Ambient cooperative intelligence system and method

1. A computer-implemented method, executed on a computing device, comprising:

detecting issuance of a verbal command by a requester to a virtual assistant;

authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant, wherein authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant includes determining a first location of the requester and tracking movement of the requester to a second location, wherein the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant is based upon, at least in part, the movement of the requester from the first location to the second location;

if the requester is authenticated, allowing the effectuation of the verbal command to the virtual assistant;

if the requester is not authenticated, preventing the effectuation of the verbal command to the virtual assistant;

wherein authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant includes:

initially determining a user identity for the requester prior to the issuance of the verbal command by the requester to the virtual assistant; and

subsequently confirming that the user identity has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the virtual assistant is a virtual assistant within an ambient cooperative intelligence (ACI) platform.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the requester is not authenticated, notifying the requester that they cannot issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the requester is not authenticated, notifying a third party that the requester issued the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant includes:

determining a user identity for the requester; and

confirming that the user identity has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant further includes one or more of:

utilizing a voice print to authenticate that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant;

utilizing a face print to authenticate that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant; and

utilizing login information to authenticate that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

7. A computer program product residing on a non-transitory computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting issuance of a verbal command by a requester to a virtual assistant;

authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant, wherein authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant includes determining a first location of the requester and tracking movement of the requester to a second location, wherein the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant is based upon, at least in part, the movement of the requester from the first location to the second location;

if the requester is authenticated, allowing the effectuation of the verbal command to the virtual assistant;

if the requester is not authenticated, preventing the effectuation of the verbal command to the virtual assistant;

wherein authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant includes:

initially determining a user identity for the requester prior to the issuance of the verbal command by the requester to the virtual assistant; and

subsequently confirming that the user identity has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the virtual assistant is a virtual assistant within an ambient cooperative intelligence (ACI) platform.

9. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising:

if the requester is not authenticated, notifying the requester that they cannot issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

10. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising:

if the requester is not authenticated, notifying a third party that the requester issued the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

11. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant includes:

determining a user identity for the requester; and

confirming that the user identity has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant further includes one or more of:

utilizing a voice print to authenticate that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant;

utilizing a face print to authenticate that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant; and

utilizing login information to authenticate that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

13. A computing system including at least a processor and memory configured to perform operations comprising:

detecting issuance of a verbal command by a requester to a virtual assistant;

authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant, wherein authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant includes determining a first location of the requester and tracking movement of the requester to a second location, wherein the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant is based upon, at least in part, the movement of the requester from the first location to the second location;

if the requester is authenticated, allowing the effectuation of the verbal command to the virtual assistant;

if the requester is not authenticated, preventing the effectuation of the verbal command to the virtual assistant;

wherein authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant includes:

initially determining a user identity for the requester prior to the issuance of the verbal command by the requester to the virtual assistant; and

subsequently confirming that the user identity has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

14. The computing system of claim 13 wherein the virtual assistant is a virtual assistant within an ambient cooperative intelligence (ACI) platform.

15. The computing system of claim 13 further comprising:

if the requester is not authenticated, notifying the requester that they cannot issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

16. The computing system of claim 13 further comprising:

if the requester is not authenticated, notifying a third party that the requester issued the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

17. The computing system of claim 13 wherein authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant includes:

determining a user identity for the requester; and

confirming that the user identity has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

18. The computing system of claim 13 wherein authenticating that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant further includes one or more of:

utilizing a voice print to authenticate that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant;

utilizing a face print to authenticate that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant; and

utilizing login information to authenticate that the requester has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein confirming that the user identity has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant includes one or more of:

subsequently confirming that the user identity has the authority to issue subsequent verbal commands to the virtual assistant after each subsequent verbal command is detected;

subsequently confirming that the user identity has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant after a defined period of time; and

subsequently confirming that the user identity has the authority to issue the verbal command to the virtual assistant after a defined period of silence.