IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,437,012
Granted Patent B2
US 12,437,012 · App. 18/648,827 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Autonomously providing search results post-facto, including in assistant context

Inventor: Xi Wu (Beijing, CN)
Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
G06F16/9535G06F16/24578G06F16/248G06F16/435G06F16/954G06F16/957
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,437,012
App. No.
18/648,827
Granted
Oct 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and computer readable media related to determining that no resources responsive to a query of a user at a first time satisfy one or more criteria (e.g., one or more quality criteria) and, in response to such a determination: providing for presentation to the user at a later time, content that is based on a given resource that is responsive to the query at the later time and that satisfies the criteria. The given resource that is responsive to the query at the later time may be a resource that is in addition to any resources responsive to the query at the first time or may be a refined version of a resource that was responsive to the query at the first time.

Claims (59)

1. A method implemented by one or more processors, comprising:

in a dialog session between a user and an automated assistant implemented by one or more of the processors:

receiving a spoken query from the user as part of the dialog session, the spoken query being directed to the automated assistant as part of the dialog session;

identifying, based on the spoken query, an entry, of a knowledge graph, that is responsive to the spoken query;

determining that the entry of the knowledge graph lacks an authoritative answer to the spoken query;

in response to determining that the entry of the knowledge graph lacks the authoritative answer to the spoken query:

providing, in response to the spoken query, user interface output that notifies the user that an explicit answer to the spoken query is not known; and

monitoring for an update, to the entry of the knowledge graph, that includes an addition of the authoritative answer to the spoken query;

in response to determining, during the monitoring, the update to the entry that includes the addition of the authoritative answer to the spoken query:

awaiting for the user to engage in a subsequent dialog session with the automated assistant;

based on the user engaging in the subsequent dialog session:

receiving further user interface input from the user as part of the subsequent dialog session, wherein the further user interface input is unrelated to the spoken query of the dialog session;

providing, for presentation to the user as output from the automated assistant as part of the subsequent dialog session, initial responsive output that comprises audible output and that is responsive to the further user interface input; and

providing, in the subsequent dialog session for presentation to the user as output from the automated assistant as part of the subsequent dialog session, the authoritative answer to the spoken query,

wherein providing the authoritative answer to the spoken query is based on receiving the further user interface input, occurs immediately following providing the initial responsive output, and occurs without receiving any additional input provided by the user after the further user interface input.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authoritative answer includes a date of an event.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the authoritative answer includes a time of the event.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authoritative answer includes a time of an event.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the entry, of the knowledge graph, that is responsive to the spoken query is for an event and wherein the event includes one of a concert, a sports game, and a television show.

6. A system comprising:

one or more storage devices storing instructions;

one or more processors operable to execute the instructions to:

in a dialog session between a user and an automated assistant implemented by one or more of the processors:

receive a spoken query from the user as part of the dialog session, the spoken query being directed to the automated assistant as part of the dialog session;

identify, based on the spoken query, an entry, of a knowledge graph, that is responsive to the spoken query;

determine that the entry of the knowledge graph lacks an authoritative answer to the spoken query;

in response to determining that the entry of the knowledge graph lacks the authoritative answer to the spoken query:

provide, in response to the spoken query, user interface output that notifies the user that an explicit answer to the spoken query is not known; and

monitor for an update, to the entry of the knowledge graph, that includes an addition of the authoritative answer to the spoken query;

in response to determining, during the monitoring, the update to the entry that includes the addition of the authoritative answer to the spoken query:

await for the user to engage in a subsequent dialog session with the automated assistant;

based on the user engaging in the subsequent dialog session:

receive further user interface input from the user as part of the subsequent dialog session, wherein the further user interface input is unrelated to the spoken query of the dialog session;

provide, for presentation to the user as output from the automated assistant as part of the subsequent dialog session, initial responsive output that comprises audible output and that is responsive to the further user interface input; and

provide, in the subsequent dialog session for presentation to the user as output from the automated assistant as part of the subsequent dialog session, the authoritative answer to the spoken query,

wherein providing the authoritative answer to the spoken query is based on receiving the further user interface input, occurs immediately following providing the initial responsive output, and occurs without receiving any additional input provided by the user after the further user interface input.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the authoritative answer includes a date of an event.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the authoritative answer includes a time of the event.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the event includes one of a concert, a sports game, and a television show.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the entry, of the knowledge graph, that is responsive to the spoken query is for an event and wherein the event includes one of a concert, a sports game, and a television show.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of a method comprising:

in a dialog session between a user and an automated assistant implemented by one or more of the processors:

receiving a spoken query from the user as part of the dialog session, the spoken query being directed to the automated assistant as part of the dialog session;

identifying, based on the spoken query, an entry, of a knowledge graph, that is responsive to the spoken query;

determining that the entry of the knowledge graph lacks an authoritative answer to the spoken query;

in response to determining that the entry of the knowledge graph lacks the authoritative answer to the spoken query:

providing, in response to the spoken query, user interface output that notifies the user that an explicit answer to the spoken query is not known; and

monitoring for an update, to the entry of the knowledge graph, that includes an addition of the authoritative answer to the spoken query;

in response to determining, during the monitoring, the update to the entry that includes the addition of the authoritative answer to the spoken query:

awaiting for the user to engage in a subsequent dialog session with the automated assistant;

based on the user engaging in the subsequent dialog session:

receiving further user interface input from the user as part of the subsequent dialog session, wherein the further user interface input is unrelated to the spoken query of the dialog session;

providing, for presentation to the user as output from the automated assistant as part of the subsequent dialog session, initial responsive output that comprises audible output and that is responsive to the further user interface input; and

providing, in the subsequent dialog session for presentation to the user as output from the automated assistant as part of the subsequent dialog session, the authoritative answer to the spoken query,

wherein providing the authoritative answer to the spoken query is based on receiving the further user interface input, occurs immediately following providing the initial responsive output, and occurs without receiving any additional input provided by the user after the further user interface input.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the authoritative answer includes a date of an event.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the authoritative answer includes a time of the event.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the authoritative answer includes a time of an event.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the entry, of the knowledge graph, that is responsive to the spoken query is for an event.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 17, 2024
From: WU, XI
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 067743/0216 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 17, 2024
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 067766/0973 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17572452 · Jan 10, 2022
Continuation 15720769 · Sep 29, 2017
Continuation PCTCN2016106450 · Nov 18, 2016
Related Publication 20240273152A1 · Aug 15, 2024
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