U.S. patent application number 14/819343 was filed with the patent office on 2016-12-29 for virtual assistant for media playback.
The applicant listed for this patent is Apple Inc.. Invention is credited to Connor J. BARNETT, Daniel J. MANDEL, Ryan M. ORR, Andrew J. SINESIO.
Application Number | 20160378747 14/819343 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57602373 |
Filed Date | 2016-12-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160378747 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ORR; Ryan M. ; et
al. |
December 29, 2016 |
VIRTUAL ASSISTANT FOR MEDIA PLAYBACK
Abstract
An exemplary method for identifying media may include receiving
user input associated with a request for media, where that user
input includes unstructured natural language speech including one
or more words; identifying at least one context associated with the
user input; causing a search for the media based on the at least
one context and the user input; determining, based on the at least
one context and the user input, at least one media item that
satisfies the request; and in accordance with a determination that
the at least one media item satisfies the request, obtaining the at
least one media item.
Inventors: |
ORR; Ryan M.; (Cupertino,
CA) ; MANDEL; Daniel J.; (Cupertino, CA) ;
SINESIO; Andrew J.; (Cupertino, CA) ; BARNETT; Connor
J.; (Cupertino, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Apple Inc. |
Cupertino |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57602373 |
Appl. No.: |
14/819343 |
Filed: |
August 5, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62186182 |
Jun 29, 2015 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
704/9 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 40/30 20200101;
G10L 15/26 20130101; G06F 16/48 20190101; G06F 3/167 20130101; G06F
40/279 20200101; G06F 40/169 20200101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 17/28 20060101
G06F017/28; G06F 3/16 20060101 G06F003/16; G06F 17/30 20060101
G06F017/30 |
Claims
1. A method for identifying media, comprising: at a device with one
or more processors, memory and a microphone: receiving user input
associated with a request for media, the user input comprising
unstructured natural language speech including one or more words;
identifying at least one context associated with the user input;
causing a search for the media based on the at least one context
and the user input; determining, based on the at least one context
and the user input, at least one media item that satisfies the
request; in accordance with a determination that the at least one
media item satisfies the request, obtaining the at least one media
item; receiving second user input requesting alternate media; in
response to receiving the second user input, causing a search for
the media based on the at least one context, the user input and the
second user input; determining, based on the at least one context,
the user input and the second user input, at least one additional
media item that satisfies the request; and in accordance with a
determination that the at least one additional media item satisfies
the request, obtaining the at least one additional media item.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the causing a search causes
searching to be performed locally on the device.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the causing a search causes
searching to be performed remotely to the device.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining the media item for
the user comprises: determining whether a local library includes
the media item; and in accordance with a determination that the
local library includes the media item, presenting the media item to
the user; in accordance with a determination that the local library
does not include the media item, obtaining the media item from an
external data source.
5. (canceled)
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one context
associated with the user input includes a device context.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the device context includes the
location of the device.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the device context includes the
proximity of the device to a wireless location transmitter.
9. The method of claim 6, wherein the device context includes the
content of media concurrently played by the device.
10. The method of claim 6, wherein the device context includes a
timecode associated with media concurrently played by the
device.
11. The method of claim 6, wherein the device context includes
audio input from the microphone other than user speech.
12. The method of claim 6, wherein the device context includes data
associated with media stored on the device.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one context
associated with the user input includes a user context.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the user context includes the
content of the user input.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the user context includes media
associated with the user.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the user context includes
demographic information associated with the user.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the user context includes
information relating to a musical preference of the user.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the user context includes data
associated with user content accessible by the device.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one context
associated with the user input includes a social context.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the social context includes the
access frequency of a particular media item across a plurality of
users.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the social context includes the
number of references to a media item in a social media
database.
22. The method of claim 1, wherein the media item is a song.
23. The method of claim 1, further comprising: in response to
obtaining the at least one media item, playing at least one media
item, and terminating concurrent playback of other media.
24. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the at least one media
item comprises adding the at least one media item to a media
library associated with the user.
25. The method of claim 1, further comprising: after obtaining the
media item, receiving second user input comprising unstructured
natural language speech including one or more words; annotating the
media item with the one or more words.
26. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, based on the at
least one context and the user input, at least one media item that
satisfies the request comprises: determining a probability, based
on the at least one context and the user input, that at least one
media item satisfies the request; and determining whether the
probability exceeds a threshold.
27. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, based on the at
least one context and the user input, at least one media item that
satisfies the request comprises: determining a probability, based
on the at least one context and the user input, that at least one
media item satisfies the request; and selecting the media item
having the highest probability.
28. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the at least one media
item comprises receiving streaming audio containing the at least
one media item.
29. An electronic device, comprising: a display; a memory; a
microphone; a processor coupled to the display, the memory and the
microphone; the processor configured to: receive user input
associated with a request for media, the user input comprising
unstructured natural language speech including one or more words;
identify at least one context associated with the user input; cause
a search for the media based on the at least one context and the
user input; determine, based on the at least one context and the
user input, at least one media item that satisfies the request; in
accordance with a determination that the at least one media item
satisfies the request, obtain the at least one media item;
receiving second user input requesting alternate media; in response
to receiving the second user input, causing a search for the media
based on the at least one context, the user input and the second
user input; determining, based on the at least one context, the
user input and the second user input, at least one additional media
item that satisfies the request; and in accordance with a
determination that the at least one additional media item satisfies
the request, obtaining the at least one additional media item.
30. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one
or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions,
which when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic
device to: receive user input associated with a request for media,
the user input comprising unstructured natural language speech
including one or more words; identify at least one context
associated with the user input; cause a search for the media based
on the at least one context and the user input; determine, based on
the at least one context and the user input, at least one media
item that satisfies the request; and in accordance with a
determination that the at least one media item satisfies the
request, obtain the at least one media item; receiving second user
input requesting alternate media; in response to receiving the
second user input, causing a search for the media based on the at
least one context, the user input and the second user input;
determining, based on the at least one context, the user input and
the second user input, at least one additional media item that
satisfies the request; and in accordance with a determination that
the at least one additional media item satisfies the request,
obtaining the at least one additional media item.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 62/186,182, entitled "Virtual Assistant for Media
Playback," filed Jun. 29, 2015, the content of which is hereby
incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to media playback,
and more specifically to a virtual assistant used to facilitate
media playback.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Intelligent automated assistants (or digital assistants)
provide a beneficial interface between human users and electronic
devices. Such assistants allow users to interact with devices or
systems using natural language in spoken and/or text forms. For
example, a user can access the services of an electronic device by
providing a spoken user request to a digital assistant associated
with the electronic device. The digital assistant can interpret the
user's intent from the spoken user request and operationalize the
user's intent into tasks. The tasks can then be performed by
executing one or more services of the electronic device and a
relevant output can be returned to the user in natural language
form.
[0004] When managing music or other media, a digital assistant can
be helpful in playing back specific media, particularly in a
hands-free environment. A digital assistant can respond effectively
to a request to play a specific media item, such as an album or a
song identified specifically by title or by artist. However,
digital assistants have not been useful in discovering media based
on nonspecific, unstructured natural language requests--for
example, a request for a song from a popular movie.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0005] Some techniques for discovering media based on a
nonspecific, unstructured natural language request, however, are
generally cumbersome and inefficient. For example, existing
techniques use a complex and time-consuming user interface, which
may include multiple key presses or keystrokes. The user must
perform his or her own research to determine which specific media
he or she is seeking, then attempt to obtain that media. Both of
those steps may be impractical or impossible in certain
circumstances, such as when the user is operating a motor vehicle
or has his or her hands full. Existing techniques require more time
than necessary, wasting user time and device energy. This latter
consideration is particularly important in battery-operated
devices.
[0006] Accordingly, there is a need for electronic devices with
faster, more efficient methods and interfaces for discovering media
based on a nonspecific, unstructured natural language request. Such
methods and interfaces optionally complement or replace other
methods for discovering media based on a nonspecific, unstructured
natural language request. Such methods and interfaces reduce the
cognitive burden on a user and produce a more efficient
human-machine interface. For battery-operated computing devices,
such methods and interfaces conserve power and increase the time
between battery charges.
[0007] In some embodiments, a method for identifying media
includes: at a device with one or more processors, memory, and a
microphone: receiving user input associated with a request for
media, the user input including unstructured natural language
speech including one or more words; identifying at least one
context associated with the user input; causing a search for the
media based on the at least one context and the user input;
determining, based on the at least one context and the user input,
at least one media item that satisfies the request; and, in
accordance with a determination that the at least one media item
satisfies the request, obtaining the at least one media item.
[0008] In some embodiments, an electronic device includes: a
display; a memory; a microphone; a processor coupled to the
display, the memory, and the microphone; the processor configured
to: receive user input associated with a request for media, the
user input including unstructured natural language speech including
one or more words; identify at least one context associated with
the user input; cause a search for the media based on the at least
one context and the user input; determine, based on the at least
one context and the user input, at least one media item that
satisfies the request; and, in accordance with a determination that
the at least one media item satisfies the request, obtain the at
least one media item.
[0009] In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable
storage medium stores one or more programs, the one or more
programs including instructions, which when executed by an
electronic device, cause the electronic device to: receive user
input associated with a request for media, the user input including
unstructured natural language speech including one or more words;
identify at least one context associated with the user input; cause
a search for the media based on the at least one context and the
user input; determine, based on the at least one context and the
user input, at least one media item that satisfies the request; and
in accordance with a determination that the at least one media item
satisfies the request, obtain the at least one media item.
[0010] In some embodiments, a transitory computer-readable storage
medium stores one or more programs, the one or more programs
including instructions, which when executed by an electronic
device, cause the electronic device to: receive user input
associated with a request for media, the user input including
unstructured natural language speech including one or more words;
identify at least one context associated with the user input; cause
a search for the media based on the at least one context and the
user input; determine, based on the at least one context and the
user input, at least one media item that satisfies the request;
and, in accordance with a determination that the at least one media
item satisfies the request, obtain the at least one media item.
[0011] In some embodiments, a system utilizes an electronic device
with a display, where the system includes: means for receiving user
input associated with a request for media, the user input including
unstructured natural language speech including one or more words;
means for identifying at least one context associated with the user
input; means for causing a search for the media based on the at
least one context and the user input; means for determining, based
on the at least one context and the user input, at least one media
item that satisfies the request; and, in accordance with a
determination that the at least one media item satisfies the
request, means for obtaining the at least one media item.
[0012] In some embodiments, an electronic device includes: a
processing unit that includes a receiving unit, an identifying
unit, a causing unit, a determining unit, and an obtaining unit,
the processing unit configured to: receive, using the receiving
unit, user input associated with a request for media, the user
input including unstructured natural language speech including one
or more words; identify, using the identifying unit, at least one
context associated with the user input; cause, using the causing
unit, a search for the media based on the at least one context and
the user input; determine, using the determining unit, based on the
at least one context and the user input, at least one media item
that satisfies the request; and, in accordance with a determination
that the at least one media item satisfies the request, obtain,
using the obtaining unit, the at least one media item.
[0013] Executable instructions for performing these functions are,
optionally, included in a non-transitory computer-readable storage
medium or other computer program product configured for execution
by one or more processors. Executable instructions for performing
these functions are, optionally, included in a transitory
computer-readable storage medium or other computer program product
configured for execution by one or more processors.
[0014] Thus, devices are provided with faster, more efficient
methods and interfaces for discovering media based on a
nonspecific, unstructured natural language request, thereby
increasing the effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction
with such devices. Such methods and interfaces may complement or
replace other methods for discovering media based on a nonspecific,
unstructured natural language request.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0015] For a better understanding of the various described
embodiments, reference should be made to the Description of
Embodiments below, in conjunction with the following drawings in
which like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts
throughout the figures.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system and
environment for implementing a digital assistant according to
various examples.
[0017] FIG. 2A is a block diagram illustrating a portable
multifunction device implementing the client-side portion of a
digital assistant according to various examples.
[0018] FIG. 2B is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components
for event handling according to various examples.
[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates a portable multifunction device
implementing the client-side portion of a digital assistant
according to various examples.
[0020] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary multifunction
device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface according to
various examples.
[0021] FIG. 5A illustrates an exemplary user interface for a menu
of applications on a portable multifunction device according to
various examples.
[0022] FIG. 5B illustrates an exemplary user interface for a
multifunction device with a touch-sensitive surface that is
separate from the display according to various examples.
[0023] FIG. 6A illustrates a personal electronic device according
to various examples.
[0024] FIG. 6B is a block diagram illustrating a personal
electronic device according to various examples.
[0025] FIG. 7A is a block diagram illustrating a digital assistant
system or a server portion thereof according to various
examples.
[0026] FIG. 7B illustrates the functions of the digital assistant
shown in FIG. 7A according to various examples.
[0027] FIG. 7C illustrates a portion of an ontology according to
various examples.
[0028] FIGS. 8A-8Q illustrate exemplary user interfaces for a
personal electronic device in accordance with some embodiments.
FIG. 8I is intentionally omitted to avoid any confusion between the
capital letter I and the numeral 1 (one), and FIG. 8O is
intentionally omitted to avoid any confusion between the capital
letter O and the numeral 0 (zero).
[0029] FIGS. 9A-9C illustrate a process for operating a digital
assistant for media playback, according to various examples.
[0030] FIG. 10 illustrates a functional block diagram of an
electronic device according to various examples.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0031] The following description sets forth exemplary methods,
parameters, and the like. It should be recognized, however, that
such description is not intended as a limitation on the scope of
the present disclosure but is instead provided as a description of
exemplary embodiments.
[0032] There is a need for electronic devices that provide
efficient methods and interfaces for discovering media based on a
nonspecific, unstructured natural language request. As described
above, media discovery techniques are not as effective as they
might be, such as with users with slow or unusual speech patterns.
A digital assistant can reduce the cognitive burden on a user who
discovers media based on a nonspecific, unstructured natural
language request, thereby enhancing productivity. Further, such
techniques can reduce processor and battery power otherwise wasted
on redundant user inputs.
[0033] Below, FIGS. 1, 2A-2B, 3, 4, 5A-5B and 6A-6B provide a
description of exemplary devices for performing the techniques for
discovering media based on a nonspecific, unstructured natural
language request. FIG. 6A-6B illustrate exemplary user interfaces
for discovering media based on a nonspecific, unstructured natural
language request. FIGS. 7A-7C are block diagrams illustrating a
digital assistant system or a server portion thereof, and a portion
of an ontology associated with the digital assistant system. FIGS.
8A-8B are flow diagrams illustrating methods of discovering media
based on a nonspecific, unstructured natural language request in
accordance with some embodiments.
[0034] Although the following description uses terms "first,"
"second," etc. to describe various elements, these elements should
not be limited by the terms. These terms are only used to
distinguish one element from another. For example, a first touch
could be termed a second touch, and, similarly, a second touch
could be termed a first touch, without departing from the scope of
the various described embodiments. The first touch and the second
touch are both touches, but they are not the same touch.
[0035] The terminology used in the description of the various
described embodiments herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As
used in the description of the various described embodiments and
the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an," and "the" are
intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context
clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the
term "and/or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all
possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed
items. It will be further understood that the terms "includes,"
"including," "comprises," and/or "comprising," when used in this
specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude
the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
[0036] The term "if" may be construed to mean "when" or "upon" or
"in response to determining" or "in response to detecting,"
depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase "if it is
determined" or "if [a stated condition or event] is detected" may
be construed to mean "upon determining" or "in response to
determining" or "upon detecting [the stated condition or event]" or
"in response to detecting [the stated condition or event],"
depending on the context.
[0037] Embodiments of electronic devices, user interfaces for such
devices, and associated processes for using such devices are
described. In some embodiments, the device is a portable
communications device, such as a mobile telephone, that also
contains other functions, such as PDA and/or music player
functions. Exemplary embodiments of portable multifunction devices
include, without limitation, the iPhone.RTM., iPod Touch.RTM., and
iPad.RTM. devices from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. Other
portable electronic devices, such as laptops or tablet computers
with touch-sensitive surfaces (e.g., touch screen displays and/or
touchpads), are, optionally, used. It should also be understood
that, in some embodiments, the device is not a portable
communications device, but is a desktop computer with a
touch-sensitive surface (e.g., a touch screen display and/or a
touchpad).
[0038] In the discussion that follows, an electronic device that
includes a display and a touch-sensitive surface is described. It
should be understood, however, that the electronic device
optionally includes one or more other physical user-interface
devices, such as a physical keyboard, a mouse, and/or a
joystick.
[0039] The device may support a variety of applications, such as
one or more of the following: a drawing application, a presentation
application, a word processing application, a website creation
application, a disk authoring application, a spreadsheet
application, a gaming application, a telephone application, a video
conferencing application, an e-mail application, an instant
messaging application, a workout support application, a photo
management application, a digital camera application, a digital
video camera application, a web browsing application, a digital
music player application, and/or a digital video player
application.
[0040] The various applications that are executed on the device
optionally use at least one common physical user-interface device,
such as the touch-sensitive surface. One or more functions of the
touch-sensitive surface as well as corresponding information
displayed on the device are, optionally, adjusted and/or varied
from one application to the next and/or within a respective
application. In this way, a common physical architecture (such as
the touch-sensitive surface) of the device optionally supports the
variety of applications with user interfaces that are intuitive and
transparent to the user.
[0041] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of system 100 according
to various examples. In some examples, system 100 can implement a
digital assistant. The terms "digital assistant," "virtual
assistant," "intelligent automated assistant," or "automatic
digital assistant" can refer to any information processing system
that interprets natural language input in spoken and/or textual
form to infer user intent, and performs actions based on the
inferred user intent. For example, to act on an inferred user
intent, the system can perform one or more of the following:
identifying a task flow with steps and parameters designed to
accomplish the inferred user intent, inputting specific
requirements from the inferred user intent into the task flow;
executing the task flow by invoking programs, methods, services,
APIs, or the like; and generating output responses to the user in
an audible (e.g., speech) and/or visual form.
[0042] Specifically, a digital assistant can be capable of
accepting a user request at least partially in the form of a
natural language command, request, statement, narrative, and/or
inquiry. Typically, the user request can seek either an
informational answer or performance of a task by the digital
assistant. A satisfactory response to the user request can be a
provision of the requested informational answer, a performance of
the requested task, or a combination of the two. For example, a
user can ask the digital assistant a question, such as "Where am I
right now?" Based on the user's current location, the digital
assistant can answer, "You are in Central Park near the west gate."
The user can also request the performance of a task, for example,
"Please invite my friends to my girlfriend's birthday party next
week." In response, the digital assistant can acknowledge the
request by saying "Yes, right away," and then send a suitable
calendar invite on behalf of the user to each of the user's friends
listed in the user's electronic address book. During performance of
a requested task, the digital assistant can sometimes interact with
the user in a continuous dialogue involving multiple exchanges of
information over an extended period of time. There are numerous
other ways of interacting with a digital assistant to request
information or performance of various tasks. In addition to
providing verbal responses and taking programmed actions, the
digital assistant can also provide responses in other visual or
audio forms, e.g., as text, alerts, music, videos, animations,
etc.
[0043] As shown in FIG. 1, in some examples, a digital assistant
can be implemented according to a client-server model. The digital
assistant can include client-side portion 102 (hereafter "DA client
102") executed on user device 104 and server-side portion 106
(hereafter "DA server 106") executed on server system 108. DA
client 102 can communicate with DA server 106 through one or more
networks 110. DA client 102 can provide client-side functionalities
such as user-facing input and output processing and communication
with DA server 106. DA server 106 can provide server-side
functionalities for any number of DA clients 102 each residing on a
respective user device 104.
[0044] In some examples, DA server 106 can include client-facing
I/O interface 112, one or more processing modules 114, data and
models 116, and I/O interface to external services 118. The
client-facing I/O interface 112 can facilitate the client-facing
input and output processing for DA server 106. One or more
processing modules 114 can utilize data and models 116 to process
speech input and determine the user's intent based on natural
language input. Further, one or more processing modules 114 perform
task execution based on inferred user intent. In some examples, DA
server 106 can communicate with external services 120 through
network(s) 110 for task completion or information acquisition. I/O
interface to external services 118 can facilitate such
communications.
[0045] User device 104 can be any suitable electronic device. For
example, user devices can be a portable multifunctional device
(e.g., device 200, described below with reference to FIG. 2A), a
multifunctional device (e.g., device 400, described below with
reference to FIG. 4), or a personal electronic device (e.g., device
600, described below with reference to FIG. 6A-B.) A portable
multifunctional device can be, for example, a mobile telephone that
also contains other functions, such as PDA and/or music player
functions. Specific examples of portable multifunction devices can
include the iPhone.RTM., iPod Touch.RTM., and iPad.RTM. devices
from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. Other examples of portable
multifunction devices can include, without limitation, laptop or
tablet computers. Further, in some examples, user device 104 can be
a non-portable multifunctional device. In particular, user device
104 can be a desktop computer, a game console, a television, or a
television set-top box. In some examples, user device 104 can
include a touch-sensitive surface (e.g., touch screen displays
and/or touchpads). Further, user device 104 can optionally include
one or more other physical user-interface devices, such as a
physical keyboard, a mouse, and/or a joystick. Various examples of
electronic devices, such as multifunctional devices, are described
below in greater detail.
[0046] Examples of communication network(s) 110 can include local
area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN), e.g., the
Internet. Communication network(s) 110 can be implemented using any
known network protocol, including various wired or wireless
protocols, such as, for example, Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus
(USB), FIREWIRE, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM),
Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), code division multiple access
(CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi,
voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Wi-MAX, or any other suitable
communication protocol.
[0047] Server system 108 can be implemented on one or more
standalone data processing apparatus or a distributed network of
computers. In some examples, server system 108 can also employ
various virtual devices and/or services of third-party service
providers (e.g., third-party cloud service providers) to provide
the underlying computing resources and/or infrastructure resources
of server system 108.
