IP Library Granted Patent US 10,831,440
Granted Patent B2
US 10,831,440 · App. 15/276,085 · Granted Nov 10, 2020

Coordinating input on multiple local devices

Inventors: John Carl Mese (Cary, NC); Nathan J. Peterson (Oxford, NC); Arnold S. Weksler (Raleigh, NC); Russell Speight VanBlon (Raleigh, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
G06F3/167G10L15/22G06F3/1454G10L2015/223
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,831,440
App. No.
15/276,085
Granted
Nov 10, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving, at a first device, a user input; activating, from the first device, a second device; and thereafter coordinating, using the processor of the first device, with the second device to process the user input. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Claims (38)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a first device, a user input comprising a voice input providing a command to execute an action in response to the voice input, wherein a first portion of the received user input is associated with a low confidence value;

activating, due to the low confidence value determined at the first device and from the first device, a second device,

wherein the activation of the second device is based upon a determination that the second device is capable of receiving the user input according to a proximity of a user to the second device,

wherein activating the second device comprises transmitting, from the first device, an activation signal to the second device,

wherein, upon activation of the second device, receiving, a second portion of the user input comprising a second voice input whereby both first and second device receive, user input; and

thereafter coordinating, using a processor of the first device, the first device with the second device to process the first and second portions of the user input and execute the action based upon the user input received at the first device and additional user input received at the second device,

wherein the additional user input is received at the second device subsequent to the activation of the second device by the first device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user input data received from the second device is used in place of user input data collected by the first device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coordinating comprises sending the user input data to the second device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coordinating comprises sending the user input data to an intermediary device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data that activates the second device is sent to an intermediary device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data that activates the second device comprises data that activates a group of devices.

7. An electronic device, comprising:

a processor operatively coupled to the electronic device; and

a memory device that stores instructions executable by the processor to:

receive, at the electronic device, a user input comprising a voice input providing a command to execute an action in response to the voice input, wherein a portion of the received voice input is associated with a low confidence value;

activate, due to the low confidence value determined at the electronic device and from the electronic device, a second electronic device,

wherein determining to activate the second electronic is based upon a determination that the second electronic device is capable of receiving user input according to a proximity of a user to the second electronic device,

wherein the second electronic device describes one of a plurality of devices capable of receiving user input,

wherein activating the second electronic device comprises transmitting, from the electronic device, an activation signal to the second electronic device,

wherein, upon activation of the second electronic device, receiving, a second portion of the user input comprising a second voice input whereby both first and second electronic device receive user input; and

thereafter, the electronic device coordinates with the second electronic device to process the user input and execute the action based upon the user input received at the first electronic device and the additional user input received at the second device, wherein the additional user input is received at the second electronic device subsequent to the activation of the second electronic device by the electronic device.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the user input data received from the second electronic device is used in place of user input data collected by the electronic device.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the coordinating comprises sending the user input data to the second electronic device.

10. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the coordinating comprises sending the user input data to an intermediary device.

11. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the data that activates the second electronic device is sent to an intermediary device.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a first device, a user input comprising a voice input providing a command to execute an action in response to the voice input;

receiving, from a second device, additional user input,

wherein the second device is activated by the first device due to a low confidence value associated with the voice input received from the first device, and

wherein determining to activate the second device is based upon proximity of a user input to the second device,

wherein activating comprises transmitting, from the first device, an activation signal to the second device,

wherein, upon activation of the second device, both the first and second device receive user input;

combining, using a processor, the user input and the additional user input;

coordinating, using the processor, processing of the combined input using the user input received at the first device and the additional user input received at the second device,

wherein the additional user input is received at the second device subsequent to the activation of the second device by the first device; and

executing the action at one of: the first device and the second device.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2025
From: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 069870/0670 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2022
From: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
To: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 060638/0220 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 26, 2016
From: MESE, JOHN CARL; PETERSON, NATHAN J.; WEKSLER, ARNOLD S.; VANBLON, RUSSELL SPEIGHT
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 039857/0722 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180088902A1 · Mar 29, 2018