Systems and methods for simultaneously receiving voice instructions on onboard and offboard devices

A portable device comprising:

• a communication interface to communicate with a computing device embedded within a vehicle via a short-range communication link;
• one or more processors coupled to the communication interface;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the portable device to:
• receive audio input while the embedded computing device receives the same audio input in response to receiving a request to activate voice recognition from the embedded computing device, before determining whether the portable device or the embedded computing device will carry out a requested action based on the received audio input,
• activate voice recognition on the portable device,
• perform the voice recognition on the received audio input to determine the requested action based on the received audio input,
• determine a first likelihood that the portable device can carry out the requested action,
• receive, from the embedded computing device, a second likelihood that the embedded computing device can carry out the requested action,
• determine, based on the first likelihood and the second likelihood, whether the embedded computing device or the portable device should carry out the requested action, and
• cause one of the embedded computing device or the portable device to carry out the requested action in accordance with the determination based on the first likelihood and the second likelihood.

A method for determining a device for responding to a voice instruction, the method comprising:

• receiving, at one or more processors in a portable device, audio input, while a computing device embedded within a vehicle receives the same audio input and in response to receiving a request to activate voice recognition from the embedded computing device, before determining whether the portable device or the embedded computing device will carry out a requested action based on the received audio input;
• activating, by the one or more processors, voice recognition on the portable device,
• performing, by the one or more processors, the voice recognition on the received audio input to determine the requested action based on the received audio input;
• determining, by the one or more processors, a first likelihood that the portable device can carry out the requested action;
• receiving, at the one or more processors and from the embedded computing device, a second likelihood that the embedded computing device can carry out the requested action,
• determining, by the one or more processors and based on the first likelihood and the second likelihood, whether the embedded computing device or the portable device should carry out the requested action;
• and
• causing, by the one or more processors, one of the embedded computing device or the portable device to carry out the requested action in accordance with the determination based on the first likelihood and the second likelihood.