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.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for learning design policies based on user interactions. One example includes determining a first task for an environment, receiving data from a plurality of data sources, determining a first time step associated with the received data, determining a plurality of candidate actions for the determined first time step, computing a respective probability value of each candidate action achieving the first task at the first time step based on a first machine learning (ML) model, determining that a first candidate action has a greater probability value for achieving the first task at the first time step relative to the remaining plurality of candidate actions, determining that the first candidate action has not been implemented in the environment at the first time step, and generating an indication specifying to implement the first candidate action as part of a policy to achieve the first task.

Abstract: Systems and methods for populating the fields of an electronic form are disclosed. A method includes receiving a speech input from a user corresponding to a first field of a plurality of fields of an electronic form provided on a display screen of the user device; converting the speech input from an audible value into text; displaying, on the display screen of the user device, the text in the first field of the electronic form to allow a visual verification by the user; prompting, via a speaker of the user device, the user for information for a second field and a subsequent field in the plurality of fields upon each preceding field being populated with text from converted speech inputs; determining the form is complete based on a set of populated fields in the plurality of fields; and enabling a submission of the completed form.

Abstract: Various arrangements are detailed herein related to managing video recording. A system can include a network-enabled video camera that captures a video stream of a location and streams the video stream to a cloud-based home assistant integration platform. The system can include a home assistant device comprising a microphone and wireless network interface, the home assistant device configured to receive, via the microphone, a spoken command that requests video, captured by the network-enabled video camera, be recorded. The cloud-based home assistant integration platform may be configured to analyze the video stream captured using the network-enabled video camera to determine an identity of the user. The platform may be further configured to store a portion of the video stream linked to a user account of the user based on the spoken command and the identity of the user.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus is provided. The electronic apparatus includes a communicator, a memory, and a processor connected to the communicator and the memory and configured to control the electronic apparatus. The processor is configured to, by executing at least one command stored in the memory, based on a user input for executing an assistant service being received, transmit information on a user voice acquired by the electronic apparatus to a plurality of servers providing different assistant services through the communicator, and based on a plurality of response information being received from the plurality of servers, provide a response on the user voice based on at least one of the plurality of response information. The plurality of servers provide the assistant service using an artificial intelligence agent.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described to provide voice search in an elastic cloud environment communicating with a set-top box (STB) by receiving by a voice cloud search server pulse-code modulation (PCM) audio packets transmitted from the STB; sending the PCM audio packets to a natural language processing (NLP) service for converting to text; sending the text sets to an elastic voice cloud search server for querying an electronic program guide (EPG) service, channel and program data associated with the text set wherein the EPG service to at least return identified channel and program data; in response to an identified return of channel and television program data, sending sets of text to a third-party search service for performing an independent search for related data and returning search results of video and image content which is then stripped of dynamic scripts to return to the STB.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs stored on a computer-readable storage medium, for asynchronous execution of client requests. In some implementations, data indicating a user request to a digital assistant is received. An action corresponding to the user request is determined. It is determined that the action is classified as an action to be performed asynchronously to the user request. A confirmation message is sent, for output, and the action is performed asynchronously to the user request.

Abstract: A speech command generation system includes multiple speech terminals that communicate with each other via a network. Each terminal, which includes a sound pickup device and a speaker. At least one of the terminals converts local picked up sound data to text data, while delaying outputting of the sound data to a remotely communicating terminal, and determines whether the text data includes a trigger word. When the text data includes the trigger word, the outputting of the sound data to the remotely communicating terminal is inhibited.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for implementation and use of voice activated laboratory environments (VALET) are disclosed. According to one aspect, a VALET controls a first instrument in a first location, and has, in acoustic proximity to the first location, an audio interface configured to receive voice commands, to enunciate responses to the voice commands, and to transmit a first signal responsive to a first voice command to an intermediary location. The VALET also includes a computer configured to receive a computer instruction from the intermediary location, the computer instruction configuring the computer to select and issue an instrument command to cause the first instrument to effectuate the voice command.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a user input by a user from a client system associated with the user, parsing the user input to identify a subject and intent of the user input, determining whether one or more agents associated with the identified intent are able to resolve the user input, identifying one or more entities related to the identified subject of the user input responsive to determining that the one or more agents are not able to resolve the user input, calculating a subject-association score for each of the one or more entities, ranking the one or more entities based on their respective subject-association scores, and sending, to the client system, instructions for presenting one or more recommendations to the user corresponding to one or more of the entities having a ranking greater than a threshold ranking.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a reproduction apparatus and a reproduction method which enable easier operation of providing a response to distributed information. [Solution] A reproduction terminal including: a reproducing unit configured to reproduce distributed information; a sensor unit configured to detect body action of a user; and a control unit configured to process operation regarding provision of a response to the distributed information on the basis of the body action detected at the sensor unit.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is presented for performing Q-learning with language model for unsupervised text summarization. The method includes mapping each word of a sentence into a vector by using word embedding via a deep learning natural language processing model, assigning each of the words to an action and operation status, determining, for each of the words whose operation status represents “unoperated,” a status by calculating a local encoding and a global encoding, and concatenating the local encoding and the global encoding, the local encoding calculated based on a vector, an action, and an operation status of the word, and the global encoding calculated based on each of the local encodings of the words in a self-attention fashion, and determining, via an editorial agent, a Q-value for each of the words in terms of each of three actions based on the status.

