Granted Patent B2

US 12,424,236 · App. 19/068,717 · Granted Sep 23, 2025

Inventors: Justin Binder (Oakland, CA); Samuel D. Post (San Jose, CA); Onur Tackin (Saratoga, CA); Thomas R. Gruber (Kihei, HI)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

G10L21/16G06F3/167G10L15/22G10L15/26G10L17/24G10L15/02G10L2015/223G10L15/30G10L25/51G10L25/84

Abstract

Claims (102)

1. A method for operating a voice trigger, the method performed at an electronic device including one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the method comprising:

operating the voice trigger in a first mode;

while operating the voice trigger in the first mode, determining that the electronic device is within physical proximity of a second electronic device, wherein the second electronic device operates a second voice trigger; and

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device is within physical proximity of the second electronic device:

switching the voice trigger to a second mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes a first microphone, the method further comprising:

while operating the voice trigger in the first mode and while the electronic device is coupled to an external electronic device including a second microphone, monitoring audio input using the first microphone; and

in accordance with a determination that the audio input includes predetermined content:

initiating a speech based service;

causing the second microphone to monitor second audio input; and

ceasing to monitor the audio input using the first microphone.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes a first microphone, the method further comprising:

while operating the voice trigger in the first mode:

monitoring first audio input using the first microphone to determine whether the first audio input includes predetermined content; and

while the electronic device is coupled to an external electronic device including a second microphone:

in accordance with a determination that a predetermined condition is satisfied:

causing the second microphone to monitor second audio input to determine whether the second audio input includes the predetermined content; and

ceasing to monitor the first audio input using the first microphone.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining that the predetermined condition is satisfied includes determining that the external electronic device is currently worn by a user.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein determining that the external electronic device is currently worn by the user includes:

determining a difference between motion of the electronic device and motion of the external electronic device.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that the second audio input includes the predetermined content:

initiating a speech based service operating on the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the speech based service includes a digital assistant.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the external electronic device includes a headset.

9. The method of claim 3 , wherein the predetermined content includes one or more words.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first mode includes a listening mode.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second mode includes a standby mode.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the electronic device is within physical proximity of the second electronic device includes:

determining physical proximity to the second electronic device using RFID communication.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the electronic device is within physical proximity of the second electronic device includes:

determining physical proximity to the second electronic device using near field communication.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of an electronic device, the one or more programs including instructions for:

operating a voice trigger in a first mode;

while operating the voice trigger in the first mode, determining that the electronic device is within physical proximity of a second electronic device, wherein the second electronic device operates a second voice trigger; and

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device is within physical proximity of the second electronic device:

switching the voice trigger to a second mode.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the electronic device includes a first microphone, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

while operating the voice trigger in the first mode and while the electronic device is coupled to an external electronic device including a second microphone, monitoring audio input using the first microphone; and

in accordance with a determination that the audio input includes predetermined content:

initiating a speech based service;

causing the second microphone to monitor second audio input; and

ceasing to monitor the audio input using the first microphone.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the electronic device includes a first microphone, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

while operating the voice trigger in the first mode:

monitoring first audio input using the first microphone to determine whether the first audio input includes predetermined content; and

while the electronic device is coupled to an external electronic device including a second microphone:

in accordance with a determination that a predetermined condition is satisfied:

causing the second microphone to monitor second audio input to determine whether the second audio input includes the predetermined content; and

ceasing to monitor the first audio input using the first microphone.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein determining that the predetermined condition is satisfied includes determining that the external electronic device is currently worn by a user.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein determining that the external electronic device is currently worn by the user includes:

determining a difference between motion of the electronic device and motion of the external electronic device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

in accordance with a determination that the second audio input includes the predetermined content:

initiating a speech based service operating on the electronic device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the speech based service includes a digital assistant.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the external electronic device includes a headset.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined content includes one or more words.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the first mode includes a listening mode.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the second mode includes a standby mode.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein determining that the electronic device is within physical proximity of the second electronic device includes:

determining physical proximity to the second electronic device using RFID communication.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein determining that the electronic device is within physical proximity of the second electronic device includes:

determining physical proximity to the second electronic device using near field communication.

27. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

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:

operating a voice trigger in a first mode;

while operating the voice trigger in the first mode, determining that the electronic device is within physical proximity of a second electronic device, wherein the second electronic device operates a second voice trigger; and

in accordance with a determination that the electronic device is within physical proximity of the second electronic device:

switching the voice trigger to a second mode.

28. The electronic device of claim 27 , wherein the electronic device includes a first microphone, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

while operating the voice trigger in the first mode and while the electronic device is coupled to an external electronic device including a second microphone, monitoring audio input using the first microphone; and

in accordance with a determination that the audio input includes predetermined content:

initiating a speech based service;

causing the second microphone to monitor second audio input; and

ceasing to monitor the audio input using the first microphone.

29. The electronic device of claim 27 , wherein the electronic device includes a first microphone, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

while operating the voice trigger in the first mode:

monitoring first audio input using the first microphone to determine whether the first audio input includes predetermined content; and

while the electronic device is coupled to an external electronic device including a second microphone:

in accordance with a determination that a predetermined condition is satisfied:

causing the second microphone to monitor second audio input to determine whether the second audio input includes the predetermined content; and

ceasing to monitor the first audio input using the first microphone.

30. The electronic device of claim 29 , wherein determining that the predetermined condition is satisfied includes determining that the external electronic device is currently worn by a user.

31. The electronic device of claim 30 , wherein determining that the external electronic device is currently worn by the user includes:

determining a difference between motion of the electronic device and motion of the external electronic device.

32. The electronic device of claim 29 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

in accordance with a determination that the second audio input includes the predetermined content:

initiating a speech based service operating on the electronic device.

33. The electronic device of claim 32 , wherein the speech based service includes a digital assistant.

34. The electronic device of claim 29 , wherein the external electronic device includes a headset.

35. The electronic device of claim 29 , wherein the predetermined content includes one or more words.

36. The electronic device of claim 27 , wherein the first mode includes a listening mode.

37. The electronic device of claim 27 , wherein the second mode includes a standby mode.

38. The electronic device of claim 27 , wherein determining that the electronic device is within physical proximity of the second electronic device includes:

determining physical proximity to the second electronic device using RFID communication.

39. The electronic device of claim 27 , wherein determining that the electronic device is within physical proximity of the second electronic device includes:

determining physical proximity to the second electronic device using near field communication.

Continuity (11)

References Cited (112)