Voice Assistant Audio URL Embedding for Enterprise Authentication

Solution Overview

Problem

In enterprise settings, voice assistant devices lack the capability to authenticate users with their respective service endpoints, leading to disjointed user experiences when accessing information, as users must manually retrieve and enter links to service endpoints, disrupting the seamless audio playback provided by the voice assistant.

Innovation Solution

Encoding URLs into audio content played by voice assistant devices using steganographic or audio watermarking methods, allowing client devices to extract and access service endpoints, with authentication managed through an identity provider, ensuring personalized content delivery based on user entitlements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If voice assistant devices play back audio content, then information delivery is improved, but user authentication and content access become disconnected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation deliveryVSAvoiduser authentication

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an identity provider as an intermediary between the voice assistant device and service endpoints. The identity provider receives authentication requests from client devices, verifies credentials, and returns authentication tokens. This mediator resolves the disconnection by enabling seamless authentication without requiring users to manually interact with service endpoints during audio playback.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical operations (users physically typing links and navigating to service endpoints) with automated acoustic and electronic processes. URLs are embedded in audio content, and authentication is automated through the identity provider system, eliminating the need for manual device interaction and navigation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If users manually retrieve and enter links to service endpoints, then content access is achieved, but the user experience becomes disjointed and interrupts audio playback

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent accessVSAvoiduser experience continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by embedding URLs into the audio content before playback occurs. Client devices capture these embedded URLs during audio playback, so when users want to access related content, the links are already available without requiring manual retrieval or navigation. This preliminary embedding eliminates interruptions to the audio experience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical operations (users physically typing links and navigating to service endpoints) with automated acoustic and electronic processes. URLs are embedded in audio content, and authentication is automated through the identity provider system, eliminating the need for manual device interaction and navigation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Device complexity

If voice assistant devices lack authentication capability, then device simplicity is maintained, but service endpoint integration is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice simplicityVSAvoidservice endpoint integration

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an identity provider as an intermediary between the voice assistant device and service endpoints. The identity provider receives authentication requests from client devices, verifies credentials, and returns authentication tokens. This mediator resolves the disconnection by enabling seamless authentication without requiring users to manually interact with service endpoints during audio playback.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The identity provider serves multiple functions: it authenticates users, issues authentication tokens, validates tokens against service endpoints, and enables access to multiple different services. This universal authentication mechanism allows the voice assistant system to integrate with various service endpoints without adding complexity to individual devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11722474B2Embedding content in audio content through a voice assistant

Publication Date: 2023.08.08 OMNISSA LLC

AI summary

Disclosed are various approaches for authenticating a user through a voice assistant device and creating an association between the device and a user account. The request is associated with a network or federated service. The user can use a client device, such as a smartphone, to initiate an authentication flow. A passphrase is provided to the client device can captured by the client device and a voice assistant device. Audio captured by the client device and voice assistant device can be sent to an assistant connection service. The passphrase and an audio signature calculated from the audio can be validated. An association between the user account and the voice assistant device can then be created.