Abstract: Examples of systems and methods for voice-based navigation in one or more virtual areas that define respective persistent virtual communication contexts are described. These examples enable communicants to use voice commands to, for example, search for communication opportunities in the different virtual communication contexts, enter specific ones of the virtual communication contexts, and bring other communicants into specific ones of the virtual communication contexts. In this way, these examples allow communicants to exploit the communication opportunities that are available in virtual areas, even when hands-based or visual methods of interfacing with the virtual areas are not available.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer storage media directed to optimizing engagement with a display during digital assistant-performed operations in response to a received command. The digital assistant generates an overlay having user interface elements that present information determined to be relevant to a user based on the received command and contextual data. The overlay is presented over the underlying operations performed on corresponding applications to mask the visible steps of the operations being performed. In this way, the digital assistant optimizes display resources that are typically rendered useless during the processing of digital assistant-performed operations.

Abstract: Techniques for a natural language processing (NLP) system to implement more than one assistant are described. The NLP system may receive a natural language input from a device. The NLP system may also receive one or more signals representing one or more assistants to be implemented with respect to the natural language input. The NLP system may intelligently select an assistant to be invoked with respect to the natural language input. Once the assistant is selected, the NLP system may cause content, output to a user, to have characteristics specific to the assistant.

Abstract: In order to quickly respond to a question for vehicle information from a vehicle user at a remote location and offer the user a sense of relief, a vehicle management system of the present invention comprises a telematics communication unit which is mounted on a vehicle and acquires vehicle information and, a vehicle information server which receives from the telematics communication unit the vehicle information and a time at which the vehicle information is acquired, stores the received vehicle information and time, and transmits the stored vehicle information and time to a speech processing system as a response to a question when receiving the question about the vehicle information from the speech processing system.

Abstract: A machine learning system is accessed. The machine learning system is used to translate content into a representative icon. The machine learning system is used to manipulate emoji. The machine learning system is used to process an image of an individual. The machine learning processing includes identifying a face of the individual. The machine learning processing includes classifying the face to determine facial content using a plurality of image classifiers. The classifying includes generating confidence values for a plurality of action units for the face. The facial content is translated into a representative icon. The translating the facial content includes summing the confidence values for the plurality of action units. The representative icon comprises an emoji. A set of emoji can be imported. The representative icon is selected from the set of emoji. The emoji selection is based on emotion content analysis of the face.

Abstract: A voice input apparatus inputs voice and performs control to, in a case where a second voice instruction for operating the voice input apparatus is input in a fixed period after a first voice instruction for enabling operations by voice on the voice input apparatus is input, execute processing corresponding to the second voice instruction. The voice input apparatus, in a case where it is estimated that a predetermined user issued the second voice instruction, executes processing corresponding to the second voice instruction when the second voice instruction is input, even in a case where the first voice instruction is not input.

Abstract: A vehicle-mounted device operation system, includes: an operating part that is located in a vehicle cabin, and configured to be subjected to operation for manually operating a vehicle-mounted device; a sound collector that is located in the vehicle cabin, and configured to collect speech of an occupant; and a processor configured to determine whether a command to the vehicle-mounted device is included in a content of the speech of the occupant collected by the sound collector, activate the vehicle-mounted device according to the command, when the processor determines that the command to the vehicle-mounted device is included in the content of the speech of the occupant, and highlight the operating part for the vehicle-mounted device activated by the processor.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for executing a voice command in an electronic device. In an exemplary embodiment, a voice signal is detected and speech thereof is recognized. When the recognized speech contains a wakeup command, a voice command mode is activated, and a signal containing at least a portion of the detected voice signal is transmitted to a server. The server generates a control signal or a result signal corresponding to the voice command, and transmits the same to the electronic device. The device receives and processes the control or result signal, and awakens. Thereby, voice commands are executed without the need for the user to physically touch the electronic device.

Abstract: Two or more computing devices involved in a software based conference are determined. Each computing device of the two or more computing devices has an associated user. An input from a computing device of the two or more computing devices is received. A user action for a user associated with a computing device of the two or more computing devices from the input is determined. Whether the user completed the user action within a threshold is determined. The user is alerted of the user action.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a voice receiving unit configured to receive a voice input, a first communication unit configured to communicate with an external device having a voice recognition function, and a control unit. The control unit receives a notification indicating whether the external device is ready to recognize the voice input, via the first communication unit. In a case where the notification indicates that the external device is not ready to recognize the voice input, the control unit controls the external device to be ready to recognize the voice input via the first communication unit when a predetermined voice input including a phrase corresponding to the external device is received through the voice receiving unit.