[0048] In some examples, user device 104 can communicate with DA
server 106 via second user device 122. Second user device 122 can
be similar or identical to user device 104. For example, second
user device 122 can be similar to devices 200, 400, or 600
described below with reference to FIGS. 2A, 4, and 6A-B. User
device 104 can be configured to communicatively couple to second
user device 122 via a direct communication connection, such as
Bluetooth, NFC, BTLE, or the like, or via a wired or wireless
network, such as a local Wi-Fi network. In some examples, second
user device 122 can be configured to act as a proxy between user
device 104 and DA server 106. For example, DA client 102 of user
device 104 can be configured to transmit information (e.g., a user
request received at user device 104) to DA server 106 via second
user device 122. DA server 106 can process the information and
return relevant data (e.g., data content responsive to the user
request) to user device 104 via second user device 122.
[0049] In some examples, user device 104 can be configured to
communicate abbreviated requests for data to second user device 122
to reduce the amount of information transmitted from user device
104. Second user device 122 can be configured to determine
supplemental information to add to the abbreviated request to
generate a complete request to transmit to DA server 106. This
system architecture can advantageously allow user device 104 having
limited communication capabilities and/or limited battery power
(e.g., a watch or a similar compact electronic device) to access
services provided by DA server 106 by using second user device 122,
having greater communication capabilities and/or battery power
(e.g., a mobile phone, laptop computer, tablet computer, or the
like), as a proxy to DA server 106. While only two user devices 104
and 122 are shown in FIG. 1, it should be appreciated that system
100 can include any number and type of user devices configured in
this proxy configuration to communicate with DA server system
106.
[0050] Although the digital assistant shown in FIG. 1 can include
both a client-side portion (e.g., DA client 102) and a server-side
portion (e.g., DA server 106), in some examples, the functions of a
digital assistant can be implemented as a standalone application
installed on a user device. In addition, the divisions of
functionalities between the client and server portions of the
digital assistant can vary in different implementations. For
instance, in some examples, the DA client can be a thin-client that
provides only user-facing input and output processing functions,
and delegates all other functionalities of the digital assistant to
a backend server.
2. Electronic Devices
[0051] Attention is now directed toward embodiments of electronic
devices for implementing the client-side portion of a digital
assistant. FIG. 2A is a block diagram illustrating portable
multifunction device 200 with touch-sensitive display system 212 in
accordance with some embodiments. Touch-sensitive display 212 is
sometimes called a "touch screen" for convenience and is sometimes
known as or called a "touch-sensitive display system." Device 200
includes memory 202 (which optionally includes one or more
computer-readable storage mediums), memory controller 222, one or
more processing units (CPUs) 220, peripherals interface 218, RF
circuitry 208, audio circuitry 210, speaker 211, microphone 213,
input/output (I/O) subsystem 206, other input control devices 216,
and external port 224. Device 200 optionally includes one or more
optical sensors 264. Device 200 optionally includes one or more
contact intensity sensors 265 for detecting intensity of contacts
on device 200 (e.g., a touch-sensitive surface such as
touch-sensitive display system 212 of device 200). Device 200
optionally includes one or more tactile output generators 267 for
generating tactile outputs on device 200 (e.g., generating tactile
outputs on a touch-sensitive surface such as touch-sensitive
display system 212 of device 200 or touchpad 455 of device 400).
These components optionally communicate over one or more
communication buses or signal lines 203.
[0052] As used in the specification and claims, the term
"intensity" of a contact on a touch-sensitive surface refers to the
force or pressure (force per unit area) of a contact (e.g., a
finger contact) on the touch-sensitive surface, or to a substitute
(proxy) for the force or pressure of a contact on the
touch-sensitive surface. The intensity of a contact has a range of
values that includes at least four distinct values and more
typically includes hundreds of distinct values (e.g., at least
256). Intensity of a contact is, optionally, determined (or
measured) using various approaches and various sensors or
combinations of sensors. For example, one or more force sensors
underneath or adjacent to the touch-sensitive surface are,
optionally, used to measure force at various points on the
touch-sensitive surface. In some implementations, force
measurements from multiple force sensors are combined (e.g., a
weighted average) to determine an estimated force of a contact.
Similarly, a pressure-sensitive tip of a stylus is, optionally,
used to determine a pressure of the stylus on the touch-sensitive
surface. Alternatively, the size of the contact area detected on
the touch-sensitive surface and/or changes thereto, the capacitance
of the touch-sensitive surface proximate to the contact and/or
changes thereto, and/or the resistance of the touch-sensitive
surface proximate to the contact and/or changes thereto are,
optionally, used as a substitute for the force or pressure of the
contact on the touch-sensitive surface. In some implementations,
the substitute measurements for contact force or pressure are used
directly to determine whether an intensity threshold has been
exceeded (e.g., the intensity threshold is described in units
corresponding to the substitute measurements). In some
implementations, the substitute measurements for contact force or
pressure are converted to an estimated force or pressure, and the
estimated force or pressure is used to determine whether an
intensity threshold has been exceeded (e.g., the intensity
threshold is a pressure threshold measured in units of pressure).
Using the intensity of a contact as an attribute of a user input
allows for user access to additional device functionality that may
otherwise not be accessible by the user on a reduced-size device
with limited real estate for displaying affordances (e.g., on a
touch-sensitive display) and/or receiving user input (e.g., via a
touch-sensitive display, a touch-sensitive surface, or a
physical/mechanical control such as a knob or a button).
[0053] As used in the specification and claims, the term "tactile
output" refers to physical displacement of a device relative to a
previous position of the device, physical displacement of a
component (e.g., a touch-sensitive surface) of a device relative to
another component (e.g., housing) of the device, or displacement of
the component relative to a center of mass of the device that will
be detected by a user with the user's sense of touch. For example,
in situations where the device or the component of the device is in
contact with a surface of a user that is sensitive to touch (e.g.,
a finger, palm, or other part of a user's hand), the tactile output
generated by the physical displacement will be interpreted by the
user as a tactile sensation corresponding to a perceived change in
physical characteristics of the device or the component of the
device. For example, movement of a touch-sensitive surface (e.g., a
touch-sensitive display or trackpad) is, optionally, interpreted by
the user as a "down click" or "up click" of a physical actuator
button. In some cases, a user will feel a tactile sensation such as
an "down click" or "up click" even when there is no movement of a
physical actuator button associated with the touch-sensitive
surface that is physically pressed (e.g., displaced) by the user's
movements. As another example, movement of the touch-sensitive
surface is, optionally, interpreted or sensed by the user as
"roughness" of the touch-sensitive surface, even when there is no
change in smoothness of the touch-sensitive surface. While such
interpretations of touch by a user will be subject to the
individualized sensory perceptions of the user, there are many
sensory perceptions of touch that are common to a large majority of
users. Thus, when a tactile output is described as corresponding to
a particular sensory perception of a user (e.g., an "up click," a
"down click," "roughness"), unless otherwise stated, the generated
tactile output corresponds to physical displacement of the device
or a component thereof that will generate the described sensory
perception for a typical (or average) user.
[0054] It should be appreciated that device 200 is only one example
of a portable multifunction device, and that device 200 optionally
has more or fewer components than shown, optionally combines two or
more components, or optionally has a different configuration or
arrangement of the components. The various components shown in FIG.
2A are implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both
hardware and software, including one or more signal processing
and/or application-specific integrated circuits.
[0055] Memory 202 may include one or more computer-readable storage
mediums. The computer-readable storage mediums may be tangible and
non-transitory. Memory 202 may include high-speed random access
memory and may also include non-volatile memory, such as one or
more magnetic disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or other
non-volatile solid-state memory devices. Memory controller 222 may
control access to memory 202 by other components of device 200.
[0056] In some examples, a non-transitory computer-readable storage
medium of memory 202 can be used to store instructions (e.g., for
performing aspects of process 900, described below) for use by or
in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or
device, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing
system, or other system that can fetch the instructions from the
instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the
instructions. In other examples, the instructions (e.g., for
performing aspects of process 900, described below) can be stored
on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (not shown) of
the server system 108 or can be divided between the non-transitory
computer-readable storage medium of memory 202 and the
non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of server system
108. In the context of this document, a "non-transitory
computer-readable storage medium" can be any medium that can
contain or store the program for use by or in connection with the
instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
[0057] Peripherals interface 218 can be used to couple input and
output peripherals of the device to CPU 220 and memory 202. The one
or more processors 220 run or execute various software programs
and/or sets of instructions stored in memory 202 to perform various
functions for device 200 and to process data. In some embodiments,
peripherals interface 218, CPU 220, and memory controller 222 may
be implemented on a single chip, such as chip 204. In some other
embodiments, they may be implemented on separate chips.
[0058] RF (radio frequency) circuitry 208 receives and sends RF
signals, also called electromagnetic signals. RF circuitry 208
converts electrical signals to/from electromagnetic signals and
communicates with communications networks and other communications
devices via the electromagnetic signals. RF circuitry 208
optionally includes well-known circuitry for performing these
functions, including but not limited to an antenna system, an RF
transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner, one or more
oscillators, a digital signal processor, a CODEC chipset, a
subscriber identity module (SIM) card, memory, and so forth. RF
circuitry 208 optionally communicates with networks, such as the
Internet, also referred to as the World Wide Web (WWW), an intranet
and/or a wireless network, such as a cellular telephone network, a
wireless local area network (LAN) and/or a metropolitan area
network (MAN), and other devices by wireless communication. The RF
circuitry 208 optionally includes well-known circuitry for
detecting near field communication (NFC) fields, such as by a
short-range communication radio. The wireless communication
optionally uses any of a plurality of communications standards,
protocols, and technologies, including but not limited to Global
System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM
Environment (EDGE), high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA),
high-speed uplink packet access (HSUPA), Evolution, Data-Only
(EV-DO), HSPA, HSPA+, Dual-Cell HSPA (DC-HSPDA), long term
evolution (LTE), near field communication (NFC), wideband code
division multiple access (W-CDMA), code division multiple access
(CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), Bluetooth, Bluetooth
Low Energy (BTLE), Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) (e.g., IEEE 802.11a,
IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, and/or IEEE 802.11ac),
voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Wi-MAX, a protocol for e mail
(e.g., Internet message access protocol (IMAP) and/or post office
protocol (POP)), instant messaging (e.g., extensible messaging and
presence protocol (XMPP), Session Initiation Protocol for Instant
Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions (SIMPLE), Instant
Messaging and Presence Service (IMPS)), and/or Short Message
Service (SMS), or any other suitable communication protocol,
including communication protocols not yet developed as of the
filing date of this document.
[0059] Audio circuitry 210, speaker 211, and microphone 213 provide
an audio interface between a user and device 200. Audio circuitry
210 receives audio data from peripherals interface 218, converts
the audio data to an electrical signal, and transmits the
electrical signal to speaker 211. Speaker 211 converts the
electrical signal to human-audible sound waves. Audio circuitry 210
also receives electrical signals converted by microphone 213 from
sound waves. Audio circuitry 210 converts the electrical signal to
audio data and transmits the audio data to peripherals interface
218 for processing. Audio data may be retrieved from and/or
transmitted to memory 202 and/or RF circuitry 208 by peripherals
interface 218. In some embodiments, audio circuitry 210 also
includes a headset jack (e.g., 312, FIG. 3). The headset jack
provides an interface between audio circuitry 210 and removable
audio input/output peripherals, such as output-only headphones or a
headset with both output (e.g., a headphone for one or both ears)
and input (e.g., a microphone).
[0060] I/O subsystem 206 couples input/output peripherals on device
200, such as touch screen 212 and other input control devices 216,
to peripherals interface 218. I/O subsystem 206 optionally includes
display controller 256, optical sensor controller 258, intensity
sensor controller 259, haptic feedback controller 261, and one or
more input controllers 260 for other input or control devices. The
one or more input controllers 260 receive/send electrical signals
from/to other input control devices 216. The other input control
devices 216 optionally include physical buttons (e.g., push
buttons, rocker buttons, etc.), dials, slider switches, joysticks,
click wheels, and so forth. In some alternate embodiments, input
controller(s) 260 are, optionally, coupled to any (or none) of the
following: a keyboard, an infrared port, a USB port, and a pointer
device such as a mouse. The one or more buttons (e.g., 308, FIG. 3)
optionally include an up/down button for volume control of speaker
211 and/or microphone 213. The one or more buttons optionally
include a push button (e.g., 306, FIG. 3).
[0061] A quick press of the push button may disengage a lock of
touch screen 212 or begin a process that uses gestures on the touch
screen to unlock the device, as described in U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/322,549, "Unlocking a Device by Performing
Gestures on an Unlock Image," filed Dec. 23, 2005, U.S. Pat. No.
7,657,849, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its
entirety. A longer press of the push button (e.g., 306) may turn
power to device 200 on or off. The user may be able to customize a
functionality of one or more of the buttons. Touch screen 212 is
used to implement virtual or soft buttons and one or more soft
keyboards.
[0062] Touch-sensitive display 212 provides an input interface and
an output interface between the device and a user. Display
controller 256 receives and/or sends electrical signals from/to
touch screen 212. Touch screen 212 displays visual output to the
user. The visual output may include graphics, text, icons, video,
and any combination thereof (collectively termed "graphics"). In
some embodiments, some or all of the visual output may correspond
to user-interface objects.
[0063] Touch screen 212 has a touch-sensitive surface, sensor, or
set of sensors that accepts input from the user based on haptic
and/or tactile contact. Touch screen 212 and display controller 256
(along with any associated modules and/or sets of instructions in
memory 202) detect contact (and any movement or breaking of the
contact) on touch screen 212 and convert the detected contact into
interaction with user-interface objects (e.g., one or more soft
keys, icons, web pages, or images) that are displayed on touch
screen 212. In an exemplary embodiment, a point of contact between
touch screen 212 and the user corresponds to a finger of the
user.
[0064] Touch screen 212 may use LCD (liquid crystal display)
technology, LPD (light emitting polymer display) technology, or LED
(light emitting diode) technology, although other display
technologies may be used in other embodiments. Touch screen 212 and
display controller 256 may detect contact and any movement or
breaking thereof using any of a plurality of touch sensing
technologies now known or later developed, including but not
limited to capacitive, resistive, infrared, and surface acoustic
wave technologies, as well as other proximity sensor arrays or
other elements for determining one or more points of contact with
touch screen 212. In an exemplary embodiment, projected mutual
capacitance sensing technology is used, such as that found in the
iPhone.RTM. and iPod Touch.RTM. from Apple Inc. of Cupertino,
Calif.
[0065] A touch-sensitive display in some embodiments of touch
screen 212 may be analogous to the multi-touch sensitive touchpads
described in the following U.S. Pat. No. 6,323,846 (Westerman et
al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,570,557 (Westerman et al.), and/or U.S. Pat.
No. 6,677,932 (Westerman), and/or U.S. Patent Publication
2002/0015024A1, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference
in its entirety. However, touch screen 212 displays visual output
from device 200, whereas touch-sensitive touchpads do not provide
visual output.
[0066] A touch-sensitive display in some embodiments of touch
screen 212 may be as described in the following applications: (1)
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/381,313, "Multipoint Touch
Surface Controller," filed May 2, 2006; (2) U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 10/840,862, "Multipoint Touchscreen," filed May 6, 2004;
(3) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/903,964, "Gestures For
Touch Sensitive Input Devices," filed Jul. 30, 2004; (4) U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/048,264, "Gestures For Touch
Sensitive Input Devices," filed Jan. 31, 2005; (5) U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/038,590, "Mode-Based Graphical User
Interfaces For Touch Sensitive Input Devices," filed Jan. 18, 2005;
(6) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/228,758, "Virtual Input
Device Placement On A Touch Screen User Interface," filed Sep. 16,
2005; (7) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/228,700, "Operation
Of A Computer With A Touch Screen Interface," filed Sep. 16, 2005;
(8) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/228,737, "Activating
Virtual Keys Of A Touch-Screen Virtual Keyboard," filed Sep. 16,
2005; and (9) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/367,749,
"Multi-Functional Hand-Held Device," filed Mar. 3, 2006. All of
these applications are incorporated by reference herein in their
entirety.
[0067] Touch screen 212 may have a video resolution in excess of
100 dpi. In some embodiments, the touch screen has a video
resolution of approximately 160 dpi. The user may make contact with
touch screen 212 using any suitable object or appendage, such as a
stylus, a finger, and so forth. In some embodiments, the user
interface is designed to work primarily with finger-based contacts
and gestures, which can be less precise than stylus-based input due
to the larger area of contact of a finger on the touch screen. In
some embodiments, the device translates the rough finger-based
input into a precise pointer/cursor position or command for
performing the actions desired by the user.
[0068] In some embodiments, in addition to the touch screen, device
200 may include a touchpad (not shown) for activating or
deactivating particular functions. In some embodiments, the
touchpad is a touch-sensitive area of the device that, unlike the
touch screen, does not display visual output. The touchpad may be a
touch-sensitive surface that is separate from touch screen 212 or
an extension of the touch-sensitive surface formed by the touch
screen.
[0069] Device 200 also includes power system 262 for powering the
various components. Power system 262 may include a power management
system, one or more power sources (e.g., battery, alternating
current (AC)), a recharging system, a power failure detection
circuit, a power converter or inverter, a power status indicator
(e.g., a light-emitting diode (LED)) and any other components
associated with the generation, management and distribution of
power in portable devices.
[0070] Device 200 may also include one or more optical sensors 264.
FIG. 2A shows an optical sensor coupled to optical sensor
controller 258 in I/O subsystem 206. Optical sensor 264 may include
charge-coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal-oxide
semiconductor (CMOS) phototransistors. Optical sensor 264 receives
light from the environment, projected through one or more lenses,
and converts the light to data representing an image. In
conjunction with imaging module 243 (also called a camera module),
optical sensor 264 may capture still images or video. In some
embodiments, an optical sensor is located on the back of device
200, opposite touch screen display 212 on the front of the device
so that the touch screen display may be used as a viewfinder for
still and/or video image acquisition. In some embodiments, an
optical sensor is located on the front of the device so that the
user's image may be obtained for video conferencing while the user
views the other video conference participants on the touch screen
display. In some embodiments, the position of optical sensor 264
can be changed by the user (e.g., by rotating the lens and the
sensor in the device housing) so that a single optical sensor 264
may be used along with the touch screen display for both video
conferencing and still and/or video image acquisition.
[0071] Device 200 optionally also includes one or more contact
intensity sensors 265. FIG. 2A shows a contact intensity sensor
coupled to intensity sensor controller 259 in I/O subsystem 206.
Contact intensity sensor 265 optionally includes one or more
piezoresistive strain gauges, capacitive force sensors, electric
force sensors, piezoelectric force sensors, optical force sensors,
capacitive touch-sensitive surfaces, or other intensity sensors
(e.g., sensors used to measure the force (or pressure) of a contact
on a touch-sensitive surface). Contact intensity sensor 265
receives contact intensity information (e.g., pressure information
or a proxy for pressure information) from the environment. In some
embodiments, at least one contact intensity sensor is collocated
with, or proximate to, a touch-sensitive surface (e.g.,
touch-sensitive display system 212). In some embodiments, at least
one contact intensity sensor is located on the back of device 200,
opposite touch screen display 212, which is located on the front of
device 200.
[0072] Device 200 may also include one or more proximity sensors
266. FIG. 2A shows proximity sensor 266 coupled to peripherals
interface 218. Alternately, proximity sensor 266 may be coupled to
input controller 260 in I/O subsystem 206. Proximity sensor 266 may
perform as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/241,839, "Proximity Detector In Handheld Device"; Ser. No.
11/240,788, "Proximity Detector In Handheld Device"; Ser. No.
11/620,702, "Using Ambient Light Sensor To Augment Proximity Sensor
Output"; Ser. No. 11/586,862, "Automated Response To And Sensing Of
User Activity In Portable Devices"; and Ser. No. 11/638,251,
"Methods And Systems For Automatic Configuration Of Peripherals,"
which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. In
some embodiments, the proximity sensor turns off and disables touch
screen 212 when the multifunction device is placed near the user's
ear (e.g., when the user is making a phone call).
[0073] Device 200 optionally also includes one or more tactile
output generators 267. FIG. 2A shows a tactile output generator
coupled to haptic feedback controller 261 in I/O subsystem 206.
Tactile output generator 267 optionally includes one or more
electroacoustic devices such as speakers or other audio components
and/or electromechanical devices that convert energy into linear
motion such as a motor, solenoid, electroactive polymer,
piezoelectric actuator, electrostatic actuator, or other tactile
output generating component (e.g., a component that converts
electrical signals into tactile outputs on the device). Contact
intensity sensor 265 receives tactile feedback generation
instructions from haptic feedback module 233 and generates tactile
outputs on device 200 that are capable of being sensed by a user of
device 200. In some embodiments, at least one tactile output
generator is collocated with, or proximate to, a touch-sensitive
surface (e.g., touch-sensitive display system 212) and, optionally,
generates a tactile output by moving the touch-sensitive surface
vertically (e.g., in/out of a surface of device 200) or laterally
(e.g., back and forth in the same plane as a surface of device
200). In some embodiments, at least one tactile output generator
sensor is located on the back of device 200, opposite touch screen
display 212, which is located on the front of device 200.
[0074] Device 200 may also include one or more accelerometers 268.
