Abstract: This disclosure relates to answer prediction in a speech processing system. The system may disambiguate entities spoken or implied in a request to initiate an action with respect to a target user. To initiate the action, the system may determine one or more parameters; for example, the target (e.g., a contact/recipient), a source (e.g., a caller/requesting user), and a network (voice over internet protocol (VOIP), cellular, video chat, etc.). Due to the privacy implications of initiating actions involving data transfers between parties, the system may apply a high threshold for a confidence associated with each parameter. Rather than ask multiple follow-up questions, which may frustrate the requesting user, the system may attempt to disambiguate or determine a parameter, and skip a question regarding the parameter if it can predict an answer with high confidence. The system can improve the customer experience while maintaining security for actions involving, for example, communications.

Abstract: A speech-processing system may provide access to multiple virtual assistants. Speech-processing systems may perform actions for or on behalf of users with the aid of skills; e.g., a shopping skill, navigation skill, communications skill, etc. Some skills may be associated with more than one assistant. The speech-processing system may determine which assistant to invoke upon receiving a command from a user device. The identity of the virtual assistant is propagated to the skill and the device, as well as other components of the speech-processing system. In some cases, however, a multi-assistant skill may determine that an assistant other than the one initially selected by the speech-processing system is to handle the command. The skill may send the identity of the new assistant back to the speech-processing system. The speech-processing system may restart the command dissemination process to provide each component of the system with the updated assistant identity.

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing contact resolution are described herein. When initiating a communications session using a voice activated electronic device, a contact name may be resolved to determine an appropriate contact with which the communications session may be directed to. Contacts from an individual's contact list may be queried to determine a listing of probable contacts associated with the contact name, and contact identifiers associated with the contact may be determined. Using one or more rules for disambiguating between similar contact names, a single contact may be identified, and a communications session with that contact may be initiated.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for establishing communications sessions with contacts are disclosed. In some embodiments, a first request may be received from a first device. The first request may be to communicate with a contact name. A user account associated with the first device may then be identified, and a contact list associated with the user account may be accessed to determine contacts associated with the contact name. Based on the contact list, a first contact and a second contact associated with the contact name may be identified. It may be determined, from memory, that the first contact is a first preferred contact. However, based on an intervening event, the second contact, rather than the preferred contact, may be selected for communicating with the contact.

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing contact resolution are described herein. When initiating a communications session using a voice activated electronic device, a contact name may be resolved to determine an appropriate contact with which the communications session may be directed to. Contacts from an individual's contact list may be queried to determine a listing of probable contacts associated with the contact name, and contact identifiers associated with the contact may be determined. Using one or more rules for disambiguating between similar contact names, a single contact may be identified, and a communications session with that contact may be initiated.

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing contact resolution are described herein. When initiating a communications session using a voice activated electronic device, a contact name may be resolved to determine an appropriate contact with which the communications session may be directed to. Contacts from an individual's contact list may be queried to determine a listing of probable contacts associated with the contact name, and contact identifiers associated with the contact may be determined. Using one or more rules for disambiguating between similar contact names, a single contact may be identified, and a communications session with that contact may be initiated.

Abstract: Systems and methods for establishing a communications system between multiple electronic devices are described herein. In some embodiments, first audio data representing a first utterance may be received from an initiating device. A first user account associated with the initiating device may be determined. After determining that the utterance comprises an intent to communicate with a target, a list of entity names associated with the user account may be generated. Each entity name may represent a user contact associated with the first user account, a user device corresponding to the first user account, and/or a set of entity names representing user contacts and devices. Based on a relative comparison of each entity name to the target's name, an entity name may be selected from the plurality of entity names. A communications session may then be established between the initiating device and a device represented by the selected entity name.

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing contact resolution are described herein. When initiating a communications session using a voice activated electronic device, a contact name may be resolved to determine an appropriate contact with which the communications session may be directed to. Contacts from an individual's contact list may be queried to determine a listing of probable contacts associated with the contact name, and contact identifiers associated with the contact may be determined. Using one or more rules for disambiguating between similar contact names, a single contact may be identified, and a communications session with that contact may be initiated.