Granted Patent B2

US 12,204,932 · App. 17/952,165 · Granted Jan 21, 2025

Inventor: Nicolas Zeitlin (Berkeley, CA)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

G06F9/4843G06F3/167G06F9/453G06F9/5027G06F16/90332G10L15/285G10L15/30H04M3/4936G06F2209/509G06N3/006G10L15/22G10L2015/223

Abstract

Claims (129)

1. A method of using a virtual assistant distributed between a server and an electronic device, comprising:

receiving a user request for a service from a virtual assistant;

determining at least one task to perform in response to the user request;

estimating, at the server, at least one performance characteristic for completion of the at least one task with the server, based on at least an estimated network speed between the electronic device and the server;

based on the estimating, determining whether to execute the at least one task at the server;

in accordance with a determination to execute the at least one task at the server, causing execution of the at least one task at the server;

in accordance with a determination to execute the at least one task outside the server:

generating executable code for carrying out the at least one task; and

transmitting the executable code from the server.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on network latency between the electronic device and the server.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on privacy settings associated with the at least one task.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on data transmission restrictions associated with the at least one task.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on traffic volume at the server.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on characteristics of a data connection at the server.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to the transmitting, receiving, at the server, information associated with execution of the executable code.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after the causing the execution, transmitting results of the causing the execution from the server.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the estimating and the determining whether to execute the at least one task at the server are repeated for at least two discrete tasks.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the causing the execution of the at least one task at the server further comprises:

storing second executable code on the server;

wherein the causing the execution includes executing the stored second executable code on the server.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual assistant transmitting the user request for a service is distributed between the electronic device and the server, and wherein transmitting the executable code comprises transmitting the executable code to the electronic device.

12. 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 with a display, cause the device to:

receive a user request for a service from a virtual assistant;

determine at least one task to perform in response to the user request;

estimate, at a server, at least one performance characteristic for completion of the at least one task with the server, based on at least an estimated network speed between the electronic device and the server;

based on the estimating, determine whether to execute the at least one task at the server;

in accordance with a determination to execute the at least one task at the server, cause execution of the at least one task at the server;

in accordance with a determination to execute the at least one task outside the server:

generate executable code for carrying out the at least one task; and

transmit the executable code from the server.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on network latency between the electronic device and the server.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on privacy settings associated with the at least one task.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on data transmission restrictions associated with the at least one task.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on traffic volume at the server.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on characteristics of a data connection at the server.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

in response to the transmitting, receiving, at the server, information associated with execution of the executable code.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , the one or more programs further including instructions for, after the causing the execution, transmitting results of the causing the execution from the server.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the estimating and the determining whether to execute the at least one task at the server are repeated for at least two discrete tasks.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the causing the execution of the at least one task at the server further comprises:

storing second executable code on the server;

wherein the causing the execution includes executing the stored second executable code on the server.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the virtual assistant transmitting the user request for a service is distributed between the electronic device and the server, and wherein transmitting the executable code comprises transmitting the executable code to the electronic device.

23. 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:

receiving a user request for a service from a virtual assistant;

determining at least one task to perform in response to the user request;

estimating, at a server, at least one performance characteristic for completion of the at least one task with the server, based on at least an estimated network speed between the electronic device and the server;

based on the estimating, determining whether to execute the at least one task at the server;

in accordance with a determination to execute the at least one task at the server, causing execution of the at least one task at the server;

in accordance with a determination to execute the at least one task outside the server:

generating executable code for carrying out the at least one task; and

transmitting the executable code from the server.

24. The electronic device of claim 23 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on network latency between the electronic device and the server.

25. The electronic device of claim 23 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on privacy settings associated with the at least one task.

26. The electronic device of claim 23 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on data transmission restrictions associated with the at least one task.

27. The electronic device of claim 23 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on traffic volume at the server.

28. The electronic device of claim 23 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on characteristics of a data connection at the server.

29. The electronic device of claim 23 , further comprising:

in response to the transmitting, receiving, at the server, information associated with execution of the executable code.

30. The electronic device of claim 23 , further comprising, after the causing the execution, transmitting results of the causing the execution from the server.

31. The electronic device of claim 23 , wherein the estimating and the determining whether to execute the at least one task at the server are repeated for at least two discrete tasks.

