Multi-Assistant Responsiveness Control for Accurate Voice Triggering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automated assistant systems struggle with adaptability in multi-assistant environments, leading to unintended actions being modified by devices not intended by the user, resulting in resource wastage and inefficiency due to repeated commands and redundant data processing.

Innovation Solution

Implementing dynamic regulations that adapt the responsiveness of multiple automated assistant devices based on contextual data, including location, ongoing actions, and user preferences, to ensure intended actions are performed while minimizing resource wastage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If automated assistant devices rely solely on whether they heard a user command to determine responsiveness, then the system is simple to operate, but the adaptability in multi-assistant environments deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of device responsivenessVSAvoidadaptability in multi-assistant environments
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic regulations that allow assistant devices to adapt their responsiveness based on contextual factors such as ongoing actions, device states, and environmental conditions. This enables the system to transition from static, simple responsiveness rules to dynamic, context-aware decision-making, resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and environmental adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameters of device responsiveness based on contextual data. Instead of using fixed responsiveness criteria, the patent modifies responsiveness parameters dynamically according to the current state of assistant devices and ongoing actions, allowing the system to adapt to multi-assistant environments while maintaining ease of use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple automated assistant devices are deployed in a user's environment, then the versatility of the system is improved, but the likelihood of incorrect device triggering increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem versatilityVSAvoidaccuracy of device triggering
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where assistant devices communicate their ongoing actions and states to each other. This feedback loop allows devices to adjust their responsiveness based on what other devices are currently doing, reducing the likelihood of incorrect triggering while maintaining system versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary layer of dynamic regulations that mediate between user commands and device actions. This intermediary evaluates contextual factors and determines the appropriate target device, improving triggering accuracy in multi-assistant environments without sacrificing system versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Speed

If an assistant device inadvertently stops an ongoing action, then the device responds quickly to user input, but resource wastage increases due to redundant data processing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponsiveness to user inputVSAvoidcomputational resource wastage
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary checks before executing actions. Assistant devices evaluate contextual data and ongoing actions beforehand to determine whether a user command should be executed. This preliminary action prevents inadvertent stopping of actions, reducing the need for users to repeat commands and avoiding redundant data processing and energy waste.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4343534B1Regulating assistant responsiveness according to characteristics of a multi-assistant environment
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP4343534B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4343534B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4343534B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Implementations set forth herein relate to employing dynamic regulations for governing responsiveness of multiple automated assistant devices, and specifically the responsiveness an automated assistant to a given spoken utterance that has been acknowledged by two or more of the assistant devices. The dynamic regulations can be context-dependent and adapted over time in order that the automated assistant can accommodate assistant interaction preferences that may vary from user to user. For instance, a spoken utterance such as "stop," may be intended to affect different assistant actions based on a context in which the user provided the spoken utterance. The context can refer to a location of the user relative to other rooms in a home, a time of day, a user providing the spoken utterance, an arrangement of the assistant devices within a home, and/or a state of each device in the home.