of users with the satisfactory response to the at least one speech input from the user.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein detecting the impasse comprises:
during the dialogue between the digital assistant and the user, the processing unit is further configured to:
receive at least one speech input from the user;
infer an initial intent based on the at least one speech input;
provide an initial response to fulfill the initial intent that has been inferred; and
receive a follow-up speech input from the user rejecting the initial response.

12. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the initial intent is a best guess;
and during the learning session, the processing unit is further configured to:
prior to receiving the one or more subsequent clarification inputs from the user, infer a second intent based on the at least one speech input, wherein the second intent is a second best guess and the second intent is distinct from the initial intent; and
provide a second response to fulfill the second intent that has been inferred.

13. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the impasse comprises one of a set consisting of:
a single user rejection of an initial response distinct from the satisfactory response;
two or more user rejections of the initial response; and
a user command ending the dialogue.

14. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the processing unit is configured to detect an impasse during a dialogue between the digital assistant and the user comprises the processing unit being configured to perform at least one of:
receiving a follow-up speech input from the user rejecting an initial response to the at least one speech input; and
determining that an actionable intent cannot be inferred from the at least one speech input.

15. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the satisfactory response comprises at least one of: provision of an answer to requested information and performance of a requested task.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which, when executed by an electronic device with one or more processors, cause the device to:
detect an impasse during a dialogue between the digital assistant and a user, wherein the dialogue includes at least one speech input from the user, wherein the at least one speech input includes a plurality of words;
in response to detecting the impasse, establish a learning session associated with the at least one speech input;
during the learning sess

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Pitschel Donald W
• Cheyer Adam J
• Brigham Christopher D
• Gruber Thomas R

Classifications

• 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

• G10L2015/227

  of the speaker; Human-factor methodology · CPC title

• G10L15/063 Primary

  Training · CPC title