Abstract: A dialogue system includes: a speech recognizes configured to generate an input sentence by converting a speech of a user into a text; a dialogue manager configured to generate a meaning representation for the input sentence; and a result processor configured to generate a plurality of output sentences corresponding to the meaning representation. The dialogue manager generates a meaning representation for each of the plurality of output sentences. The result processor generates a system response based on the meaning representation for the input sentence and the meaning representation for each of the plurality of output sentences.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods for extending the capabilities of client communication devices that are communicatively coupled to the Internet and capable of executing supported applications. An automated skills-creation process locates forms on the World Wide Web that requires user interaction, develops skills in support of those interactions, and loads the skills into a skills database. The skills thus developed can simplify subsequent user interactions with the related web resources, such as to facilitate interactions that are partially or wholly based on speech.

Abstract: A method for responding to a voice signal includes: receiving a voice signal by the plurality of electronic devices; determining, for each of the electronic devices, a target sound source point associated with the voice signal; determining, for each of the electronic devices, a direct sound energy associated with the voice signal according to the target sound source point; and selecting from the plurality of electronic devices at least one electronic device with a direct sound energy satisfying a predetermined condition, and responding to the voice signal by the at least one electronic device. A sound pickup decision system based on a plurality of electronic devices, can make more accurate, more reasonable, and more targeted response to a user's voice, improving voice interaction experience.

Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, context-based device arbitration techniques to select a voice-enabled device from multiple voice-enabled devices to provide a response to a command included in a speech utterance of a user. In some examples, the context-driven arbitration techniques may include determining a ranked list of voice-enabled devices that are ranked based on audio signal metric values for audio signals generated by each voice-enabled device, and iteratively moving through the list to determine, based on device states of the voice-enabled devices, whether one of the voice-enabled devices can perform an action responsive to the command. If the voice-enabled devices that detected the speech utterance are unable to perform the action responsive to the command, all other voice-enabled devices associated with an account may be analyzed to determine whether one of the other voice-enabled devices can perform the action responsive to the command in the speech utterance.

Abstract: A memory stores a first voice record of a first user and a second voice record of a second user. A processor receives from a device of the first user a recording of a voice conversation between the first and second users and compares the recording with the first and second voice records to determine that the voice conversation is between the first and second users. The processor also determines that the first and second users intend to conduct a transaction with each other and determines a transaction amount for the transaction. The processor further communicates, to the device of the first user, a message, receives, from the device of the first user, a confirmation of the transaction in response to the message, and in response to the confirmation, initiates the transaction.

Abstract: A system including at least one server includes an obtaining unit that, in a case where a print instruction is issued by voice to a voice control device, obtains information based on the print instruction, and a generation unit that generates print data based on the obtained information, where the generation unit generates the print data by using a previously registered print setting when a print setting is not included in the obtained information.

Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to a process for automatically training a machine learning algorithm to recognize a custom wake word. By using different text-to-speech services, input providing a custom wake word to a text to speech service can be used in order to generate different speech samples covering different variations in how the custom wake word can be pronounced. These samples are automatically generated and are subsequently used to train the wake word detection algorithm that will be used by the computing device to recognize and detect when the custom wake word is uttered by any user nearby a computing device for the purposes of initiating a virtual assistant. In a further embodiment, “white-listed” words (e.g different words that are pronounced similar to the custom wake word) are also identified and trained in order to minimize the occurrence of erroneously initiating the virtual assistant.

