Digital Personal Assistant Input Direction Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In environments with multiple users, digital personal assistants (DPAs) often face confusion when a second user mistakenly believes a first user is addressing them while providing commands to the DPA, leading to interruptions and misinterpretations, as existing methods require users to pause or clarify who they are talking to, disrupting the conversation.
Innovation Solution
A method that determines if a second user's input is directed at a first user providing a command to a DPA and provides an indication to the second user that the first user is addressing the DPA, using techniques such as natural language processing, voice recognition, and proximity analysis to ignore the second user's input and maintain the conversation flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the digital personal assistant processes inputs from multiple users simultaneously, then the productivity and responsiveness of the system improves, but the reliability and accuracy of command interpretation deteriorates due to confusion between users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism that detects when a second user provides input during a first user's command and generates a non-intrusive indication (such as a visual cue or subtle audio signal) to notify the second user that the command is directed to the digital personal assistant, not the first user. This intermediary notification system resolves the ambiguity without requiring the first user to pause or clarify, thereby maintaining high responsiveness while ensuring accurate command interpretation.
2Reliability
If the digital personal assistant pauses or seeks clarification when multiple users provide input, then the reliability of command interpretation improves, but the duration of action and user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the digital personal assistant provides real-time indication to the second user that the command is directed to the assistant during the first user's command. This feedback allows the second user to understand the situation without interrupting the conversation flow, eliminating the need for pauses or clarifications while maintaining accurate command interpretation and continuous conversation flow.
3Productivity
If the digital personal assistant ignores inputs from second users during first user's command, then the productivity and conversation flow improve, but the loss of information increases when second users need assistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary indication system that communicates to the second user that the digital personal assistant is currently processing a command from the first user. This intermediary notification (such as visual or auditory cues) allows the second user to understand that their input will not be processed, eliminating the need to ignore inputs while still maintaining efficient conversation flow and productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving at a digital personal assistant coupled to an information handling device, while receiving a command from a first user, an input from a second user; determining that the input provided by the second user is directed at the first user; providing an indication indicating the command is directed to the digital personal assistant; and ignoring the input provided by the second user. Other aspects are described and claimed.