Digital Assistant Trigger Workflows for Background Task Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital assistants, such as Siri and Alexa, do not operate in the background to initiate workflows or execute tasks without human involvement, limiting their automation capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using robotic processing automation (RPA) that assigns workflows to robots to monitor user actions or events via triggers, allowing robots to perform automated tasks with or without user involvement, using coded or machine learning/artificial intelligence-determined relevant triggers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If digital assistants operate only when called upon by user commands, then system complexity remains low, but automation capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining workflows and triggers before they are needed. Workflows are configured in advance with specific trigger conditions, and the system continuously monitors for these pre-established triggers, enabling automatic execution without requiring real-time user commands for each task initiation
Solution Approach 2:
The digital assistant system serves itself by automatically detecting triggers, selecting appropriate workflows, and executing tasks without human intervention. The system monitors its own operational environment, identifies relevant events autonomously, and performs actions based on pre-configured logic, reducing dependency on continuous user input
2Extent of automation
If digital assistants operate in the background monitoring for triggers, then automation capability improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous monitoring, the system employs periodic action by checking for triggers at defined intervals or based on specific events. The background operation monitors for trigger conditions periodically rather than maintaining constant active processing, reducing energy consumption while still enabling automated task initiation when relevant events occur
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuity of useful action by keeping workflow definitions and trigger monitoring active in the background without requiring full system activation. The monitoring function operates continuously at low power, and only full workflow execution is activated when actual triggers are detected, ensuring useful automation capability is always available while minimizing energy use during idle periods
3Productivity
If workflows are assigned to robots for automatic execution, then productivity increases, but control over task execution decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that provide users with visibility into trigger detections, workflow selections, and execution status. Users receive notifications about automated actions taken and can configure feedback preferences, allowing them to maintain awareness and control over system behavior while benefiting from automated execution efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic adjustment of automation levels through configurable settings. Users can modify which triggers activate workflows, adjust monitoring sensitivity, and change execution parameters without reprogramming the entire system. This dynamic configurability enables users to balance automation productivity with their desired level of control based on changing needs
Data Source
AI summary
A digital assistant may execute one or more tasks using robotic processing automation (RPA). The digital assistant (or robot) assigns a workflow to a robot to monitor for one or more triggers. The one or more triggers comprise one or more events causing a robot to perform an automated tasks with or without user involvement. The robot also identifies the one or more triggers during the monitoring of the one or more triggers, and loads a workflow associated with the one or more identified triggers. The robot further includes executing the loaded workflow to perform one or more tasks associated with the one or more triggers.