Abstract: Utilizing a computing device executing a master chatbot and one or more modular chatbots to respond to one or more chat messages. A computing device executing the master chatbot receives one or more chat messages. The computing device parses the received one or more chat messages to discover an intent and entities contained within the chat messages. A ranking algorithm is employed to rank the master chatbot and a plurality of modular chatbots, the ranking algorithm scoring the master chatbot and the plurality of modular chatbots based upon the intent and entities contained within the one or more chat messages. The master chatbot responds to the chat message if the ranking algorithm rates the master chatbot highest or forwards automatically the one or more chat messages to a ranked modular chatbot for response if the ranking algorithm rates the ranked modular chatbot highest.

Abstract: Techniques for engaging a drowsy or otherwise impaired driver of a vehicle in a VUI dialog are described. A vehicle computing system sends data (e.g., raw sensor data and/or an indication that a driver is impaired determined based on the raw sensor data) to a remote server(s). The remote server(s) may separately determine whether the driver is impaired based on the raw sensor data and/or other contextual data. The remote server(s) selects a speechlet to provide output data based on the sensor data, contextual data, and or a level at which the driver is impaired. The remote server(s) then causes the vehicle computing system to present output audio corresponding to output data provided by the speechlet.

Abstract: In response to a user interacting with a tangible peripheral assistant control device (e.g., depressing a button of the device), causing an automated assistant to perform one or more actions. The action(s) performed can be based on input previously provided by the user in configuring the peripheral assistant control device. The action(s) performed in response to interaction with the peripheral assistant control device can vary based on one or more conditions, such as which user is currently active, where the peripheral assistant control device is currently located (which can optionally be inferred based on which of multiple assistant computing devices the button is paired with), and/or the current state of one or more smart devices and/or other devices (e.g., as determined based on a device topology). A utility of the peripheral assistant control device can be automatically extended beyond what was specifically requested by a user during configuration.

Abstract: An interaction system that provides an interaction interface comprising: a computer and a device that obtains information, wherein the computer stores information for managing data in which a type of a second feature value is associated with a listening pattern that defines a tendency of a response action performed by the interaction interface on a user; calculates a first feature value that is an index for evaluating a change in state during speech by the user on the basis of information obtained by the device; calculates second feature values on the basis of the first feature value; selects a target second feature value from among the second feature values; selects the listening pattern corresponding to the target second feature value; and generates output information for controlling the interaction interface on the basis of the selected listening pattern.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a guide robot and a method of operating the same. A guide robot according to the present disclosure includes a voice receiving unit to receive a voice, a controller to determine whether the received voice includes a preset wake-up word, and a wireless communication unit to perform communication with an artificial intelligence (AI) server set to be activated by the preset wake-up word. At this time, the control unit transmits the received voice to the artificial intelligence server, receives result information from the artificial intelligence server, and outputs the received result information, when the received voice includes the preset wake-up word. And, the control unit outputs a response voice selected according to a predetermined reference when the received voice does not include the preset wake-up word. The guide robot may be operated by artificial intelligence.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a search method and device based on artificial intelligence and an electronic device. The search method based on artificial intelligence includes: obtaining a query; performing a word segmentation on the query to obtain a term sequence containing a plurality of terms; performing a structured analysis on the term sequence to generate a semantic pattern; performing a knowledge-based analysis on the term sequence based on the semantic pattern to generate a semantic analysis result; determining an understanding result corresponding to the query based on the semantic pattern and the semantic analysis result; and performing a search based on the understanding result corresponding to the query.

Abstract: A method for waking up a robot includes: acquiring sight range information when a voice command issuer issues a voice command; if the sight range information of the voice command issuer when issuing the voice command is acquired, determining, based on the sight range information, whether the voice command issuer gazes the robot when the voice command is issued; and determining that the robot is called if the voice command issuer gazes the robot.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for voice-based parameter assignment for voice-capturing devices are disclosed. Voice input from a voice-capturing device is received over one or more networks at a service provider environment comprising one or more services. The services implement voice input analysis and device management. Using the voice input analysis, analysis of the voice input is performed to determine that the voice input represents a value for a configuration parameter. The value is descriptive of the device. An association between the voice-capturing device and the value for the configuration parameter is stored using the device management. The value affects one or more actions taken by the service provider environment responsive to further voice input from the voice-capturing device.