FIG. 2A shows accelerometer 268 coupled to peripherals interface
218. Alternately, accelerometer 268 may be coupled to an input
controller 260 in I/O subsystem 206. Accelerometer 268 may perform
as described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20050190059,
"Acceleration-based Theft Detection System for Portable Electronic
Devices," and U.S. Patent Publication No. 20060017692, "Methods And
Apparatuses For Operating A Portable Device Based On An
Accelerometer," both of which are incorporated by reference herein
in their entirety. In some embodiments, information is displayed on
the touch screen display in a portrait view or a landscape view
based on an analysis of data received from the one or more
accelerometers. Device 200 optionally includes, in addition to
accelerometer(s) 268, a magnetometer (not shown) and a GPS (or
GLONASS or other global navigation system) receiver (not shown) for
obtaining information concerning the location and orientation
(e.g., portrait or landscape) of device 200.
[0075] In some embodiments, the software components stored in
memory 202 include operating system 226, communication module (or
set of instructions) 228, contact/motion module (or set of
instructions) 230, graphics module (or set of instructions) 232,
text input module (or set of instructions) 234, Global Positioning
System (GPS) module (or set of instructions) 235, Digital Assistant
Client Module 229, and applications (or sets of instructions) 236.
Further, memory 202 can store data and models, such as user data
and models 231. Furthermore, in some embodiments, memory 202 (FIG.
2A) or 470 (FIG. 4) stores device/global internal state 257, as
shown in FIGS. 2A and 4. Device/global internal state 257 includes
one or more of: active application state, indicating which
applications, if any, are currently active; display state,
indicating what applications, views or other information occupy
various regions of touch screen display 212; sensor state,
including information obtained from the device's various sensors
and input control devices 216; and location information concerning
the device's location and/or attitude.
[0076] Operating system 226 (e.g., Darwin, RTXC, LINUX, UNIX, OS X,
iOS, WINDOWS, or an embedded operating system such as VxWorks)
includes various software components and/or drivers for controlling
and managing general system tasks (e.g., memory management, storage
device control, power management, etc.) and facilitates
communication between various hardware and software components.
[0077] Communication module 228 facilitates communication with
other devices over one or more external ports 224 and also includes
various software components for handling data received by RF
circuitry 208 and/or external port 224. External port 224 (e.g.,
Universal Serial Bus (USB), FIREWIRE, etc.) is adapted for coupling
directly to other devices or indirectly over a network (e.g., the
Internet, wireless LAN, etc.). In some embodiments, the external
port is a multi-pin (e.g., 30-pin) connector that is the same as,
or similar to and/or compatible with, the 30-pin connector used on
iPod.RTM. (trademark of Apple Inc.) devices.
[0078] Contact/motion module 230 optionally detects contact with
touch screen 212 (in conjunction with display controller 256) and
other touch-sensitive devices (e.g., a touchpad or physical click
wheel). Contact/motion module 230 includes various software
components for performing various operations related to detection
of contact, such as determining if contact has occurred (e.g.,
detecting a finger-down event), determining an intensity of the
contact (e.g., the force or pressure of the contact or a substitute
for the force or pressure of the contact), determining if there is
movement of the contact and tracking the movement across the
touch-sensitive surface (e.g., detecting one or more
finger-dragging events), and determining if the contact has ceased
(e.g., detecting a finger-up event or a break in contact).
Contact/motion module 230 receives contact data from the
touch-sensitive surface. Determining movement of the point of
contact, which is represented by a series of contact data,
optionally includes determining speed (magnitude), velocity
(magnitude and direction), and/or an acceleration (a change in
magnitude and/or direction) of the point of contact. These
operations are, optionally, applied to single contacts (e.g., one
finger contacts) or to multiple simultaneous contacts (e.g.,
"multitouch"/multiple finger contacts). In some embodiments,
contact/motion module 230 and display controller 256 detect contact
on a touchpad.
[0079] In some embodiments, contact/motion module 230 uses a set of
one or more intensity thresholds to determine whether an operation
has been performed by a user (e.g., to determine whether a user has
"clicked" on an icon). In some embodiments, at least a subset of
the intensity thresholds are determined in accordance with software
parameters (e.g., the intensity thresholds are not determined by
the activation thresholds of particular physical actuators and can
be adjusted without changing the physical hardware of device 200).
For example, a mouse "click" threshold of a trackpad or touch
screen display can be set to any of a large range of predefined
threshold values without changing the trackpad or touch screen
display hardware. Additionally, in some implementations, a user of
the device is provided with software settings for adjusting one or
more of the set of intensity thresholds (e.g., by adjusting
individual intensity thresholds and/or by adjusting a plurality of
intensity thresholds at once with a system-level click "intensity"
parameter).
[0080] Contact/motion module 230 optionally detects a gesture input
by a user. Different gestures on the touch-sensitive surface have
different contact patterns (e.g., different motions, timings,
and/or intensities of detected contacts). Thus, a gesture is,
optionally, detected by detecting a particular contact pattern. For
example, detecting a finger tap gesture includes detecting a
finger-down event followed by detecting a finger-up (liftoff) event
at the same position (or substantially the same position) as the
finger-down event (e.g., at the position of an icon). As another
example, detecting a finger swipe gesture on the touch-sensitive
surface includes detecting a finger-down event followed by
detecting one or more finger-dragging events, and subsequently
followed by detecting a finger-up (liftoff) event.
[0081] Graphics module 232 includes various known software
components for rendering and displaying graphics on touch screen
212 or other display, including components for changing the visual
impact (e.g., brightness, transparency, saturation, contrast, or
other visual property) of graphics that are displayed. As used
herein, the term "graphics" includes any object that can be
displayed to a user, including, without limitation, text, web
pages, icons (such as user-interface objects including soft keys),
digital images, videos, animations, and the like.
[0082] In some embodiments, graphics module 232 stores data
representing graphics to be used. Each graphic is, optionally,
assigned a corresponding code. Graphics module 232 receives, from
applications etc., one or more codes specifying graphics to be
displayed along with, if necessary, coordinate data and other
graphic property data, and then generates screen image data to
output to display controller 256.
[0083] Haptic feedback module 233 includes various software
components for generating instructions used by tactile output
generator(s) 267 to produce tactile outputs at one or more
locations on device 200 in response to user interactions with
device 200.
[0084] Text input module 234, which may be a component of graphics
module 232, provides soft keyboards for entering text in various
applications (e.g., contacts 237, e mail 240, IM 241, browser 247,
and any other application that needs text input).
[0085] GPS module 235 determines the location of the device and
provides this information for use in various applications (e.g., to
telephone 238 for use in location-based dialing; to camera 243 as
picture/video metadata; and to applications that provide
location-based services such as weather widgets, local yellow page
widgets, and map/navigation widgets).
[0086] Digital assistant client module 229 can include various
client-side digital assistant instructions to provide the
client-side functionalities of the digital assistant. For example,
digital assistant client module 229 can be capable of accepting
voice input (e.g., speech input), text input, touch input, and/or
gestural input through various user interfaces (e.g., microphone
213, accelerometer(s) 268, touch-sensitive display system 212,
optical sensor(s) 229, other input control devices 216, etc.) of
portable multifunction device 200. Digital assistant client module
229 can also be capable of providing output in audio (e.g., speech
output), visual, and/or tactile forms through various output
interfaces (e.g., speaker 211, touch-sensitive display system 212,
tactile output generator(s) 267, etc.) of portable multifunction
device 200. For example, output can be provided as voice, sound,
alerts, text messages, menus, graphics, videos, animations,
vibrations, and/or combinations of two or more of the above. During
operation, digital assistant client module 229 can communicate with
DA server 106 using RF circuitry 208.
[0087] User data and models 231 can include various data associated
with the user (e.g., user-specific vocabulary data, user preference
data, user-specified name pronunciations, data from the user's
electronic address book, to-do lists, shopping lists, etc.) to
provide the client-side functionalities of the digital assistant.
Further, user data and models 231 can includes various models
(e.g., speech recognition models, statistical language models,
natural language processing models, ontology, task flow models,
service models, etc.) for processing user input and determining
user intent.
[0088] In some examples, digital assistant client module 229 can
utilize the various sensors, subsystems, and peripheral devices of
portable multifunction device 200 to gather additional information
from the surrounding environment of the portable multifunction
device 200 to establish a context associated with a user, the
current user interaction, and/or the current user input. In some
examples, digital assistant client module 229 can provide the
contextual information or a subset thereof with the user input to
DA server 106 to help infer the user's intent. In some examples,
the digital assistant can also use the contextual information to
determine how to prepare and deliver outputs to the user.
Contextual information can be referred to as context data.
[0089] In some examples, the contextual information that
accompanies the user input can include sensor information, e.g.,
lighting, ambient noise, ambient temperature, images or videos of
the surrounding environment, etc. In some examples, the contextual
information can also include the physical state of the device,
e.g., device orientation, device location, device temperature,
power level, speed, acceleration, motion patterns, cellular signals
strength, etc. In some examples, information related to the
software state of DA server 106, e.g., running processes, installed
programs, past and present network activities, background services,
error logs, resources usage, etc., and of portable multifunction
device 200 can be provided to DA server 106 as contextual
information associated with a user input.
[0090] In some examples, the digital assistant client module 229
can selectively provide information (e.g., user data 231) stored on
the portable multifunction device 200 in response to requests from
DA server 106. In some examples, digital assistant client module
229 can also elicit additional input from the user via a natural
language dialogue or other user interfaces upon request by DA
server 106. Digital assistant client module 229 can pass the
additional input to DA server 106 to help DA server 106 in intent
deduction and/or fulfillment of the user's intent expressed in the
user request.
[0091] A more detailed description of a digital assistant is
described below with reference to FIGS. 7A-C. It should be
recognized that digital assistant client module 229 can include any
number of the sub-modules of digital assistant module 726 described
below.
[0092] Applications 236 may include the following modules (or sets
of instructions), or a subset or superset thereof: [0093] Contacts
module 237 (sometimes called an address book or contact list);
[0094] Telephone module 238; [0095] Video conference module 239;
[0096] E-mail client module 240; [0097] Instant messaging (IM)
module 241; [0098] Workout support module 242; [0099] Camera module
243 for still and/or video images; [0100] Image management module
244; [0101] Video player module; [0102] Music player module; [0103]
Browser module 247; [0104] Calendar module 248; [0105] Widget
modules 249, which may include one or more of: weather widget
249-1, stocks widget 249-2, calculator widget 249-3, alarm clock
widget 249-4, dictionary widget 249-5, and other widgets obtained
by the user, as well as user-created widgets 249-6; [0106] Widget
creator module 250 for making user-created widgets 249-6; [0107]
Search module 251; [0108] Video and music player module 252, which
merges video player module and music player module; [0109] Notes
module 253; [0110] Map module 254; and/or [0111] Online video
module 255.
[0112] Examples of other applications 236 that may be stored in
memory 202 include other word processing applications, other image
editing applications, drawing applications, presentation
applications, JAVA-enabled applications, encryption, digital rights
management, voice recognition, and voice replication.
[0113] In conjunction with touch screen 212, display controller
256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module 232, and text input
module 234, contacts module 237 may be used to manage an address
book or contact list (e.g., stored in application internal state
292 of contacts module 237 in memory 202 or memory 470), including:
adding name(s) to the address book; deleting name(s) from the
address book; associating telephone number(s), e-mail address(es),
physical address(es) or other information with a name; associating
an image with a name; categorizing and sorting names; providing
telephone numbers or e-mail addresses to initiate and/or facilitate
communications by telephone 238, video conference module 239,
e-mail 240, or IM 241; and so forth.
[0114] In conjunction with RF circuitry 208, audio circuitry 210,
speaker 211, microphone 213, touch screen 212, display controller
256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module 232, and text input
module 234, telephone module 238 may be used to enter a sequence of
characters corresponding to a telephone number, access one or more
telephone numbers in contacts module 237, modify a telephone number
that has been entered, dial a respective telephone number, conduct
a conversation, and disconnect or hang up when the conversation is
completed. As noted above, the wireless communication may use any
of a plurality of communications standards, protocols, and
technologies.
[0115] In conjunction with RF circuitry 208, audio circuitry 210,
speaker 211, microphone 213, touch screen 212, display controller
256, optical sensor 264, optical sensor controller 258,
contact/motion module 230, graphics module 232, text input module
234, contacts module 237, and telephone module 238, video
conference module 239 includes executable instructions to initiate,
conduct, and terminate a video conference between a user and one or
more other participants in accordance with user instructions.
[0116] In conjunction with RF circuitry 208, touch screen 212,
display controller 256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module
232, and text input module 234, e-mail client module 240 includes
executable instructions to create, send, receive, and manage e-mail
in response to user instructions. In conjunction with image
management module 244, e-mail client module 240 makes it very easy
to create and send e-mails with still or video images taken with
camera module 243.
[0117] In conjunction with RF circuitry 208, touch screen 212,
display controller 256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module
232, and text input module 234, the instant messaging module 241
includes executable instructions to enter a sequence of characters
corresponding to an instant message, to modify previously entered
characters, to transmit a respective instant message (for example,
using a Short Message Service (SMS) or Multimedia Message Service
(MMS) protocol for telephony-based instant messages or using XMPP,
SIMPLE, or IMPS for Internet-based instant messages), to receive
instant messages, and to view received instant messages. In some
embodiments, transmitted and/or received instant messages may
include graphics, photos, audio files, video files and/or other
attachments as are supported in an MMS and/or an Enhanced Messaging
Service (EMS). As used herein, "instant messaging" refers to both
telephony-based messages (e.g., messages sent using SMS or MMS) and
Internet-based messages (e.g., messages sent using XMPP, SIMPLE, or
IMPS).
[0118] In conjunction with RF circuitry 208, touch screen 212,
display controller 256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module
232, text input module 234, GPS module 235, map module 254, and
music player module, workout support module 242 includes executable
instructions to create workouts (e.g., with time, distance, and/or
calorie burning goals); communicate with workout sensors (sports
devices); receive workout sensor data; calibrate sensors used to
monitor a workout; select and play music for a workout; and
display, store, and transmit workout data.
[0119] In conjunction with touch screen 212, display controller
256, optical sensor(s) 264, optical sensor controller 258,
contact/motion module 230, graphics module 232, and image
management module 244, camera module 243 includes executable
instructions to capture still images or video (including a video
stream) and store them into memory 202, modify characteristics of a
still image or video, or delete a still image or video from memory
202.
[0120] In conjunction with touch screen 212, display controller
256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module 232, text input
module 234, and camera module 243, image management module 244
includes executable instructions to arrange, modify (e.g., edit),
or otherwise manipulate, label, delete, present (e.g., in a digital
slide show or album), and store still and/or video images.
[0121] In conjunction with RF circuitry 208, touch screen 212,
display controller 256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module
232, and text input module 234, browser module 247 includes
executable instructions to browse the Internet in accordance with
user instructions, including searching, linking to, receiving, and
displaying web pages or portions thereof, as well as attachments
and other files linked to web pages.
[0122] In conjunction with RF circuitry 208, touch screen 212,
display controller 256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module
232, text input module 234, e-mail client module 240, and browser
module 247, calendar module 248 includes executable instructions to
create, display, modify, and store calendars and data associated
with calendars (e.g., calendar entries, to-do lists, etc.) in
accordance with user instructions.
[0123] In conjunction with RF circuitry 208, touch screen 212,
display controller 256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module
232, text input module 234, and browser module 247, widget modules
249 are mini-applications that may be downloaded and used by a user
(e.g., weather widget 249-1, stocks widget 249-2, calculator widget
249-3, alarm clock widget 249-4, and dictionary widget 249-5) or
created by the user (e.g., user-created widget 249-6). In some
embodiments, a widget includes an HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
file, a CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) file, and a JavaScript file.
In some embodiments, a widget includes an XML (Extensible Markup
Language) file and a JavaScript file (e.g., Yahoo! Widgets).
[0124] In conjunction with RF circuitry 208, touch screen 212,
display controller 256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module
232, text input module 234, and browser module 247, the widget
creator module 250 may be used by a user to create widgets (e.g.,
turning a user-specified portion of a web page into a widget).
[0125] In conjunction with touch screen 212, display controller
256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module 232, and text input
module 234, search module 251 includes executable instructions to
search for text, music, sound, image, video, and/or other files in
memory 202 that match one or more search criteria (e.g., one or
more user-specified search terms) in accordance with user
instructions.
[0126] In conjunction with touch screen 212, display controller
256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module 232, audio
circuitry 210, speaker 211, RF circuitry 208, and browser module
247, video and music player module 252 includes executable
instructions that allow the user to download and play back recorded
music and other sound files stored in one or more file formats,
such as MP3 or AAC files, and executable instructions to display,
present, or otherwise play back videos (e.g., on touch screen 212
or on an external, connected display via external port 224). In
some embodiments, device 200 optionally includes the functionality
of an MP3 player, such as an iPod (trademark of Apple Inc.).
[0127] In conjunction with touch screen 212, display controller
256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module 232, and text input
module 234, notes module 253 includes executable instructions to
create and manage notes, to-do lists, and the like in accordance
with user instructions.
[0128] In conjunction with RF circuitry 208, touch screen 212,
display controller 256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module
232, text input module 234, GPS module 235, and browser module 247,
map module 254 may be used to receive, display, modify, and store
maps and data associated with maps (e.g., driving directions, data
on stores and other points of interest at or near a particular
location, and other location-based data) in accordance with user
instructions.
[0129] In conjunction with touch screen 212, display controller
256, contact/motion module 230, graphics module 232, audio
circuitry 210, speaker 211, RF circuitry 208, text input module
234, e-mail client module 240, and browser module 247, online video
module 255 includes instructions that allow the user to access,
browse, receive (e.g., by streaming and/or download), play back
(e.g., on the touch screen or on an external, connected display via
external port 224), send an e-mail with a link to a particular
online video, and otherwise manage online videos in one or more
file formats, such as H.264. In some embodiments, instant messaging
module 241, rather than e-mail client module 240, is used to send a
link to a particular online video. Additional description of the
online video application can be found in U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 60/936,562, "Portable Multifunction Device, Method,
and Graphical User Interface for Playing Online Videos," filed Jun.
20, 2007, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/968,067,
"Portable Multifunction Device, Method, and Graphical User
Interface for Playing Online Videos," filed Dec. 31, 2007, the
contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their
entirety.
[0130] Each of the above-identified modules and applications
corresponds to a set of executable instructions for performing one
or more functions described above and the methods described in this
application (e.g., the computer-implemented methods and other
information processing methods described herein). These modules
(e.g., sets of instructions) need not be implemented as separate
software programs, procedures, or modules, and thus various subsets
of these modules may be combined or otherwise rearranged in various
embodiments. For example, video player module may be combined with
music player module into a single module (e.g., video and music
player module 252, FIG. 2A). In some embodiments, memory 202 may
store a subset of the modules and data structures identified above.
Furthermore, memory 202 may store additional modules and data
structures not described above.
[0131] In some embodiments, device 200 is a device where operation
of a predefined set of functions on the device is performed
exclusively through a touch screen and/or a touchpad. By using a
touch screen and/or a touchpad as the primary input control device
for operation of device 200, the number of physical input control
devices (such as push buttons, dials, and the like) on device 200
may be reduced.
[0132] The predefined set of functions that are performed
exclusively through a touch screen and/or a touchpad optionally
include navigation between user interfaces. In some embodiments,
the touchpad, when touched by the user, navigates device 200 to a
main, home, or root menu from any user interface that is displayed
on device 200. In such embodiments, a "menu button" is implemented
using a touchpad. In some other embodiments, the menu button is a
physical push button or other physical input control device instead
of a touchpad.
[0133] FIG. 2B is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components
for event handling in accordance with some embodiments. In some
embodiments, memory 202 (FIG. 2A) or 470 (FIG. 4) includes event
sorter 270 (e.g., in operating system 226) and a respective
application 236-1 (e.g., any of the aforementioned applications
237-251, 255, 480-490).
[0134] Event sorter 270 receives event information and determines
the application 236-1 and application view 291 of application 236-1
to which to deliver the event information. Event sorter 270
includes event monitor 271 and event dispatcher module 274. In some
embodiments, application 236-1 includes application internal state
292, which indicates the current application view(s) displayed on
touch-sensitive display 212 when the application is active or
executing. In some embodiments, device/global internal state 257 is
used by event sorter 270 to determine which application(s) is (are)
currently active, and application internal state 292 is used by
event sorter 270 to determine application views 291 to which to
deliver event information.
[0135] In some embodiments, application internal state 292 includes
additional information, such as one or more of: resume information
to be used when application 236-1 resumes execution, user interface
state information that indicates information being displayed or
that is ready for display by application 236-1, a state queue for
enabling the user to go back to a prior state or view of
application 236-1, and a redo/undo queue of previous actions taken
by the user.
[0136] Event monitor 271 receives event information from
peripherals interface 218. Event information includes information
about a sub-event (e.g., a user touch on touch-sensitive display
212, as part of a multi-touch gesture). Peripherals interface 218
transmits information it receives from I/O subsystem 206 or a
sensor, such as proximity sensor 266, accelerometer(s) 268, and/or
microphone 213 (through audio circuitry 210). Information that
peripherals interface 218 receives from I/O subsystem 206 includes
information from touch-sensitive display 212 or a touch-sensitive
surface.
[0137] In some embodiments, event monitor 271 sends requests to the
peripherals interface 218 at predetermined intervals. In response,
peripherals interface 218 transmits event information. In other
embodiments, peripherals interface 218 transmits event information
only when there is a significant event (e.g., receiving an input
above a predetermined noise threshold and/or for more than a
predetermined duration).
[0138] In some embodiments, event sorter 270 also includes a hit
view determination module 272 and/or an active event recognizer
determination module 273.
[0139] Hit view determination module 272 provides software
procedures for determining where a sub-event has taken place within
one or more views when touch-sensitive display 212 displays more
than one view. Views are made up of controls and other elements
that a user can see on the display.
