Abstract: Techniques for management of commercial virtual assistant services are provided. The techniques include receiving a query from a user within an organization. The techniques include determining if generating at least a portion of a response to the query will require use of a paid service and determining if at least one other virtual assistant within the organization has cached information usable to generate the at least a portion of the response to the query that requires use of the paid service. The techniques further include determining if the information cached by the at least one other virtual assistant is valid based in part on the query and receiving the information from the at least one other virtual assistant when the cached information is valid and include generating the at least a portion of the response to the query that requires use of the paid service using the received information.

Abstract: Methods and systems for coordinating task zones at a public safety incident scene. One system includes an electronic computing device that includes an electronic processor configured to determine a first task to be performed by a first public safety officer and a second task to be performed by a second public safety officer. The electronic processor establishes a first geofence for the first task and a second geofence for the second task. In response to determining that the second geofence at least partially overlaps with the first geofence, the electronic processor determines whether the first task conflicts with the second task. In response to determining that the first task conflicts with the second task, the electronic processor modifies the first task and provides an instruction to a communication device of the first public safety officer to indicate that the first task has been modified.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sharing information used to identify an object/person by a camera (e.g., a body-worn camera) is provided herein. During operation the apparatus will determine a set of characteristics that can be used to identify the object/person. The apparatus then analyzes the body-worn camera's FOV (or potential FOV) and removes characteristics from the set of characteristics to produce a minimal set of characteristics that can be used to identify the object/person in the body-worn cameras FOV. The minimal set of characteristics is then sent to the officer's body-worn camera for detection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for bypassing a virtual partner is provided herein. During operation a device will have knowledge of a status of sensors connected to form a personal-area network (PAN) and/or have knowledge of a current incident type assigned to a user. The device will then bypass digital-assistant functionality based on the status of associated PAN devices and/or the incident type. Thus, virtual-partner functionality will be bypassed based on a fact that a public-safety event has occurred. As discussed, the public-safety event may comprise a current incident assigned to a user, or a status of at least one device/sensor connected to form a PAN.

Abstract: A process for responding to location-variable group electronic digital assistant requests includes monitoring audio communications transmitted between a plurality of communication devices (CDs) on a group communication channel (CC) and detecting an audio inquiry from a first CD of the plurality of CDs. A location of each CD is determined, including different first and second determined locations of the first and second CDs. The audio inquiry is processed and it is determined that a response will vary based on the different first and second locations. Two different first and second responses to the audio inquiry are generated as a function of the determined locations and are caused to be provide to respective ones of the first and second CDs via one of (i) two private call CCs, (ii) one individual private call CC and the group CC, and (iii) the group CC and a second group CC.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for bypassing a virtual partner is provided herein. During operation a device will have knowledge of a status of sensors connected to form a personal-area network (PAN) and/or have knowledge of a current incident type assigned to a user. The device will then bypass digital-assistant functionality based on the status of associated PAN devices and/or the incident type. Thus, virtual-partner functionality will be bypassed based on a fact that a public-safety event has occurred. As discussed, the public-safety event may comprise a current incident assigned to a user, or a status of at least one device/sensor connected to form a PAN.

Abstract: A method is provided that provides information exchange between mobile devices that are near each other. Upon determining that a first mobile device is located near a second mobile device, information is exchanged between a first virtual personal assistant associated with the first mobile device and a second virtual personal assistant associated with the second mobile device. The information is compared to identify an overlapping topic in the information. If there is overlapping information, the users of the mobile devices are alerted to the overlapping topic.