Abstract: An embodiment provides a method, including: obtaining, using a processor, contextual information relating to an information handling device; adjusting, using a processor, an automated speech recognition engine using the contextual information; receiving, at an audio receiver of the information handling device, user speech input; and providing, using a processor, recognized speech based on the user speech input received and the contextual information adjustment to the automated speech recognition engine. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Abstract: The invention relates to an operation-assistance system for guiding a medical auxiliary instrument (20), which can be inserted in an operating site (12) of a patient body (10) via an operation opening (11), and can be moved in a controlled manner. The system comprises a kinematic robot (3, 4, 5) that receives the medical auxiliary instrument (20) on the free end thereof by means of an auxiliary instrument holding device (6), and can be moved in a motor-controlled manner in order to guide the medical auxiliary instrument (20) in the operating site (12), by means of control signals (SS) generated by a control unit (CU). At least one voice control routine (SSR) is implemented in the control unit (CU), by means of which different voice commands (SB, SB1, SB2) are detected and evaluated and associated control signals (SS) are determined in accordance.

Abstract: An agent device includes one or more agent controllers configured to provide a service including causing an output device to output a response of voice according to a voice of an occupant which is collected in a vehicle interior of a vehicle, a receiver configured to receive an input from the occupant, and a starting method setter configured to change or add a starting method of the agent controller on the basis of content received by the receiver.

Abstract: Systems and methods for an interactive communications system capable of generating a response to conversational input are provided. The interactive communications system analyzes the conversational input to determine relevant topics of discussion. The interactive communications system further determines which of the relevant topics of discussion can potentially lead to an unwanted end to a conversation. The interactive communications system redirects the conversation by providing responses to the conversational input that are intended simply to avoid the unwanted end to the conversation.

Abstract: In one example, a method includes method comprising: receiving audio data generated by a microphone of a current computing device; identifying, based on the audio data, one or more computing devices that each emitted a respective audio signal in response to speech reception being activated at the current computing device; and selecting either the current computing device or a particular computing device from the identified one or more computing devices to satisfy a spoken utterance determined based on the audio data.

Abstract: Training and/or using a multilingual classification neural network model to perform a natural language processing classification task, where the model reuses an encoder portion of a multilingual neural machine translation model. In a variety of implementations, a client device can generate a natural language data stream from a spoken input from a user. The natural language data stream can be applied as input to an encoder portion of the multilingual classification model. The output generated by the encoder portion can be applied as input to a classifier portion of the multilingual classification model. The classifier portion can generate a predicted classification label of the natural language data stream. In many implementations, an output can be generated based on the predicted classification label, and a client device can present the output.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a viewer with relevant commentary for a live video. For example, a media guidance application may receive, during playback of a live video, a request for clarification regarding an aspect (e.g., a play, a score, a player, a strategy, etc.) of the live video. In response to receiving the request, the media guidance application may identify the aspect and identify videos generated by other viewers explaining the aspect. The media guidance application may further select one of the videos based on a preference of the viewer, and cause a user device to play back the selected video to the viewer.

Abstract: A method for generating final transcriptions representing numerical sequences of utterances in a written domain includes receiving audio data for an utterance containing a numeric sequence, and decoding, using a sequence-to-sequence speech recognition model, the audio data for the utterance to generate, as output from the sequence-to-sequence speech recognition model, an intermediate transcription of the utterance. The method also includes processing, using a neural corrector/denormer, the intermediate transcription to generate a final transcription that represents the numeric sequence of the utterance in a written domain. The neural corrector/denormer is trained on a set of training samples, where each training sample includes a speech recognition hypothesis for a training utterance and a ground-truth transcription of the training utterance. The ground-truth transcription of the training utterance is in the written domain.

Abstract: An interface device and method of use, comprising audio and image inputs; a processor for determining topics of interest, and receiving information of interest to the user from a remote resource; an audio-visual output for presenting an anthropomorphic object conveying the received information, having a selectively defined and adaptively alterable mood; an external communication device adapted to remotely communicate at least a voice conversation with a human user of the personal interface device. Also provided is a system and method adapted to receive logic for, synthesize, and engage in conversation dependent on received conversational logic and a personality.

Abstract: In one example of the disclosure, a communication apparatus includes a first microphone. The communication apparatus is to be wirelessly and contemporaneously connected to a set of microphones including the first microphone. The communication apparatus is to receive microphone data from each microphone of the set of microphones, wherein the microphone data is indicative of a user spoken phrase captured by the set of microphones. The communication apparatus is to establish based on the received microphone data a selected microphone from among the set of microphones.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an intelligent, adaptable, and trainable bot that orchestrates automation, event data integration, and application programming interfaces across multiple applications. The technology may include receiving event data describing events from distributed software applications and processing the event data describing the events to generate notifications, the event data being received based on execution of a software recipe. The bot may transmit the notifications for display to a user using a conversational interface and receive a command from the user via the conversational interface, the command including a requested operation respective to at least one delivered notification. In response to receiving the command, the method may generate recommendations for additional commands respective to the at least one notification based on metadata associated with an event corresponding to the at least one notification.

