IP Library Granted Patent US 10,580,404
Granted Patent B2
US 10,580,404 · App. 15/254,600 · Granted Mar 3, 2020

Indicator for voice-based communications

Inventors: Christo Frank Devaraj (Seattle, WA); Manish Kumar Dalmia (Seattle, WA); Tony Roy Hardie (Seattle, WA); Ran Mokady (Seattle, WA); Nick Ciubotariu (Kenmore, WA); Sandra Lemon (Bothell, WA)
Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
G10L15/22G06F3/167G06F17/279G10L15/30H04L51/10H04L51/24H04L67/306G06K9/00362G10L13/00G10L15/08G10L2015/088G10L2015/223
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,580,404
App. No.
15/254,600
Granted
Mar 3, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for outputting indications regarding voice-based interactions are described. A first speech-controlled device detects spoken audio corresponding to recipient information. The first device captures the audio and sends audio data corresponding to the captured audio to a server. The server determines a second speech-controlled device of the recipient and sends a signal to the recipient's second speech-controlled device representing a message is forthcoming. The recipient's second speech-controlled device outputs and indication representing a message is forthcoming.

Claims (54)

1. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory including instructions operable to be executed by the at least one processor to configure the system to:

receive, from a first speech-controlled device, first input audio data including message content and recipient information;

determine a second speech-controlled device associated with the recipient information;

send, to the second speech-controlled device, a first signal corresponding to a synchronous communication with the first speech-controlled device;

send, to the second speech-controlled device, first output audio data including the message content;

receive, from the second speech-controlled device a second signal indicating that speech is detected by the second speech-controlled device;

send, to the first speech-controlled device, a third signal indicating that speech is detected by the second speech-controlled device, the third signal causing the first speech-controlled device to, during a first time period, output a first indication representing a reply to the message content is being received by the second speech-controlled device;

receive, from the second speech-controlled device, second input audio data including reply message content; and

during a second time period after the first time period, send, to the first speech-controlled device, second output audio data including the reply message content.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions that configure the system to determine the second speech-controlled device comprise instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor configure the system to:

access a user profile associated with the first speech-controlled device; and

identify the recipient information in the user profile.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions that configure the system to determine the second speech-controlled device comprise instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor configure the system to:

determine a location of the recipient; and

select the second speech-controlled device, from a plurality of devices associated with a recipient profile, based on the second speech-controlled device being proximate to the recipient.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions that configure the system to determine the second speech-controlled device comprise instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor configure the system to determine the second speech-controlled device is presently in use.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions that configure the system to determine the second speech-controlled device comprise instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor configure the system to:

determine a third speech-controlled device, from a plurality of devices including the second speech-controlled device, is presently in use; and

select the second speech-controlled device based on its proximity to the third speech-controlled device.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first indication is comprised of a color or the color having a motion.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first indication is output by the first speech-controlled device while the second input audio data is received from the second speech-controlled device.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first indication is an audible indication, the audible indication being generated using text-to-speech (TTS) processing.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions operable to be executed by the at least one processor to further configure the system to:

select a type of output for the first indication based at least in part on the reply message content.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions operable to be executed by the at least one processor to further configure the system to:

select a type of output for the first indication based at least in part on a domain being used to exchange the message content and the reply to the message content.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, from a first speech-controlled device, first input audio data including recipient message content and information;

determining a second speech-controlled device associated with the recipient information;

sending, to the second speech-controlled device, a first signal corresponding to a synchronous communication with the first speech-controlled device;

sending, to the second speech-controlled device, first output audio data including the message content;

receiving, from the second speech-controlled device a second signal indicating that speech is detected by the second speech-controlled device;

sending, to the first speech-controlled device, a third signal indicating that speech is detected by the second speech-controlled device, the third signal causing the first speech-controlled device to, during a first time period, output a first indication representing a reply to the message content is being received by the second speech-controlled device;

receiving, from the second speech-controlled device, second input audio data including the reply message content; and

during a second time period after the first time period, sending, to the first speech-controlled device, second output audio data including the reply message content.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein determining the second speech-controlled device comprises:

accessing a user profile associated with the first speech-controlled device; and

identifying the recipient information in the user profile.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein determining the second speech-controlled device comprises:

determining a location of the recipient; and

selecting the second speech-controlled device, from a plurality of devices associated with a recipient profile, based on the second speech-controlled device being proximate to the recipient.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein determining the second speech-controlled device comprises determining the second speech-controlled device is presently in use.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein determining the second speech-controlled device comprises:

determining a third speech-controlled device, from a plurality of devices including the second speech-controlled device, is presently in use; and

selecting the second speech-controlled device based on its proximity to the third speech-controlled device.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the first indication is comprised of a color or the color having a motion.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the first indication is output by the first speech-controlled device while the second input audio data is received from the second speech-controlled device.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the first indication is an audible indication, the audible indication being generated using text-to-speech (TTS) processing.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

selecting a type of output for the first indication based at least in part on the reply message content.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

selecting a type of output for the first indication based at least in part on a domain being used to exchange the message content and the reply to the message content.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 11, 2017
From: DEVARAJ, CHRISTO FRANK; DALMIA, MANISH KUMAR; HARDIE, TONY ROY; MOKADY, RAN; CIUBOTARIU, NICK; LEMON, SANDRA
To: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 043271/0221 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180061404A1 · Mar 1, 2018