Disambiguating input based on context
View Patent ↗In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes receiving, at a mobile computing device, ambiguous user input that indicates more than one of a plurality of commands; and determining a current context associated with the mobile computing device that indicates where the mobile computing device is currently located. The method can further include disambiguating the ambiguous user input by selecting a command from the plurality of commands based on the current context associated with the mobile computing device; and causing output associated with performance of the selected command to be provided by the mobile computing device.
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, by a mobile device, a voice input;
generating, by the mobile device, two or more candidate transcriptions from the voice input;
generating, by the mobile device, sensor data that measures an ambient condition surrounding the mobile device at a time when the voice input is received;
inferring, by the mobile device, a user activity in which a user of the mobile device is engaged when the voice input is received, using the sensor data;
selecting, by the mobile device, one of the two or more candidate transcriptions that corresponds to the user activity; and
performing, by the mobile device, a command that is associated with the selected candidate transcription.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein inferring the user activity comprises inferring that the user of the mobile device is driving in a vehicle.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein inferring the user activity comprises inferring a particular type of vehicle in which the user is travelling.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating sensor data comprises receiving, by the mobile device, sensor data that is collected by other devices that are within a predetermined distance of the mobile device, or that are in communication with the mobile device over a network connection.
5. A non-transitory computer-readable memory including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause performance of operations that comprise:
receiving, by a mobile device, a voice input;
generating, by the mobile device, two or more candidate transcriptions from the voice input;
generating, by the mobile device, sensor data that measures an ambient condition surrounding the mobile device at a time when the voice input is received;
inferring, by the mobile device, a user activity in which a user of the mobile device is engaged when the voice input is received, using the sensor data;
selecting, by the mobile device, one of the two or more candidate transcriptions that corresponds to the user activity; and
performing, by the mobile device, a command that is associated with the selected candidate transcription.
6. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 5 , wherein inferring the user activity comprises inferring that the user of the mobile device is driving in a vehicle.
7. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 6 , wherein inferring the user activity comprises inferring a particular type of vehicle in which the user is travelling.
8. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 5 , wherein generating sensor data comprises receiving, by the mobile device, sensor data that is collected by other devices that are within a predetermined distance of the mobile device, or that are in communication with the mobile device over a network connection.