Abstract: A computer-implemented conversational agent engages in a natural language conversation with a user, interpreting the natural language conversation by parsing and tokenizing utterances in the natural language conversation. Based on interpreting, a set of utterances in the natural language conversation to be recorded as a macro is determined. The macro is stored in a database with an associated macro identifier. Replaying of the macro executes a function specified in the set of utterances.

Abstract: A method on a mobile device for processing an audio input is described. A trigger for the audio input is received. At least one parameter is determined for an audio processor based on at least one input characteristic for the audio input. The audio input is routed to the audio processor with the at least one parameter.

Abstract: A system may include first and second speech-processing systems with corresponding first and second wakewords. An utterance may contain two or more wakewords. The system determines which speech-processing system to use to perform further audio processing and to determine a response to the utterance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining that artificial commands, in excess of a threshold value, are detected by multiple voice activated electronic devices is described herein. In some embodiments, numerous voice activated electronic devices may send audio data representing a phrase to a backend system at a substantially same time. Text data representing the phrase, and counts for instances of that text data, may be generated. If the number of counts exceeds a predefined threshold, the backend system may cause any remaining response generation functionality that particular command that is in excess of the predefined threshold to be stopped, and those devices returned to a sleep state. In some embodiments, a sound profile unique to the phrase that caused the excess of the predefined threshold may be generated such that future instances of the same phrase may be recognized prior to text data being generated, conserving the backend system's resources.

Abstract: Devices and methods for routing content are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for routing content include receiving audio data representing a command from a first electronic device, determining content that is associated with the command, sending responsive audio data to the first electronic device, and sending instructions to the second electronic device to output the content associated with the command. In some embodiments, a method for routing contents includes determining a state of the second electronic device and sending instructions to output the content to a selected one of the first and second electronic devices based on the state of the second electronic device.

Abstract: Circuit integrated with voice wake-up function, television and voice control method. The circuit integrated with voice wake-up function comprises television mainboard and far-field voice module. The far-field voice module comprises: microphone unit for collecting voice simulation signal; analog-digital conversion unit for converting voice simulation signal to digital signal; main control unit for processing converted digital signal and outputting same to television mainboard; and voice wake-up unit for processing voice simulation signal and outputting wake-up signal to television mainboard. Microphone unit is connected to analog-digital conversion unit and voice recognition unit, respectively; analog-digital conversion unit is connected to main control unit and television mainboard, respectively; and television mainboard is connected to main control unit and voice wake-up unit, respectively.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose an Internet text mining-based method and apparatus for judging the validity of a point of interest. An implementation of the method includes: determining a search word set for indicating a to-be-detected point of interest; performing a search by using a determined search word as a search keyword, to obtain a description information set for describing the to-be-detected point of interest; and inputting a name of the to-be-detected point of interest and description information in the description information set into a pre-established validity discriminant model, to obtain a status label for indicating validity of the to-be-detected point of interest. This implementation enables timely discovery of invalid POI information. Thus, more accurate information are provided for users, user needs are met, and user experience is improved.

Abstract: A device configured to receive a video request that includes animation instructions for a video scene. The animation instructions identify one or more animations associated with the video scene. The device is further configured to identify a first animation from the one or more animations associated with the video scene and to determine that the first animation is configured for text-to-audio. The device is further configured to identify text associated with the first animation and to convert the text associated with the first animation into an audio sample. The device is further configured to associate the audio sample with an animation identifier for the first animation in an audio sample buffer. The device is further configured to associate a timestamp with a source scene identifier for the video scene and the animation identifier for the first animation in the video timing map.

Abstract: A network validation system is described which may perform operations such as generating, analyzing, verifying, correcting, recommending, and deploying language, symbols, etc., such as domain specific language, configured to allow users to express their intent on the configuration and operation of a network, such as a cloud-based network. The network validation system may provide domain specific language that includes rules, statements, symbols, data, etc., configured to convey the intent of users on the configuration and operation of networks for purposes such as configuring and/or validating communication paths, testing or setting associated network object configurations, and may be employed to report violations in such configurations relative to user intent of the one or more users. The network validation system may also be employed to monitor such domain specific language and generate telemetry signaling, for example, that a rule has or has not been violated, actions a user may take, etc.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and devices for registering a voiceprint and authenticating a voiceprint. The method for registering a voiceprint includes performing a frame alignment operation on a registration character string inputted by a user in voice to extract first acoustic features of each first character constituting the registration character string; calculating a first posterior probability of the first acoustic features of each first character in a global Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) model to perform a Baum-Welch (BW) statistic; extracting first vector features of each first character through a preset vector feature extractor configured for multi-character; and stitching the first vector features of each first character sequentially, to obtain a registration voiceprint model of the user.

