Interface for a virtual digital assistant
The digital assistant displays a digital assistant object in an object region of a display screen. The digital assistant then obtains at least one information item based on a speech input from a user. Upon determining that the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the display screen, the digital assistant displays the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the object region are not visually distinguishable from one another. Upon determining that the at least one information item cannot be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the video display screen, the digital assistant displays a portion of the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the object region are visually distinguishable from one another.
1. A computer-implemented method of operating a digital assistant on a computing device having at least one processor, memory, and a video display screen, the method comprising:
displaying, at any time, a digital assistant object in an object region of the video display screen;
receiving a speech input from a user;
obtaining at least one information item based on the speech input;
determining whether the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in a display region of the video display screen;
upon determining that the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the display screen, displaying the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the object region are displayed with a continuous background and without a border there between such that they are not visually distinguishable from one another; and
upon determining that the at least one information item cannot be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the video display screen, displaying a portion of the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the object region are visually distinguishable from one another by visually marking a border between the display region and the object region; and
when the entirety of the at least one information item cannot be displayed in the display region:
receiving an input from the user to scroll through the at least one information item so as to display an additional portion of the at least one information item in the display region; and
scrolling the portion of the at least one information item away from the object region so that the additional portion of the at least one information item appears to slide into view from under the object region.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital assistant object is displayed in the object region of the video display screen before receiving the speech input.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital assistant object is displayed in the object region of the video display screen after receiving the speech input.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital assistant object is displayed in the object region of the video display screen after determining whether the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in a display region of the video display screen.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital assistant object is an icon for invoking a digital assistant service.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the icon is a microphone icon.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital assistant object shows the status of a current digital assistant process.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein a pending digital assistant process is shown by a swirling light source around the perimeter of the digital assistant object.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
when the entirety of the at least one information item cannot be displayed in the display region:
receiving an input from the user to scroll through the at least one information item so as to display an additional portion of the at least one information item in the display region;
scrolling the portion of the at least one information item towards the object region so that the portion of the at least one information item appears to slide out of view under the object region.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the speech input is a question or a command from a user.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining at least one information item comprises obtaining results, a dialog between the user and the digital assistant, a list, or a map.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the entirety of the at least one information item cannot be displayed in the display region, the object region looks like a pocket into and out of which the at least one information item can slide.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the entirety of the at least one information item cannot be displayed in the display region, an edge of the object region closest to the display region is highlighted while an edge of the at least one information item closest to the object region are tinted.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying, at any time, device information in an information region of the video display screen;
determining whether the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the video display screen;
upon determining that the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the display screen, displaying the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and an information region are not visually distinguishable from one another; and
upon determining that the at least one information item cannot be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the video display screen, displaying a portion of the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the information region are visually distinguishable from one another.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the portion of the at least one information item in the display region comprises:
displaying a portion of the at least one information item in the display region, wherein the display region and the object region do not comprise a continuous background.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the portion of the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the object region are visually distinguishable from one another comprises:
modifying the display of at least one of the display region or the object region to cause the object region and the display region to be visually distinguishable.
17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
display, at any time, a digital assistant object in an object region of a video display screen;
receive a speech input from a user;
obtain at least one information item based on the speech input;
determine whether the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in a display region of the video display screen;
upon determining that the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the display screen, display the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the object region are not visually distinguishable from one another; and
upon determining that the at least one information item cannot be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the video display screen, display a portion of the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the object region are visually distinguishable from one another.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the digital assistant object is displayed in the object region of the video display screen before receiving the speech input.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the digital assistant object is displayed in the object region of the video display screen after receiving the speech input.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the digital assistant object is displayed in the object region of the video display screen after determining whether the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in a display region of the video display screen.
21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein the digital assistant object is an icon for invoking a digital assistant service.
22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the icon is a microphone icon.
23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the digital assistant object shows the status of a current digital assistant process.
24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein a pending digital assistant process is shown by a swirling light source around the perimeter of the digital assistant object.
25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
when the entirety of the at least one information item cannot be displayed in the display region:
receive an input from the user to scroll through the at least one information item so as to display an additional portion of the at least one information item in the display region;
scrolling the portion of the at least one information item towards the object region so that the portion of the at least one information item appears to slide out of view under the object region.
26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the speech input is a question or a command from a user.
27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24 , wherein obtaining at least one information item comprises obtaining results, a dialog between the user and the digital assistant, a list, or a map.
28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein when the entirety of the at least one information item cannot be displayed in the display region, the object region looks like a pocket into and out of which the at least one information item can slide.
29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26 , wherein when the entirety of the at least one information item cannot be displayed in the display region, an edge of the object region closest to the display region is highlighted while an edge of the at least one information item closest to the object region are tinted.
30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
display, at any time, device information in an information region of the video display screen;
determine whether the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the video display screen;
upon determining that the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the display screen, display the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and an information region are not visually distinguishable from one another; and
upon determining that the at least one information item cannot be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the video display screen, display a portion of the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the information region are visually distinguishable from one another.
31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28 , wherein displaying the portion of the at least one information item in the display region comprises:
displaying a portion of the at least one information item in the display region, wherein the display region and the object region do not comprise a continuous background.
32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 29 , wherein displaying the portion of the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the object region are visually distinguishable from one another comprises:
modifying the display of at least one of the display region or the object region to cause the object region and the display region to be visually distinguishable.
33. A computing device having at least one processor, memory, and a video display screen, the memory comprising instructions that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
display, at any time, a digital assistant object in an object region of a video display screen;
receive a speech input from a user;
obtain at least one information item based on the speech input;
determine whether the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in a display region of the video display screen;
upon determining that the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the display screen, display the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the object region are not visually distinguishable from one another; and
upon determining that the at least one information item cannot be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the video display screen, display a portion of the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the object region are visually distinguishable from one another.