32. The electronic device of claim 23 , wherein the causing the execution of the at least one task at the server further comprises:

storing second executable code on the server;

wherein the causing the execution includes executing the stored second executable code on the server.

33. The electronic device of claim 23 , wherein the virtual assistant transmitting the user request for a service is distributed between the electronic device and the server, and wherein transmitting the executable code comprises transmitting the executable code to the electronic device.

34. A method of using a virtual assistant distributed between a server and an electronic device, comprising:

receiving a user request for a service from a virtual assistant;

determining at least one task to perform in response to the user request;

estimating, at the server, at least one performance characteristic for completion of the at least one task with the server, based on at least a battery level of the electronic device;

based on the estimating, determining whether to execute the at least one task at the server;

in accordance with a determination to execute the at least one task at the server, causing execution of the at least one task at the server;

in accordance with a determination to execute the at least one task outside the server:

generating executable code for carrying out the at least one task; and

transmitting the executable code from the server.

35. The method of claim 34 , in accordance with a determination that the battery level is below a predetermined threshold, abbreviating the executable code for carrying out the at least one task.

36. The method of claim 34 , wherein transmitting the executable code comprises transmitting the executable code to a second electronic device;

further comprising fulfilling the user request at the second electronic device.

37. The method of claim 34 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on network latency between the electronic device and the server.

38. The method of claim 34 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on privacy settings associated with the at least one task.

39. The method of claim 34 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on data transmission restrictions associated with the at least one task.

40. The method of claim 34 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on traffic volume at the server.

41. The method of claim 34 , wherein the causing the execution of the at least one task at the server further comprises:

storing second executable code on the server;

wherein the causing the execution includes executing the stored second executable code on the server.

42. 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 with a display, cause the device to:

receive a user request for a service from a virtual assistant;

determine at least one task to perform in response to the user request;

estimate, at a server, at least one performance characteristic for completion of the at least one task with the server, based on at least a battery level of the electronic device;

based on the estimating, determine whether to execute the at least one task at the server;

in accordance with a determination to execute the at least one task at the server, cause execution of the at least one task at the server;

in accordance with a determination to execute the at least one task outside the server:

generate executable code for carrying out the at least one task; and

transmit the executable code from the server.

43. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 42 , in accordance with a determination that the battery level is below a predetermined threshold, abbreviating the executable code for carrying out the at least one task.

44. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 42 , wherein transmitting the executable code comprises transmitting the executable code to a second electronic device;

the one or more programs further including instructions for fulfilling the user request at the second electronic device.

45. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 42 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on network latency between the electronic device and the server.

46. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 42 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on privacy settings associated with the at least one task.

47. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 42 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on data transmission restrictions associated with the at least one task.

48. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 42 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on traffic volume at the server.

49. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 42 , wherein the causing the execution of the at least one task at the server further comprises:

storing second executable code on the server;

wherein the causing the execution includes executing the stored second executable code on the server.

50. 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:

receiving a user request for a service from a virtual assistant;

determining at least one task to perform in response to the user request;

estimating, at a server, at least one performance characteristic for completion of the at least one task with the server, based on at least a battery level of the electronic device;

based on the estimating, determining whether to execute the at least one task at the server;

in accordance with a determination to execute the at least one task at the server, causing execution of the at least one task at the server;

in accordance with a determination to execute the at least one task outside the server:

generating executable code for carrying out the at least one task; and

transmitting the executable code from the server.

51. The electronic device of claim 50 , in accordance with a determination that the battery level is below a predetermined threshold, abbreviating the executable code for carrying out the at least one task.

52. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein transmitting the executable code comprises transmitting the executable code to a second electronic device;

further comprising fulfilling the user request at the second electronic device.

53. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on network latency between the electronic device and the server.

54. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on privacy settings associated with the at least one task.

55. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on data transmission restrictions associated with the at least one task.

56. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein the at least one performance characteristic is also based on traffic volume at the server.

57. The electronic device of claim 50 , wherein the causing the execution of the at least one task at the server further comprises:

storing second executable code on the server;

wherein the causing the execution includes executing the stored second executable code on the server.

Continuity (4)

References Cited (400)

Cited By (2)

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