# US 12,009,007 B2 · Voice trigger for a digital assistant > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,007 B2 - Document ID: US12009007B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/135,649 - Filed: 2023-04-17 - Published: 2023-08-10 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2013-02-07 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Justin Binder; Samuel D. Post; Onur Tackin; Thomas R. Gruber - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009007B2 ## CPC - G10L 21/16: Transforming into a non-visible representation (devices or methods enabling ear patients to replace direct auditory perception by another kind of perception A61F11/04) - G06F 1/1694: {the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer} - G06F 1/3215: Monitoring of peripheral devices - G06F 1/3231: Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users - G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback} - G10L 15/22: Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue - G10L 15/26: Speech to text systems (G10L15/08 takes precedence) - G10L 17/24: the user being prompted to utter a password or a predefined phrase - G06F 1/3293: by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU - G10L 15/02: Feature extraction for speech recognition; Selection of recognition unit - G10L 15/30: Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications - G10L 25/51: for comparison or discrimination - G10L 25/78: Detection of presence or absence of voice signals (switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10) - G10L 25/84: for discriminating voice from noise - G10L 2015/088: {Word spotting} - G10L 2015/223: {Execution procedure of a spoken command} - G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A method for operating a voice trigger is provided. In some implementations, the method is performed at an electronic device including one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors. The method includes receiving a sound input. The sound input may correspond to a spoken word or phrase, or a portion thereof. The method includes determining whether at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to a predetermined type of sound, such as a human voice. The method includes, upon a determination that at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to the predetermined type, determining whether the sound input includes predetermined content, such as a predetermined trigger word or phrase. The method also includes, upon a determination that the sound input includes the predetermined content, initiating a speech-based service, such as a voice-based digital assistant. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for operating a voice trigger, the method performed at an electronic device including a first microphone, one or more processors, and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the method comprising: while the electronic device is coupled to an external electronic device with a second microphone: in accordance with a determination that a predetermined condition is satisfied: causing the second microphone to monitor audio input to determine whether the audio input includes predetermined content corresponding to a voice trigger operating on the electronic device; and forgoing monitoring for the audio input using the first microphone; and in accordance with a determination that the predetermined condition is not satisfied: monitoring for the audio input using the first microphone; and determining whether the audio input includes the predetermined content. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied when the external electronic device is being worn by a user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the external electronic device incudes a wearable device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied based on a determination of a difference between motion of the electronic device and motion of the external electronic device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: while the electronic device is coupled to the external electronic device: in accordance with a determination that the predetermined condition is satisfied and after a determination that the audio input includes the predetermined content: receiving, from the external electronic device, a voice input that includes a command directed to a digital assistant operating on the electronic device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: in accordance with a determination that the audio input includes the predetermined content: initiating a speech-based service operating on the electronic device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the speech-based service includes a digital assistant operating on the electronic device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: in accordance with a determination that the audio input includes the predetermined content and in accordance with a determination that the audio input corresponds to a predetermined type of sound: initiating a speech-based service operating on the electronic device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined type of sound includes a human voice. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined content includes one or more words. ### Claim 11 An electronic device, comprising: one or more processors; memory; a first microphone; and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for: while the electronic device is coupled to an external electronic device with a second microphone: in accordance with a determination that a predetermined condition is satisfied: causing the second microphone to monitor audio input to determine whether the audio input includes predetermined content corresponding a voice trigger operating on the electronic device; and forgoing monitoring for the audio input using the first microphone; and in accordance with a determination that the predetermined condition is not satisfied: monitoring for the audio input using the first microphone; and determining whether the audio input includes the predetermined content. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied when the external electronic device is being worn by a user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the external electronic device incudes a wearable device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied based on a determination of a difference between motion of the electronic device and motion of the external electronic device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: while the electronic device is coupled to the external electronic device: in accordance with a determination that the predetermined condition is satisfied and after a determination that the audio input includes the predetermined content: receiving, from the external electronic device, a voice input that includes a command directed to a digital assistant operating on the electronic device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: in accordance with a determination that the audio input includes the predetermined content: initiating a speech-based service operating on the electronic device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the speech-based service includes a digital assistant operating on the electronic device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: in accordance with a determination that the audio input includes the predetermined content and in accordance with a determination that the audio input corresponds to a predetermined type of sound: initiating a speech-based service operating on the electronic device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the predetermined type of sound includes a human voice. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the predetermined content includes one or more words. ### Claim 21 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of an electronic device with a first microphone, the one or more programs including instructions for: while the electronic device is coupled to an external electronic device with a second microphone: in accordance with a determination that a predetermined condition is satisfied: causing the second microphone to monitor audio input to determine whether the audio input includes predetermined content corresponding to a voice trigger operating on the electronic device; and forgoing monitoring for the audio input using the first microphone; and in accordance with a determination that the predetermined condition is not satisfied: monitoring for the audio input using the first microphone; and determining whether the audio input includes the predetermined content. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied when the external electronic device is being worn by a user. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the external electronic device incudes a wearable device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied based on a determination of a difference between motion of the electronic device and motion of the external electronic device. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: while the electronic device is coupled to the external electronic device: in accordance with a determination that the predetermined condition is satisfied and after a determination that the audio input includes the predetermined content: receiving, from the external electronic device, a voice input that includes a command directed to a digital assistant operating on the electronic device. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: in accordance with a determination that the audio input includes the predetermined content: initiating a speech-based service operating on the electronic device. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the speech-based service includes a digital assistant operating on the electronic device. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: in accordance with a determination that the audio input includes the predetermined content and in accordance with a determination that the audio input corresponds to a predetermined type of sound: initiating a speech-based service operating on the electronic device. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the predetermined type of sound includes a human voice. ### Claim 30 (depends on 21) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the predetermined content includes one or more words.