Abstract: This relates to systems and processes for using a virtual assistant to arbitrate among and/or control electronic devices. In one example process, a first electronic device samples an audio input using a microphone. The first electronic device broadcasts a first set of one or more values based on the sampled audio input. Furthermore, the first electronic device receives a second set of one or more values, which are based on the audio input, from a second electronic device. Based on the first set of one or more values and the second set of one or more values, the first electronic device determines whether to respond to the audio input or forego responding to the audio input.

Abstract: Systems and processes for operating a digital assistant are provided. An example method includes, at an electronic device with one or more processors and memory, while an application is open on the electronic device: receiving a spoken input including a command, determining whether the command matches at least a portion of a metadata associated with an action of the application, and in accordance with a determination that the command matches at least the portion of the metadata associated with the action of the application, associating the command with the action, storing the association of the command with the action for subsequent use with the application by the digital assistant, and executing the action with the application.

Abstract: An electronic device with voice trigger suppression capability has a wireless communication module and a voice trigger response suppression module. The voice trigger suppression module is to monitor a signal to the speaker, to detect a voice trigger phrase therein and in response send a message through the wireless communication module that communicates to one or more wireless receiving devices that the electronic device, with voice trigger response suppression capability, will handle a voice trigger. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

Abstract: This relates to systems and processes for using a virtual assistant to arbitrate among and/or control electronic devices. In one example process, a first electronic device samples an audio input using a microphone. The first electronic device broadcasts a first set of one or more values based on the sampled audio input. Furthermore, the first electronic device receives a second set of one or more values, which are based on the audio input, from a second electronic device. Based on the first set of one or more values and the second set of one or more values, the first electronic device determines whether to respond to the audio input or forego responding to the audio input.

Abstract: This relates to systems and processes for using a virtual assistant to arbitrate among and/or control electronic devices. In one example process, a first electronic device samples an audio input using a microphone. The first electronic device broadcasts a first set of one or more values based on the sampled audio input. Furthermore, the first electronic device receives a second set of one or more values, which are based on the audio input, from a second electronic device. Based on the first set of one or more values and the second set of one or more values, the first electronic device determines whether to respond to the audio input or forego responding to the audio input.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for management of unconsciously captured documents are described. Various documents generated by networked devices are unconsciously captured and stored according to a non-semantic organization. The unconsciously captured documents are archived for possible search and retrieval at a later time. When an event occurs (e.g., lawsuit, audit, change in ownership) that results in a desire for a particular subset of the unconsciously captured documents, the documents are searched for a relevant subset. The subset of documents identified by the search are copied and stored according to a second organization (e.g., subject matter, particular audit). In one embodiment, subsequent unconsciously captured documents are stored according to the first organization. If the subsequent documents satisfy the criteria for the subset of documents, the subsequent documents are copied and stored according to the second organization.

Abstract: A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system and associated techniques are disclosed. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types (e.g., printed paper as a first medium and digital content and/or web link as a second medium). In one particular embodiment, the MMR system includes a content-based retrieval database configured with an index table to represent two-dimensional geometric relationships between objects extracted from a printed document in a way that allows look-up using a text-based index. A ranked set of document, page and location hypotheses can be computed given data from the index table. The techniques effectively transform features detected in an image patch into textual terms (or other searchable features) that represent both the features themselves and the geometric relationship between them. A storage facility can be used to store additional characteristics about each document image patch.

Abstract: A user interface for a portable computing device provides two modes of operation. In a first mode, an inbox of all documents accessible by the portable computing device are presented. Each of the items in the inbox is selectable, and if selected, the user interface transitions to a second document presentation mode. In the document presentation mode, the user may annotate the document and upon providing a single input (selecting a submit button), the system automatically forwards the document (including the annotations) to the next state in the workflow. If the user transitions back to the inbox mode from the document presentation mode, no action is taken on the document but the strokes are stored with the document on the portable computing device.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method comprising receiving, at a tablet display unit of a first tablet that is coupled to a host computer, image data representing a selected portion of a common display file that is stored on an administrator computer; displaying the image data on a stroke-sensitive display of the tablet display unit; receiving user input from the stroke-sensitive display of the tablet display unit and representing handwritten strokes; transmitting the user input to the administrator computer; receiving, from the administrator computer, second image data representing strokes that other users have applied to the same image data using other tablets that are coupled to the administrator computer over a network; displaying, on the stroke-sensitive display, the second image data; storing, in a memory of the tablet display unit, a data file based at least upon the user input and the image data.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for self-labeling access points with their geographic location from received beacon frames. In particular, the present invention transmits beacon frames including temporary location information from mobile devices. The beacon frames are received by an access point, filtered by the access point and then used to determine a location. Once the location has been determined, the access point uses the determined location to self-label itself by converting the location information to a geographic code and inserting it as part of the SSID of the access point's beacon signal. The present invention also includes a number of methods using geographic codes including a method for generating and transmitting geographic codes for mobile devices, a method for determining a location of an access point, a method for self-labeling an access point, and a method for filtering beacon frames.

