Patents by Inventor Jakob Nicolaus Foerster

Jakob Nicolaus Foerster 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: 20170110144
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for receiving audio data corresponding to an utterance, determining that the audio data corresponds to a hotword, generating a hotword audio fingerprint of the audio data that is determined to correspond to the hotword, comparing the hotword audio fingerprint to one or more stored audio fingerprints of audio data that was previously determined to correspond to the hotword, detecting whether the hotword audio fingerprint matches a stored audio fingerprint of audio data that was previously determined to correspond to the hotword based on whether the comparison indicates a similarity between the hotword audio fingerprint and one of the one or more stored audio fingerprints that satisfies a predetermined threshold, and in response to detecting that the hotword audio fingerprint matches a stored audio fingerprint, disabling access to a computing device into which the utterance was spoken.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Matthew Sharifi, Jakob Nicolaus Foerster
  • Publication number: 20170110130
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for receiving audio data corresponding to an utterance, determining that the audio data corresponds to a hotword, generating a hotword audio fingerprint of the audio data that is determined to correspond to the hotword, comparing the hotword audio fingerprint to one or more stored audio fingerprints of audio data that was previously determined to correspond to the hotword, detecting whether the hotword audio fingerprint matches a stored audio fingerprint of audio data that was previously determined to correspond to the hotword based on whether the comparison indicates a similarity between the hotword audio fingerprint and one of the one or more stored audio fingerprints that satisfies a predetermined threshold, and in response to detecting that the hotword audio fingerprint matches a stored audio fingerprint, disabling access to a computing device into which the utterance was spoken.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Matthew Sharifi, Jakob Nicolaus Foerster
  • Publication number: 20170103759
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for a dynamic threshold for speaker verification are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, for each of multiple utterances of a hotword, a data set including at least a speaker verification confidence score, and environmental context data. The actions further include selecting from among the data sets, a subset of the data sets that are associated with a particular environmental context. The actions further include selecting a particular data set from among the subset of data sets based on one or more selection criteria. The actions further include selecting, as a speaker verification threshold for the particular environmental context, the speaker verification confidence score. The actions further include providing the speaker verification threshold for use in performing speaker verification of utterances that are associated with the particular environmental context.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: Jakob Nicolaus Foerster, Diego Melendo Casado
  • Publication number: 20170097932
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for generating suggested search queries. One method includes receiving, during a search session, a request for a suggested search query; in response to receiving the request for the suggested search query, identifying an entity that is associated with an item of media content; generating a suggested search query based on the identified entity; and providing data that causes the generated suggested search query to be presented in a user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Dhruv Bakshi, Jakob Nicolaus Foerster
  • Patent number: 9609230
    Abstract: In general, the subject matter can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for using a display of a computing device as a light source. The computing device receives a first image that was captured by a camera of the computing device, determines a brightness of at least part of the first image, selects an intensity of a light source that is to be presented by the display of the computing device, the intensity of the light source being selected based on the determined brightness of the at least part of the image, presents the light source by the display of the computing device, the presented light source having the selected intensity, and receives a second image that is captured by the camera of the computing device while the computing device is presenting the light source on the display using the selected intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Dhruv Bakshi, Jakob Nicolaus Foerster
  • Publication number: 20170083821
    Abstract: A computing system is described that predicts a future action to be taken by a user of a computing device and determines, based on contextual information associated with the computing device, a current action being taken by the user. The computing system determines, based on the current action, a degree of likelihood of whether the user will be able to take the future action and predicts, based on the degree of likelihood, that the user will not be able to take the future action. The computing system sends information to the computing device indicating that the current action being taken by the user will lead to the user not being able to take the future action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Jakob Nicolaus Foerster, Frederick Peter Brewin
  • Publication number: 20170068683
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for receiving, during a search session, a request for a suggested search query; in response to receiving the request for a suggested search query: selecting a query pattern from a query pattern database; identifying an entity that is associated with one or more search queries received during the search session; generating a suggested search query based on the selected query pattern and the identified entity; and providing data that causes the generated suggested search query to be presented in a user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Dhruv Bakshi, Jakob Nicolaus Foerster
  • Publication number: 20170032781
    Abstract: Methods, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for collaborative language model biasing. In one aspect, a method includes receiving (i) data including a set of terms associated with a target user, and, (ii) from each of multiple other users, data including a set of terms associated with the other user, selecting a particular other user based at least on comparing the set of terms associated with the target user to the sets of terms associated with the other users, selecting one or more terms from the set of terms that is associated with the particular other user, obtaining, based on the selected terms that are associated with the particular other user, a biased language model, and providing the biased language model to an automated speech recognizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Matthew Sharifi, Jakob Nicolaus Foerster
  • Publication number: 20160364118
    Abstract: In some implementations, data indicating a touch received on a proximity-sensitive display is received while the proximity-sensitive display is presenting one or more items. In one aspect, the techniques describe may involve a process for disambiguating touch selections of hypothesized items, such as text or graphical objects that have been generated based on input data, on a proximity-sensitive display. This process may allow a user to more easily select hypothesized items that the user may wish to correct, by determining whether a touch received through the proximity-sensitive display represents a selection of each hypothesized item based at least on a level of confidence that the hypothesized item accurately represents the input data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Jakob Nicolaus Foerster, Diego Melendo Casado, Glen Shires
  • Publication number: 20160351199
