IP Library Granted Patent US 11,838,579
Granted Patent B2
US 11,838,579 · App. 17/973,398 · Granted Dec 5, 2023

Intelligent automated assistant for TV user interactions

Inventors: Marcel Van Os (Santa Cruz, CA); Harry J. Saddler (Berkeley, CA); Lia T. Napolitano (San Francisco, CA); Jonathan H. Russell (Incline Village, NV); Patrick M. Lister (Cupertino, CA); Rohit Dasari (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04N21/4394G06F3/167G06F16/73G06F16/738G06F16/7867G09C1/00G10L15/1815G10L15/22G10L15/26G10L17/00G10L17/22H04N21/2541H04N21/25891H04N21/4122H04N21/41265H04N21/42203H04N21/42222H04N21/4312H04N21/4316H04N21/4438H04N21/4532H04N21/4627H04N21/4722H04N21/482H04N21/4826H04N21/4828H04N21/4882H04N21/84H04N21/858G10L2015/223H04N21/47214
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,838,579
App. No.
17/973,398
Granted
Dec 5, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and processes are disclosed for controlling television user interactions using a virtual assistant. In an example process, a virtual assistant can interact with a television set-top box to control content shown on a television display. Speech input for the virtual assistant can be received from a device with a microphone. The speech input can comprise a query associated with content shown on the television display. A user intent of the query can be determined based on one or more of the content shown on the television display and a viewing history of media content. A result of the query can be caused to be displayed based on the determined user intent.

Claims (63)

1. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:

displaying media content on a display, wherein the media content includes video associated with metadata;

receiving an input from a user;

determining one or more virtual assistant queries based on the metadata; and

displaying the one or more virtual assistant queries overlaid on the media content on the display.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the input is received from the user on a remote control.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the input is received from the user on a mobile telephone.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more virtual assistant queries are overlaid on a moving image.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a query about a person appearing in the media content.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a query about a character appearing in the media content.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a query for media content associated with a person appearing in the media content.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the media content comprises an episode of a television show, and the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a query about another episode of the television show.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the media content comprises an episode of a television show, and the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a request to set a reminder to watch or record a subsequent episode of the media content.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a query for descriptive details of the media content.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , the one or more programs including instructions for:

receiving a selection of one of the one or more virtual assistant queries; and

displaying a result of the selected one of the one or more virtual assistant queries.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more virtual assistant queries comprises determining the one or more virtual assistant queries based on one or more of a query history, a user preference, or a query popularity.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more virtual assistant queries comprises determining the one or more virtual assistant queries based on media content available to the user for viewing.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more virtual assistant queries comprises determining the one or more virtual assistant queries based on a received notification.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more virtual assistant queries comprises determining the one or more virtual assistant queries based on an active application.

16. The electronic device of claim 1 , the one or more programs including instructions for:

determining alternative media content for display based on one or more of a user preference, a show popularity, and a status of a live sporting event; and

displaying a notification comprising the determined alternative media content.

17. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at an electronic device with one or more processors and memory:

displaying media content on a display, wherein the media content includes video associated with metadata;

receiving an input from a user;

determining one or more virtual assistant queries based on the metadata; and

displaying the one or more virtual assistant queries overlaid on the media content on the display.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the input is received from the user on a remote control.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the input is received from the user on a mobile telephone.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more virtual assistant queries are overlaid on a moving image.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a query about a person appearing in the media content.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a query about a character appearing in the media content.

23. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a query for media content associated with a person appearing in the media content.

24. The method of claim 17 , wherein the media content comprises an episode of a television show, and the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a query about another episode of the television show.

25. The method of claim 17 , wherein the media content comprises an episode of a television show, and the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a request to set a reminder to watch or record a subsequent episode of the media content.

26. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a query for descriptive details of the media content.

27. The method of claim 17 , comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the one or more virtual assistant queries; and

displaying a result of the selected one of the one or more virtual assistant queries.

28. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the one or more virtual assistant queries comprises determining the one or more virtual assistant queries based on one or more of a query history, a user preference, or a query popularity.

29. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the one or more virtual assistant queries comprises determining the one or more virtual assistant queries based on media content available to the user for viewing.

30. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the one or more virtual assistant queries comprises determining the one or more virtual assistant queries based on a received notification.

31. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the one or more virtual assistant queries comprises determining the one or more virtual assistant queries based on an active application.

32. The method of claim 17 , comprising:

determining alternative media content for display based on one or more of a user preference, a show popularity, and a status of a live sporting event; and

displaying a notification comprising the determined alternative media content.

33. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to:

display media content on a display, wherein the media content includes video associated with metadata;

receive an input from a user;

determine one or more virtual assistant queries based on the metadata; and

display the one or more virtual assistant queries overlaid on the media content on the display.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33 , wherein the input is received from the user on a remote control.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33 , wherein the input is received from the user on a mobile telephone.

36. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33 , wherein the one or more virtual assistant queries are overlaid on a moving image.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33 , wherein the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a query about a person appearing in the media content.

38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33 , wherein the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a query about a character appearing in the media content.

39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33 , wherein the one or more virtual assistant queries comprise a query for media content associated with a person appearing in the media content.

Continuity (6)
Continuation 17125876 · Dec 17, 2020
Continuation 15495861 · Apr 24, 2017
Continuation 15085465 · Mar 30, 2016
Continuation 14498503 · Sep 26, 2014
Provisional Application 62019312 · Jun 30, 2014
Related Publication 20230066552A1 · Mar 2, 2023
Cited By (1)
US 12,501,096