Patents by Inventor Benjamin S. Phipps

Benjamin S. Phipps has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20200221155
    Abstract: Systems and processes for operating an intelligent automated assistant are provided. In one example process, information associated with media playback is received from one or more user devices. A speech request for a media item is received from a user. At least the speech request and the information associated with media playback is transmitted to a second electronic device. Based on at least the speech request and the information associated with media playback, an instruction for media playback on a secondary user device is received. At least one task is performed based on the instruction for media playback.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Bryan HANSEN, Vince LANE, Benjamin S. PHIPPS, Karl Ferdinand SCHRAMM, Andrew J. SINESIO, Jaireh TECARRO
  • Patent number: 10567477
    Abstract: At a first electronic device with a display and a microphone, receiving audio input via the microphone, wherein the audio input comprises a request; sending data representing the request to a service; receiving a token from the service, wherein the token permits lookup, from the service, of at least one of: the request, and result responsive to the request; and sending the token to a second electronic device external to the first electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Sumner, Evan S. Dibiase, Benjamin S. Phipps
  • Publication number: 20190371331
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to using voice interaction to access call functionality of a companion device. In an example process, a user utterance is received. Based on the user utterance and contextual information, the process causes a server to determine a user intent corresponding to the user utterance. The contextual information is based on a signal received from the companion device. In accordance with the user intent corresponding to an actionable intent of answering the incoming call, a command is received. Based on the command, instructions are provided to the companion device, which cause the companion device to answer the incoming call and provide audio data of the answered incoming call. Audio is outputted according to the audio data of the answered incoming call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Karl Ferdinand SCHRAMM, Justin BINDER, Benjamin S. PHIPPS, Po Keng SUNG
  • Publication number: 20190371315
    Abstract: Systems and processes for providing a virtual assistant service are provided. In accordance with one or more examples, a method includes receiving, from an accessory device communicatively coupled to the first electronic device, a representation of a speech input representing a user request. The method further includes detecting a second electronic device and transmitting, from the first electronic device, a representation of the user request and data associated with the detected second electronic device to a third electronic device. The method further includes receiving, from the third electronic device, a determination of whether a task is to be performed by the second electronic device in accordance with the user request; and in accordance with a determination that a task is to be performed by the second electronic device, requesting the second electronic device to performed the task in accordance with the user request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Brandon J. NEWENDORP, Anumita BISWAS, Gagan A. GUPTA, Benjamin S. PHIPPS, Kisun YOU
  • Patent number: 10490187
    Abstract: Systems and processes for operating a digital assistant are provided. In one example process, a speech input is received from a user. A user intent is determined based on the speech input. Determining the user intent includes generating text based on the speech input, performing natural language processing of the text, and determining the user intent based on a result of the natural language processing. In accordance with the user intent, status information associated with at least one of the one or more electronic devices is requested. The status information associated with the at least one of the one or more electronic devices is received. A spoken output is generated and represents the status information associated with the at least one of the one or more electronic devices. The spoken output is caused to be provided to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Allan Laurens, Christopher Verwymeren, Susan L. Booker, Jonathan J. Moore, Roshni Malani, Benjamin S. Phipps
  • Patent number: 10475446
    Abstract: A virtual assistant uses context information to supplement natural language or gestural input from a user. Context helps to clarify the user's intent and to reduce the number of candidate interpretations of the user's input, and reduces the need for the user to provide excessive clarification input. Context can include any available information that is usable by the assistant to supplement explicit user input to constrain an information-processing problem and/or to personalize results. Context can be used to constrain solutions during various phases of processing, including, for example, speech recognition, natural language processing, task flow processing, and dialog generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Gruber, Christopher D. Brigham, Daniel S. Keen, Gregory Novick, Benjamin S. Phipps
  • Patent number: 10403283
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to using voice interaction to access call functionality of a companion device. In an example process, a user utterance is received. Based on the user utterance and contextual information, the process causes a server to determine a user intent corresponding to the user utterance. The contextual information is based on a signal received from the companion device. In accordance with the user intent corresponding to an actionable intent of answering the incoming call, a command is received. Based on the command, instructions are provided to the companion device, which cause the companion device to answer the incoming call and provide audio data of the answered incoming call. Audio is outputted according to the audio data of the answered incoming call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Ferdinand Schramm, Justin Binder, Benjamin S. Phipps, Po Keng Sung
  • Publication number: 20190122001
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a data processing system on a communal electronic device, the data processing system comprising a memory device to store instructions and one or more processors to execute the instructions stored on the memory device. The instructions cause the one or more processors to provide a virtual assistant to receive commands at the communal electronic device, where the virtual assistant, via the one or more processors, is configured to receive a command at the communal electronic device and determine whether the command is to access personal data of a user associated with the communal electronic device. Personal data of the user includes data that is specific to the user. In response to a determination that the command is to access personal data of the user, the virtual assistant can send a request to a personal electronic device of the user to process at least a portion of the command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Bob Bradley, Scott M. Andrus, Marc Krochmal, Benjamin S. Phipps, Bhaskar P. Sarma, Karl F. Schramm, Justin N. Wood
  • Publication number: 20180332118
    Abstract: Systems and processes for operating an intelligent automated assistant are provided. In one example process, a first instance of a digital assistant operating on a first electronic device receives a natural-language speech input indicative of a user request. The first electronic device obtains a set of data corresponding to a second instance of the digital assistant on a second electronic device, and updates one or more settings of the first instance of the digital assistant based on the received set of data. The first instance of the digital assistant performs one or more tasks based on the updated one or more settings and provides an output indicative of whether the one or more tasks are performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Benjamin S. PHIPPS, Gennaro FRAZZINGARO, Karl F. SCHRAMM