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for multi-stage hotword detection are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, by a second stage hotword detector of a multi-stage hotword detection system that includes at least a first stage hotword detector and the second stage hotword detector, audio data that corresponds to an initial portion of an utterance. The actions further include determining a likelihood that the initial portion of the utterance includes a hotword. The actions further include determining that the likelihood that the initial portion of the utterance includes the hotword satisfies a threshold. The actions further include, in response to determining that the likelihood satisfies the threshold, transmitting a request for the first stage hotword detector to cease providing additional audio data that corresponds to one or more subsequent portions of the utterance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Jakob Nicolaus Foerster, Alexander H. Gruenstein, Diego Melendo Casado
  • Patent number: 9502039
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for a dynamic threshold for speaker verification are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, for each of multiple utterances of a hotword, a data set including at least a speaker verification confidence score, and environmental context data. The actions further include selecting from among the data sets, a subset of the data sets that are associated with a particular environmental context. The actions further include selecting a particular data set from among the subset of data sets based on one or more selection criteria. The actions further include selecting, as a speaker verification threshold for the particular environmental context, the speaker verification confidence score. The actions further include providing the speaker verification threshold for use in performing speaker verification of utterances that are associated with the particular environmental context.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jakob Nicolaus Foerster, Diego Melendo Casado
  • Publication number: 20160307569
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for presenting notifications in an enterprise system. In one aspect, a method include actions of obtaining a template that defines (i) trigger criteria for presenting a notification type and (ii) content rules for determining content to include in a notification of the notification type. Additional actions include accessing enterprise resources of an enterprise, the enterprise resources including data describing entities related to the enterprise and relationships among the entities. Further actions include, accessing user information specific to a user and determining that the trigger criteria is satisfied by the enterprise resources and the user information. Additional actions include generating a particular notification of the notification type based at least on the content rules and providing the particular notification to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Fuchun Peng, Jakob Nicolaus Foerster, Diego Melendo Casado, Fei Huang, Francoise Beaufays
  • Publication number: 20160300571
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for hotword detection on multiple devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, by a computing device, audio data that corresponds to an utterance. The actions further include determining a likelihood that the utterance includes a hotword. The actions further include determining a loudness score for the audio data. The actions further include based on the loudness score, determining an amount of delay time. The actions further include, after the amount of delay time has elapsed, transmitting a signal that indicates that the computing device will initiate speech recognition processing on the audio data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Jakob Nicolaus Foerster, Alexander H. Gruenstein
  • Publication number: 20160300575
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for a dynamic threshold for speaker verification are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, for each of multiple utterances of a hotword, a data set including at least a speaker verification confidence score, and environmental context data. The actions further include selecting from among the data sets, a subset of the data sets that are associated with a particular environmental context. The actions further include selecting a particular data set from among the subset of data sets based on one or more selection criteria. The actions further include selecting, as a speaker verification threshold for the particular environmental context, the speaker verification confidence score. The actions further include providing the speaker verification threshold for use in performing speaker verification of utterances that are associated with the particular environmental context.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Jakob Nicolaus Foerster, Diego Melendo Casado
  • Patent number: 9443517
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for training a neural network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jakob Nicolaus Foerster, Christopher Walter George Thornton, Rohit Prakash Prabhavalkar
  • Patent number: 9424841
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for hotword detection on multiple devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, by a computing device, audio data that corresponds to an utterance. The actions further include determining a likelihood that the utterance includes a hotword. The actions further include determining a loudness score for the audio data. The actions further include based on the loudness score, determining an amount of delay time. The actions further include, after the amount of delay time has elapsed, transmitting a signal that indicates that the computing device will initiate speech recognition processing on the audio data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jakob Nicolaus Foerster, Alexander H. Gruenstein
  • Patent number: 9418656
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for multi-stage hotword detection are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, by a second stage hotword detector of a multi-stage hotword detection system that includes at least a first stage hotword detector and the second stage hotword detector, audio data that corresponds to an initial portion of an utterance. The actions further include determining a likelihood that the initial portion of the utterance includes a hotword. The actions further include determining that the likelihood that the initial portion of the utterance includes the hotword satisfies a threshold. The actions further include, in response to determining that the likelihood satisfies the threshold, transmitting a request for the first stage hotword detector to cease providing additional audio data that corresponds to one or more subsequent portions of the utterance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jakob Nicolaus Foerster, Alexander H. Gruenstein, Diego Melendo Casado
  • Publication number: 20160125877
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for multi-stage hotword detection are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, by a second stage hotword detector of a multi-stage hotword detection system that includes at least a first stage hotword detector and the second stage hotword detector, audio data that corresponds to an initial portion of an utterance. The actions further include determining a likelihood that the initial portion of the utterance includes a hotword. The actions further include determining that the likelihood that the initial portion of the utterance includes the hotword satisfies a threshold. The actions further include, in response to determining that the likelihood satisfies the threshold, transmitting a request for the first stage hotword detector to cease providing additional audio data that corresponds to one or more subsequent portions of the utterance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Jakob Nicolaus Foerster, Alexander H. Gruenstein, Diego Melendo Casado
  • Publication number: 20160104483
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for hotword detection on multiple devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, by a computing device, audio data that corresponds to an utterance. The actions further include determining a likelihood that the utterance includes a hotword. The actions further include determining a loudness score for the audio data. The actions further include based on the loudness score, determining an amount of delay time. The actions further include, after the amount of delay time has elapsed, transmitting a signal that indicates that the computing device will initiate speech recognition processing on the audio data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Jakob Nicolaus Foerster, Alexander H. Gruenstein