IP Library Granted Patent US 11,830,245
Granted Patent B2
US 11,830,245 · App. 18/118,475 · Granted Nov 28, 2023

Methods and systems for disambiguating user input based on detection of ensembles of items

Inventors: Alexis Yelton (Somerville, MA); Xin Xu (Reading, MA); Shreyas Mahimkar (Quincy, MA)
Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
G06V20/00G06F16/58G06F16/78G06F16/7867G06V10/751H04N21/4223H04N21/44008H04N21/44227H04N21/4524H04N21/4532H04N21/47H04N21/482H04N21/4828
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,830,245
App. No.
18/118,475
Granted
Nov 28, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are described for disambiguating user input based on a physical location of items in a vicinity of a user. The system determines that a query received from a user contains an ambiguity. In response, the system identifies several items in the physical vicinity of the user. Then, the system analyzes the identified plurality of items to determine whether the plurality of items forms a first ensemble of items or a second ensemble of items. If the plurality of items forms a first ensemble of items, the system performs a search using the search query and a first keyword related to the first ensemble of items. If the plurality of items forms a second ensemble of items, the system performs a search using the search query and a second keyword related to the second ensemble of items. The system then outputs results of the performed search.

Claims (62)

1. A method comprising:

receiving a user interface input;

in response to determining that the user interface input is ambiguous:

accessing a plurality of ensemble templates, wherein each ensemble template comprises a list of physical items and a descriptive keyword;

detecting, using a sensor, a set of physical items in a physical vicinity of a user associated with the user interface input;

in response to determining that the set of physical items in the physical vicinity of the user matches a list of physical items of a particular ensemble template of the plurality of ensemble templates:

modifying the user interface input with a descriptive keyword of the particular ensemble template; and

generating an output based on the modified user interface input.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting, using the sensor, the set of physical items in the physical vicinity of the user associated with the user interface input comprises:

identifying a first item and a second item;

calculating a distance between the first item and the second item; and

in response to determining that the distance meets a vicinity threshold, adding the first item and the second item to the set of physical items.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is at least one of:

an Internet of Things sensor, a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor, a video camera, an infrared sensor, and a near-field communication sensor.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the set of physical items in the physical vicinity of the user matches the list of physical items of the particular ensemble template comprises:

calculating a number of items of the set of physical items in the physical vicinity of the user that match at least one item of the list of physical items of the particular ensemble template; and

in response to determining that the number of items exceeds a match threshold, determining that the set of physical items matches the list of physical items of the particular ensemble template.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the list of physical items comprises a plurality of clothing items worn by the user.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the list of physical items comprises a plurality of furniture items.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the list of physical items comprises a plurality of food items.

8. A system comprising:

control circuitry configured to:

receive a user interface input;

in response to determining that the user interface input is ambiguous:

access a plurality of ensemble templates, wherein each ensemble template comprises a list of physical items and a descriptive keyword;

a sensor configured to:

detect a set of physical items in a physical vicinity of a user associated with the user interface input; and

wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

in response to determining that the set of physical items in the physical vicinity of the user matches a list of physical items of a particular ensemble template of the plurality of ensemble templates:

modify the user interface input with a descriptive keyword of the particular ensemble template; and

generate an output based on the modified user interface input.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is further configured to detect the set of physical items in the physical vicinity of the user associated with the user interface input by:

identifying a first item and a second item;

calculating a distance between the first item and the second item; and

in response to determining that the distance meets a vicinity threshold, adding the first item and the second item to the set of physical items.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is at least one of:

an Internet of Things sensor, a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor, a video camera, an infrared sensor, and a near-field communication sensor.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine that the set of physical items in the physical vicinity of the user matches the list of physical items of the particular ensemble template by:

calculating a number of items of the set of physical items in the physical vicinity of the user that match at least one item of the list of physical items of the particular ensemble template; and

in response to determining that the number of items exceeds a match threshold, determining that the set of physical items matches the list of physical items of the particular ensemble template.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the list of physical items comprises a plurality of clothing items worn by the user.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the list of physical items comprises a plurality of furniture items.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the list of physical items comprises a plurality of food items.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by control circuitry causes the control circuitry to:

receive a user interface input;

in response to determining that the user interface input is ambiguous:

access a plurality of ensemble templates, wherein each ensemble template comprises a list of physical items and a descriptive keyword; and

detect, using a sensor, a set of physical items in a physical vicinity of a user associated with the user interface input;

in response to determining that the set of physical items in the physical vicinity of the user matches a list of physical items of a particular ensemble template of the plurality of ensemble templates:

modify the user interface input with a descriptive keyword of the particular ensemble template; and

generate an output based on the modified user interface input.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions that cause the sensor to detect the set of physical items in the physical vicinity of the user associated with the user interface input further cause the sensor to:

identify a first item and a second item;

calculate a distance between the first item and the second item; and

in response to determining that the distance meets a vicinity threshold, add the first item and the second item to the set of physical items.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is at least one of:

an Internet of Things sensor, a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor, a video camera, an infrared sensor, and a near-field communication sensor.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions that cause the control circuitry to determine that the set of physical items in the physical vicinity of the user matches the list of physical items of the particular ensemble template further cause the control circuitry to:

calculate a number of items of the set of physical items in the physical vicinity of the user that match at least one item of the list of physical items of the particular ensemble template; and

in response to determining that the number of items exceeds a match threshold, determine that the set of physical items matches the list of physical items of the particular ensemble template.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the list of physical items comprises a plurality of clothing items worn by the user.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the list of physical items comprises a plurality of furniture items.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 3, 2024
From: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
To: ADEIA GUIDES INC.
Reel/Frame 069106/0129 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2023
From: YELTON, ALEXIS; XU, XIN; MAHIMKAR, SHREYAS
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 063792/0542 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17884445 · Aug 9, 2022
Continuation 17531928 · Nov 22, 2021
Continuation 17201669 · Mar 15, 2021
Continuation 16235289 · Dec 28, 2018
Continuation 15949650 · Apr 10, 2018
Related Publication 20230290140A1 · Sep 14, 2023