Virtual Assistant Conversation Handoff Across Device Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computing platforms face challenges in seamlessly transitioning user interactions with virtual assistants across different devices with varying capabilities, particularly in handling audio and visually-based interfaces, leading to inconsistent user experiences.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for cross-device handoffs of virtual assistant conversations, where contextual information is maintained and transferred between computing devices, allowing the conversation to continue on a device best suited for the response, leveraging a digital assistant server and local client modules to determine and execute the handoff based on device capabilities and user preferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a virtual assistant system operates on a single computing platform, then the system architecture is simple, but the user cannot seamlessly continue conversations across different devices
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual assistant system is designed to operate across multiple computing platforms (smartphone, smart display, wearable device) with a unified architecture. The assistant module can execute on different devices while maintaining consistent conversation context through cloud-based context storage, enabling the same assistant instance to serve multiple device types simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
A context storage module in the cloud acts as an intermediary between the virtual assistant and multiple computing devices. When a handoff occurs, the context information (conversation history, user preferences, current task state) is transferred from the first device through the cloud intermediary to the second device, enabling seamless conversation continuation without direct device-to-device communication.
2Ease of operation
If the assistant automatically hands off conversations based on device capabilities, then the user experience is improved, but the decision-making complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual assistant system performs automatic handoff decisions without requiring user intervention. The assistant module evaluates device capabilities, conversation context, and user needs to determine when and where to transfer conversations. The system serves itself by making intelligent routing decisions based on predefined capability profiles of different device types.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes capability profiles for different computing devices (smartphone with audio capabilities, smart display with visual display, wearable with limited interface) before handoff decisions are needed. This preliminary characterization of device capabilities allows the assistant to quickly determine appropriate handoff targets without complex real-time analysis.
3Measurement precision
If conversation context is tracked across handoffs, then response accuracy is improved, but the data transmission requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential context information needed for conversation continuity (current task state, recent conversation turns, relevant entities) rather than transmitting complete conversation histories. The context storage module selectively stores and retrieves only the necessary data elements required for the assistant to maintain accurate context across device handoffs.
Data Source
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AI summary
A first computing device may receive an indication of user input that is at least a part of a conversation between a user and a first assistant executing at the first computing device. The first assistant and/or an assistant executing at a digital assistant system may determine whether to handoff the conversation from the first assistant executing at the first computing device to a second assistant executing at a second computing device. In response to determining to handoff the conversation to the second assistant executing at the second computing device, the first assistant and/or the assistant executing at the digital assistant system may send to the second computing device a request to handoff the conversation which includes at least an indication of the conversation.