Voice-Assisted Target Device Selection by Function Availability
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Solution Overview
Problem
In environments with multiple electronic devices supporting voice assistance, users face difficulties in accurately controlling the intended device due to simultaneous responses from unintended devices, requiring varied utterances or device-specific commands, which complicates the control process.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device acquires state information from multiple external devices that have received a wake-up utterance, determines availability of a requested function, and selects a target device based on this information to perform the function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple electronic devices support voice assistance simultaneously, then user convenience is improved, but device control accuracy deteriorates due to simultaneous responses from unintended devices
Solution Approach 1:
A server acts as an intermediary between multiple voice-assistant devices and the user's voice commands. The server receives wake-up utterances from multiple devices, determines the intended target device based on spatial or contextual information, and routes the control command to the correct device, preventing simultaneous responses and ensuring accurate control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by detecting which device received the wake-up utterance and using this information to determine the target device for subsequent control commands. This feedback mechanism ensures that only the intended device responds to control utterances, improving identification accuracy.
2Reliability
If a winner device is designated to respond to wake-up utterances, then simultaneous responses are prevented, but user convenience deteriorates due to varied experiences depending on which device is selected
Solution Approach 1:
The server serves as a mediator that manages the winner device selection process. Instead of devices competing independently, the server centrally determines which device should respond based on comprehensive criteria (spatial proximity, device state, user context), ensuring consistent and predictable behavior regardless of which physical device the user activates.
Solution Approach 2:
The server provides universal control logic that works across all voice-assistant devices. By implementing a unified decision-making mechanism that considers multiple factors (spatial information, device capabilities, user preferences), the system ensures that any device can serve as the target, providing consistent user experience regardless of which specific device is used.
3Measurement precision
If device name must be included in control utterances, then target device identification is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to increased complexity of commands
Solution Approach 1:
The server acts as an intermediary that resolves the ambiguity between multiple devices. Instead of requiring users to specify device names, the server uses contextual information (spatial location, which device received the wake-up utterance, device state) to automatically determine the target device, allowing users to give simple, natural commands without device identification complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically identifying the target device based on contextual cues and device state. The voice-assistant system itself provides the identification function that would otherwise require explicit user input, making the system more intelligent and user commands simpler.
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed an electronic device including a communication circuitry, a processor, and a memory that stores instructions. The electronic device may be configured to acquire, from a plurality of external electronic devices that have received a wake-up utterance, state information indicating states of the plurality of external electronic devices, acquire control data corresponding to a control utterance subsequent to the wake-up utterance and instructing control of a first function, determine availability of the first function for at least one of the plurality of external electronic devices by using the state information, determine a target device to perform the first function from the plurality of external electronic devices, based on the availability, and control the target device so as to perform the first function.