Abstract: A portable computing device for automatic attachment of a captured image to a document being displayed triggered by the act of capturing the image is disclosed. A new page is added to the current document being reviewed and displayed on the portable computing device, and then the image and metadata are attached in that new page. In other variations, the document includes metadata having a location at which images may be stored and upon capture the image, the captured image is stored at the metadata location.

Abstract: A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system and associated techniques are disclosed. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types (e.g., printed paper as a first medium and digital content and/or web link as a second medium). In one particular embodiment, the MMR system includes a content-based retrieval database configured with an index table to represent two-dimensional geometric relationships between objects extracted from a printed document in a way that allows look-up using a text-based index. A ranked set of document, page and location hypotheses can be computed given data from the index table. The techniques effectively transform features detected in an image patch into textual terms (or other searchable features) that represent both the features themselves and the geometric relationship between them. A storage facility can be used to store additional characteristics about each document image patch.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises receiving, at a tablet computer that is coupled to a host computer, image data representing a selected portion of an electronic document; the tablet computer displaying the same image data on a stroke-sensitive display of the tablet computer; the tablet computer receiving user input from the stroke-sensitive display and representing handwritten strokes; the tablet computer storing, in a memory of the tablet computer, a data file based at least upon the user input and the image data; transmitting the stroke data from the tablet display unit to the coupled host computer where the stroke data appears on the original image data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for searching unconsciously captured documents and publishing the results are disclosed. Documents processed by one or more networked devices are saved to a storage device coupled to the network. The documents can be searched to retrieve desired documents. In one embodiment, the desired documents are published in response to a single user action, for example, a mouse click or a spoken command. The documents can be published, for example, on the World Wide Web via a Web server or other devices. The documents can also be published to other networks, distributed via electronic mail, or published in any other manner.

Abstract: A system for paper-like forms processing includes a plurality of portable computing devices coupled by a network to a paper-like forms server. The portable computing devices are adapted to receive images (e.g., compound documents/forms), add stroke annotations to the received images, and send the annotated received images or the stoke annotations themselves to the paper-like forms server. The paper-like forms server comprises a central scheduler and a logging module. The paper-like forms server processes compound documents as paper like forms and sends input to and receives results from service providers to perform various types of paper like processing on the compound document. The paper-like forms server performs the scheduling, routing, logging, verification and billing for the paper-like processing of compound documents. The central scheduler also stores results from service providers for later retrieval.

Abstract: A system and method for automatic or semi-automatic selection of service or processing providers is disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention allows the user to input a set of preferences, and from that input automatically selects a service or processing provider that matches the attributes that are important the user as derived from the input preferences. In another embodiment, the process is semi-automatic in that the user provides a set of preferences, and the present invention filters and the service or processing providers and presents a limited number of them that match the user's preferences and from which the user can select one for processing of the particular task.

Abstract: A method and system for generating printable certificates to verify log authenticity. A logging module generates a compound document that includes metadata for changes made to pages in a document. Each time a change is made to the document, such as adding stroke data, the logging module updates the compound document with the changes. The online marketplace module displays an option for purchasing a printable certificate. In response to a request for a certificate, the logging module generates a printable certificate that includes a set number of hashes for previous transactions. The verification module can recreate a transaction and generate a hash that is compared to the certificate to verify that no tampering has occurred with the document.

Abstract: Power usage of a portable computing device is modified to more efficiently use a power supply included in the portable computing device. Power usage by different components of the portable computing device is modified based on use of the portable computing device to allow dynamic modification of power consumption. The portable computing device includes data describing various power management states and the portable computing device transitions between different power management states as it is used, modifying the power consumption of various components in different power management states. Various communication device operating states are also defined to modify power usage by communication devices included in the portable computing device based on device usage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for synchronizing distributed work. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving first and second metadata entries, adding the first and second metadata entries to a set corresponding to a digital object, and providing access to first and second unique identifiers used for referencing the first and second metadata entries respectively, where the first and second unique identifiers are based on contents of the first and second metadata entries respectively.

Abstract: A method and system for generating strokes in real-time on an electronic paper display. A display device receives the stroke input, which is converted to binary code by a digitizer. A rendering engine renders the high-resolution stroke data in non-antialiased form to an ink buffer. The rendering engine then updates pixels based on the color or gray level of the background (unlinked) pixel and the amount of ink covering the pixel.