Digital Assistant Event Triggers for Automatic Cross-App Actions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital assistants lack the ability to be automatically invoked in response to specific events, limiting their functionality and application areas.
Innovation Solution
A settings region is presented in the creation page of a digital assistant to set a trigger for an event from an application other than the digital assistant, allowing the digital assistant to perform actions in response to these events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If digital assistant is invoked only by user input, then the operation control is simple and clear, but the automation capability and applicability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The trigger mechanism is segmented into distinct components: event sources (messaging apps, email, calendar), event types (new message, meeting start), and action configurations. This segmentation allows the system to handle complexity in a modular way while presenting a simplified interface to users through the settings region.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary configuration by pre-defining event sources and event types in the settings region before runtime. Users configure triggers in advance through the creation page, and the system pre-processes event subscriptions and action mappings, so that during operation the digital assistant can automatically respond without requiring complex real-time decisions.
2Extent of automation
If digital assistant provides real-time feedback only, then the interaction is simple, but the automated task execution capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an event subscription mechanism as an intermediary layer between external applications and the digital assistant. Event sources publish events through standardized channels, the system subscribes to and routes these events to appropriate digital assistants, which then execute predefined actions. This intermediary structure enables automation without requiring direct integration between each app and the digital assistant.
Solution Approach 2:
The trigger mechanism is designed as a universal interface that can handle multiple event sources (messaging apps, email, calendar) and multiple event types through a common configuration framework. The settings region provides a unified way to configure different trigger types, and the system processes all events through a standardized event handling pipeline, enabling multi-functionality without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If digital assistant handles only conversational tasks, then the function scope is clear and manageable, but the task processing capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The digital assistant system is designed to be dynamic in its functionality. Through the trigger mechanism, the system can adaptively activate different digital assistants based on event types and configurations. The action execution is dynamic, supporting various operation types (send message, create event, update task) that are determined at runtime based on the triggered event and configured parameters, allowing the system to handle diverse tasks without requiring a fixed, comprehensive function set.
Data Source
AI summary
According to embodiments of the disclosure, a method, an apparatus, a device, and a media for creating a digital assistant are provided. The method includes: presenting a settings region in a creation page of the digital assistant, wherein the settings region is configured to set a trigger of the digital assistant, the trigger specifying an event source for receiving a trigger event and an action corresponding to the trigger event, wherein the trigger event is an event from an application other than the digital assistant; in response to receiving a setting request for the settings region, setting the trigger based on the setting request; and creating the digital assistant based on the trigger such that the created digital assistant performs the action in response to receiving the trigger event. As a result, the applicability and flexibility of a digital assistant can be improved.