Abstract: Technology that facilitates prediction of order-fulfillment abeyance are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: obtain order details of an inchoate order from an orderer; predict that the inchoate order, upon submission, would be have its fulfillment held in abeyance; and in response to the abeyance prediction, disable submission of the inchoate order with the obtained order details.

Abstract: A method for a voice interaction is provided according to embodiments of the disclosure, the method belonging to the field of smart devices. The method may include: receiving an external input; checking a current time in response to the external input; calling a voice program; and raising a question according to the current time and the called voice program, and playing the called voice program. The method and apparatus for a voice interaction may perform more immersive interaction with a user, thereby improving the user experience.

Abstract: An interface device and method of use, comprising audio and image inputs; a processor for determining topics of interest, and receiving information of interest to the user from a remote resource; an audio-visual output for presenting an anthropomorphic object conveying the received information, having a selectively defined and adaptively alterable mood; an external communication device adapted to remotely communicate at least a voice conversation with a human user of the personal interface device. Also provided is a system and method adapted to receive logic for, synthesize, and engage in conversation dependent on received conversational logic and a personality.

Abstract: A speech recognition system comprises: an input, for receiving an input signal from at least one microphone; a first buffer, for storing the input signal; a noise reduction block, for receiving the input signal and generating a noise reduced input signal; a speech recognition engine, for receiving either the input signal output from the first buffer or the noise reduced input signal from the noise reduction block; and a selection circuit for directing either the input signal output from the first buffer or the noise reduced input signal from the noise reduction block to the speech recognition engine.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, computer system, and computer program product for processing requests. Overlapping requests are received by a computer system from users using a shared client device. The overlapping requests are requests for which responses have not been sent to the shared client device. Priorities for the overlapping requests are determined by the computer system based on a set of priority considerations for the overlapping requests and using request information derived from the overlapping requests in which the request information includes at least one of an emotional state or an urgency. The overlapping requests are processed by the computer system based on the priorities determined for the overlapping requests.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing device and an information processing method that enable the intention of a speech of a user to be estimated more accurately. The information processing device includes: a detection unit configured to detect a breakpoint of a speech of a user on the basis of a result of recognition that is to be obtained during the speech of the user; and an estimation unit configured to estimate an intention of the speech of the user on the basis of a result of semantic analysis of a divided speech sentence obtained by dividing a speech sentence at the detected breakpoint of the speech. The present technology can be applied, for example, to a speech dialogue system.

Abstract: An apparatus for recognizing a voice in a vehicle includes an input device for receiving a voice command and a controller. The controller: determines whether a number of the voice commands is at least two; determines whether the voice commands are able to be executed based on a preset priority, when the number of the voice commands is at least two; calculates an execution sequence of the voice commands based on the determination result; and allows operations corresponding to the voice commands to be executed based on the calculated execution sequence of the voice commands. When the plurality of voice commands is input, the operations corresponding to the voice commands are executed in an optimized manner.

Abstract: A system and method for organizing and representing in a single display, using temporal and locational relationships, multiple selected pieces of information that may exist in different embodiments and that may be related to one or more past, present or future events.

Abstract: A method for modifying visual aspects of a keyboard in response to a user typing on the keyboard. The method includes one or more computer processors receiving a first character input to an input device. The method further includes determining a plurality of words that begin with the first received character. The method further includes ranking the determined plurality of words. The method further includes selecting a word from among the ranked plurality of words based on a first set of criteria. The method further includes determining a sequence of one or more characters after the received first character that correspond to the selected word. The method further includes modifying one or more respective characteristics of input elements of the input device that correspond to the sequence of characters of the selected word.

Abstract: The application discloses an intelligent device wake-up method, an intelligent device and a computer-readable storage medium. A specific implementation is: obtaining wake-up voice sent by a user; when determining that a current wake-up mode is a group wake-up mode, recognizing volume information corresponding to obtained wake-up voice, and determining wake-up delay time according to the volume information; when determining that the wake-up delay time is different from wake-up delay time corresponding to other intelligent device in the group, and no response information sent by other intelligent device in the group is obtained within the wake-up delay time, performing a wake-up process and playing response information when the wake-up delay time is over. Thus, it can ensure that only one intelligent device responds to the wake-up voice sent out by the user at any time, thereby avoiding the situation that multiple intelligent devices respond at the same time.

