Structured dictation using intelligent automated assistants

A method for operating a digital assistant, the method comprising:

• at an electronic device with a display system and a microphone:
• displaying, on the display system, an application comprising one or more text input fields;
• receiving, via the microphone, a speech input;
• determining a text string corresponding to the speech input;
• determining whether a focus of the application is within the one or more text input fields;
• in accordance with a determination that the focus of the application is within the one or more text input fields:
• constraining natural language processing of the text string to a domain of two or more domains;
• and
• outputting a result based on the domain;
• and
• in accordance with a determination that the focus of the application is outside the one or more text input fields:
• performing natural language processing of the text string across the two or more domains;
• and
• outputting a result based on the two or more domains.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

• receive a speech input representing a user request;
• receive metadata associated with the speech input;
• determine a text string corresponding to the speech input;
• determine, based on the metadata, whether to perform natural language processing on the text string;
• in response to determining that natural language processing is to be performed on the text string:
• determine whether the metadata identifies one or more domains corresponding to the user request;
• in response to determining that the metadata identifies one or more domains corresponding to the user request:
• generate, using the text string and based on the one or more domains, a structured query representing an actionable intent associated with the one or more domains;
• execute a task flow associated with the structured query;
• determine whether a result satisfying the user request is obtained from executing the task flow;
• and
• in response to determining that a result satisfying the user request is obtained from executing the task flow, output data content containing the result.

A system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• memory storing computer-readable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
• receive a speech input representing a user request;
• receive metadata associated with the speech input;
• determine a text string corresponding to the speech input;
• determine, based on the metadata, whether to perform natural language processing on the text string;
• in response to determining that natural language processing is to be performed on the text string:
• determine whether the metadata identifies one or more domains corresponding to the user request;
• in response to determining that the metadata identifies one or more domains corresponding to the user request:
• generate, using the text string and based on the one or more domains, a structured query representing an actionable intent associated with the one or more domains;
• execute a task flow associated with the structured query;
• determine whether a result satisfying the user request is obtained from executing the task flow;
• and
• in response to determining that a result satisfying the user request is obtained from executing the task flow, output data content containing the result.