[0140] Another aspect of the user interface associated with an
application is a set of views, sometimes herein called application
views or user interface windows, in which information is displayed
and touch-based gestures occur. The application views (of a
respective application) in which a touch is detected may correspond
to programmatic levels within a programmatic or view hierarchy of
the application. For example, the lowest level view in which a
touch is detected may be called the hit view, and the set of events
that are recognized as proper inputs may be determined based, at
least in part, on the hit view of the initial touch that begins a
touch-based gesture.
[0141] Hit view determination module 272 receives information
related to sub events of a touch-based gesture. When an application
has multiple views organized in a hierarchy, hit view determination
module 272 identifies a hit view as the lowest view in the
hierarchy which should handle the sub-event. In most circumstances,
the hit view is the lowest level view in which an initiating
sub-event occurs (e.g., the first sub-event in the sequence of
sub-events that form an event or potential event). Once the hit
view is identified by the hit view determination module 272, the
hit view typically receives all sub-events related to the same
touch or input source for which it was identified as the hit
view.
[0142] Active event recognizer determination module 273 determines
which view or views within a view hierarchy should receive a
particular sequence of sub-events. In some embodiments, active
event recognizer determination module 273 determines that only the
hit view should receive a particular sequence of sub-events. In
other embodiments, active event recognizer determination module 273
determines that all views that include the physical location of a
sub-event are actively involved views, and therefore determines
that all actively involved views should receive a particular
sequence of sub-events. In other embodiments, even if touch
sub-events were entirely confined to the area associated with one
particular view, views higher in the hierarchy would still remain
as actively involved views.
[0143] Event dispatcher module 274 dispatches the event information
to an event recognizer (e.g., event recognizer 280). In embodiments
including active event recognizer determination module 273, event
dispatcher module 274 delivers the event information to an event
recognizer determined by active event recognizer determination
module 273. In some embodiments, event dispatcher module 274 stores
in an event queue the event information, which is retrieved by a
respective event receiver 282.
[0144] In some embodiments, operating system 226 includes event
sorter 270. Alternatively, application 236-1 includes event sorter
270. In yet other embodiments, event sorter 270 is a stand-alone
module, or a part of another module stored in memory 202, such as
contact/motion module 230.
[0145] In some embodiments, application 236-1 includes a plurality
of event handlers 290 and one or more application views 291, each
of which includes instructions for handling touch events that occur
within a respective view of the application's user interface. Each
application view 291 of the application 236-1 includes one or more
event recognizers 280. Typically, a respective application view 291
includes a plurality of event recognizers 280. In other
embodiments, one or more of event recognizers 280 are part of a
separate module, such as a user interface kit (not shown) or a
higher level object from which application 236-1 inherits methods
and other properties. In some embodiments, a respective event
handler 290 includes one or more of: data updater 276, object
updater 277, GUI updater 278, and/or event data 279 received from
event sorter 270. Event handler 290 may utilize or call data
updater 276, object updater 277, or GUI updater 278 to update the
application internal state 292. Alternatively, one or more of the
application views 291 include one or more respective event handlers
290. Also, in some embodiments, one or more of data updater 276,
object updater 277, and GUI updater 278 are included in a
respective application view 291.
[0146] A respective event recognizer 280 receives event information
(e.g., event data 279) from event sorter 270 and identifies an
event from the event information. Event recognizer 280 includes
event receiver 282 and event comparator 284. In some embodiments,
event recognizer 280 also includes at least a subset of: metadata
283, and event delivery instructions 288 (which may include
sub-event delivery instructions).
[0147] Event receiver 282 receives event information from event
sorter 270. The event information includes information about a
sub-event, for example, a touch or a touch movement. Depending on
the sub-event, the event information also includes additional
information, such as location of the sub-event. When the sub-event
concerns motion of a touch, the event information may also include
speed and direction of the sub-event. In some embodiments, events
include rotation of the device from one orientation to another
(e.g., from a portrait orientation to a landscape orientation, or
vice versa), and the event information includes corresponding
information about the current orientation (also called device
attitude) of the device.
[0148] Event comparator 284 compares the event information to
predefined event or sub-event definitions and, based on the
comparison, determines an event or sub event, or determines or
updates the state of an event or sub-event. In some embodiments,
event comparator 284 includes event definitions 286. Event
definitions 286 contain definitions of events (e.g., predefined
sequences of sub-events), for example, event 1 (287-1), event 2
(287-2), and others. In some embodiments, sub-events in an event
(287) include, for example, touch begin, touch end, touch movement,
touch cancellation, and multiple touching. In one example, the
definition for event 1 (287-1) is a double tap on a displayed
object. The double tap, for example, comprises a first touch (touch
begin) on the displayed object for a predetermined phase, a first
liftoff (touch end) for a predetermined phase, a second touch
(touch begin) on the displayed object for a predetermined phase,
and a second liftoff (touch end) for a predetermined phase. In
another example, the definition for event 2 (287-2) is a dragging
on a displayed object. The dragging, for example, comprises a touch
(or contact) on the displayed object for a predetermined phase, a
movement of the touch across touch-sensitive display 212, and
liftoff of the touch (touch end). In some embodiments, the event
also includes information for one or more associated event handlers
290.
[0149] In some embodiments, event definition 287 includes a
definition of an event for a respective user-interface object. In
some embodiments, event comparator 284 performs a hit test to
determine which user-interface object is associated with a
sub-event. For example, in an application view in which three
user-interface objects are displayed on touch-sensitive display
212, when a touch is detected on touch-sensitive display 212, event
comparator 284 performs a hit test to determine which of the three
user-interface objects is associated with the touch (sub-event). If
each displayed object is associated with a respective event handler
290, the event comparator uses the result of the hit test to
determine which event handler 290 should be activated. For example,
event comparator 284 selects an event handler associated with the
sub-event and the object triggering the hit test.
[0150] In some embodiments, the definition for a respective event
(287) also includes delayed actions that delay delivery of the
event information until after it has been determined whether the
sequence of sub-events does or does not correspond to the event
recognizer's event type.
[0151] When a respective event recognizer 280 determines that the
series of sub-events do not match any of the events in event
definitions 286, the respective event recognizer 280 enters an
event impossible, event failed, or event ended state, after which
it disregards subsequent sub-events of the touch-based gesture. In
this situation, other event recognizers, if any, that remain active
for the hit view continue to track and process sub-events of an
ongoing touch-based gesture.
[0152] In some embodiments, a respective event recognizer 280
includes metadata 283 with configurable properties, flags, and/or
lists that indicate how the event delivery system should perform
sub-event delivery to actively involved event recognizers. In some
embodiments, metadata 283 includes configurable properties, flags,
and/or lists that indicate how event recognizers may interact, or
are enabled to interact, with one another. In some embodiments,
metadata 283 includes configurable properties, flags, and/or lists
that indicate whether sub-events are delivered to varying levels in
the view or programmatic hierarchy.
[0153] In some embodiments, a respective event recognizer 280
activates event handler 290 associated with an event when one or
more particular sub-events of an event are recognized. In some
embodiments, a respective event recognizer 280 delivers event
information associated with the event to event handler 290.
Activating an event handler 290 is distinct from sending (and
deferred sending) sub-events to a respective hit view. In some
embodiments, event recognizer 280 throws a flag associated with the
recognized event, and event handler 290 associated with the flag
catches the flag and performs a predefined process.
[0154] In some embodiments, event delivery instructions 288 include
sub-event delivery instructions that deliver event information
about a sub-event without activating an event handler. Instead, the
sub-event delivery instructions deliver event information to event
handlers associated with the series of sub-events or to actively
involved views. Event handlers associated with the series of
sub-events or with actively involved views receive the event
information and perform a predetermined process.
[0155] In some embodiments, data updater 276 creates and updates
data used in application 236-1. For example, data updater 276
updates the telephone number used in contacts module 237, or stores
a video file used in video player module. In some embodiments,
object updater 277 creates and updates objects used in application
236-1. For example, object updater 277 creates a new user-interface
object or updates the position of a user-interface object. GUI
updater 278 updates the GUI. For example, GUI updater 278 prepares
display information and sends it to graphics module 232 for display
on a touch-sensitive display.
[0156] In some embodiments, event handler(s) 290 includes or has
access to data updater 276, object updater 277, and GUI updater
278. In some embodiments, data updater 276, object updater 277, and
GUI updater 278 are included in a single module of a respective
application 236-1 or application view 291. In other embodiments,
they are included in two or more software modules.
[0157] It shall be understood that the foregoing discussion
regarding event handling of user touches on touch-sensitive
displays also applies to other forms of user inputs to operate
multifunction devices 200 with input devices, not all of which are
initiated on touch screens. For example, mouse movement and mouse
button presses, optionally coordinated with single or multiple
keyboard presses or holds; contact movements such as taps, drags,
scrolls, etc. on touchpads; pen stylus inputs; movement of the
device; oral instructions; detected eye movements; biometric
inputs; and/or any combination thereof are optionally utilized as
inputs corresponding to sub-events which define an event to be
recognized.
[0158] FIG. 3 illustrates a portable multifunction device 200
having a touch screen 212 in accordance with some embodiments. The
touch screen optionally displays one or more graphics within user
interface (UI) 300. In this embodiment, as well as others described
below, a user is enabled to select one or more of the graphics by
making a gesture on the graphics, for example, with one or more
fingers 302 (not drawn to scale in the figure) or one or more
styluses 303 (not drawn to scale in the figure). In some
embodiments, selection of one or more graphics occurs when the user
breaks contact with the one or more graphics. In some embodiments,
the gesture optionally includes one or more taps, one or more
swipes (from left to right, right to left, upward and/or downward),
and/or a rolling of a finger (from right to left, left to right,
upward and/or downward) that has made contact with device 200. In
some implementations or circumstances, inadvertent contact with a
graphic does not select the graphic. For example, a swipe gesture
that sweeps over an application icon optionally does not select the
corresponding application when the gesture corresponding to
selection is a tap.
[0159] Device 200 may also include one or more physical buttons,
such as "home" or menu button 304. As described previously, menu
button 304 may be used to navigate to any application 236 in a set
of applications that may be executed on device 200. Alternatively,
in some embodiments, the menu button is implemented as a soft key
in a GUI displayed on touch screen 212.
[0160] In one embodiment, device 200 includes touch screen 212,
menu button 304, push button 306 for powering the device on/off and
locking the device, volume adjustment button(s) 308, subscriber
identity module (SIM) card slot 310, headset jack 312, and
docking/charging external port 224. Push button 306 is, optionally,
used to turn the power on/off on the device by depressing the
button and holding the button in the depressed state for a
predefined time interval; to lock the device by depressing the
button and releasing the button before the predefined time interval
has elapsed; and/or to unlock the device or initiate an unlock
process. In an alternative embodiment, device 200 also accepts
verbal input for activation or deactivation of some functions
through microphone 213. Device 200 also, optionally, includes one
or more contact intensity sensors 265 for detecting intensity of
contacts on touch screen 212 and/or one or more tactile output
generators 267 for generating tactile outputs for a user of device
200.
[0161] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary multifunction
device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface in accordance
with some embodiments. Device 400 need not be portable. In some
embodiments, device 400 is a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a
tablet computer, a multimedia player device, a navigation device,
an educational device (such as a child's learning toy), a gaming
system, or a control device (e.g., a home or industrial
controller). Device 400 typically includes one or more processing
units (CPUs) 410, one or more network or other communications
interfaces 460, memory 470, and one or more communication buses 420
for interconnecting these components. Communication buses 420
optionally include circuitry (sometimes called a chipset) that
interconnects and controls communications between system
components. Device 400 includes input/output (I/O) interface 430
comprising display 440, which is typically a touch screen display.
I/O interface 430 also optionally includes a keyboard and/or mouse
(or other pointing device) 450 and touchpad 455, tactile output
generator 457 for generating tactile outputs on device 400 (e.g.,
similar to tactile output generator(s) 267 described above with
reference to FIG. 2A), sensors 459 (e.g., optical, acceleration,
proximity, touch-sensitive, and/or contact intensity sensors
similar to contact intensity sensor(s) 265 described above with
reference to FIG. 2A). Memory 470 includes high-speed random access
memory, such as DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM, or other random access solid
state memory devices; and optionally includes non-volatile memory,
such as one or more magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk
storage devices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid
state storage devices. Memory 470 optionally includes one or more
storage devices remotely located from CPU(s) 410. In some
embodiments, memory 470 stores programs, modules, and data
structures analogous to the programs, modules, and data structures
stored in memory 202 of portable multifunction device 200 (FIG.
2A), or a subset thereof. Furthermore, memory 470 optionally stores
additional programs, modules, and data structures not present in
memory 202 of portable multifunction device 200. For example,
memory 470 of device 400 optionally stores drawing module 480,
presentation module 482, word processing module 484, website
creation module 486, disk authoring module 488, and/or spreadsheet
module 490, while memory 202 of portable multifunction device 200
(FIG. 2A) optionally does not store these modules.
[0162] Each of the above-identified elements in FIG. 4 may be
stored in one or more of the previously mentioned memory devices.
Each of the above-identified modules corresponds to a set of
instructions for performing a function described above. The
above-identified modules or programs (e.g., sets of instructions)
need not be implemented as separate software programs, procedures,
or modules, and thus various subsets of these modules may be
combined or otherwise rearranged in various embodiments. In some
embodiments, memory 470 may store a subset of the modules and data
structures identified above. Furthermore, memory 470 may store
additional modules and data structures not described above.
[0163] Attention is now directed towards embodiments of user
interfaces that may be implemented on, for example, portable
multifunction device 200.
[0164] FIG. 5A illustrates an exemplary user interface for a menu
of applications on portable multifunction device 200 in accordance
with some embodiments. Similar user interfaces may be implemented
on device 400. In some embodiments, user interface 500 includes the
following elements, or a subset or superset thereof:
[0165] Signal strength indicator(s) 502 for wireless
communication(s), such as cellular and Wi-Fi signals; [0166] Time
504; [0167] Bluetooth indicator 505; [0168] Battery status
indicator 506; [0169] Tray 508 with icons for frequently used
applications, such as: [0170] Icon 516 for telephone module 238,
labeled "Phone," which optionally includes an indicator 514 of the
number of missed calls or voicemail messages; [0171] Icon 518 for
e-mail client module 240, labeled "Mail," which optionally includes
an indicator 510 of the number of unread e-mails; [0172] Icon 520
for browser module 247, labeled "Browser;" and [0173] Icon 522 for
video and music player module 252, also referred to as iPod
(trademark of Apple Inc.) module 252, labeled "iPod;" and [0174]
Icons for other applications, such as: [0175] Icon 524 for IM
module 241, labeled "Messages;" [0176] Icon 526 for calendar module
248, labeled "Calendar;" [0177] Icon 528 for image management
module 244, labeled "Photos;" [0178] Icon 530 for camera module
243, labeled "Camera;" [0179] Icon 532 for online video module 255,
labeled "Online Video;" [0180] Icon 534 for stocks widget 249-2,
labeled "Stocks;" [0181] Icon 536 for map module 254, labeled
"Maps;" [0182] Icon 538 for weather widget 249-1, labeled
"Weather;" [0183] Icon 540 for alarm clock widget 249-4, labeled
"Clock;" [0184] Icon 542 for workout support module 242, labeled
"Workout Support;" [0185] Icon 544 for notes module 253, labeled
"Notes;" and [0186] Icon 546 for a settings application or module,
labeled "Settings," which provides access to settings for device
200 and its various applications 236.
[0187] It should be noted that the icon labels illustrated in FIG.
5A are merely exemplary. For example, icon 522 for video and music
player module 252 may optionally be labeled "Music" or "Music
Player." Other labels are, optionally, used for various application
icons. In some embodiments, a label for a respective application
icon includes a name of an application corresponding to the
respective application icon. In some embodiments, a label for a
particular application icon is distinct from a name of an
application corresponding to the particular application icon.
[0188] FIG. 5B illustrates an exemplary user interface on a device
(e.g., device 400, FIG. 4) with a touch-sensitive surface 551
(e.g., a tablet or touchpad 455, FIG. 4) that is separate from the
display 550 (e.g., touch screen display 212). Device 400 also,
optionally, includes one or more contact intensity sensors (e.g.,
one or more of sensors 457) for detecting intensity of contacts on
touch-sensitive surface 551 and/or one or more tactile output
generators 459 for generating tactile outputs for a user of device
400.
[0189] Although some of the examples which follow will be given
with reference to inputs on touch screen display 212 (where the
touch-sensitive surface and the display are combined), in some
embodiments, the device detects inputs on a touch-sensitive surface
that is separate from the display, as shown in FIG. 5B. In some
embodiments, the touch-sensitive surface (e.g., 551 in FIG. 5B) has
a primary axis (e.g., 552 in FIG. 5B) that corresponds to a primary
axis (e.g., 553 in FIG. 5B) on the display (e.g., 550). In
accordance with these embodiments, the device detects contacts
(e.g., 560 and 562 in FIG. 5B) with the touch-sensitive surface 551
at locations that correspond to respective locations on the display
(e.g., in FIG. 5B, 560 corresponds to 568 and 562 corresponds to
570). In this way, user inputs (e.g., contacts 560 and 562, and
movements thereof) detected by the device on the touch-sensitive
surface (e.g., 551 in FIG. 5B) are used by the device to manipulate
the user interface on the display (e.g., 550 in FIG. 5B) of the
multifunction device when the touch-sensitive surface is separate
from the display. It should be understood that similar methods are,
optionally, used for other user interfaces described herein.
[0190] Additionally, while the following examples are given
primarily with reference to finger inputs (e.g., finger contacts,
finger tap gestures, finger swipe gestures), it should be
understood that, in some embodiments, one or more of the finger
inputs are replaced with input from another input device (e.g., a
mouse-based input or stylus input). For example, a swipe gesture
is, optionally, replaced with a mouse click (e.g., instead of a
contact) followed by movement of the cursor along the path of the
swipe (e.g., instead of movement of the contact). As another
example, a tap gesture is, optionally, replaced with a mouse click
while the cursor is located over the location of the tap gesture
(e.g., instead of detection of the contact followed by ceasing to
detect the contact). Similarly, when multiple user inputs are
simultaneously detected, it should be understood that multiple
computer mice are, optionally, used simultaneously, or a mouse and
finger contacts are, optionally, used simultaneously.
[0191] FIG. 6A illustrates exemplary personal electronic device
600. Device 600 includes body 602. In some embodiments, device 600
can include some or all of the features described with respect to
devices 200 and 400 (e.g., FIGS. 2A-4B). In some embodiments,
device 600 has touch-sensitive display screen 604, hereafter touch
screen 604. Alternatively, or in addition to touch screen 604,
device 600 has a display and a touch-sensitive surface. As with
devices 200 and 400, in some embodiments, touch screen 604 (or the
touch-sensitive surface) may have one or more intensity sensors for
detecting intensity of contacts (e.g., touches) being applied. The
one or more intensity sensors of touch screen 604 (or the
touch-sensitive surface) can provide output data that represents
the intensity of touches. The user interface of device 600 can
respond to touches based on their intensity, meaning that touches
of different intensities can invoke different user interface
operations on device 600.
[0192] Techniques for detecting and processing touch intensity may
be found, for example, in related applications: International
Patent Application Serial No. PCT/US2013/040061, titled "Device,
Method, and Graphical User Interface for Displaying User Interface
Objects Corresponding to an Application," filed May 8, 2013, and
International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/US2013/069483,
titled "Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for
Transitioning Between Touch Input to Display Output Relationships,"
filed Nov. 11, 2013, each of which is hereby incorporated by
reference in their entirety.
[0193] In some embodiments, device 600 has one or more input
mechanisms 606 and 608. Input mechanisms 606 and 608, if included,
can be physical. Examples of physical input mechanisms include push
buttons and rotatable mechanisms. In some embodiments, device 600
has one or more attachment mechanisms. Such attachment mechanisms,
if included, can permit attachment of device 600 with, for example,
hats, eyewear, earrings, necklaces, shirts, jackets, bracelets,
watch straps, chains, trousers, belts, shoes, purses, backpacks,
and so forth. These attachment mechanisms may permit device 600 to
be worn by a user.
[0194] FIG. 6B depicts exemplary personal electronic device 600. In
some embodiments, device 600 can include some or all of the
components described with respect to FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 4. Device
600 has bus 612 that operatively couples I/O section 614 with one
or more computer processors 616 and memory 618. I/O section 614 can
be connected to display 604, which can have touch-sensitive
component 622 and, optionally, touch-intensity sensitive component
624. In addition, I/O section 614 can be connected with
communication unit 630 for receiving application and operating
system data, using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near field communication
(NFC), cellular, and/or other wireless communication techniques.
Device 600 can include input mechanisms 606 and/or 608. Input
mechanism 606 may be a rotatable input device or a depressible and
rotatable input device, for example. Input mechanism 608 may be a
button, in some examples.
[0195] Input mechanism 608 may be a microphone, in some examples.
Personal electronic device 600 can include various sensors, such as
GPS sensor 632, accelerometer 634, directional sensor 640 (e.g.,
compass), gyroscope 636, motion sensor 638, and/or a combination
thereof, all of which can be operatively connected to I/O section
614.
[0196] Memory 618 of personal electronic device 600 can be a
non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, for storing
computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by one or
more computer processors 616, for example, can cause the computer
processors to perform the techniques described below, including
process 900 (FIGS. 8A-D). The computer-executable instructions can
also be stored and/or transported within any non-transitory
computer-readable storage medium for use by or in connection with
an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a
computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system
that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution
system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. For
purposes of this document, a "non-transitory computer-readable
storage medium" can be any medium that can tangibly contain or
store computer-executable instructions for use by or in connection
with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The
non-transitory computer-readable storage medium can include, but is
not limited to, magnetic, optical, and/or semiconductor storages.
Examples of such storage include magnetic disks, optical discs
based on CD, DVD, or Blu-ray technologies, as well as persistent
solid-state memory such as flash, solid-state drives, and the like.