  • Patent number: 9858925
    Abstract: A virtual assistant uses context information to supplement natural language or gestural input from a user. Context helps to clarify the user's intent and to reduce the number of candidate interpretations of the user's input, and reduces the need for the user to provide excessive clarification input. Context can include any available information that is usable by the assistant to supplement explicit user input to constrain an information-processing problem and/or to personalize results. Context can be used to constrain solutions during various phases of processing, including, for example, speech recognition, natural language processing, task flow processing, and dialog generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Robert Gruber, Christopher Dean Brigham, Daniel S. Keen, Gregory Novick, Benjamin S. Phipps
  • Publication number: 20170357661
    Abstract: Described is a system that may search for content items in response to a voice-based natural language query. The system may provide search results for content associated with various types of user actions such as sending or receiving a document, sharing a content, printing a document, etc. For example, the system may provide search results to a query such as “Show me the last spreadsheet I sent to Bill,” or “Find all emails from Bill in April.” In addition, the system may search for content associated with a particular application. For example, the user may provide a search query including “Open my ‘NewApp’ documents.” Accordingly, one or more aspects of the system may provide an intuitive search mechanism for content by allowing a user to provide natural language search queries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: John M. Hornkvist, Ron Santos, Eric Koebler, Jennifer Moore, Samir Bajaj, Benjamin S Phipps
  • Publication number: 20170358300
    Abstract: Systems and processes for operating a digital assistant are provided. In one example process, a speech input is received from a user. A user intent is determined based on the speech input. Determining the user intent includes generating text based on the speech input, performing natural language processing of the text, and determining the user intent based on a result of the natural language processing. In accordance with the user intent, status information associated with at least one of the one or more electronic devices is requested. The status information associated with the at least one of the one or more electronic devices is received. A spoken output is generated and represents the status information associated with the at least one of the one or more electronic devices. The spoken output is caused to be provided to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Peter Allan LAURENS, Christopher VERWYMEREN, Susan L. BOOKER, Jonathan J. MOORE, Roshni MALANI, Benjamin S. PHIPPS
  • Publication number: 20160259656
    Abstract: At a first electronic device with a display and a microphone, receiving audio input via the microphone, wherein the audio input comprises a request; sending data representing the request to a service; receiving a token from the service, wherein the token permits lookup, from the service, of at least one of: the request, and result responsive to the request; and sending the token to a second electronic device external to the first electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Michael R. SUMNER, Evan S. DIBIASE, Benjamin S. PHIPPS
  • Patent number: 9098363
    Abstract: At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a method to extend search capabilities to third party applications installed on a device. In one embodiment, records associated with a third party application are indexed in a process isolated from other third party applications installed on the device using a search plugin specific to the third party application. Furthermore, the indexed records can be searched in response to a user search query without invoking the third party application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Edward T. Schmidt, Gordon J. Freedman, Benjamin S. Phipps, David Rahardia
  • Publication number: 20140297284
    Abstract: A virtual assistant uses context information to supplement natural language or gestural input from a user. Context helps to clarify the user's intent and to reduce the number of candidate interpretations of the user's input, and reduces the need for the user to provide excessive clarification input. Context can include any available information that is usable by the assistant to supplement explicit user input to constrain an information-processing problem and/or to personalize results. Context can be used to constrain solutions during various phases of processing, including, for example, speech recognition, natural language processing, task flow processing, and dialog generation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas R. GRUBER, Christopher D. BRIGHAM, Daniel S. KEEN, Gregory NOVICK, Benjamin S. PHIPPS
  • Patent number: 8352468
    Abstract: At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a method to identify top hits in search result based on learned user preferences. In one embodiment, a user search query for records is received from a user. The user search query may contain an alphanumerical string. Records in a multifunctional device are searched to find those that match the alphanumerical string. Based on records previously selected by the user, records in the search result are ranked to identify one or more top hits for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Edward T. Schmidt, Gordon J. Freedman, Benjamin S. Phipps
  • Publication number: 20120265528
    Abstract: A virtual assistant uses context information to supplement natural language or gestural input from a user. Context helps to clarify the user's intent and to reduce the number of candidate interpretations of the user's input, and reduces the need for the user to provide excessive clarification input. Context can include any available information that is usable by the assistant to supplement explicit user input to constrain an information-processing problem and/or to personalize results. Context can be used to constrain solutions during various phases of processing, including, for example, speech recognition, natural language processing, task flow processing, and dialog generation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Robert Gruber, Christopher Dean Brigham, Daniel S. Keen, Gregory Novick, Benjamin S. Phipps
  • Publication number: 20110252026
    Abstract: At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a method to identify top hits in search result based on learned user preferences. In one embodiment, a user search query for records is received from a user. The user search query may contain an alphanumerical string. Records in a multifunctional device are searched to find those that match the alphanumerical string. Based on records previously selected by the user, records in the search result are ranked to identify one or more top hits for the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: Edward T. Schmidt, Gordon J. Freedman, Benjamin S. Phipps
  • Publication number: 20110252038
    Abstract: At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a method to extend search capabilities to third party applications installed on a device. In one embodiment, records associated with a third party application are indexed in a process isolated from other third party applications installed on the device using a search plugin specific to the third party application. Furthermore, the indexed records can be searched in response to a user search query without invoking the third party application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: Edward T. Schmidt, Gordon J. Freedman, Benjamin S. Phipps, David Rahardia