Digital Assistant Continuous Dialogue with Trigger-Free Session Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital assistant systems require triggering inputs to initiate and continue interactions, leading to cumbersome and repetitive exchanges, lacking seamless user engagement capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A system and process for continuous dialog with a digital assistant that allows users to interact without explicit triggers, enabling dynamic interruptions and corrections, utilizing a client-server model with client-side and server-side portions for natural language processing and task execution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional digital assistant systems require triggering inputs to initiate and continue interactions, then the system can maintain clear interaction boundaries and prevent unwanted activations, but the interaction becomes cumbersome and repetitive, reducing ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by continuously monitoring audio inputs and maintaining an active listening state without requiring trigger words. The digital assistant is pre-positioned to recognize user intents directly, eliminating the need for repetitive triggering and creating a seamless interaction experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuity of useful action by maintaining the digital assistant in a persistent active state that continuously processes user inputs. The interaction flow remains uninterrupted without requiring periodic reactivation through trigger words, enabling natural conversational exchanges where the assistant remains engaged throughout the dialogue.
2Ease of operation
If the digital assistant continuously monitors for user inputs without triggers, then interaction becomes more natural and seamless, but the system consumes more energy and processing resources
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by adjusting its operational state based on interaction context. The digital assistant dynamically transitions between different listening modes - fully active during conversation, and lower-power states between interactions - allowing it to maintain natural interaction capabilities while optimizing energy consumption through adaptive state management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by selectively activating full processing resources only when user inputs are detected, while maintaining a lighter monitoring state in between. This approach provides the continuous listening capability needed for natural interaction while avoiding the excessive energy consumption of sustained full-power operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system allows dynamic interruptions and corrections during dialogue, then user engagement improves and interaction becomes more flexible, but the system must handle more complex interaction scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The digital assistant employs dynamics by adaptively adjusting its dialogue management behavior based on the interaction context. The system dynamically responds to interruptions and corrections by re-evaluating user intents in real-time, allowing flexible conversation flow while managing complexity through adaptive rather than rigid dialogue structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms that allow the digital assistant to respond to user interruptions and corrections in real-time. The system continuously receives feedback from user inputs, adjusts its understanding of user intent accordingly, and modifies its responses dynamically, enabling flexible interactions while managing complexity through iterative refinement rather than pre-programmed dialogue trees.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and processes for operating an intelligent automated assistant are provided. For example, a first speech input directed to a digital assistant is received from a user. A first response is provided based on the first speech input. A session window is initiated, wherein the session window is associated with a variable speech threshold. A second speech input is received during the session window. In accordance with a determination that the second speech input includes speech directed to the digital assistant, a duration associated with the session window is increased. In accordance with a determination that the variable speech threshold does not exceed a predetermined speech threshold, the session window is ended.