Voice Assistant Task Redirection via Intermediary Service
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Solution Overview
Problem
Voice assistants in enterprise settings often face user frustration due to limitations in device capabilities, such as lack of displays or input devices, leading to errors in speech-to-text transcription and abandonment of tasks, as they fail to offer alternative methods for task completion.
Innovation Solution
A networked environment that dynamically redirects users to assistant devices with different capabilities based on task complexity, user history, and location, using an assistant connection service to authenticate and manage task state, allowing for seamless task migration between devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If voice commands are used for task completion, then user convenience is improved, but transcription errors and task abandonment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an assistant connection service as an intermediary that detects transcription errors and facilitates device redirection. This mediator identifies when voice transcription fails and automatically redirects users to alternative devices with different capabilities, resolving the contradiction by bridging the gap between voice input convenience and transcription accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by redirecting users to different assistant devices based on task requirements and historical performance data. By dynamically adjusting which device is used (changing the device parameter), the system maintains high transcription accuracy while preserving voice command convenience for suitable tasks.
2Adaptability or versatility
If tasks are completed on devices with limited capabilities, then portability is improved, but task completion reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic device redirection where the system adaptively directs users to different assistant devices based on real-time task requirements and historical performance. This dynamic adjustment allows portable devices to handle suitable tasks while automatically transitioning to more capable devices when reliability is compromised, resolving the contradiction between portability and task completion reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The assistant connection service creates a universal system that manages multiple assistant devices with varying capabilities. This multi-functional architecture allows the system to leverage the portability of simple devices while falling back to more capable devices for complex tasks, ensuring both portability benefits and reliable task completion.
3Device complexity
If voice assistant offers only voice-based completion, then device simplicity is improved, but user frustration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The assistant connection service acts as a mediator that detects user frustration and facilitates redirection to devices with appropriate capabilities. This intermediary layer allows simple voice-only devices to maintain their simplicity while providing access to more capable devices when voice-based completion is insufficient, thereby reducing user frustration without increasing device complexity.
4Ease of operation
If speech-to-text transcription is used, then hands-free operation is improved, but error rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the assistant connection service monitors transcription quality and user interactions. When transcription errors are detected or user frustration is identified, the system provides feedback by redirecting to alternative devices, thereby maintaining hands-free operation benefits while compensating for transcription inaccuracies through adaptive device selection.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are various aspects of postponing or migrating tasks from a first assistant device to another assistant device. In some examples, an assistant device can facilitate task completion. Tasks can be recommended for postponement based upon the complexity of the task, a historical user profile, or the location of the assistant device.