Personal electronic device 600 is not limited to the components and
configuration of FIG. 6B, but can include other or additional
components in multiple configurations.
[0197] As used here, the term "affordance" refers to a
user-interactive graphical user interface object that may be
displayed on the display screen of devices 200, 400, and/or 600
(FIGS. 2, 4, and 6). For example, an image (e.g., icon), a button,
and text (e.g., hyperlink) may each constitute an affordance.
[0198] As used herein, the term "focus selector" refers to an input
element that indicates a current part of a user interface with
which a user is interacting. In some implementations that include a
cursor or other location marker, the cursor acts as a "focus
selector" so that when an input (e.g., a press input) is detected
on a touch-sensitive surface (e.g., touchpad 455 in FIG. 4 or
touch-sensitive surface 551 in FIG. 5B) while the cursor is over a
particular user interface element (e.g., a button, window, slider
or other user interface element), the particular user interface
element is adjusted in accordance with the detected input. In some
implementations that include a touch screen display (e.g.,
touch-sensitive display system 212 in FIG. 2A or touch screen 212
in FIG. 5A) that enables direct interaction with user interface
elements on the touch screen display, a detected contact on the
touch screen acts as a "focus selector" so that when an input
(e.g., a press input by the contact) is detected on the touch
screen display at a location of a particular user interface element
(e.g., a button, window, slider, or other user interface element),
the particular user interface element is adjusted in accordance
with the detected input. In some implementations, focus is moved
from one region of a user interface to another region of the user
interface without corresponding movement of a cursor or movement of
a contact on a touch screen display (e.g., by using a tab key or
arrow keys to move focus from one button to another button); in
these implementations, the focus selector moves in accordance with
movement of focus between different regions of the user interface.
Without regard to the specific form taken by the focus selector,
the focus selector is generally the user interface element (or
contact on a touch screen display) that is controlled by the user
so as to communicate the user's intended interaction with the user
interface (e.g., by indicating, to the device, the element of the
user interface with which the user is intending to interact). For
example, the location of a focus selector (e.g., a cursor, a
contact, or a selection box) over a respective button while a press
input is detected on the touch-sensitive surface (e.g., a touchpad
or touch screen) will indicate that the user is intending to
activate the respective button (as opposed to other user interface
elements shown on a display of the device).
[0199] As used in the specification and claims, the term
"characteristic intensity" of a contact refers to a characteristic
of the contact based on one or more intensities of the contact. In
some embodiments, the characteristic intensity is based on multiple
intensity samples. The characteristic intensity is, optionally,
based on a predefined number of intensity samples, or a set of
intensity samples collected during a predetermined time period
(e.g., 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10 seconds) relative to a
predefined event (e.g., after detecting the contact, prior to
detecting liftoff of the contact, before or after detecting a start
of movement of the contact, prior to detecting an end of the
contact, before or after detecting an increase in intensity of the
contact, and/or before or after detecting a decrease in intensity
of the contact). A characteristic intensity of a contact is,
optionally based on one or more of: a maximum value of the
intensities of the contact, a mean value of the intensities of the
contact, an average value of the intensities of the contact, a top
10 percentile value of the intensities of the contact, a value at
the half maximum of the intensities of the contact, a value at the
90 percent maximum of the intensities of the contact, or the like.
In some embodiments, the duration of the contact is used in
determining the characteristic intensity (e.g., when the
characteristic intensity is an average of the intensity of the
contact over time). In some embodiments, the characteristic
intensity is compared to a set of one or more intensity thresholds
to determine whether an operation has been performed by a user. For
example, the set of one or more intensity thresholds may include a
first intensity threshold and a second intensity threshold. In this
example, a contact with a characteristic intensity that does not
exceed the first threshold results in a first operation, a contact
with a characteristic intensity that exceeds the first intensity
threshold and does not exceed the second intensity threshold
results in a second operation, and a contact with a characteristic
intensity that exceeds the second threshold results in a third
operation. In some embodiments, a comparison between the
characteristic intensity and one or more thresholds is used to
determine whether or not to perform one or more operations (e.g.,
whether to perform a respective operation or forgo performing the
respective operation) rather than being used to determine whether
to perform a first operation or a second operation.
[0200] In some embodiments, a portion of a gesture is identified
for purposes of determining a characteristic intensity. For
example, a touch-sensitive surface may receive a continuous swipe
contact transitioning from a start location and reaching an end
location, at which point the intensity of the contact increases. In
this example, the characteristic intensity of the contact at the
end location may be based on only a portion of the continuous swipe
contact, and not the entire swipe contact (e.g., only the portion
of the swipe contact at the end location). In some embodiments, a
smoothing algorithm may be applied to the intensities of the swipe
contact prior to determining the characteristic intensity of the
contact. For example, the smoothing algorithm optionally includes
one or more of: an unweighted sliding-average smoothing algorithm,
a triangular smoothing algorithm, a median filter smoothing
algorithm, and/or an exponential smoothing algorithm. In some
circumstances, these smoothing algorithms eliminate narrow spikes
or dips in the intensities of the swipe contact for purposes of
determining a characteristic intensity.
[0201] The intensity of a contact on the touch-sensitive surface
may be characterized relative to one or more intensity thresholds,
such as a contact-detection intensity threshold, a light press
intensity threshold, a deep press intensity threshold, and/or one
or more other intensity thresholds. In some embodiments, the light
press intensity threshold corresponds to an intensity at which the
device will perform operations typically associated with clicking a
button of a physical mouse or a trackpad. In some embodiments, the
deep press intensity threshold corresponds to an intensity at which
the device will perform operations that are different from
operations typically associated with clicking a button of a
physical mouse or a trackpad. In some embodiments, when a contact
is detected with a characteristic intensity below the light press
intensity threshold (e.g., and above a nominal contact-detection
intensity threshold below which the contact is no longer detected),
the device will move a focus selector in accordance with movement
of the contact on the touch-sensitive surface without performing an
operation associated with the light press intensity threshold or
the deep press intensity threshold. Generally, unless otherwise
stated, these intensity thresholds are consistent between different
sets of user interface figures.
[0202] An increase of characteristic intensity of the contact from
an intensity below the light press intensity threshold to an
intensity between the light press intensity threshold and the deep
press intensity threshold is sometimes referred to as a "light
press" input. An increase of characteristic intensity of the
contact from an intensity below the deep press intensity threshold
to an intensity above the deep press intensity threshold is
sometimes referred to as a "deep press" input. An increase of
characteristic intensity of the contact from an intensity below the
contact-detection intensity threshold to an intensity between the
contact-detection intensity threshold and the light press intensity
threshold is sometimes referred to as detecting the contact on the
touch-surface. A decrease of characteristic intensity of the
contact from an intensity above the contact-detection intensity
threshold to an intensity below the contact-detection intensity
threshold is sometimes referred to as detecting liftoff of the
contact from the touch-surface. In some embodiments, the
contact-detection intensity threshold is zero. In some embodiments,
the contact-detection intensity threshold is greater than zero.
[0203] In some embodiments described herein, one or more operations
are performed in response to detecting a gesture that includes a
respective press input or in response to detecting the respective
press input performed with a respective contact (or a plurality of
contacts), where the respective press input is detected based at
least in part on detecting an increase in intensity of the contact
(or plurality of contacts) above a press-input intensity threshold.
In some embodiments, the respective operation is performed in
response to detecting the increase in intensity of the respective
contact above the press-input intensity threshold (e.g., a "down
stroke" of the respective press input). In some embodiments, the
press input includes an increase in intensity of the respective
contact above the press-input intensity threshold and a subsequent
decrease in intensity of the contact below the press-input
intensity threshold, and the respective operation is performed in
response to detecting the subsequent decrease in intensity of the
respective contact below the press-input threshold (e.g., an "up
stroke" of the respective press input).
[0204] In some embodiments, the device employs intensity hysteresis
to avoid accidental inputs sometimes termed "jitter," where the
device defines or selects a hysteresis intensity threshold with a
predefined relationship to the press-input intensity threshold
(e.g., the hysteresis intensity threshold is X intensity units
lower than the press-input intensity threshold or the hysteresis
intensity threshold is 75%, 90%, or some reasonable proportion of
the press-input intensity threshold). Thus, in some embodiments,
the press input includes an increase in intensity of the respective
contact above the press-input intensity threshold and a subsequent
decrease in intensity of the contact below the hysteresis intensity
threshold that corresponds to the press-input intensity threshold,
and the respective operation is performed in response to detecting
the subsequent decrease in intensity of the respective contact
below the hysteresis intensity threshold (e.g., an "up stroke" of
the respective press input). Similarly, in some embodiments, the
press input is detected only when the device detects an increase in
intensity of the contact from an intensity at or below the
hysteresis intensity threshold to an intensity at or above the
press-input intensity threshold and, optionally, a subsequent
decrease in intensity of the contact to an intensity at or below
the hysteresis intensity, and the respective operation is performed
in response to detecting the press input (e.g., the increase in
intensity of the contact or the decrease in intensity of the
contact, depending on the circumstances).
[0205] For ease of explanation, the descriptions of operations
performed in response to a press input associated with a
press-input intensity threshold or in response to a gesture
including the press input are, optionally, triggered in response to
detecting either: an increase in intensity of a contact above the
press-input intensity threshold, an increase in intensity of a
contact from an intensity below the hysteresis intensity threshold
to an intensity above the press-input intensity threshold, a
decrease in intensity of the contact below the press-input
intensity threshold, and/or a decrease in intensity of the contact
below the hysteresis intensity threshold corresponding to the
press-input intensity threshold. Additionally, in examples where an
operation is described as being performed in response to detecting
a decrease in intensity of a contact below the press-input
intensity threshold, the operation is, optionally, performed in
response to detecting a decrease in intensity of the contact below
a hysteresis intensity threshold corresponding to, and lower than,
the press-input intensity threshold.
3. Digital Assistant System
[0206] FIG. 7A illustrates a block diagram of digital assistant
system 700 in accordance with various examples. In some examples,
digital assistant system 700 can be implemented on a standalone
computer system. In some examples, digital assistant system 700 can
be distributed across multiple computers. In some examples, some of
the modules and functions of the digital assistant can be divided
into a server portion and a client portion, where the client
portion resides on one or more user devices (e.g., devices 104,
122, 200, 400, or 600) and communicates with the server portion
(e.g., server system 108) through one or more networks, e.g., as
shown in FIG. 1. In some examples, digital assistant system 700 can
be an implementation of server system 108 (and/or DA server 106)
shown in FIG. 1. It should be noted that digital assistant system
700 is only one example of a digital assistant system, and that
digital assistant system 700 can have more or fewer components than
shown, may combine two or more components, or may have a different
configuration or arrangement of the components. The various
components shown in FIG. 7A can be implemented in hardware,
software instructions for execution by one or more processors,
firmware, including one or more signal processing and/or
application specific integrated circuits, or a combination
thereof.
[0207] Digital assistant system 700 can include memory 702, one or
more processors 704, input/output (I/O) interface 706, and network
communications interface 708. These components can communicate with
one another over one or more communication buses or signal lines
710.
[0208] In some examples, memory 702 can include a non-transitory
computer-readable medium, such as high-speed random access memory
and/or a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium (e.g., one
or more magnetic disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or
other non-volatile solid-state memory devices).
[0209] In some examples, I/O interface 706 can couple input/output
devices 716 of digital assistant system 700, such as displays,
keyboards, touch screens, and microphones, to user interface module
722. I/O interface 706, in conjunction with user interface module
722, can receive user inputs (e.g., voice input, keyboard inputs,
touch inputs, etc.) and processes them accordingly. In some
examples, e.g., when the digital assistant is implemented on a
standalone user device, digital assistant system 700 can include
any of the components and I/O communication interfaces described
with respect to devices 200, 400, or 600 in FIGS. 2A, 4, 6A-B,
respectively. In some examples, digital assistant system 700 can
represent the server portion of a digital assistant implementation,
and can interact with the user through a client-side portion
residing on a user device (e.g., devices 104, 200, 400, or
600).
[0210] In some examples, the network communications interface 708
can include wired communication port(s) 712 and/or wireless
transmission and reception circuitry 714. The wired communication
port(s) can receive and send communication signals via one or more
wired interfaces, e.g., Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB),
FIREWIRE, etc. The wireless circuitry 714 can receive and send RF
signals and/or optical signals from/to communications networks and
other communications devices. The wireless communications can use
any of a plurality of communications standards, protocols, and
technologies, such as GSM, EDGE, CDMA, TDMA, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi,
VoIP, Wi-MAX, or any other suitable communication protocol. Network
communications interface 708 can enable communication between
digital assistant system 700 with networks, such as the Internet,
an intranet, and/or a wireless network, such as a cellular
telephone network, a wireless local area network (LAN), and/or a
metropolitan area network (MAN), and other devices.
[0211] In some examples, memory 702, or the computer-readable
storage media of memory 702, can store programs, modules,
instructions, and data structures including all or a subset of:
operating system 718, communications module 720, user interface
module 722, one or more applications 724, and digital assistant
module 726. In particular, memory 702, or the computer-readable
storage media of memory 702, can store instructions for performing
process 900, described below. One or more processors 704 can
execute these programs, modules, and instructions, and reads/writes
from/to the data structures.
[0212] Operating system 718 (e.g., Darwin, RTXC, LINUX, UNIX, iOS,
OS X, WINDOWS, or an embedded operating system such as VxWorks) can
include various software components and/or drivers for controlling
and managing general system tasks (e.g., memory management, storage
device control, power management, etc.) and facilitates
communications between various hardware, firmware, and software
components.
[0213] Communications module 720 can facilitate communications
between digital assistant system 700 with other devices over
network communications interface 708. For example, communications
module 720 can communicate with RF circuitry 208 of electronic
devices such as devices 200, 400, and 600 shown in FIG. 2A, 4,
6A-B, respectively. Communications module 720 can also include
various components for handling data received by wireless circuitry
714 and/or wired communications port 712.
[0214] User interface module 722 can receive commands and/or inputs
from a user via I/O interface 706 (e.g., from a keyboard, touch
screen, pointing device, controller, and/or microphone), and
generate user interface objects on a display. User interface module
722 can also prepare and deliver outputs (e.g., speech, sound,
animation, text, icons, vibrations, haptic feedback, light, etc.)
to the user via the I/O interface 706 (e.g., through displays,
audio channels, speakers, touch-pads, etc.).
[0215] Applications 724 can include programs and/or modules that
are configured to be executed by one or more processors 704. For
example, if the digital assistant system is implemented on a
standalone user device, applications 724 can include user
applications, such as games, a calendar application, a navigation
application, or an email application. If digital assistant system
700 is implemented on a server, applications 724 can include
resource management applications, diagnostic applications, or
scheduling applications, for example.
[0216] Memory 702 can also store digital assistant module 726 (or
the server portion of a digital assistant). In some examples,
digital assistant module 726 can include the following sub-modules,
or a subset or superset thereof: input/output processing module
728, speech-to-text (STT) processing module 730, natural language
processing module 732, dialogue flow processing module 734, task
flow processing module 736, service processing module 738, and
speech synthesis module 740. Each of these modules can have access
to one or more of the following systems or data and models of the
digital assistant module 726, or a subset or superset thereof:
ontology 760, vocabulary index 744, user data 748, task flow models
754, service models 756, and ASR systems.
[0217] In some examples, using the processing modules, data, and
models implemented in digital assistant module 726, the digital
assistant can perform at least some of the following: converting
speech input into text; identifying a user's intent expressed in a
natural language input received from the user; actively eliciting
and obtaining information needed to fully infer the user's intent
(e.g., by disambiguating words, games, intentions, etc.);
determining the task flow for fulfilling the inferred intent; and
executing the task flow to fulfill the inferred intent.
[0218] In some examples, as shown in FIG. 7B, I/O processing module
728 can interact with the user through I/O devices 716 in FIG. 7A
or with a user device (e.g., devices 104, 200, 400, or 600) through
network communications interface 708 in FIG. 7A to obtain user
input (e.g., a speech input) and to provide responses (e.g., as
speech outputs) to the user input. I/O processing module 728 can
optionally obtain contextual information associated with the user
input from the user device, along with or shortly after the receipt
of the user input. The contextual information can include
user-specific data, vocabulary, and/or preferences relevant to the
user input. In some examples, the contextual information also
includes software and hardware states of the user device at the
time the user request is received, and/or information related to
the surrounding environment of the user at the time that the user
request was received. In some examples, I/O processing module 728
can also send follow-up questions to, and receive answers from, the
user regarding the user request. When a user request is received by
I/O processing module 728 and the user request can include speech
input, I/O processing module 728 can forward the speech input to
STT processing module 730 (or speech recognizer) for speech-to-text
conversions.
[0219] STT processing module 730 can include one or more ASR
systems. The one or more ASR systems can process the speech input
that is received through I/O processing module 728 to produce a
recognition result. Each ASR system can include a front-end speech
pre-processor. The front-end speech pre-processor can extract
representative features from the speech input. For example, the
front-end speech pre-processor can perform a Fourier transform on
the speech input to extract spectral features that characterize the
speech input as a sequence of representative multi-dimensional
vectors. Further, each ASR system can include one or more speech
recognition models (e.g., acoustic models and/or language models)
and can implement one or more speech recognition engines. Examples
of speech recognition models can include Hidden Markov Models,
Gaussian-Mixture Models, Deep Neural Network Models, n-gram
language models, and other statistical models. Examples of speech
recognition engines can include the dynamic time warping based
engines and weighted finite-state transducers (WFST) based engines.
The one or more speech recognition models and the one or more
speech recognition engines can be used to process the extracted
representative features of the front-end speech pre-processor to
produce intermediate recognitions results (e.g., phonemes, phonemic
strings, and sub-words), and ultimately, text recognition results
(e.g., words, word strings, or sequence of tokens). In some
examples, the speech input can be processed at least partially by a
third-party service or on the user's device (e.g., device 104, 200,
400, or 600) to produce the recognition result. Once STT processing
module 730 produces recognition results containing a text string
(e.g., words, or sequence of words, or sequence of tokens), the
recognition result can be passed to natural language processing
module 732 for intent deduction.
[0220] More details on the speech-to-text processing are described
in U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 13/236,942 for "Consolidating
Speech Recognition Results," filed on Sep. 20, 2011, the entire
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0221] In some examples, STT processing module 730 can include
and/or access a vocabulary of recognizable words via phonetic
alphabet conversion module 731. Each vocabulary word can be
associated with one or more candidate pronunciations of the word
represented in a speech recognition phonetic alphabet. In
particular, the vocabulary of recognizable words can include a word
that is associated with a plurality of candidate pronunciations.
For example, the vocabulary may include the word "tomato" that is
associated with the candidate pronunciations of // and //. Further,
vocabulary words can be associated with custom candidate
pronunciations that are based on previous speech inputs from the
user. Such custom candidate pronunciations can be stored in STT
processing module 730 and can be associated with a particular user
via the user's profile on the device. In some examples, the
candidate pronunciations for words can be determined based on the
spelling of the word and one or more linguistic and/or phonetic
rules. In some examples, the candidate pronunciations can be
manually generated, e.g., based on known canonical
pronunciations.
[0222] In some examples, the candidate pronunciations can be ranked
based on the commonness of the candidate pronunciation. For
example, the candidate pronunciation // can be ranked higher than
//, because the former is a more commonly used pronunciation (e.g.,
among all users, for users in a particular geographical region, or
for any other appropriate subset of users). In some examples,
candidate pronunciations can be ranked based on whether the
candidate pronunciation is a custom candidate pronunciation
associated with the user. For example, custom candidate
pronunciations can be ranked higher than canonical candidate
pronunciations. This can be useful for recognizing proper nouns
having a unique pronunciation that deviates from canonical
pronunciation. In some examples, candidate pronunciations can be
associated with one or more speech characteristics, such as
geographic origin, nationality, or ethnicity. For example, the
candidate pronunciation // can be associated with the United
States, whereas the candidate pronunciation // can be associated
with Great Britain. Further, the rank of the candidate
pronunciation can be based on one or more characteristics (e.g.,
geographic origin, nationality, ethnicity, etc.) of the user stored
in the user's profile on the device. For example, it can be
determined from the user's profile that the user is associated with
the United States. Based on the user being associated with the
United States, the candidate pronunciation // (associated with the
United States) can be ranked higher than the candidate
pronunciation // (associated with Great Britain). In some examples,
one of the ranked candidate pronunciations can be selected as a
predicted pronunciation (e.g., the most likely pronunciation).
[0223] When a speech input is received, STT processing module 730
can be used to determine the phonemes corresponding to the speech
input (e.g., using an acoustic model), and then attempt to
determine words that match the phonemes (e.g., using a language
model). For example, if STT processing module 730 can first
identify the sequence of phonemes // corresponding to a portion of
the speech input, it can then determine, based on vocabulary index
744, that this sequence corresponds to the word "tomato."
[0224] In some examples, STT processing module 730 can use
approximate matching techniques to determine words in an utterance.
Thus, for example, the STT processing module 730 can determine that
the sequence of phonemes // corresponds to the word "tomato," even
if that particular sequence of phonemes is not one of the candidate
sequence of phonemes for that word.
[0225] In some examples, natural language processing module 732 can
be configured to receive metadata associated with the speech input.
The metadata can indicate whether to perform natural language
processing on the speech input (or the sequence of words or tokens
corresponding to the speech input). If the metadata indicates that
natural language processing is to be performed, then the natural
language processing module can receive the sequence of words or
tokens from the STT processing module to perform natural language
processing. However, if the metadata indicates that natural
language process is not to be performed, then the natural language
processing module can be disabled and the sequence of words or
tokens (e.g., text string) from the STT processing module can be
outputted from the digital assistant. In some examples, the
metadata can further identify one or more domains corresponding to
the user request. Based on the one or more domains, the natural
language processor can disable domains in ontology 760 other than
the one or more domains. In this way, natural language processing
is constrained to the one or more domains in ontology 760. In
particular, the structure query (described below) can be generated
using the one or more domains and not the other domains in the
ontology.
