Patents by Inventor Justin BINDER

Justin BINDER 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: 20200193997
    Abstract: Systems and processes for selectively processing and responding to a spoken user input are provided. In one example, audio input containing a spoken user input can be received at a user device. The spoken user input can be identified from the audio input by identifying start and end-points of the spoken user input. It can be determined whether or not the spoken user input was intended for a virtual assistant based on contextual information. The determination can be made using a rule-based system or a probabilistic system. If it is determined that the spoken user input was intended for the virtual assistant, the spoken user input can be processed and an appropriate response can be generated. If it is instead determined that the spoken user input was not intended for the virtual assistant, the spoken user input can be ignored and/or no response can be generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Philippe P. PIERNOT, Justin BINDER
  • Publication number: 20200098362
    Abstract: Systems and processes for selectively processing and responding to a spoken user input are provided. In one example, audio input containing a spoken user input can be received at a user device. The spoken user input can be identified from the audio input by identifying start and end-points of the spoken user input. It can be determined whether or not the spoken user input was intended for a virtual assistant based on contextual information. The determination can be made using a rule-based system or a probabilistic system. If it is determined that the spoken user input was intended for the virtual assistant, the spoken user input can be processed and an appropriate response can be generated. If it is instead determined that the spoken user input was not intended for the virtual assistant, the spoken user input can be ignored and/or no response can be generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Philippe P. PIERNOT, Justin BINDER
  • 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
  • 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
  • Patent number: 10373617
    Abstract: Systems and processes for selectively processing and responding to a spoken user input are provided. In one example, audio input containing a spoken user input can be received at a user device. The spoken user input can be identified from the audio input by identifying start and end-points of the spoken user input. It can be determined whether or not the spoken user input was intended for a virtual assistant based on contextual information. The determination can be made using a rule-based system or a probabilistic system. If it is determined that the spoken user input was intended for the virtual assistant, the spoken user input can be processed and an appropriate response can be generated. If it is instead determined that the spoken user input was not intended for the virtual assistant, the spoken user input can be ignored and/or no response can be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Philippe P. Piernot, Justin Binder
  • Publication number: 20190122692
    Abstract: A method for operating a voice trigger is provided. In some implementations, the method is performed at an electronic device including one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors. The method includes receiving a sound input. The sound input may correspond to a spoken word or phrase, or a portion thereof. The method includes determining whether at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to a predetermined type of sound, such as a human voice. The method includes, upon a determination that at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to the predetermined type, determining whether the sound input includes predetermined content, such as a predetermined trigger word or phrase. The method also includes, upon a determination that the sound input includes the predetermined content, initiating a speech-based service, such as a voice-based digital assistant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Justin BINDER, Samuel D. POST, Onur TACKIN, Thomas R. GRUBER
  • Patent number: 10199051
    Abstract: A method for operating a voice trigger is provided. In some implementations, the method is performed at an electronic device including one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors. The method includes receiving a sound input. The sound input may correspond to a spoken word or phrase, or a portion thereof. The method includes determining whether at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to a predetermined type of sound, such as a human voice. The method includes, upon a determination that at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to the predetermined type, determining whether the sound input includes predetermined content, such as a predetermined trigger word or phrase. The method also includes, upon a determination that the sound input includes the predetermined content, initiating a speech-based service, such as a voice-based digital assistant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Justin Binder, Samuel D. Post, Onur Tackin, Thomas R. Gruber
  • Publication number: 20180012596
    Abstract: Systems and processes for selectively processing and responding to a spoken user input are provided. In one example, audio input containing a spoken user input can be received at a user device. The spoken user input can be identified from the audio input by identifying start and end-points of the spoken user input. It can be determined whether or not the spoken user input was intended for a virtual assistant based on contextual information. The determination can be made using a rule-based system or a probabilistic system. If it is determined that the spoken user input was intended for the virtual assistant, the spoken user input can be processed and an appropriate response can be generated. If it is instead determined that the spoken user input was not intended for the virtual assistant, the spoken user input can be ignored and/or no response can be generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Philippe P. PIERNOT, Justin BINDER
  • Publication number: 20140222436
    Abstract: A method for operating a voice trigger is provided. In some implementations, the method is performed at an electronic device including one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors. The method includes receiving a sound input. The sound input may correspond to a spoken word or phrase, or a portion thereof. The method includes determining whether at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to a predetermined type of sound, such as a human voice. The method includes, upon a determination that at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to the predetermined type, determining whether the sound input includes predetermined content, such as a predetermined trigger word or phrase. The method also includes, upon a determination that the sound input includes the predetermined content, initiating a speech-based service, such as a voice-based digital assistant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Justin BINDER, Samuel D. POST, Onur TACKIN, Thomas R. GRUBER