Abstract: A conversation interaction method and apparatus, and a computer-readable storage medium are provided. The method includes: converting a speech to be recognized into a first text; inputting the first text into a semantic analysis model, to obtain intention information and slot information of the first text; and inputting the intention information and the slot information of the first text into a conversation state machine, to obtain interaction information corresponding to the first text. By using a semantic analysis model, intention information and slot information of a first text are obtained directly from the first text. The process in the existing technology, where a semantic analysis model needs to be used immediately after a language model, is avoided, thereby shortening processing time and making it possible to respond faster to a user. Further, by using the above scheme, calculation complexity and the cost of a whole system are reduced.

Abstract: The electronic device with one or more processors and memory receives an input of a user. The electronic device, in accordance with the input, identifies a respective task type from a plurality of predefined task types associated with a plurality of third party service providers. The respective task type is associated with at least one third party service provider for which the user is authorized and at least one third party service provider for which the user is not authorized. In response to identifying the respective task type, the electronic device sends a request to perform at least a portion of a task to a third party service provider of the plurality of third party service providers that is associated with the respective task type.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for automatically changing the priority of a media asset using a continuous listening device. The system may receive an audio clip of a conversation a user, and then determine whether that conversation relates to any of the programs recorded or scheduled to be recorded on a storage device associated with the user. In response to determining that the media asset does relate to one of the programs recorded or scheduled to be recorded on the storage device, a user profile may be consulted to determine past instances of the user discussing the media asset, and, if a measure of the total number of instances the user discussed the media asset meets a threshold measure, the priority of the media asset may be updated.

Abstract: Power consumption for a computing device may be managed by one or more keywords. For example, if an audio input obtained by the computing device includes a keyword, a network interface module and/or an application processing module of the computing device may be activated. The audio input may then be transmitted via the network interface module to a remote computing device, such as a speech recognition server. Alternately, the computing device may be provided with a speech recognition engine configured to process the audio input for on-device speech recognition.

Abstract: A multi-party conversational agent includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a memory storing a software code. The hardware processor is configured to execute the software code to identify a first predetermined expression for conversing with a group of people, and to have a group conversation, using the first predetermined expression, with at least some members of the group. The hardware processor is configured to further execute the software code to identify, while having the group conversation, a second predetermined expression for having a dialogue with at least one member of the group, and to interrupt the group conversation to have the dialogue, using the second predetermined expression, with the at least one member of the group.

Abstract: Systems and processes are disclosed for virtual assistant request recognition using live usage data and data relating to future events. User requests that are received but not recognized can be used to generate candidate request templates. A count can be associated with each candidate request template and can be incremented each time a matching candidate request template is received. When a count reaches a threshold level, the corresponding candidate request template can be used to train a virtual assistant to recognize and respond to similar user requests in the future. In addition, data relating to future events can be mined to extract relevant information that can be used to populate both recognized user request templates and candidate user request templates. Populated user request templates (e.g., whole expected utterances) can then be used to recognize user requests and disambiguate user intent as future events become relevant.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enabling voice-based interactions with electronic devices can include a data processing system maintaining a plurality of device action data sets and a respective identifier for each device action data set. The data processing system can receive, from an electronic device, an audio signal representing a voice query and an identifier. The data processing system can identify, using the identifier, a device action data set. The data processing system can identify a device action from device action data set based on content of the audio signal. The data processing system can then identify, from the device action dataset, a command associated with the device action and send the command to the for execution device for execution.

Abstract: The invention provides a content playback system comprising a playback device that is configured to detect a voice command from a user and to play content. When a voice command is received, the system is configured to analyse the voice command to determine a user intent. The system then extracts one or more entities from the voice command, wherein each of the extracted entities is of a type associated with the determined user intent. Then, based on the one or more extracted entities, the system controls the playback device. Analysis of the voice command in this manner may improve an accuracy with which a meaning of the voice command can be obtained, thereby facilitating control of the playback device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for detecting wake words. An electronic device detects an audio signal; identifies two spatial zones as first and second sources of audio associated with the audio signal; processes the audio signal at two wake word detection engines, where each detection engine is associated with a respective spatial zone; determines, based on the processing at the wake word detection engines, whether the audio signal represents a wake word for the electronic device; and in accordance with a determination that the audio signal does represent a wake word, adjusts a wake word detection threshold for at least one of the wake word detection engines.