[0226] Natural language processing module 732 ("natural language
processor") of the digital assistant can take the sequence of words
or tokens ("token sequence") generated by STT processing module
730, and attempt to associate the token sequence with one or more
"actionable intents" recognized by the digital assistant. An
"actionable intent" can represent a task that can be performed by
the digital assistant, and can have an associated task flow
implemented in task flow models 754. The associated task flow can
be a series of programmed actions and steps that the digital
assistant takes in order to perform the task. The scope of a
digital assistant's capabilities can be dependent on the number and
variety of task flows that have been implemented and stored in task
flow models 754, or in other words, on the number and variety of
"actionable intents" that the digital assistant recognizes. The
effectiveness of the digital assistant, however, can also be
dependent on the assistant's ability to infer the correct
"actionable intent(s)" from the user request expressed in natural
language.
[0227] In some examples, in addition to the sequence of words or
tokens obtained from STT processing module 730, natural language
processing module 732 can also receive contextual information
associated with the user request, e.g., from I/O processing module
728. The natural language processing module 732 can optionally use
the contextual information to clarify, supplement, and/or further
define the information contained in the token sequence received
from STT processing module 730. The contextual information can
include, for example, user preferences, hardware, and/or software
states of the user device, sensor information collected before,
during, or shortly after the user request, prior interactions
(e.g., dialogue) between the digital assistant and the user, and
the like. As described herein, contextual information can be
dynamic, and can change with time, location, content of the
dialogue, and other factors.
[0228] In some examples, the natural language processing can be
based on, e.g., ontology 760. Ontology 760 can be a hierarchical
structure containing many nodes, each node representing either an
"actionable intent" or a "property" relevant to one or more of the
"actionable intents" or other "properties." As noted above, an
"actionable intent" can represent a task that the digital assistant
is capable of performing, i.e., it is "actionable" or can be acted
on. A "property" can represent a parameter associated with an
actionable intent or a sub-aspect of another property. A linkage
between an actionable intent node and a property node in ontology
760 can define how a parameter represented by the property node
pertains to the task represented by the actionable intent node.
[0229] In some examples, ontology 760 can be made up of actionable
intent nodes and property nodes. Within ontology 760, each
actionable intent node can be linked to one or more property nodes
either directly or through one or more intermediate property nodes.
Similarly, each property node can be linked to one or more
actionable intent nodes either directly or through one or more
intermediate property nodes. For example, as shown in FIG. 7C,
ontology 760 can include a "restaurant reservation" node (i.e., an
actionable intent node). Property nodes "restaurant," "date/time"
(for the reservation), and "party size" can each be directly linked
to the actionable intent node (i.e., the "restaurant reservation"
node).
[0230] In addition, property nodes "cuisine," "price range," "phone
number," and "location" can be sub-nodes of the property node
"restaurant," and can each be linked to the "restaurant
reservation" node (i.e., the actionable intent node) through the
intermediate property node "restaurant." For another example, as
shown in FIG. 7C, ontology 760 can also include a "set reminder"
node (i.e., another actionable intent node). Property nodes
"date/time" (for setting the reminder) and "subject" (for the
reminder) can each be linked to the "set reminder" node. Since the
property "date/time" can be relevant to both the task of making a
restaurant reservation and the task of setting a reminder, the
property node "date/time" can be linked to both the "restaurant
reservation" node and the "set reminder" node in ontology 760.
[0231] An actionable intent node, along with its linked concept
nodes, can be described as a "domain." In the present discussion,
each domain can be associated with a respective actionable intent,
and refers to the group of nodes (and the relationships there
between) associated with the particular actionable intent. For
example, ontology 760 shown in FIG. 7C can include an example of
restaurant reservation domain 762 and an example of reminder domain
764 within ontology 760. The restaurant reservation domain includes
the actionable intent node "restaurant reservation," property nodes
"restaurant," "date/time," and "party size," and sub-property nodes
"cuisine," "price range," "phone number," and "location." Reminder
domain 764 can include the actionable intent node "set reminder,"
and property nodes "subject" and "date/time." In some examples,
ontology 760 can be made up of many domains. Each domain can share
one or more property nodes with one or more other domains. For
example, the "date/time" property node can be associated with many
different domains (e.g., a scheduling domain, a travel reservation
domain, a movie ticket domain, etc.), in addition to restaurant
reservation domain 762 and reminder domain 764.
[0232] While FIG. 7C illustrates two example domains within
ontology 760, other domains can include, for example, "find a
movie," "initiate a phone call," "find directions," "schedule a
meeting," "send a message," and "provide an answer to a question,"
"read a list," "providing navigation instructions," "provide
instructions for a task" and so on. A "send a message" domain can
be associated with a "send a message" actionable intent node, and
may further include property nodes such as "recipient(s)," "message
type," and "message body." The property node "recipient" can be
further defined, for example, by the sub-property nodes such as
"recipient name" and "message address."
[0233] In some examples, ontology 760 can include all the domains
(and hence actionable intents) that the digital assistant is
capable of understanding and acting upon. In some examples,
ontology 760 can be modified, such as by adding or removing entire
domains or nodes, or by modifying relationships between the nodes
within the ontology 760.
[0234] In some examples, nodes associated with multiple related
actionable intents can be clustered under a "super domain" in
ontology 760. For example, a "travel" super-domain can include a
cluster of property nodes and actionable intent nodes related to
travel. The actionable intent nodes related to travel can include
"airline reservation," "hotel reservation," "car rental," "get
directions," "find points of interest," and so on. The actionable
intent nodes under the same super domain (e.g., the "travel" super
domain) can have many property nodes in common. For example, the
actionable intent nodes for "airline reservation," "hotel
reservation," "car rental," "get directions," and "find points of
interest" can share one or more of the property nodes "start
location," "destination," "departure date/time," "arrival
date/time," and "party size."
[0235] In some examples, each node in ontology 760 can be
associated with a set of words and/or phrases that are relevant to
the property or actionable intent represented by the node. The
respective set of words and/or phrases associated with each node
can be the so-called "vocabulary" associated with the node. The
respective set of words and/or phrases associated with each node
can be stored in vocabulary index 744 in association with the
property or actionable intent represented by the node. For example,
returning to FIG. 7B, the vocabulary associated with the node for
the property of "restaurant" can include words such as "food,"
"drinks," "cuisine," "hungry," "eat," "pizza," "fast food," "meal,"
and so on. For another example, the vocabulary associated with the
node for the actionable intent of "initiate a phone call" can
include words and phrases such as "call," "phone," "dial," "ring,"
"call this number," "make a call to," and so on. The vocabulary
index 744 can optionally include words and phrases in different
languages.
[0236] Natural language processing module 732 can receive the token
sequence (e.g., a text string) from STT processing module 730, and
determine what nodes are implicated by the words in the token
sequence. In some examples, if a word or phrase in the token
sequence is found to be associated with one or more nodes in
ontology 760 (via vocabulary index 744), the word or phrase can
"trigger" or "activate" those nodes. Based on the quantity and/or
relative importance of the activated nodes, natural language
processing module 732 can select one of the actionable intents as
the task that the user intended the digital assistant to perform.
In some examples, the domain that has the most "triggered" nodes
can be selected. In some examples, the domain having the highest
confidence value (e.g., based on the relative importance of its
various triggered nodes) can be selected. In some examples, the
domain can be selected based on a combination of the number and the
importance of the triggered nodes. In some examples, additional
factors are considered in selecting the node as well, such as
whether the digital assistant has previously correctly interpreted
a similar request from a user.
[0237] User data 748 can include user-specific information, such as
user-specific vocabulary, user preferences, user address, user's
default and secondary languages, user's contact list, and other
short-term or long-term information for each user. In some
examples, natural language processing module 732 can use the
user-specific information to supplement the information contained
in the user input to further define the user intent. For example,
for a user request "invite my friends to my birthday party,"
natural language processing module 732 can be able to access user
data 748 to determine who the "friends" are and when and where the
"birthday party" would be held, rather than requiring the user to
provide such information explicitly in his/her request.
[0238] Other details of searching an ontology based on a token
string is described in U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 12/341,743
for "Method and Apparatus for Searching Using An Active Ontology,"
filed Dec. 22, 2008, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated
herein by reference.
[0239] In some examples, once natural language processing module
732 identifies an actionable intent (or domain) based on the user
request, natural language processing module 732 can generate a
structured query to represent the identified actionable intent. In
some examples, the structured query can include parameters for one
or more nodes within the domain for the actionable intent, and at
least some of the parameters are populated with the specific
information and requirements specified in the user request. For
example, the user may say "Make me a dinner reservation at a sushi
place at 7." In this case, natural language processing module 732
can be able to correctly identify the actionable intent to be
"restaurant reservation" based on the user input. According to the
ontology, a structured query for a "restaurant reservation" domain
may include parameters such as {Cuisine}, {Time}, {Date}, {Party
Size}, and the like. In some examples, based on the speech input
and the text derived from the speech input using STT processing
module 730, natural language processing module 732 can generate a
partial structured query for the restaurant reservation domain,
where the partial structured query includes the parameters
{Cuisine="Sushi"} and {Time="7 pm"}. However, in this example, the
user's utterance contains insufficient information to complete the
structured query associated with the domain. Therefore, other
necessary parameters such as {Party Size} and {Date} may not be
specified in the structured query based on the information
currently available. In some examples, natural language processing
module 732 can populate some parameters of the structured query
with received contextual information. For example, in some
examples, if the user requested a sushi restaurant "near me,"
natural language processing module 732 can populate a {location}
parameter in the structured query with GPS coordinates from the
user device.
[0240] In some examples, natural language processing module 732 can
pass the generated structured query (including any completed
parameters) to task flow processing module 736 ("task flow
processor"). Task flow processing module 736 can be configured to
receive the structured query from natural language processing
module 732, complete the structured query, if necessary, and
perform the actions required to "complete" the user's ultimate
request. In some examples, the various procedures necessary to
complete these tasks can be provided in task flow models 754. In
some examples, task flow models 754 can include procedures for
obtaining additional information from the user and task flows for
performing actions associated with the actionable intent.
[0241] As described above, in order to complete a structured query,
task flow processing module 736 may need to initiate additional
dialogue with the user in order to obtain additional information,
and/or disambiguate potentially ambiguous utterances. When such
interactions are necessary, task flow processing module 736 can
invoke dialogue flow processing module 734 to engage in a dialogue
with the user. In some examples, dialogue flow processing module
734 can determine how (and/or when) to ask the user for the
additional information and receives and processes the user
responses. The questions can be provided to and answers can be
received from the users through I/O processing module 728. In some
examples, dialogue flow processing module 734 can present dialogue
output to the user via audio and/or visual output, and receives
input from the user via spoken or physical (e.g., clicking)
responses. Continuing with the example above, when task flow
processing module 736 invokes dialogue flow processing module 734
to determine the "party size" and "date" information for the
structured query associated with the domain "restaurant
reservation," dialogue flow processing module 734 can generate
questions such as "For how many people?" and "On which day?" to
pass to the user. Once answers are received from the user, dialogue
flow processing module 734 can then populate the structured query
with the missing information, or pass the information to task flow
processing module 736 to complete the missing information from the
structured query.
[0242] Once task flow processing module 736 has completed the
structured query for an actionable intent, task flow processing
module 736 can proceed to perform the ultimate task associated with
the actionable intent. Accordingly, task flow processing module 736
can execute the steps and instructions in the task flow model
according to the specific parameters contained in the structured
query. For example, the task flow model for the actionable intent
of "restaurant reservation" can include steps and instructions for
contacting a restaurant and actually requesting a reservation for a
particular party size at a particular time. For example, using a
structured query such as: {restaurant reservation, restaurant=ABC
Cafe, date=3/12/2012, time=7 pm, party size=5}, task flow
processing module 736 can perform the steps of: (1) logging onto a
server of the ABC Cafe or a restaurant reservation system such as
OPENTABLE.RTM., (2) entering the date, time, and party size
information in a form on the website, (3) submitting the form, and
(4) making a calendar entry for the reservation in the user's
calendar.
[0243] In some examples, task flow processing module 736 can employ
the assistance of service processing module 738 ("service
processing module") to complete a task requested in the user input
or to provide an informational answer requested in the user input.
For example, service processing module 738 can act on behalf of
task flow processing module 736 to make a phone call, set a
calendar entry, invoke a map search, invoke or interact with other
user applications installed on the user device, and invoke or
interact with third-party services (e.g., a restaurant reservation
portal, a social networking website, a banking portal, etc.). In
some examples, the protocols and application programming interfaces
(API) required by each service can be specified by a respective
service model among service models 756. Service processing module
738 can access the appropriate service model for a service and
generate requests for the service in accordance with the protocols
and APIs required by the service according to the service
model.
[0244] For example, if a restaurant has enabled an online
reservation service, the restaurant can submit a service model
specifying the necessary parameters for making a reservation and
the APIs for communicating the values of the necessary parameter to
the online reservation service. When requested by task flow
processing module 736, service processing module 738 can establish
a network connection with the online reservation service using the
web address stored in the service model, and send the necessary
parameters of the reservation (e.g., time, date, party size) to the
online reservation interface in a format according to the API of
the online reservation service.
[0245] In some examples, natural language processing module 732,
dialogue flow processing module 734, and task flow processing
module 736 can be used collectively and iteratively to infer and
define the user's intent, obtain information to further clarify and
refine the user intent, and finally generate a response (i.e., an
output to the user, or the completion of a task) to fulfill the
user's intent. The generated response can be a dialogue response to
the speech input that at least partially fulfills the user's
intent. Further, in some examples, the generated response can be
output as a speech output. In these examples, the generated
response can be sent to speech synthesis module 740 (e.g., speech
synthesizer) where it can be processed to synthesize the dialogue
response in speech form. In yet other examples, the generated
response can be data content relevant to satisfying a user request
in the speech input.
[0246] Speech synthesis module 740 can be configured to synthesize
speech outputs for presentation to the user. Speech synthesis
module 740 synthesizes speech outputs based on text provided by the
digital assistant. For example, the generated dialogue response can
be in the form of a text string. Speech synthesis module 740 can
convert the text string to an audible speech output. Speech
synthesis module 740 can use any appropriate speech synthesis
technique in order to generate speech outputs from text, including,
but not limited, to concatenative synthesis, unit selection
synthesis, diphone synthesis, domain-specific synthesis, formant
synthesis, articulatory synthesis, hidden Markov model (HMM) based
synthesis, and sinewave synthesis. In some examples, speech
synthesis module 740 can be configured to synthesize individual
words based on phonemic strings corresponding to the words. For
example, a phonemic string can be associated with a word in the
generated dialogue response. The phonemic string can be stored in
metadata associated with the word. Speech synthesis model 740 can
be configured to directly process the phonemic string in the
metadata to synthesize the word in speech form.
[0247] In some examples, instead of (or in addition to) using
speech synthesis module 740, speech synthesis can be performed on a
remote device (e.g., the server system 108), and the synthesized
speech can be sent to the user device for output to the user. For
example, this can occur in some implementations where outputs for a
digital assistant are generated at a server system. And because
server systems generally have more processing power or resources
than a user device, it can be possible to obtain higher quality
speech outputs than would be practical with client-side
synthesis.
[0248] Additional details on digital assistants can be found in the
U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 12/987,982, entitled "Intelligent
Automated Assistant," filed Jan. 10, 2011, and U.S. Utility
application Ser. No. 13/251,088, entitled "Generating and
Processing Task Items That Represent Tasks to Perform," filed Sep.
30, 2011, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein
by reference.
[0249] FIGS. 8A-8Q illustrate exemplary user interfaces for
discovering media based on a nonspecific, unstructured natural
language request, in accordance with some embodiments. The user
interfaces in these figures are used to illustrate the processes
described below, including the exemplary processes in FIGS.
9A-9C.
[0250] Referring to FIG. 8A, an electronic device 200 includes a
display 212 and a microphone 213 in accordance with some
embodiments. A digital assistant, as described above is, accessed
by a user, who utters unstructured natural language user input that
is acquired via the microphone 213. The timing of the user request
is under the control of the user. The user can request the delivery
of media during the concurrent playback of other media by the
electronic device 200, or while the electronic device 200 is not
playing back media. The user input requests the delivery of
particular media, in this case a song. The user input is converted
from speech to text, and in accordance with some embodiments, the
textual user input 1000 is displayed on the display 212. By
displaying the textual user input 1000, in accordance with some
embodiments, the user can verify that the digital assistant has
received correctly the request as made. In other embodiments, such
as but not limited to embodiments in which the digital assistant is
operable in a hands-free mode, the textual user input 1000 is not
displayed. As illustrated in FIG. 8A, the user has requested the
digital assistant to play a specific track from an album entitled
"Liszt: The Piano Concertos." At least part of the album is stored
in electronic form on the electronic device 200, in some
embodiments. In other embodiments, at least part of the album is
stored remotely (in the "cloud") on an external device accessible
to the electronic device 200. The remotely stored content is
associated with the electronic device 200 and/or a unique
identifier associated with the user, in accordance with some
embodiments. In other embodiments, at least part of the album is
part of a streaming service, such as Apple Music or iTunes
Radio.TM. (services of Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), that is
accessible to the electronic device 200.
[0251] Upon receiving unstructured natural language user input
requesting media, the digital assistant causes a search for that
media to be performed, as described in greater detail with regard
to FIGS. 9A-9C. That search is performed utilizing the unstructured
natural language user input, and the context of that input. In this
example, the search finds the specific media requested by the user,
track 2 of "Liszt: The Piano Concertos," determining based on the
user input and its context that the specific album satisfies the
user request. In some embodiments, it is transparent to the user
whether the media requested by the user is locally present on the
electronic device 200, stored remotely on a server, or streamed to
the user by a streaming service such as Apple Music or iTunes
Radio.TM. (services of Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.). As
illustrated in FIG. 8B, the digital assistant obtains the requested
media. The electronic device 200 presents an identifier 1002
associated with the media on the display 212, in accordance with
some embodiments, to allow the user to confirm which media is being
played back. The electronic device 200 includes a media playback
interface 1004 which includes standard media controls, such as
affordances for pausing, reversing, or advancing media, affordances
for controlling volume, and an affordance that displays and/or
controls progress in media playback, in accordance with some
embodiments. The electronic device 200 plays back the selected
media; here, track 2 ("Piano Concerto #2 in A) from the album
"Liszt: The Piano Concertos."
[0252] As illustrated in FIG. 8C, a user requests media in a less
specific manner than described with regard to FIG. 8A. Nonspecific
unstructured natural language user input does not identify a
particular media item with particularity. For example, a user
wishes to hear a song associated with a popular movie, but does not
know or recall the name of the song. User input 1010 is received,
which identifies the movie but not the song: "play that song from
Top Gun." The user request made in FIG. 8C may be made at any time:
during, after, before, or instead of playback of the media obtained
as shown in FIG. 8B. The user input 1010 is displayed on the
display 212, in accordance with some embodiments.
[0253] Upon receiving nonspecific unstructured natural language
user input requesting media, the digital assistant causes a search
for that media to be performed, as described in greater detail with
regard to FIGS. 9A-9C. That search is performed utilizing the
unstructured natural language user input, and the context of that
input. The context of the user input may include one or more of
device context, user context, and social context.
[0254] Device context includes information associated with the
electronic device 200 itself. In some embodiments, the device
context includes the location of the electronic device 200. A GPS
system or other system may be used to localize the electronic
device 200, and may be able to determine whether the user is
moving, where the user is located (e.g., home, school, work, park,
gym), and other information. In accordance with some embodiments,
the electronic device 200 is configured to receive signals from a
wireless location transmitter other than GPS, such as a
Bluetooth.RTM. wireless location transmitter, or an iBeacon of
Apple, Inc., Cupertino, Calif. As one example, the digital
assistant determines that the electronic device 200, and thus the
user, is moving at a rate of speed consistent with automobile
travel. The digital assistant utilizes this information in
conjunction with user context (described below) that is related to
the media most often played back by the user in the car in order to
obtain requested media, in accordance with some embodiments. As
another example, the digital assistant determines that the
electronic device 200 is at a venue in which live music is
performed, such as an arena or a bar. In response, the digital
assistant may cause a search for a schedule of musical performances
at the location where the electronic device 200 is located, and
utilize that information to satisfy the user request for media, in
accordance with some embodiments. As another example, where the
electronic device 200 is located in the user's home, and the user
has not moved a detectable amount over a predetermined amount of
time, the digital assistant determines that the user is at home
watching television.
[0255] In accordance with some embodiments, the device context
includes audio input from the microphone other than user speech,
such as sound in the vicinity of the electronic device 200. The
electronic device, according to some embodiments, generates an
acoustic fingerprint from that sound. An acoustic fingerprint is a
condensed digital summary, generated from that sound, that can be
used to identify that sound by comparing that acoustic fingerprint
to a database. The electronic device, in other embodiments, also or
instead converts that sound to text, where that sound includes
recognizable speech. As an example of the use of such context,
where the digital assistant has determined that the user is at home
watching television (as described in the previous paragraph) other
than via the electronic device, the digital assistant determines
based on the sound in the vicinity of the electronic device 200
that the user is watching a particular television program, such as
through the Apple TV.RTM. digital media extender of Apple, Inc.,
Cupertino, Calif. The digital assistant also utilizes a database of
television programming schedule information to make such a
determination, in accordance with some embodiments. Upon receiving
a request from a user for media (e.g., "record episodes of this
show"; "get this song from the show"), the digital assistant
utilizes location and ambient sound information to determine which
media satisfies a user request. In accordance with another
embodiment, in another example, the user is walking through a mall
or public space, or sitting in a restaurant, and hears a song over
the local sound system. In response to a user request to "add this
song to my library," the digital assistant may listen to ambient
sound via the microphone 213 in order to determine what the user
meant by "this song." Upon identifying the song, using, for
example, acoustic fingerprinting or speech-to-text search
techniques as described above, the digital assistant may add that
song to a user library.
