A method for operating a voice trigger is provided. In some implementations, the method is performed at an electronic device including one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors. The method includes receiving a sound input. The sound input may correspond to a spoken word or phrase, or a portion thereof. The method includes determining whether at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to a predetermined type of sound, such as a human voice. The method includes, upon a determination that at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to the predetermined type, determining whether the sound input includes predetermined content, such as a predetermined trigger word or phrase. The method also includes, upon a determination that the sound input includes the predetermined content, initiating a speech-based service, such as a voice-based digital assistant.

Voice trigger for a digital assistant

Systems and processes are disclosed for handling a multi-part voice command for a virtual assistant. Speech input can be received from a user that includes multiple actionable commands within a single utterance. A text string can be generated from the speech input using a speech transcription process. The text string can be parsed into multiple candidate substrings based on domain keywords, imperative verbs, predetermined substring lengths, or the like. For each candidate substring, a probability can be determined indicating whether the candidate substring corresponds to an actionable command. Such probabilities can be determined based on semantic coherence, similarity to user request templates, querying services to determine manageability, or the like. If the probabilities exceed a threshold, the user intent of each substring can be determined, processes associated with the user intents can be executed, and an acknowledgment can be provided to the user.

Multi-command single utterance input method

This is directed to processing voice inputs received by an electronic device. In particular, this is directed to receiving a voice input and identifying the user providing the voice input. The voice input can be processed using a subset of words from a library used to identify the words or phrases of the voice input. The particular subset can be selected such that voice inputs provided by the user are more likely to include words from the subset. The subset of the library can be selected using any suitable approach, including for example based on the user's interests and words that relate to those interests. For example, the subset can include one or more words related to media items selected by the user for storage on the electronic device, names of the user's contacts, applications or processes used by the user, or any other words relating to the user's interactions with the device.

User profiling for voice input processing

This relates to systems and processes for using a virtual assistant to control electronic devices. In one example process, a user can speak an input in natural language form to a user device to control one or more electronic devices. The user device can transmit the user speech to a server to be converted into a textual representation. The server can identify the one or more electronic devices and appropriate commands to be performed by the one or more electronic devices based on the textual representation. The identified one or more devices and commands to be performed can be transmitted back to the user device, which can forward the commands to the appropriate one or more electronic devices for execution. In response to receiving the commands, the one or more electronic devices can perform the commands and transmit their current states to the user device.

Intelligent assistant for home automation

Systems and processes for generating a speaker profile for use in performing speaker identification for a virtual assistant are provided. One example process can include receiving an audio input including user speech and determining whether a speaker of the user speech is a predetermined user based on a speaker profile for the predetermined user. In response to determining that the speaker of the user speech is the predetermined user, the user speech can be added to the speaker profile and operation of the virtual assistant can be triggered. In response to determining that the speaker of the user speech is not the predetermined user, the user speech can be added to an alternate speaker profile and operation of the virtual assistant may not be triggered. In some examples, contextual information can be used to verify results produced by the speaker identification process.

Speaker identification and unsupervised speaker adaptation techniques

An electronic device includes one or more processors, a touch-sensitive display and an audio output operative in a first mode to produce an audible output at a first output level, and operable in a discreet mode operative to produce the audible output at a second output level that is less than a first output level The one or more processors can present a user actuation target or a portion of a notification at a location on the touch sensitive display The processors can then detect an object proximately located with touch-sensitive display at the location and a lifting gesture lifting the electronic device from a first elevation to a second elevation In response, the one or more processors can cause the audio output to deliver notification details as the audible output from an audio output device

Method and System for Audible Delivery of Notifications Partially Presented on an Always-On Display

A method includes identifying an event generated by a software application executed by a processor in a device. The event is not associated with a user interaction with the device. Without requesting or receiving user input from a user of the device, a microphone of the device is enabled for a predetermined time period after identifying the occurrence of the event to identify a user voice command. The user voice command is executed. A method includes generating an event alert notification on a speaker of a device. Without querying a user of the device, a microphone of the device is enabled for a predetermined time period after generating the event alert notification to identify a user voice command. The user voice command is executed.

Enabling Event Driven Voice Interaction with a Device

An electronic device includes a voice control interface engine operative in a first mode to receive a speech command, through a microphone, from a first distance and produce, through a loudspeaker and in response to the speech command, an audible output at a first output level. One or more processors are operable with one or more sensors to detect a predefined user input. The one or more processors can then transition the voice control interface engine to a second mode operative to receive the speech command from a second distance and produce, in response to the speech command, the audible output at a second output level, where the second distance is less than the first distance and the second output level less than the first output level.

Method and Apparatus for Voice Control User Interface with Discreet Operating Mode

A system and method of determining whether a device user is driving provide an improved ability to switch between a normal mode and a driving mode with fewer false positives and false negatives. Bluetooth connectivity and motion sensor readings are fused to make the drive mode determination and to set the timing of the switch between a normal mode and a driving mode. In an embodiment, Bluetooth devices correlated with driving are used to modify the confidence level and the decision threshold associated with sensor input. When a node having a driving correlation higher than a particular threshold is connected to a device, a lower threshold is applied to the motion sensor input for entering drive mode and a higher threshold is applied for exiting drive mode. Similarly, when a user device is not connected to any highly correlated node, default thresholds may be used for entering and exiting the drive mode.

Multifactor Drive Mode Determination

An electronic device ( 100 ) includes a display ( 102 ). The electronic device can also include a user interface ( 110 ) to detect gesture input. One or more control circuits ( 116 ), operable with the display and the user interface, can detect a predefined gesture input ( 401 ) and alter a timer ( 122 ) controlling a duration in which the display is in an operational mode. This allows a user ( 300 ) to make a quick gesture to extend the time the display will be active without interaction so that the user can read long documents or other items without the display turning OFF.

Boby Iyer

Papers

Method and System for Audible Delivery of Notifications Partially Presented on an Always-On Display

Enabling Event Driven Voice Interaction with a Device

Method and Apparatus for Voice Control User Interface with Discreet Operating Mode

Multifactor Drive Mode Determination

Electronic Device with Gesture Display Control and Corresponding Methods