# US 12,223,964 B2 · Accessing multiple virtual personal assistants (VPA) from a single device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,223,964 B2 - Document ID: US12223964B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/589,820 - Filed: 2022-01-31 - Published: 2022-05-19 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-31 - Assignees: Bose Corporation - Applicants: Bose Corporation - Inventors: Naganagouda B. Patil; Andre Todman; Bernice A. Cramer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12223964B2 ## CPC - G10L 15/30: Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G10L 15/22: Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue - G10L 15/28: Constructional details of speech recognition systems - G10L 17/22: Interactive procedures; Man-machine interfaces - G10L 15/08: Speech classification or search - 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 The technology described in this document can be embodied in a computer-implemented method that includes presenting a first user-interface that includes a user-selectable menu of multiple virtual personal assistant (VPA) service providers, and receiving a user-selection identifying a particular VPA service provider. The method also includes receiving a first signal representing input speech data, and processing the first signal to generate a first electronic file that includes at least a portion of the input speech data, the first electronic file being generated in accordance with a specification of the particular VPA service provider. The method further includes transmitting the first electronic file to one or more remote computing devices associated with the particular VPA service provider, receiving at least a second electronic file including a response to the input speech data, and causing an acoustic transducer to generate an acoustic output based on the second electronic file. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for accessing multiple virtual personal assistants (VPAs), the method comprising: receiving input speech data; processing, using at least one processor, the input speech data to detect a set of one or more words; based on detecting that the input speech data includes the set of one or more words, routing a first electronic file that includes at least a portion of the input speech data to a first VPA; and based on detecting that the input speech data does not include the set of one or more words, routing a second electronic file that includes at least a portion of the input speech data to a second VPA. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the routing of the second electronic file that includes at least a portion of the input speech data to the second VPA only occurs in response to detecting a second set of one or more words in the input speech data. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the routing of the second electronic file that includes at least a portion of the input speech data to the second VPA only occurs based on determining that content of the input speech data indicates the second electronic file should be routed to the second VPA. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second VPAs are pre-selected from a list of multiple VPAs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the list of multiple VPAs includes at least one additional VPA beyond the first and second VPAs. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising, prior to receiving the input speech data, presenting the list of multiple VPAs to a user for selection of the first and second VPAs. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second VPA is a default VPA. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the set of one or more words can be user-customized. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, after the first electronic file has been routed to the first VPA or the second electronic file has been routed to the second VPA, performing a particular task using the at least one processor based on input from the first VPA or the second VPA. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to receiving the input speech data, always listening for the set of one or more words. ### Claim 11 A system for accessing multiple virtual personal assistants (VPAs), the system comprising: at least one microphone; and at least one processor configured to receive input speech data obtained using the at least one microphone, process, using the at least one processor, the input speech data to detect a set of one or more words, based on detecting that the input speech data includes the set of one or more words, route a first electronic file that includes at least a portion of the input speech data to a first VPA, and based on detecting that the input speech data does not include the set of one or more words, route a second electronic file that includes at least a portion of the input speech data to a second VPA. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the routing of the second electronic file that includes at least a portion of the input speech data to the second VPA only occurs in response to detecting a second set of one or more words in the input speech data. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the routing of the second electronic file that includes at least a portion of the input speech data to the second VPA only occurs based on determining that content of the input speech data indicates the second electronic file should be routed to the second VPA. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the first and second VPAs are pre-selected from a list of multiple VPAs. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the list of multiple VPAs includes at least one additional VPA beyond the first and second VPAs. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, prior to receiving the input speech data, cause the list of multiple VPAs to be presented to a user for selection of the first and second VPAs. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the second VPA is a default VPA. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the set of one or more words can be user-customized. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, after the first electronic file has been routed to the first VPA or the second electronic file has been routed to the second VPA, perform a particular task based on input from the first VPA or the second VPA. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, prior to receiving the input speech data, always listen for the set of one or more words.