[0256] In accordance with some embodiments, the device context
includes the content of media concurrently played by the electronic
device 200 at the same time as the user request for media. Such
media can be in any format, such as audio and/or video. The video
and music player module 252 accesses information associated with
the media concurrently played by the electronic device 200, in some
embodiments, such that the digital assistant 200 has direct access
to that information. Such information is useful in contexts where
the user requests media that is related to the media concurrently
played by the electronic device (e.g., "play more like this," "I
want to hear the live version of this song"). In accordance with
some embodiments, the device context includes a timecode associated
with the content of media concurrently played by the electronic
device 200 at the same time as the user request for media. The
digital assistant utilizes this timecode, in accordance with some
embodiments, to determine the location in the media that is
concurrent with the user request for media. For example, if a user
is watching a video on the electronic device, and requests "add
this artist to my stream," the digital assistant accesses the media
stream played by the video and music player module 252 to determine
which media is being played concurrently, then uses the timecode of
that media stream to determine if a song is associated with that
timecode in the media stream; if so, the digital assistant
determines that song is associated with the user input of "this
artist," and determines the artist who performed that song.
Similarly, in accordance with some embodiments, the electronic
device 200 receives streaming audio from a source such as Apple
Music or iTunes Radio.TM. (services of Apple, Inc. of Cupertino,
Calif.). If a user is listening to streaming audio, and does not
recognize a particular song being played, the user may request
information about that song, such as by typing or speaking "what
song is this?" In response to the request, the digital assistant
determines which song is playing, such as by inspecting metadata
associated with the streaming audio, by generating an acoustic
fingerprint from the streaming audio and comparing that acoustic
fingerprint to a database (as described above), or by querying the
server from which the streaming audio is received. The digital
assistant then presents the song title and artist to the user,
using text and/or audio.
[0257] In accordance with some embodiments, the device context
includes data associated with media stored on the electronic device
200. For example, the digital assistant infers that media stored on
the electronic device 200 is media that is preferred by a user, and
utilizes that information in determining the meaning of nonspecific
user requests for media. The data associated with media stored on
the electronic device includes, for example, but is not limited to
the presence of that media, bibliographic information of that media
(e.g., title, album, release date), information relating to the
playback history of that media (e.g., number of times the media has
been played back; date the media was last played back; date the
media was added to the electronic device), and metadata relating to
that media.
[0258] In accordance with some embodiments, the device context
includes the application context. Application context is related to
the application the user is utilizing for media playback. For
example, the digital assistant determines whether concurrent media
playback is being performed by the video and music player module
252, by a native application running on the electronic device 200,
by a third-party application associated with the electronic device
200 (e.g., HuluPlus.RTM. of Hulu, LLC, Santa Monica, Calif.), or by
another application. The application context also includes
metadata, if any, associated with the application.
[0259] User context includes information associated with the user
of the electronic device 200. User context includes the content of
natural language user input requesting media. In accordance with
some embodiments, user context includes demographic information
about the user, such as the user's age, gender, or the like. The
digital assistant uses this information to compare the request for
media to similar requests made by other users with similar
demographic profiles, in some embodiments. For example, a digital
assistant receives nonspecific unstructured natural language user
input requesting media from a user who attends college in Boston.
The digital assistant causes a search to be made relating to media
sought by other college students in Boston, and uses the popularity
of media among similarly-situated users in order to obtain media
for the user.
[0260] In accordance with some embodiments, the user context
includes media associated with the user, regardless of the storage
location of the media. Such media may be stored in the cloud, or
may be associated with a streaming music service accessible to the
user, such as Apple Music or iTunes Radio.TM. (services of Apple,
Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.). In some embodiments, the digital
assistant infers that media associated with the user is media that
is preferred by a user, and utilizes that information in
determining the meaning of nonspecific user requests for media. In
some embodiments, user context further includes data associated
with the media associated with the user, such as but not limited to
the presence of that media, bibliographic information of that media
(e.g., title, album, release date), information relating to the
playback history of that media (e.g., number of times the media has
been played back; date the media was last played back; date the
media was added to the electronic device), and metadata relating to
that media.
[0261] In accordance with some embodiments, the user context
includes information relating to the musical preferences of the
user. For example, the user context includes the history of media
played back by the user, and/or the number of times the user has
played back certain items, regardless of the storage location of
those items. Media that has been played more often by the user is
inferred to be preferred by the user, such that media that has been
played frequently by the user that matches nonspecific natural
language user input requesting media is considered a better match
when determining a media item that satisfies a user request. As
another example, the user context includes the history of media
acquisition by the user, regardless of the storage location of that
media. As another example, the user context includes the history of
the addition of music to a streaming music service accessible to
the user, such as Apple Music or iTunes Radio.TM. (services of
Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.).
[0262] In accordance with some embodiments, the user context
includes data associated with user content accessible by the
electronic device 200. For example, user context includes data
associated with digital photographs taken by the user, whether
stored on the electronic device 200, or stored remotely to and
accessible by the electronic device 200. Digital photographs
typically are stored along with metadata such as the date taken and
the location taken. Upon receiving nonspecific natural language
user input requesting media such as "play hits from my trip to
Italy," the digital assistant may cause a search to be performed
for information relating to a trip to Italy. Upon finding
photograph metadata that includes a location within Italy, the
digital assistant determines the corresponding date information in
that photograph metadata. The digital assistant then causes a
search to be made of databases of historical music chart
information (e.g., the database of Billboard of New York, N.Y.)
based on the date information obtained from the photograph. As is
clear from this example, the user content need not be related to
the type of media sought by the user.
[0263] Social context includes information associated with other
users than the user of the electronic device 200. As one example,
social context includes how many times a particular media item has
been streamed or downloaded from a music service such as
iTunes.RTM. music service of Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. Such
a count of streams or downloads is performed across an artist's
musical output, in one example. Such a count is performed within an
album, in another example. By way of a further example, the digital
assistant may receive nonspecific natural language user input
requesting media such as "play that song from Frozen." The digital
assistant may cause a search to be performed on the iTunes.RTM.
music service of Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., in order to find
a soundtrack album for the movie Frozen, and then determine which
track on that album has been downloaded the greatest number of
times. The particular media item on the album with the greatest
number of downloads is obtained by the digital assistant. As
another example, social context includes how many times a
particular media item has been streamed from a streaming music
service accessible to the user, such as Apple Music or iTunes
Radio.TM. (services of Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.).
[0264] In accordance with some embodiments, social context includes
the number of references to a media item in a social media
database. As one example, the digital assistant may receive
nonspecific natural language user input requesting media such as "I
want to hear that big hit from Famous Band." Famous Band may have
released a popular album with several hits. In order to
disambiguate the user's request, the digital assistant may cause a
search to be performed of a social database, e.g., the database of
Twitter, Inc. of San Francisco, Calif., in order to determine how
many mentions of a particular media item have been made across a
recent period of time, such as the previous 7 days or 14 days. The
particular media item from Famous Band with the most references in
that period of time is obtained by the digital assistant.
[0265] Returning specifically to FIG. 8C, user input 1010 has been
received, which identifies a movie but not the requested song from
the movie: "play that song from Top Gun." The digital assistant
identifies at least one context of the user input 1010, as
described above. According to some embodiments, the context is at
least one of device context, user context and social context. The
digital assistant causes a search for the media, based on the
context and on the user input. For example, the digital assistant
may search the electronic device 200 and/or media associated with
the user for the soundtrack for the movie "Top Gun." Upon
discovering the soundtrack, the digital assistant may determine
which song on the soundtrack has been played the most, and
determine that song satisfies the media request, after which the
digital assistant obtains the song for the user. As another
example, the digital assistant may search a music service for the
soundtrack for the movie "Top Gun." Upon discovering the
soundtrack, the digital assistant may determine which song on the
soundtrack has been streamed or downloaded the most times, and
determine that song satisfies the media request, after which the
digital assistant obtains the song for the user.
[0266] Both of these example processes, in addition to other
processes, may be performed simultaneously in order to obtain the
requested media. By performing the processes in parallel, rather
than in series, the time to locate the media item is reduced,
particularly where only one of several processes delivers a result
that satisfies the user request. Further, where the parallel
processes each deliver a single media item, confidence that it is
the media item requested by the user is enhanced. Still further,
where the parallel processes deliver two or more separate media
items, the digital assistant applies further heuristics to those
items to determine which is the most likely to meet the user
request. The digital assistant may score each media item on one or
more criteria, and determine that the media item with the highest
score satisfies the user request, after which the digital assistant
obtains the song for the user. The scoring methodology is biased
toward certain results, such as results associated with media
stored on the electronic device 200, according to some embodiments.
In some embodiments, a user selects which criteria are more or less
important with regard to scoring in order to obtain the requested
media.
[0267] As illustrated in FIG. 8D, the digital assistant obtains the
requested media. The electronic device 200 presents an identifier
1012 associated with the media on the display 212, in accordance
with some embodiments, to allow the user to confirm which media is
being played back: here, the song "Danger Zone" from Kenny Loggins,
on the Top Gun Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Album. The
electronic device 200 optionally includes a media playback
interface 1004 as described above. The electronic device 200 plays
back the selected media.
[0268] The user may have had a different song in mind than the one
presented in FIG. 8D, or the user may simply change his or her mind
about which media he or she would like to play back. As illustrated
in FIG. 8E, the digital assistant receives user input 1020
requesting alternate media. In the example of FIGS. 8C-8D, the
alternate media is a different song from the same movie (i.e., the
same soundtrack album). The user input 1020 need not be phrased as
a request; as shown in FIG. 8E, the user input 1020 states "No, I
meant the other one." The digital assistant performs speech-to-text
conversion on the user input 1020, and determines from the context
of the most recent request and most recent digital assistant action
that the user wishes to receive a different media item than the one
most recently obtained. In response to receiving the second user
input 1020, the digital assistant causes a search for the requested
media based on the context, the user input, and the second user
input. For example, the digital assistant may cause another search
based on the same criteria as the first search, but where media
items that match the first result (here, the song "Danger Zone")
are discarded as potential matches. As another example, the results
of the previous search are still loaded in memory accessible to the
digital assistant, and the digital assistant selects the
next-highest match out of a list of possible matching media items.
This approach may require more storage capacity but delivers faster
results to the user. The digital assistant determines at least one
additional media item that satisfies the request. As another
example, the electronic device 200 plays streaming media, such as
streaming audio from Apple Music or iTunes Radio.TM. (services of
Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.). If the user wants to skip ahead
to the next song, the user may request "skip this song," "next
song," or the like. The digital assistant need not perform a search
based on that request for media. Instead, according to some
embodiments, the digital assistant transmits a signal to the server
from which the streaming audio is received requesting that the
stream skip ahead to the next song. In response, the digital
assistant receives another song, which is then played by the
electronic device 200.
[0269] As illustrated in FIG. 8F, the digital assistant obtains the
media that satisfies the request. The electronic device 200
presents an identifier 1022 associated with the media on the
display 212, in accordance with some embodiments, to allow the user
to confirm which media is being played back: here, the song "Take
My Breath Away (Love Theme from Top Gun)" from Berlin, on the Top
Gun Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Album. The electronic device
200 optionally includes a media playback interface 1004 as
described above. The electronic device 200 plays back the selected
media.
[0270] As illustrated in FIG. 8G, the digital assistant receives
user input 1030 requesting alternate media. In the example of FIGS.
8E-8F, the alternate media is a different version of the song. In
this example, the different version is a live version rather than a
studio version. In other examples, the different version is a
different studio version by the same artist, a different live
version by the same artist, or the same song recorded by a
different artist. The digital assistant causes a search for
alternate media and determines at least one alternate media item
that satisfies the request, in the same manner as described above
with regard to FIGS. 8E-8F.
[0271] As illustrated in FIG. 8H, the digital assistant obtains the
media that satisfies the request. The electronic device 200
presents an identifier 1032 associated with the media on the
display 212, in accordance with some embodiments, to allow the user
to confirm which media is being played back: here, the song "Take
My Breath Away Live" from Berlin, on the album entitled "Live:
Sacred and Profane." The electronic device 200 optionally includes
a media playback interface 1004 as described above. The electronic
device 200 plays back the selected media.
[0272] In accordance with some embodiments, the digital assistant
receives user input requesting media associated with a specific
date in the past. Upon receiving nonspecific natural language user
input requesting media such as "play popular music from my
birthday," the digital assistant causes a search to be performed
for user context information relating to the user's birthday.
According to some embodiments, the user's birthday is stored on the
electronic device 200, or is stored in association with a user
account that in turn is associated with the electronic device 200
and/or a service or program that transmits media to the electronic
device, such as the iTunes.RTM. application program, Apple Music or
iTunes Radio.TM. (services of Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.).
Upon determining the date of the user's birthday, the digital
assistant then causes a search to be made of one or more databases
of historical music chart information (e.g., the database of
Billboard of New York, N.Y.) based on the date of the user's
birthday. The digital assistant receives historical music chart
information from one or more databases, and in response obtains for
the user (through the use of streaming audio or by downloading) and
plays one or more of the songs identified by that historical music
chart information.
[0273] As another example, the user requests "play the top ten hits
from 1978." The digital assistant causes a search to be made of one
or more databases of historical music chart information (e.g., the
database of Billboard of New York, N.Y.) based on the specified
date of 1978. The digital assistant receives historical music chart
information from the one or more databases, and in response obtains
for the user (through the use of streaming audio or by downloading)
and plays the top ten songs of 1978, as identified by that
historical music chart information. The digital assistant causes
the songs to be played in countdown order, from the #10 hit "Three
Times a Lady" by the Commodores, to #1 hit "Shadow Dancing" by Andy
Gibb. Alternately, the digital assistant causes the songs to be
played from #1 to #10, or plays the top ten songs in random
order.
[0274] In accordance with some embodiments, the digital assistant
receives nonspecific user input requesting media associated with a
particular artist. For example, the user requests "play the latest
album from Famous Band." The digital assistant causes a search to
be made of one or more databases of music information (such as the
iTunes.RTM. music service, or Apple Music, of Apple, Inc. of
Cupertino, Calif.) based on the specified artist Famous Band. The
digital assistant receives discography information from the one or
more databases, including the name of the most recent album of
Famous Band, and in response obtains for the user (through the use
of streaming audio or by downloading) and plays the latest album
from Famous Band. According to some embodiments, when utilizing a
streaming media service such as Apple Music or iTunes Radio.TM.
(services of Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), the digital
assistant initially queries the streaming media service for the
latest album by the specified artist Famous Band, and in response
receives an audio stream of the latest album by Famous Band.
[0275] According to some embodiments, during media playback, the
digital assistant receives input from a user associated with user
satisfaction with the media. As one example, the electronic device
200 receives speech or text input corresponding to a user liking
the media (i.e., a "like"). A "like" input from the user is user
context information. Optionally, the "like" input may be utilized
as part of the social context with regard to other users. For
example, if a user "likes" a particular media item, it may be
inferred that others of similar demographic characteristics, and/or
in a similar location, will be more interested in that particular
media item. According to some embodiments, the user's "like" of a
particular media item is stored locally on the electronic device
200, is stored on the cloud in association with the user, or is
part of a streaming music service accessible to the user, such as
Apple Music or iTunes Radio.TM. (services of Apple, Inc. of
Cupertino, Calif.).
[0276] As another example, the electronic device 200 receives
speech or text input corresponding to a user disliking the media
(i.e., a "dislike"). A "dislike" input from the user is user
context information. Optionally, the "dislike" input may be
utilized as part of the social context with regard to other users.
For example, if a user "dislikes" a particular media item, it may
be inferred that others of similar demographic characteristics,
and/or in a similar location, will be less interested in that
particular media item. According to some embodiments, the user's
"dislike" of a particular media item is stored locally on the
electronic device 200, is stored on the cloud in association with
the user, or is part of a streaming music service accessible to the
user, such as Apple Music or iTunes Radio.TM. (services of Apple,
Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.). In some embodiments, upon receiving a
"dislike" input, the digital assistant Upon receiving a "dislike"
input, the digital assistant interrupts concurrent playback of
media already playing on the electronic device 200, skips ahead to
the next media in a playback queue or media stream, ceases playing
media, and/or takes other action, according to some embodiments. In
some embodiments, a user request to skip a particular media item
counts as a partial or complete "dislike" of that media item. In
other embodiments, a user request to skip a media item is not
counted as a "dislike" of that media item.
[0277] In accordance with some embodiments, the digital assistant
receives user input requesting new music. For example, the user
requests "play new music." The digital assistant identifies at
least one context of the user input, as described above. According
to some embodiments, the context is at least one of device context,
user context and social context. In response, according to some
embodiments, the digital assistant transmits a request for new
music to a streaming music service accessible to the user, such as
Apple Music or iTunes Radio.TM. (services of Apple, Inc. of
Cupertino, Calif.). In response, the digital assistant receives an
audio stream from the streaming music service, including one or
more new songs (e.g., songs released in the past 14 days).
According to some embodiments, selection of the one or more new
songs in the audio is based at least in part on previous "like" and
"dislike" inputs received from the user relative to other media,
and/or other user context, device context, and/or social
context.
[0278] As another example, the user requests "play new country
songs." In response, according to some embodiments, the digital
assistant transmits a request for new music in the genre of country
to a streaming music service accessible to the user, such as Apple
Music or iTunes Radio.TM. (services of Apple, Inc. of Cupertino,
Calif.). In response, the digital assistant receives an audio
stream from the streaming music service, including one or more new
country songs. According to some embodiments, selection of the one
or more new country songs in the audio is based at least in part on
previous "like" and "dislike" inputs received from the user
relative to other media, and/or other user context, device context,
and/or social context.
[0279] In accordance with some embodiments, the digital assistant
receives a user request to play additional similar media. For
example, the user requests "play more like this." The digital
assistant identifies at least one context of the user input, as
described above. According to some embodiments, the context is at
least one of device context, user context and social context. In
response to the user request, the digital assistant determines
which song is playing, such as by inspecting metadata associated
with the currently-playing audio, by generating an acoustic
fingerprint from the streaming audio and comparing that acoustic
fingerprint to a database (as described above), by querying a
server from which streaming audio is received, and/or any other
suitable action or actions. The digital assistant causes a search
for the media, based on the context and on the user input. For
example, the digital assistant may search the electronic device 200
and/or media associated with the user for similar media, such as
based on genre, artist, and user context of media that the user has
previously "liked" or "disliked." The digital assistant then
obtains (from the electronic device 200, from a streaming music
service, or other source) media for the user. As another example,
the digital assistant may search a music service for similar music.
The digital assistant causes a search to be made of one or more
databases of music information (such as the iTunes.RTM. music
service, or Apple Music, of Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.) based
on user context of media that the user has previously "liked" or
"disliked," the social context of media that other similar users
have "liked" or "disliked," and/or other context. The digital
assistant receives information associated with songs from the one
or more databases and in response obtains for the user (through the
use of streaming audio or by downloading) and plays similar music.
According to some embodiments, when utilizing a streaming media
service such as Apple Music or iTunes Radio.TM. (services of Apple,
Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), the digital assistant initially queries
the streaming media service for similar media, and in response
receives an audio stream of similar media responsive to the user
request.
[0280] When the digital assistant obtains media, the digital
assistant interrupts concurrent playback of media already playing
on the electronic device 200, places the media in an ordered queue
for later playback, adds the media to a media library, and/or takes
other action, according to some embodiments. Referring back to
FIGS. 8E-8F, the digital assistant determines based on the user
input 1020 that the returned media item did not satisfy the user
request, in accordance with some embodiments. As a result, when the
alternate media 1022 is obtained, it interrupts the concurrent
playback of the song "Danger Zone," terminating the playback of
"Danger Zone" and replacing it with the playback of alternate media
1022, in accordance with some embodiments. In general, according to
some embodiments, when the digital assistant determines that the
user input is consistent with input requesting an interruption of
concurrently-played media, the digital assistant causes the
electronic device 200 to cease playing that media and replace it
with the playback of the most-recently requested media. The media
may be different types of media. For example, while watching a
movie on the electronic device 200, a user may request playback of
a song; the digital assistant will cause the electronic device 200
to cease playing the movie and replace it with the playback of the
most-recently requested media--in this example, the song.
[0281] In accordance with some embodiments, when the digital
assistant obtains media, the digital assistant places the media in
an ordered queue for later playback. As illustrated in FIG. 8J, the
digital assistant receives user input 1040 requesting to "play more
from this band." The digital assistant determines based on the user
input 1040 that the user is satisfied with the media item
previously obtained, because the user wishes to obtain more media
from the same artist. Other criteria may be used to determine
whether user input 1040 is consistent with user satisfaction with
the media being played concurrently with the user input 1040. Based
on that user input 1040, the digital assistant causes a search to
be made based on the user input and the context of the user input,
determines one or more additional media items satisfying the user
request, and obtains those one or more media items. As illustrated
in FIG. 8K, the media playing concurrent with the user input 1040
continues to play. The digital assistant causes the one or more
additional media items to be placed in an ordered queue for
playback. When the media playing concurrent with the user input
1040 has completed playback, the first item in the ordered queue is
then played. According to some embodiments, the items in the queue
may be from the local library on the electronic device 200, may be
located external to the electronic device in the cloud, or may be
part of a streaming music service accessible to the user, such as
Apple Music or iTunes Radio.TM. (services of Apple, Inc. of
Cupertino, Calif.). In general, according to some embodiments, when
the digital assistant determines that the user input is consistent
with input reflecting user satisfaction with concurrently-playing
media, the digital assistant causes the electronic device 200 to
continue playing that media and place one or more additional media
items in an ordered queue for playback. The media may be different
types of media, as set forth above with regard to another
embodiment.
