Assistant Event Graph for Private Cross-Device Task Triggers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current assistant systems face challenges in effectively determining client-side event triggering and handling if-this-then-that (IFTTT) tasks, particularly in managing tasks across multiple devices while ensuring privacy and efficient resource usage.
Innovation Solution
The assistant system employs an event graph structure to split IFTTT tasks between client and server sides, analyzing sensor signals for client-side event determination and using an arbitrator to coordinate processing, ensuring privacy protection and reduced battery consumption by minimizing unnecessary sensor usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the assistant system continuously monitors sensor signals to determine client-side event triggering, then the reliability of event detection is improved, but the battery consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic sampling of sensor signals rather than continuous monitoring. The event determination module checks sensor signals at discrete intervals, allowing the device to enter low-power states between sampling points while still detecting events reliably when they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the essential event triggering logic to the client-side event determination module, separating it from continuous sensor monitoring. This extraction allows the majority of sensor data processing to be minimized or deferred, reducing battery consumption while maintaining event detection capability.
2Productivity
If the assistant system uploads sensor data to the server for IFTTT task processing, then the productivity of task execution is improved, but the privacy protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The client-side event determination module acts as an intermediary that processes sensor data locally and extracts only essential event information for server communication. This intermediary layer filters out sensitive raw sensor data, allowing the server to receive task-relevant event notifications without exposing private user information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the necessary event triggering information from sensor data for server transmission, leaving sensitive raw sensor data on the client device. This extraction principle ensures that only minimal necessary information is shared with the server, maintaining privacy while enabling remote task execution.
3Ease of operation
If the assistant system processes IFTTT tasks centrally on the server, then the ease of operation is improved, but the offline functionality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments IFTTT task processing into two parts: event determination logic resides on the client device for offline operation, while task execution and coordination occur on the server when connected. This segmentation allows the device to autonomously detect events and trigger local actions offline, while maintaining centralized task management capabilities when online.
4Measurement precision
If the assistant system uses multiple sensors for comprehensive event detection, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple sensor inputs into a unified event determination process. The event determination module integrates data from various sensors (microphone, camera, accelerometer, etc.) through a single coordinated logic unit, simplifying the management of multiple sensors while maintaining comprehensive event detection capability.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a user input corresponding to a task from a first user at a client system, determining that executing the task is to be triggered by client-side events being satisfied and server-side events being satisfied, determining that the client-side events are satisfied, sending a first indication that the client-side events are satisfied from the client system to a remote server, wherein the first indication comprises no privacy-sensitive information regarding the client-side events, receiving a second indication of the server-side events being satisfied at the client system from the remote server, and executing the task.