IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,721,338
Granted Patent B2
US 11,721,338 · App. 17/003,342 · Granted Aug 8, 2023

Context-based dynamic tolerance of virtual assistant

Inventors: Shikhar Kwatra (Raleigh, NC); Zachary A. Silverstein (Jacksonville, FL); Robert Huntington Grant (Marietta, GA); Ashraf Mahmoud Mohamed Ahmed Awwad (Mississauga, CA)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
G10L15/22G10L15/063G10L2015/088
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,721,338
App. No.
17/003,342
Granted
Aug 8, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method, computer system, and a computer program product for context-based wake word threshold modification is provided. The present invention may include receiving an audio data generated by a computing device operating in a sleep mode. The present invention may include processing the received audio data to determine a context associated with a user of the computing device. The present invention may include in response to detecting a potential wake word in the received audio data, calculating a wake word confidence score associated with an accuracy of the detected potential wake word. The present invention may include retrieving a wake word threshold, wherein the wake word threshold is determined based on the context associated with the user of the computing device. The present invention may include, in response to the calculated wake word confidence score exceeding the retrieved wake word threshold, activating a wake mode of the computing device.

Claims (57)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving an audio data generated by a computing device operating in a sleep mode;

processing the received audio data to determine a context associated with a user of the computing device, wherein the context includes determining at least one interaction between the user of the computing device and a surrounding environment of the computing device based on at least one audio signal from the surrounding environment;

in response to detecting a potential wake word in the received audio data, calculating a wake word confidence score associated with an accuracy of the detected potential wake word;

retrieving a wake word threshold, wherein the wake word threshold is determined based on the context associated with the user of the computing device;

in response to the calculated wake word confidence score exceeding the retrieved wake word threshold, activating a wake mode of the computing device; and

in response to detecting a number of ameliorative actions performed by the user to reduce a functionality of the computing device in the activated wake mode, increasing the retrieved wake word threshold for the context associated with the user of the computing device, wherein the detected number of ameliorative actions performed by the user is selected from the group consisting of detecting a muting of the at least one audio signal from the surrounding environment, detecting a powering down of the computing device, and detecting a user stop command in the received audio data.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to the calculated wake word confidence score being less than the retrieved wake word threshold, maintaining the sleep mode of the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

concurrently processing the received audio data to detect the potential wake word and determine the context associated with the user of the computing device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining the context associated with the user, dynamically modifying the wake word threshold to match the determined context.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

continuously receiving the audio data including the at least one audio signal from the surrounding environment of the computing device; and

processing the continuously received audio data in real-time to detect a current context associated with the user in relation to the surrounding environment of the computing device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying at least one audio event based on an extracted feature from the received audio data; and

determining the context based on the identified at least one audio event.

7. A computer system for context-based wake word threshold modification, comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage media, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, wherein the computer system is capable of performing a method comprising:

receiving an audio data generated by a computing device operating in a sleep mode;

processing the received audio data to determine a context associated with a user of the computing device, wherein the context includes determining at least one interaction between the user of the computing device and a surrounding environment of the computing device;

in response to detecting a potential wake word in the received audio data, calculating a wake word confidence score associated with an accuracy of the detected potential wake word;

retrieving a wake word threshold, wherein the wake word threshold is determined based on the context associated with the user of the computing device;

in response to the calculated wake word confidence score exceeding the retrieved wake word threshold, activating a wake mode of the computing device; and

in response to detecting a number of ameliorative actions performed by the user to reduce a functionality of the computing device in the activated wake mode, increasing the retrieved wake word threshold for the context associated with the user of the computing device, wherein the detected number of ameliorative actions performed by the user is selected from the group consisting of detecting a muting of the at least one audio signal from the surrounding environment, detecting a powering down of the computing device, and detecting a user stop command in the received audio data.

8. The computer system of claim 7 , further comprising:

in response to the calculated wake word confidence score being less than the retrieved wake word threshold, maintaining the sleep mode of the computing device.

9. The computer system of claim 7 , further comprising:

concurrently processing the received audio data to detect the potential wake word and determine the context associated with the user of the computing device.

10. The computer system of claim 7 , further comprising:

in response to determining the context associated with the user, dynamically modifying the wake word threshold to match the determined context.

11. The computer system of claim 7 , further comprising:

continuously receiving the audio data including the at least one audio signal from the surrounding environment of the computing device; and

processing the continuously received audio data in real-time to detect a current context associated with the user in relation to the surrounding environment of the computing device.

12. The computer system of claim 7 , further comprising:

identifying at least one audio event based on an extracted feature from the received audio data; and

determining the context based on the identified at least one audio event.

13. A computer program product for context-based wake word threshold modification, comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage media and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving an audio data generated by a computing device operating in a sleep mode;

processing the received audio data to determine a context associated with a user of the computing device, wherein the context includes determining at least one interaction between the user of the computing device and a surrounding environment of the computing device;

in response to detecting a potential wake word in the received audio data, calculating a wake word confidence score associated with an accuracy of the detected potential wake word;

retrieving a wake word threshold, wherein the wake word threshold is determined based on the context associated with the user of the computing device;

in response to the calculated wake word confidence score exceeding the retrieved wake word threshold, activating a wake mode of the computing device; and

in response to detecting a number of ameliorative actions performed by the user to reduce a functionality of the computing device in the activated wake mode, increasing the retrieved wake word threshold for the context associated with the user of the computing device, wherein the detected number of ameliorative actions performed by the user is selected from the group consisting of detecting a muting of the at least one audio signal from the surrounding environment, detecting a powering down of the computing device, and detecting a user stop command in the received audio data.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , further comprising:

in response to the calculated wake word confidence score being less than the retrieved wake word threshold, maintaining the sleep mode of the computing device.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 , further comprising:

in response to determining the context associated with the user, dynamically modifying the wake word threshold to match the determined context.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 , further comprising:

continuously receiving the audio data including the at least one audio signal from the surrounding environment of the computing device; and

processing the continuously received audio data in real-time to detect a current context associated with the user in relation to the surrounding environment of the computing device.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 , further comprising:

identifying at least one audio event based on an extracted feature from the received audio data; and

determining the context based on the identified at least one audio event.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2020
From: KWATRA, SHIKHAR; SILVERSTEIN, ZACHARY A.; GRANT, ROBERT HUNTINGTON; AWWAD, ASHRAF MAHMOUD MOHAMED AHMED
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053610/0585 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220068272A1 · Mar 3, 2022
Cited By (1)
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