[0282] In accordance with some embodiments, when the digital
assistant obtains media, the digital assistant adds the media to a
media library associated with the user. In some examples, the media
library is locally stored on the electronic device 200, is stored
on the cloud in association with the user, or is part of a
streaming music service accessible to the user, such as Apple Music
or iTunes Radio.TM. (services of Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.).
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8L, the digital assistant
receives user input 1050 requesting "what is that song from
Frozen?" The digital assistant causes a search for the media based
on the user input and at least one context of the user input,
determines at least one media item that satisfies the request, and
obtains the at least one media item. In some embodiments, the
digital assistant automatically adds the obtained at least one
media item to a media library associated with the user. In other
embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 8M, upon obtaining the at least
one media item, but before adding the at least one media item to a
library associated with the user, the digital assistant presents
the user with an option to add the at least one media item to a
library associated with the user. According to some embodiments,
the user is presented with an identifier 1052 of the at least one
media item obtained, along with a request 1054 on the display 212,
such as "Add to library?" The electronic device displays a first
affordance 1056 associated with adding the at least one media item
to a library associated with the user, and a second affordance 1058
associated with not adding the at least one media item to a library
associated with the user, in accordance with some embodiments. In
response to user selection of the first affordance 1056, the
digital assistant adds the at least one media item to a library
associated with the user.
[0283] In accordance with some embodiments, as illustrated in FIGS.
8N-8P, the digital assistant may receive user input that annotates
a media item. Referring to FIG. 8N, the electronic device 200 is
playing back media item 1060, which in this example is track 14 of
the album "1970s Greatest Hits." The audio interface 1004 may be
displayed on the display 212 concurrently with playback of media
item 1060. The user may wish to annotate the media item 1060. In
some embodiments, the digital assistant receives user input 1062 of
unstructured natural language speech including one or more words,
such as "I like these lyrics" or "What does this mean?". The user
input 1062 is associated with the timecode within the media item
1060 at which time the user input 1062 was received, according to
some embodiments. The user input 1062 is converted from speech to
text, stored as voice data, or handled in any other suitable
manner. The user input 1062, in some embodiments, is a note from
the user to himself or herself, or is other information upon which
the digital assistant does not act.
[0284] In accordance with some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG.
8Q, the digital assistant causes a search to be performed based on
the user input 1062 based on the context of the user input 1062,
according to some embodiments. In other embodiments, the digital
assistant does not cause a search to be performed until receiving
an express request from the user. In response to the search, the
digital assistant provides the search result 1064 to the user on
the display 212. In this example, the user input 1062 related to
the meaning of the lyrics of the media item 1060 at a particular
timecode, and the digital assistant determined the meaning of the
lyrics such as by reference to a lyrics database.
[0285] FIGS. 9A-9C illustrate a process 900 for operating a digital
assistant according to various examples. More specifically, process
900 can be implemented to perform media discovery based on
nonspecific natural language user input using a digital assistant.
The process 900 can be performed using one or more electronic
devices implementing a digital assistant. In some examples, the
process 900 can be performed using a client-server system (e.g.,
system 100) implementing a digital assistant. The individual blocks
of the process 900 may be distributed in any appropriate manner
among one or more computers, systems, or electronic devices. For
instances, in some examples, process 900 can be performed entirely
on an electronic device (e.g., devices 104, 200, 400, or 600).
References in this document to any one particular electronic device
(104, 200, 400, or 600) shall be understood to encompass all of the
electronic devices (104, 200, 400, or 600) unless one or more of
those electronic devices (104, 200, 400 or 600) is excluded by the
plain meaning of the text. For example, the electronic device (104,
200, 400 or 600) utilized in several examples is a smartphone.
However, the process 900 is not limited to use with a smartphone;
the process 900 may be implemented on any other suitable electronic
device, such as a tablet, a desktop computer, a laptop, or a smart
watch. Electronic devices with greater computing power and greater
battery life may perform more of the blocks of the process 900. The
distribution of blocks of the process 900 need not be fixed, and
may vary depending upon network connection bandwidth, network
connection quality, server load, availability of computer power and
battery power at the electronic device (e.g., 104, 200, 400, 600),
and/or other factors. Further, while the following discussion
describes process 900 as being performed by a digital assistant
system (e.g., system 100 and/or digital assistant system 700), it
should be recognized that the process or any particular part of the
process is not limited to performance by any particular device,
combination of devices, or implementation. The description of the
process is further illustrated and exemplified by FIGS. 8A-8Q, and
the description above related to those figures.
[0286] FIGS. 9A-9C are a flow diagram 900 illustrating a method for
discovering media based on a nonspecific, unstructured natural
language request using a digital assistant and an electronic device
(104, 200, 400, or 600) in accordance with some embodiments. Some
operations in process 900 may be combined, the order of some
operations may be changed, and some operations may be omitted. In
particular, optional operations indicated with dashed-line shapes
in FIGS. 9A-9C may be performed in any suitable order, if at all,
and need not be performed in the order set forth in FIGS.
9A-9C.
[0287] As described below, method 900 provides an intuitive way for
discovering media based on a nonspecific, unstructured natural
language request using a digital assistant. The method reduces the
cognitive burden on a user for discovering media based on a
nonspecific, unstructured natural language request using a digital
assistant, thereby creating a more efficient human-machine
interface. For battery-operated computing devices, enabling a user
to discovering media based on a nonspecific, unstructured natural
language request using a digital assistant more accurately and more
efficiently conserves power and increases the time between battery
charges.
[0288] At the beginning of process 900, the digital assistant
receives (902) user input associated with a request for media,
where the user input includes unstructured natural language speech
including one or more words. Where the electronic device (e.g.,
104, 200, 400, 600) includes or is associated with a microphone
213, that user input may be received through the microphone 213.
The user input may also be referred to as an audio input or audio
stream. In some embodiments, the stream of audio can be received as
raw sound waves, as an audio file, or in the form of a
representative audio signal (analog or digital). In other
embodiments, the audio stream can be received at a remote system,
such as a server component of a digital assistant. The audio stream
can include user speech, such as a spoken user request. The user
input may include a spoken user request by an authorized user. In
one example, the user input may be received from a user who is
closely associated with the electronic device (104, 200, 400, 600)
(e.g., the owner or predominant user of the user device). In an
alternate embodiment, the user input is received in textual form
instead of as speech. In some embodiments, the audio stream is
converted from speech to text by ASR processing prior to, or
during, analysis by the digital assistant. Such conversion may be
performed as described above, such as in paragraphs [0175] et seq.
of this document.
[0289] The digital assistant identifies (904) at least one context
associated with the user input. As set forth above with regard to
FIGS. 8A-8Q, in accordance with some embodiments the context
includes one or more of device context, user context, and social
context. Examples of each context and its use in media discovery
are also set forth above.
[0290] After identifying at least one context associated with the
user input, the digital assistant causes (906) a search for the
requested media based on the at least one context and the user
input. In some embodiments, the search is performed by the digital
assistant itself. In other embodiments, the search is requested by
the digital assistant from a separate entity that performs the
search and returns the results to the digital assistant. In some
embodiments, the search is both performed by the digital assistant
itself and requested by the digital assistant from a separate
entity. By performing both searches in parallel, response time to
the user request of (902) is reduced.
[0291] The search of block 906 may be performed locally, on the
electronic device (e.g., 104, 200, 400, 600), in accordance with
some embodiments. In accordance with other embodiments, the search
of block 906 may be performed remotely to the electronic device
(e.g., 104, 200, 400, 600). A search performed remotely to the
electronic device (e.g., 104, 200, 400, 600) may be performed at a
server that includes or possesses access to information relative to
the search, such as a server of Shazam Entertainment Limited of
London, United Kingdom for audio fingerprint information, a server
of Billboard Magazine of New York, N.Y. for historical music
information, and/or a server of the iTunes.RTM. music service of
Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. In some embodiments, the search is
both performed locally and remotely to the electronic device (e.g.,
104, 200, 400, 600). By performing multiple searches in parallel,
response time to the user request of (902) is reduced.
[0292] The digital assistant determines (908), based on the at
least one context and the user input, at least one media item that
satisfies the request. The digital assistant makes this
determination in any suitable manner. According to some
embodiments, the digital assistant selects the first match that
exceeds a predetermined threshold. The digital assistant determines
(910) a probability, based on the at least one context and the user
input, that at least one media item satisfies the request. Next,
the digital assistant determines (912) whether the probability
exceeds a threshold. In some embodiments, the threshold may be
predetermined. In other embodiments, the threshold may be
user-adjustable. In other embodiments, the threshold may be
dynamically variable. If the media items exceed the threshold, the
process 900 proceeds to the next block 918. According to some
embodiments, the digital assistant selects the best match of
several candidate matches. The digital assistant determines (914) a
probability, based on the at least one context and the user input,
that at least one media item satisfies the request. Next, the
digital assistant selects the media item having the highest
probability, and proceeds to the next block 918. Examples of the
determination 908, based on the at least one context and the user
input, of at least one media item that satisfies the request of
block 902, are also provided above relative to FIGS. 8A-8Q.
[0293] In accordance with a determination that the at least one
media item satisfies the request, the digital assistant obtains
(918) the at least one media item. In accordance with some
embodiments, the digital assistant can obtain the at least one
media item in several ways. As one example, the digital assistant
automatically adds (920) the obtained at least one media item to a
media library associated with the user, as described above with
regard to FIGS. 8A-8Q. As another example, the digital assistant
presents (922) the user with an option to add the obtained media to
a media library associated with the user, and in response to user
selection of the option to add the obtained media to a media
library associated with the user, adds (924) the obtained media to
a media library associated with the user. This process is described
above, with particular reference to FIGS. 8L-8M and the
accompanying text in the specification. As another example, the
digital assistant places (926) the obtained media in an ordered
queue, and then plays (928) the media according to the queue. This
process is described above, with particular reference to FIGS.
8J-8K and the accompanying text in the specification. In accordance
with some embodiments, in the obtaining block 918, the digital
assistant may determine (930) whether a local library includes the
at least one media item. The local library is located on the
electronic device (e.g., 104, 200, 400, 600). By searching the
local library first, or in parallel with causing an external
search, the amount of time required to satisfy the user request is
reduced when the requested item is located on the electronic device
(e.g., 104, 200, 400, 600). If the digital assistant determines
that the local library includes the at least one media item, the
digital assistant presents (932) the at least one media item to the
user. If the digital assistant determines that the local library
does not include the at least one media item, the digital assistant
obtains (934) the at least one media item from an external data
source.
[0294] In conjunction with obtaining (918) the at least one media
item, or after obtaining (918) the media item, in some embodiments
the digital assistant plays (936) the media item. In some
circumstances, where the digital assistant determines that the user
wishes to interrupt the concurrent playback of other media, the
digital assistant terminates (938) the concurrent playback of other
media, as described above with regard to FIGS. 8A-8Q.
[0295] In accordance with some embodiments, after obtaining the
media item, the digital assistant receives (940) a second user
input including unstructured natural language speech including one
or more words. The digital assistant annotates (942) the media item
with the one or more words. In some embodiments, the process stops
here, if the user desires simply to make and retain a note in
association with the media item. In other embodiments, the process
continues, and the digital assistant causes (944) a search to be
performed based on the annotation. Upon receipt of search results,
the digital assistant presents (946) the search result to the user.
This process is described above, with particular reference to FIGS.
8N-8Q and the accompanying text in the specification.
[0296] In accordance with some embodiments, the digital assistant
receives (948) a second user input requesting user material. As one
example, this may occur when the digital assistant originally
obtained a media item that did not match the user's request. This
situation is described above, with particular reference to FIGS.
8E-8F and the accompanying text in the specification. As another
example, this may occur when the digital assistant originally
obtained a media item that matched a user's request, but user
wishes to hear different media. This situation is described above,
with particular reference to FIGS. 8G-8H and the accompanying text
in the specification. In response to receiving the second user
input, the digital assistant causes (950) a search for the media
based on the at least one context, the user input, and the second
user input. As one example, the combination of the user input and
the second user input provides additional search criteria that are
useful in determining the media item. As another example, the
combination of the user input and the second user input allows the
digital assistant to exclude the original result when evaluating
search results. The digital assistant determines (952), based on
the at least one context, the user input and the second user input,
at least one additional media item that satisfies the request. In
accordance with a determination that the at least one additional
media item satisfies the request, the digital assistant obtains
(954) the at least one additional media item. Further, in
accordance with some embodiments, the probability that a media item
satisfies the request for media can be updated over time, based on,
for example, the at least one context, the user input, and the
second user input requesting user material.
[0297] In accordance with some embodiments, FIG. 10 shows an
exemplary functional block diagram of an electronic device 1000
configured in accordance with the principles of the various
described embodiments. In accordance with some embodiments, the
functional blocks of electronic device 1000 are configured to
perform the techniques described above. The functional blocks of
the device 1000 are, optionally, implemented by hardware, software,
or a combination of hardware and software to carry out the
principles of the various described examples. It is understood by
persons of skill in the art that the functional blocks described in
FIG. 10 are, optionally, combined or separated into sub-blocks to
implement the principles of the various described examples.
Therefore, the description herein optionally supports any possible
combination or separation or further definition of the functional
blocks described herein.
[0298] As shown in FIG. 10, an electronic device 1000 includes a
display unit 1002 configured to display a graphic user interface,
optionally, a touch-sensitive surface unit 1004 configured to
receive contacts, a microphone unit 1006 configured to receive
audio signals, and a processing unit 1008 coupled to the display
unit 1002 and, optionally, the touch-sensitive surface unit 1004
and microphone unit 1006. In some embodiments, the processing unit
1008 includes a receiving unit 1010, an identifying unit 1012, a
causing unit 1014, a determining unit 1016, an obtaining unit 1018,
and a playing unit 1020.
[0299] The processing unit is configured to receive (e.g., with
receiving unit 1010) user input associated with a request for
media, the user input comprising unstructured natural language
speech including one or more words; identify (e.g., with
identifying unit 1012) at least one context associated with the
user input; cause (e.g., with causing unit 1014) a search for the
media based on the at least one context and the user input;
determine (e.g., with determining unit 1016) based on the at least
one context and the user input, at least one media item that
satisfies the request; and in accordance with a determination that
the at least one media item satisfies the request, obtain (e.g.,
with obtaining unit 1018) the at least one media item.
[0300] In some embodiments, the causing unit is further configured
to cause (e.g., with causing unit 1014) searching to be performed
locally on the device.
[0301] In some embodiments, the causing unit is further configured
to cause (e.g., with causing unit 1014) searching to be performed
remotely to the device.
[0302] In some embodiments, the processing unit is further
configured to determine (e.g., with determining unit 1016) whether
a local library includes the media item; and in accordance with a
determination that the local library includes the media item,
present (e.g., with playing unit 1020) the media item to the user;
in accordance with a determination that the local library does not
include the media item, obtain (e.g., with obtaining unit 1018) the
media item from an external data source.
[0303] In some embodiments, the processing unit is further
configured to receive (e.g., with receiving unit 1010) second user
input requesting alternate media; in response to receiving the
second user input, cause (e.g., with causing unit 1014) a search
for the media based on the at least one context, the user input and
the second user input; determine (e.g., with determining unit 1016)
based on the at least one context, the user input and the second
user input, at least one additional media item that satisfies the
request; and in accordance with a determination that the at least
one additional media item satisfies the request, obtain (e.g., with
obtaining unit 1018) the at least one additional media item.
[0304] In some embodiments, the at least one context associated
with the user input includes a device context.
[0305] In some embodiments, the device context includes the
location of the device.
[0306] In some embodiments, the device context includes the
proximity of the device to a wireless location transmitter.
[0307] In some embodiments, the device context includes the content
of media concurrently played by the device.
[0308] In some embodiments, the device context includes a timecode
associated with media concurrently played by the device.
[0309] In some embodiments, the device context includes audio input
from the microphone other than user speech.
[0310] In some embodiments, the device context includes data
associated with media stored on the device.
[0311] In some embodiments, the device context includes application
context.
[0312] In some embodiments, the at least one context associated
with the user input includes a user context.
[0313] In some embodiments, the user context includes the content
of the user input.
[0314] In some embodiments, the user context includes media
associated with the user.
[0315] In some embodiments, the user context includes demographic
information about the user.
[0316] In some embodiments, the user context includes information
relating to the musical preferences of the user.
[0317] In some embodiments, the user context includes data
associated with user content accessible by the device.
[0318] In some embodiments, the at least one context associated
with the user input includes a social context.
[0319] In some embodiments, the social context includes the access
frequency of a particular media item across a plurality of
users.
[0320] In some embodiments, the social context includes the number
of references to a media item in a social media database.
[0321] In some embodiments, the media item is a song.
[0322] In some embodiments, the processing unit is further
configured to, in response to obtaining the at least one media
item, play (e.g., with playing unit 1020) at least one media item,
and terminate (e.g., with playing unit 1020) concurrent playback of
other media.
[0323] In some embodiments, the processing unit is further
configured to, in response to obtaining the media item, place
(e.g., with playing unit 1020) the at least one obtained media item
in an ordered queue; and play (e.g., with playing unit 1020) the at
least one media item according to the queue.
[0324] In some embodiments, the obtaining unit is further
configured to add the at least one media item to a media library
associated with the user.
[0325] In some embodiments, the processing unit is further
configured to present (e.g., with the display unit 1002) the user
with an option to add the at least one media item to a media
library associated with the user; and in response to user selection
of the option to add the at least one media item to a media library
associated with the user, add (e.g., with the obtaining unit 1018)
the at least one media item to a media library associated with the
user.
[0326] In some embodiments, the processing unit is further
configured to, after obtaining the media item, receive (e.g., with
the receiving unit 1010) second user input comprising unstructured
natural language speech including one or more words; and annotate
(e.g. with the processing unit 1008) the media item with the one or
more words.
[0327] In some embodiments, the processing unit is further
configured to cause (e.g., with the causing unit 1014) a search to
be performed based on the annotation; and present (e.g., with the
display unit 1002) the search result to the user.
[0328] In some embodiments, the determining unit is further
configured to determine (e.g., with the determining unit 1016) a
probability, based on the at least one context and the user input,
that at least one media item satisfies the request; and determine
(e.g., with the determining unit 1016) whether the probability
exceeds a threshold.
[0329] In some embodiments, the determining unit is further
configured to determine (e.g., with the determining unit 1016) a
probability, based on the at least one context and the user input,
that at least one media item satisfies the request; and selecting
(e.g., with the determining unit 1016) the media item having the
highest probability.
[0330] In some embodiments, the receiving unit is further
configured to receive streaming audio containing the at least one
media item.
[0331] The operations described above with reference to FIGS. 9A-9C
are, optionally, implemented by components depicted in FIGS. 1A-7C
or FIG. 10. It would be clear to a person having ordinary skill in
the art how processes can be implemented based on the components
depicted in FIGS. 1A-7C or FIG. 10.
[0332] The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has
been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the
illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or
to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many
modifications and variations are possible in view of the above
teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to
best explain the principles of the techniques and their practical
applications. Others skilled in the art are thereby enabled to best
utilize the techniques and various embodiments with various
modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
[0333] Although the disclosure and examples have been fully
described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be
noted that various changes and modifications will become apparent
to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to
be understood as being included within the scope of the disclosure
and examples as defined by the claims.
[0334] As described above, one aspect of the present technology is
the gathering and use of data available from various sources to
improve the delivery to users of content that may be of interest to
them. The present disclosure contemplates that in some instances,
this gathered data may include personal information data that
uniquely identifies or can be used to contact or locate a specific
person. Such personal information data can include demographic
data, location-based data, telephone numbers, email addresses, home
addresses, or any other identifying information.
[0335] The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such
personal information data, in the present technology, can be used
to the benefit of users. For example, the personal information data
can be used to deliver targeted content that is of greater interest
to the user. Accordingly, use of such personal information data
enables calculated control of the delivered content. Further, other
uses for personal information data that benefit the user are also
contemplated by the present disclosure.
[0336] The present disclosure further contemplates that the
entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure,
transfer, storage, or other use of such personal information data
will comply with well-established privacy policies and/or privacy
practices. In particular, such entities should implement and
consistently use privacy policies and practices that are generally
recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental
requirements for maintaining personal information data private and
secure. For example, personal information from users should be
collected for legitimate and reasonable uses of the entity and not
shared or sold outside of those legitimate uses. Further, such
collection should occur only after receiving the informed consent
of the users. Additionally, such entities would take any needed
steps for safeguarding and securing access to such personal
information data and ensuring that others with access to the
personal information data adhere to their privacy policies and
procedures. Further, such entities can subject themselves to
evaluation by third parties to certify their adherence to widely
accepted privacy policies and practices.
[0337] Despite the foregoing, the present disclosure also
contemplates embodiments in which users selectively block the use
of, or access to, personal information data. That is, the present
disclosure contemplates that hardware and/or software elements can
be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information
data. For example, in the case of advertisement delivery services,
the present technology can be configured to allow users to select
to "opt in" or "opt out" of participation in the collection of
personal information data during registration for services. In
another example, users can select not to provide location
information for targeted content delivery services. In yet another
example, users can select to not provide precise location
information, but permit the transfer of location zone
information.
[0338] Therefore, although the present disclosure broadly covers
use of personal information data to implement one or more various
disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates
that the various embodiments can also be implemented without the
need for accessing such personal information data. That is, the
various embodiments of the present technology are not rendered
inoperable due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal
information data. For example, content can be selected and
delivered to users by inferring preferences based on non-personal
information data or a bare minimum amount of personal information,
such as the content being requested by the device associated with a
user, other non-personal information available to the content
delivery services, or publically available information.
* * * * *