Multi-State Digital Assistant for Continuous Dialog Confidence Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional digital assistant systems lack robust frameworks for handling follow-up speech and do not facilitate seamless multi-modal interactions, such as gaze, attention, and device motion, limiting user engagement and effectiveness in continuous dialog.

Innovation Solution

A digital assistant system that incorporates a multi-state framework for analyzing user inputs, including speech and multi-modal cues, to enhance interaction continuity and user engagement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional digital assistant systems use single-stage speech analysis, then system complexity is reduced, but interaction robustness and continuity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinteraction robustnessVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The speech analysis process is divided into multiple stages: initial speech processing to generate first set of values, and follow-up speech processing to generate second set of values. Each stage produces confidence scores that are combined to determine overall user intent, enabling robust multi-stage analysis without requiring complete system redesign

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts its analysis depth based on confidence levels. When confidence is high, the system can proceed with simpler processing; when confidence is low or ambiguous, the system automatically engages more complex multi-stage analysis, making the complexity adaptive rather than static

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If digital assistant provides fixed responses, then system complexity is reduced, but user engagement and dialog continuity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedialog continuityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates feedback loops where user responses (follow-up speech) are continuously analyzed and fed back into the system. This enables the assistant to adjust its responses based on user confidence levels and engagement, creating a dynamic dialog flow that maintains continuity while adapting to user needs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The digital assistant is designed to handle multiple functions within a unified framework: it can process different types of speech inputs, generate various response types, and adapt its behavior based on confidence levels. This multi-functionality is achieved through a single versatile architecture rather than separate specialized systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If digital assistant uses comprehensive multi-modal analysis, then user intent accuracy is improved, but processing time and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser intent accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs partial analysis initially by generating first set of values from speech input, then selectively performs additional analysis on follow-up speech only when needed. This partial action approach achieves high accuracy for clear intents while avoiding unnecessary processing time for straightforward cases

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4092669B1Multiple state digital assistant for continuous dialog
Publication Date: 2025.11.12 APPLE INC
  • EP4092669B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4092669B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4092669B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

Systems and processes for operating an intelligent automated assistant are provided. For example, a first speech input is received from a user. In response to receiving the first speech input, a response is provided. A first output is provided corresponding to a digital assistant in a first state, and a second speech input is received from the user. A first plurality of values is obtained. Based on the first plurality of values, a first confidence level corresponding to the second speech input is obtained. In accordance with a determination that the first confidence level exceeds a first threshold confidence level, a second output is provided corresponding to the digital assistant in a second state. The second speech input continues to be received.