34. The computing device of claim 33 , wherein the computing device is a mobile computer device.
35. The computing device of claim 33 , wherein the digital assistant object is displayed in the object region of the video display screen before receiving the speech input.
36. The computing device of claim 33 , wherein the digital assistant object is displayed in the object region of the video display screen after receiving the speech input.
37. The computing device of claim 33 , wherein the digital assistant object is displayed in the object region of the video display screen after determining whether the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in a display region of the video display screen.
38. The computing device of claim 33 , wherein the digital assistant object is an icon for invoking a digital assistant service.
39. The computing device of claim 36 , wherein the icon is a microphone icon.
40. The computing device of claim 33 , wherein the digital assistant object shows the status of a current digital assistant process.
41. The computing device of claim 38 , wherein a pending digital assistant process is shown by a swirling light source around the perimeter of the digital assistant object.
42. The computing device of claim 33 , the memory further comprising instructions that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
when the entirety of the at least one information item cannot be displayed in the display region:
receive an input from the user to scroll through the at least one information item so as to display an additional portion of the at least one information item in the display region;
scrolling the portion of the at least one information item towards the object region so that the portion of the at least one information item appears to slide out of view under the object region.
43. The computing device of claim 33 , wherein the speech input is a question or a command from a user.
44. The computing device of claim 33 , wherein obtaining at least one information item comprises obtaining results, a dialog between the user and the digital assistant, a list, or a map.
45. The computing device of claim 33 , wherein when the entirety of the at least one information item cannot be displayed in the display region, the object region looks like a pocket into and out of which the at least one information item can slide.
46. The computing device of claim 33 , wherein when the entirety of the at least one information item cannot be displayed in the display region, an edge of the object region closest to the display region is highlighted while an edge of the at least one information item closest to the object region are tinted.
47. The computing device of claim 33 , the memory further comprising instructions that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
display, at any time, device information in an information region of the video display screen;
determine whether the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the video display screen;
upon determining that the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the display screen, display the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and an information region are not visually distinguishable from one another; and
upon determining that the at least one information item cannot be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the video display screen, display a portion of the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the information region are visually distinguishable from one another.
48. The computing device of claim 33 , wherein displaying the portion of the at least one information item in the display region comprises:
displaying a portion of the at least one information item in the display region, ‘herein the display region and the object region do not comprise a continuous background.
49. The computing device of claim 33 , wherein displaying the portion of the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the object region are visually distinguishable from one another comprises:
modifying the display of at least one of the display region or the object region to cause the object region and the display region to be visually distinguishable.
50. An electronic device with a video display screen, a memory, and one or more processors to execute one or more programs stored in the memory, the electronic device configured to display a graphical user interface comprising:
a digital assistant object in an object region of a video display screen, wherein, during display of the graphical user interface, at the electronic device:
a speech input is received from a user;
at least one information item based on the speech input is obtained;
it is determined whether the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in a display region of the video display screen;
in accordance with a determination that the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the display screen, the at least one information item is displayed in the display region, where the display region and the object region are not visually distinguishable from one another; and
in accordance with a determination that the at least one information item cannot be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the video display screen, a portion of the at least one information item is displayed in the display region, where the display region and the object region are visually distinguishable from one another.
51. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein the digital assistant object is displayed in the object region of the video display screen before receiving the speech input.
52. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein the digital assistant object is displayed in the object region of the video display screen after receiving the speech input.
53. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein the digital assistant object is displayed in the object region of the video display screen after determining whether the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in a display region of the video display screen.
54. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein the digital assistant object is an icon for invoking a digital assistant service.
55. The electronic device of claim 52 , wherein the icon is a microphone icon.
56. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein the digital assistant object shows the status of a current digital assistant process.
57. The electronic device of claim 54 , wherein a pending digital assistant process is shown by a swirling light source around the perimeter of the digital assistant object.
58. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein the electronic device is further configured to display a graphical user interface comprising:
when the entirety of the at least one information item cannot be displayed in the display region:
receiving an input from the user to scroll through the at least one information item so as to display an additional portion of the at least one information item in the display region; scrolling the portion of the at least one information item towards the object region so that the portion of the at least one information item appears to slide out of view under the object region.
59. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein the speech input is a question or a command from a user.
60. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein obtaining at least one information item comprises obtaining results, a dialog between the user and the digital assistant, a list, or a map.
61. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein hen the entirety of the at least one information item cannot be displayed in the display region, the object region looks like a pocket into and out of which the at least one information item can slide.
62. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein when the entirety of the at least one information item cannot be displayed in the display region, an edge of the object region closest to the display region is highlighted while an edge of the at least one information item closest to the object region are tinted.
63. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein the electronic device is further configured to display a graphical user interface comprising:
displaying, at any time, device information in an information region of the video display screen;
determining whether the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the video display screen;
upon determining that the at least one information item can be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the display screen, displaying the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and an information region are not visually distinguishable from one another; and
upon determining that the at least one information item cannot be displayed in its entirety in the display region of the video display screen, displaying a portion of the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the information region are visually distinguishable from one another.
64. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein displaying the portion of the at least one information item in the display region comprises:
displaying a portion of the at least one information item in the display region, wherein the display region and the object region do not comprise a continuous background.
65. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein displaying the portion of the at least one information item in the display region, where the display region and the object region are visually distinguishable from one another comprises:
modifying the display of at least one of the display region or the object region to cause the object region and the display region to be visually distinguishable.