IP Library Granted Patent US 9,812,128
Granted Patent B2
US 9,812,128 · App. 15/284,483 · Granted Nov 7, 2017

Device leadership negotiation among voice interface devices

Inventors: Kenneth Mixter (Los Altos Hills, CA); Diego Melendo Casado (Mountain View, CA); Alexander Houston Gruenstein (Mountain View, CA); Terry Tai (New York, NY); Christopher Thaddeus Hughes (Redwood City, CA); Matthew Nirvan Sharifi (Kilchberg, CH)
Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
G10L15/22G10L15/32G10L25/60G10L2015/088G10L2015/223
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,812,128
App. No.
15/284,483
Filed
Oct 3, 2016
Granted
Nov 7, 2017
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2657
USPC
704/233
Abstract

A method at a first electronic device of multiple electronic devices, each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices including one or more microphones and a speaker, includes detecting a voice input; determining a quality score for the detected voice input; communicating the quality score to the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices; receiving quality scores generated by the other devices for detection of the voice input by the other devices; if the quality score generated by the first electronic device is the highest amongst the quality scores, outputting an audible and/or visual response to the detected voice input, where the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices forgo outputting an audible response to the detected voice input; and if the quality score generated by the first electronic device is not the highest amongst the quality scores, forgoing outputting a response to the detected voice input.

Claims (47)

1. A method, comprising:

at a first electronic device of a plurality of electronic devices, each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices comprising one or more microphones, a speaker, one or more processors, and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors:

detecting a voice input;

determining a quality score for the detected voice input;

communicating the quality score to the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices;

receiving quality scores generated by the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices for detection of the voice input by the other devices;

in accordance with a determination that the quality score generated by the first electronic device is the highest amongst the generated quality score and received quality scores for the voice input, outputting an audible and/or a visual response to the detected voice input, wherein the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices forgo outputting an audible response to the detected voice input; and

in accordance with a determination that the quality score generated by the first electronic device is not the highest amongst the quality scores for the voice input generated by the plurality of electronic devices, forgoing outputting a response to the detected voice input.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electronic devices is communicatively coupled through a local network; and

the communicating and receiving are performed through the local network.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quality score comprises a confidence level of detection of the voice input.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quality score comprises a signal-to-noise rating of detection of the voice input.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

recognizing a command in the voice input; and

in accordance with a determination that a type of the command is related to the first electronic device, outputting an audible and/or a visual response to the detected voice input.

6. A first electronic device of a plurality of electronic devices, each of the plurality of electronic devices comprising:

one or more microphones;

a speaker;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

detecting a voice input;

determining a quality score for the detected voice input;

communicating the quality score to the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices;

receiving quality scores generated by the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices for detection of the voice input by the other devices;

in accordance with a determination that the quality score generated by the first electronic device is the highest amongst the generated quality score and received quality scores for the voice input, outputting an audible and/or a visual response to the detected voice input, wherein the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices forgo outputting an audible response to the detected voice input; and

in accordance with a determination that the quality score generated by the first electronic device is not the highest amongst the quality scores for the voice input generated by the plurality of electronic devices, forgoing outputting a response to the detected voice input.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of electronic devices is communicatively coupled through a local network; and

the communicating and receiving are performed through the local network.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein the quality score comprises a confidence level of detection of the voice input.

9. The device of claim 6 , wherein the quality score comprises a signal-to-noise rating of detection of the voice input.

10. The device of claim 6 , further comprising instructions for:

recognizing a command in the voice input; and

in accordance with a determination that a type of the command is related to the first electronic device, outputting an audible and/or a visual response to the detected voice input.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which, when executed by a first electronic device of a plurality of electronic devices, each of the plurality of electronic devices comprising one or more microphones, a speaker, and one or more processors, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:

detecting a voice input;

determining a quality score for the detected voice input;

communicating the quality score to the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices;

receiving quality scores generated by the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices for detection of the voice input by the other devices;

in accordance with a determination that the quality score generated by the first electronic device is the highest amongst the generated quality score and received quality scores for the voice input, outputting an audible and/or a visual response to the detected voice input, wherein the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices forgo outputting an audible response to the detected voice input; and

in accordance with a determination that the quality score generated by the first electronic device is not the highest amongst the quality scores for the voice input generated by the plurality of electronic devices, forgoing outputting a response to the detected voice input.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of electronic devices is communicatively coupled through a local network; and

the communicating and receiving are performed through the local network.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the quality score comprises a confidence level of detection of the voice input.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the quality score comprises a signal-to-noise rating of detection of the voice input.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , further comprising instructions which, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:

recognizing a command in the voice input; and

in accordance with a determination that a type of the command is related to the first electronic device, outputting an audible and/or a visual response to the detected voice input.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 5, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044129/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 31, 2017
From: MIXTER, KENNETH; CASADO, DIEGO MELENDO; GRUENSTEIN, ALEXANDER HOUSTON; TAI, TERRY; HUGHES, CHRISTOPHER THADDEUS; SHARIFI, MATTHEW NIRVAN
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 041811/0049 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: MIXTER, KENNETH; CASADO, DIEGO MELENDO; GRUENSTEIN, ALEXANDER HOUSTON; TAI, TERRY; HUGHES, CHRISTOPHER THADDEUS; SHARIFI, MATTHEW NIRVAN
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 041224/0693 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 15088477 · Apr 1, 2016
Continuation 14675932 · Apr 1, 2015
Provisional Application 62061830 · Oct 9, 2014
Related Publication 20170025124A1 · Jan 26, 2017