US 11,641,535 B2Granted

Cross-device handoffs

AssigneeGoogle Inc.

InventorsAndrea Terwisscha van Scheltinga, Zaheed Sabur, Michael Reutov, Pratik Gilda

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A first computing device may receive an indication of user input that is at least a part of a conversation between a user and a first assistant executing at the first computing device. The first assistant and/or an assistant executing at a digital assistant system may determine whether to handoff the conversation from the first assistant executing at the first computing device to a second assistant executing at a second computing device. In response to determining to handoff the conversation to the second assistant executing at the second computing device, the first assistant and/or the assistant executing at the digital assistant system may send to the second computing device a request to handoff the conversation which includes at least an indication of the conversation.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method implemented using one or more processors of a first computing device, the method comprising:

receiving audio data that captures spoken user input of a user of the first computing device, the audio data being generated via one or more microphones of the first computing device, the spoken user input being directed to an assistant executing at least in part at the first computing device;
determining, based on processing the spoken user input locally at the first computing device, to provide audible output at an additional computing device that is in communication with the first computing device;
in response to determining to provide the audible output at the additional computing device that is in communication with the first computing device:
transmitting ultrasonic communications to at least a second computing device and a third computing device, the second computing device and the third computing device being in communication with the first computing device;
and
based on the ultrasonic communications transmitted to at least the second computing device and the third computing device, determining at least:
a second physical proximity of the second computing device to the first computing device;
and
a third physical proximity of the third computing device to the first computing device;
selecting, based on at least the second physical proximity and the third physical proximity, and from among at least the second computing device and the third computing device, the additional computing device;
and
causing the selected additional computing device to provide the audible output in response to receiving the spoken user input.

9 more elements

A first computing device, the first computing device comprising:

one or more first computing device microphones;
at least one first computing device processor;
and
first computing device memory storing first computing device instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one first computing device processor to:
receive audio data that captures spoken user input of a user of the first computing device, the audio data being generated via one or more of the microphones of the first computing device, the spoken user input being directed to an assistant executing at least in part at the first computing device;
determine, based on processing the spoken user input locally at the first computing device, to provide audible output at an additional computing device that is in communication with the first computing device;
in response to determining to provide the audible output at the additional computing device that is in communication with the first computing device:
transmit ultrasonic communications to at least a second computing device and a third computing device;
and
based on the ultrasonic communications transmitted to at least the second computing device and the third computing device, determine at least:
a second physical proximity of the second computing device to the first computing device;
and
a third physical proximity of the third computing device to the first computing device;
select, based on at least the second physical proximity and the third physical proximity, and from among at least the second computing device and the third computing device, the additional computing device;
and
cause the selected additional computing device to provide the audible output in response to receiving the spoken user input.

13 more elements

A system of computing devices, the system of computing devices comprising:

at least a first computing device, a second computing device, and a third computing device;
and
the first computing device comprising:
at least one first computing device processor;
and
first computing device memory storing first computing device instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one first computing device processor to:
receive audio data that captures spoken user input of a user of the first computing device, the audio data being generated via one or more of the microphones of the first computing device, the spoken user input being directed to an assistant executing at least in part at the first computing device;
determine, based on processing the spoken user input locally at the first computing device, to provide audible output at an additional computing device that is in communication with the first computing device;
in response to determining to provide the audible output at the additional computing device that is in communication with the first computing device:
transmit ultrasonic communications to at least a second computing device and a third computing device;
and
based on the ultrasonic communications transmitted to at least the second computing device and the third computing device,
determine at least:
a second physical proximity of the second computing device to the first computing device;
and
a third physical proximity of the third computing device to the first computing device;
select, based on at least the second physical proximity and the third physical proximity, and from among at least the second computing device and the third computing device, the additional computing device;
and
cause the selected additional computing device to provide the audible output in response to receiving the spoken user input.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/515,837Filed 1 Nov 2021 · continuation
Priority: 16 May 2017
Published: US 2022/0060804 A124 Feb 2022
Granted: 2 May 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

H04Q 3/0033
Provisions for intelligent networking: customer-controlled
G06F 3/167
Sound input; Sound output: audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
G10L 15/22
Speech recognition: procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
H04W 8/205
Transfer of user or subscriber data: transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier

Family

Application62/507,170Us provisional application · filed 16 May 2017
Application62/567,600Us provisional application · filed 3 Oct 2017
Application15/802,568Parent of this continuation · filed 3 Nov 2017
Application16/017,718Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Jun 2018
US 10,009,666 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 26 Jun 2018
Application16/712,021Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Dec 2019
US 10,560,761 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Feb 2020
US 2022/0060804 A1Pre-grant publication · published 24 Feb 2022
US 11,166,087 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2018/0338191 A1Published application
US 2020/0120401 A1Published application
US 11,641,535 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.