Voice Assistant Control Across Application Interfaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing speech assistant technologies require frequent waking up and cannot maintain continuous control over devices when switching between applications, limiting user interaction and convenience.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for speech assistant control that displays a target interface and continuously receives speech data, determining if a control instruction is included in the data, allowing for seamless interaction across different application interfaces without repeated waking up, using speech recognition and user detection techniques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the speech assistant exits when switching to other applications, then the system resource occupation is reduced, but the user cannot realize control through the speech assistant when another application is activated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol capability across applicationsVSAvoidsystem state management
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The speech assistant is designed to provide universal control capabilities across multiple applications. When the target interface belongs to a different application, the speech assistant remains active and continues to receive and process speech data, enabling users to issue control instructions for the running application without exiting the speech assistant interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The speech assistant maintains continuous operation across application switches. The system determines whether the target interface belongs to a different application, and if so, keeps the speech assistant in an active state to continuously receive speech data, ensuring uninterrupted control functionality rather than exiting and requiring re-waking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Speed

If the speech assistant wakes up frequently, then the control responsiveness is improved, but the user experience deteriorates due to repeated wake-up operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol responsivenessVSAvoiduser interaction convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The speech assistant maintains continuous speech data reception across application switches without requiring repeated wake-up operations. The system preserves the active state of the speech assistant when transitioning between applications, allowing users to continuously issue control instructions without interrupting the interaction flow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system proactively determines whether the target interface belongs to a different application before the speech assistant would normally exit. By anticipating the need for continued control capability, the system prepares to maintain the active state, preventing the need for repeated wake-up operations and improving user convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the speech assistant remains active across application switches, then the user experience is improved, but the energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinteraction continuityVSAvoidspeech assistant energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The speech assistant's operational state is dynamically adjusted based on the application context. The system determines whether the target interface belongs to a different application and adaptively decides whether to maintain the active state or exit, optimizing energy consumption while preserving interaction continuity when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameters of the speech assistant based on application switching events. When a different application is detected, the system modifies the speech assistant's state from exit-to-wake-up cycle to continuous operation mode, and vice versa, thereby optimizing energy usage according to actual user needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3933570A1Method and apparatus for controlling a voice assistant, and computer-readable storage medium
Publication Date: 2022.01.05 BEIJING XIAOMI PINECONE ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3933570A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3933570A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3933570A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are a method and apparatus for speech assistant control and a computer-readable storage medium. The method includes: after a speech assistant is waken up, displaying a target interface corresponding to a control instruction corresponding to received speech data; when the target interface is different from an interface of the speech assistant, displaying a speech reception identifier in the target interface and controlling to continuously receive speech data; determining, based on second speech data received when the target interface is displayed, whether a target control instruction to be executed is included in the second speech data; and displaying an interface corresponding to the target control instruction when the target control instruction is included in the second speech data.