Abstract: Computing systems, database systems, and related conversational interaction methods are provided for customizing database components. One exemplary method involves receiving a conversational user input, analyzing the conversational user input to identify a requested action with respect to a database component, identifying a plurality of attributes associated with the requested action with respect to the database component, determining a missing subset of the plurality of attributes based at least in part on the user input, prompting a user for values of the missing subset of attributes, receiving a second conversational user input responsive to the prompt, and performing the requested action with respect to the database component in a database using the second user input.

Abstract: An information processing device includes a processor. The processor is configured to: receive an input of a question; hold a response, when data required to output response content in response to the question is insufficient; and output, when insufficient data is collected while the response is being held, an announcement that the response is made and the response content.

Abstract: A home appliance is provided. The home appliance includes a sensor, a microphone, a speaker, and a processor. The processor is configured to, based on one of a first event wherein a user action is detected through the sensor or a second event wherein a trigger command for initiating a voice recognition mode is input through the microphone occurring, operate in the voice recognition mode, and control the speaker to output an audio signal corresponding to the event occurred, and the audio signal is an audio signal set differently for each of the first event and the second event.

Abstract: Examples for augmenting user recognition via speech are provided. One example method comprises, on a computing device, monitoring a use environment via one or more sensors including an acoustic sensor, detecting utterance of a key phrase via data from the acoustic sensor, and based upon the selected data from the acoustic sensor and also on other environmental sensor data collected at different times than the selected data from the acoustic sensor, determining a probability that the key phrase was spoken by an identified user. The method further includes, if the probability meets or exceeds a threshold probability, then performing an action on the computing device.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the present invention, methods, systems and computer readable media are provided, in a cognitive data processing system, for implementing a predictive analytics system that utilizes entity and non-entity information. A collection of content is processed to extract defined entities pertaining to one or more domains. Semantic relationships are determined between objects within the collection of content, wherein the objects include undefined entities. The defined entities and objects are resolved based on entity definitions and the semantic relationships to determine defined entities and undefined entities for a resulting data set. The resulting data set is processed to identify one or more relationships between a defined entity and an undefined entity.

Abstract: A system for user interaction with a building automation system (BAS). The system includes a user device configured to accept vocal inputs and produce audio outputs, and a server in communication with the user device and a BAS controller. The server is configured to translate a vocal input to input text, and determine and store a conversation context based on the input text. The server is further configured to determine a desired output corresponding to the input text. Additionally, the server is configured to receive, from the BAS controller, BAS data corresponding to the desired output, and generate at least one audio output from the BAS data. The user device outputs the at least one audio output, and the server is configured to apply the conversation context to a subsequent vocal input.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for voice-based call operations are provided. In some embodiments, a method comprises: receiving, at a first user device, a communication; detecting a voice command, using the first user device, that includes a keyword; and in response to detecting the voice command, causing the communication to be transferred to a second user device that is associated with the keyword.

Abstract: Text including at least a first term can be presented on a display. An enterprise glossary can be queried to identify at least a first curation parameter assigned to the first term. A first score can be determined for the first term based, at least in part, on the first curation parameter assigned to the first term. The first score can be assigned to a first data value. The first data value can be presented on the display.

Abstract: A method for achieving interactions between user and automobile is disclosed. Specifically, the automobile is equipped with multiple distance sensors and multiple multi-dimensional sensors, and has a processor that is constituted to a keyless entry system with an electronic car key. During conducting the method, the distance sensors detect an approaching object, and the multi-dimensional sensors collect multi-dimensional parameters of the approaching object, such that the processor is able to judge an object action of the approaching object based on the multi-dimensional parameters. As a result, in case of the object action is determined to correspond with one of reference object actions, the automobile is controlled by the processor so as to conduct a specific action, for example, unlocking a door lock, opening a car door, adjusting an illumination of at least one car headlight, and starting automobile engine.

Abstract: The present application discloses a method, device, and system for interfacing with a terminal with a plurality of response modes. The method includes obtaining a voice command from a user, determining context information corresponding to the voice command, and performing a response operation in response to the voice command, the response operation being based at least in part on a response mode that is determined based at least in part on the context information, and the response mode indicating one or more interfaces for interaction between the terminal and the user.

Abstract: A method and an electronic device for translating a speech signal between a first language and a second language with minimized translation delay by translating fewer than all words of the speech signal according to a level of understanding of the second language by a user that receives the translation.

Abstract: An electronic device for providing contextual recommendations and a method therefor are provided. The electronic device includes a memory storing instructions, and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to obtain text including characters, identify, based on a language model, a domain corresponding to the text, identify a reference of the characters based on the domain, and perform, based on the reference, an action related to the domain.

Abstract: A cloud server for converting a voice command into text code blocks that support a printing service is presented. The cloud server includes a communicator, a processor, and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor. The processor executes the instructions to convert a voice command received from a user terminal through the communicator into text code blocks supporting a printing service and to control the communicator to transmit the text code blocks to the user terminal.

Abstract: A system and method for temporarily disabling keyword detection to avoid detection of machine-generated keywords. A local device may operate two keyword detectors. The first keyword detector operates on input audio data received by a microphone to capture keywords uttered by a user. In these instances, the keyword may be detected by the first detector and the audio data may be transmitted to a remote device for processing. The remote device may generate output audio data to be sent to the local device. The local device may process the output audio data to determine that it also includes the keyword. The device may then disable the first keyword detector while the output audio data is played back by an audio speaker of the local device. Thus the local device may avoid detection of a keyword originating from the output audio. The first keyword detector may be reactivated after a time interval during which the keyword might be detectable in the output audio.

Abstract: A method for changing the audio response voice of a voice control system based on an activation command of a user. The method includes the user requesting the change of the activation command, the user inputting the new activation command, the gender of the new activation command being determined, setting the audio response voice in accordance with the gender in response to the gender being unambiguously masculine or unambiguously feminine, retaining the present audio response voice in response to the gender being neither unambiguously masculine nor unambiguously feminine, and applying the new activation command.

Abstract: Provided are embodiments for a computer-implemented method for interacting with a user by an automated response system supporting topic switching and information collection. The computer-implemented method includes receiving a plurality of utterances from the user by the automated response system, and analyzing the utterances to form a first topic thread and an information collection objective. The computer-implemented method also includes utilizing an information collection user interface to gather data to support the information collection objective, and providing responses to the user after the gathered data related to the first topic thread. Also provided are embodiments for a system and computer program product for implementing the techniques described herein.

Abstract: A method may be implemented to prioritize and analyze data exchanged in a connected vehicle transit network. The method may include receiving, at a roadside unit, vehicle data from a connected vehicle. The method may further include prioritizing the vehicle data received from the connected vehicle based on of urgency, network latency or available computing resources.

Abstract: A closed-loop natural language query pre-processor and response synthesizer architecture accepts natural language queries and dynamically synthesizes query results. The query results may be in the form of data stories. The architecture identifies, selects, and composes candidate response elements into a coherent and meaningful query result. The architecture also implements an adaptable delivery mechanism that is responsive to connection bandwidth, query source preferences, query source characteristics, and other factors. Feedback from multiple sources adapts the architecture for handling subsequent queries.

Abstract: A dialog system and a method of using the dialog system is disclosed. The method may comprise: receiving audible human speech from a user; determining that the audible human speech comprises sarcasm information; providing an input to a neural network, wherein the input comprises speech data input associated with the audible human speech, an embedding vector associated with the sarcasm information, and a one-hot vector; and based on the input, determining an audible response to the human speech.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include security systems and methods for securing an electronic device. In some embodiments, the security system may include an electronic device including surveillance components, including a microphone and a camera. The security device may be secured to the electronic device in a way that blocks or interferes with one or more of these surveillance components. Additionally, the security device may be placed near or on the electronic device. The security device may also include security components to distort sounds from a sound source to be detected by the microphone. As a result, this may prevent third parties from at least remotely streaming or recording live audio and/or video from various audio and video recording components present on the electronic device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein in relation to notifications about alternative viewing opportunities for recording and playback of media programs. In particular, the systems and methods provide users with information related to alternative recorded programming viewing opportunities for programs scheduled for recording by a user.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to the technical field of lifting mechanisms, and in particular to a voice control system and a method for moving columns, comprising a lifting mechanism, a controller, a storage module, and a voice collection module. The lifting mechanism, the storage module and the voice collection module are all electrically connected to the controller. A control word and at least two wake-up words are stored in the storage module. The system further includes a selection module for selecting the wake-up word and a display module for displaying the current wake-up word. Both the selection module and the display module are electrically connected to the controller. The likelihood of unwanted triggering can be decreased by the voice control system and method.