Patents by Inventor Thomas R. Gruber
Thomas R. Gruber 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).
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Patent number: 10199051Abstract: A method for operating a voice trigger is provided. In some implementations, the method is performed at an electronic device including one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors. The method includes receiving a sound input. The sound input may correspond to a spoken word or phrase, or a portion thereof. The method includes determining whether at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to a predetermined type of sound, such as a human voice. The method includes, upon a determination that at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to the predetermined type, determining whether the sound input includes predetermined content, such as a predetermined trigger word or phrase. The method also includes, upon a determination that the sound input includes the predetermined content, initiating a speech-based service, such as a voice-based digital assistant.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2014Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Justin Binder, Samuel D. Post, Onur Tackin, Thomas R. Gruber
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Patent number: 10185542Abstract: An electronic device with one or more processors and memory includes a procedure for enabling conversation persistence across two or more instances of a digital assistant. In some embodiments, the device displays a first dialogue in a first instance of a digital assistant user interface. In response to a request to display a user interface different from the digital assistant user interface, the device displays the user interface different from the digital assistant user interface. In response to a request to invoke the digital assistant, the device displays a second instance of the digital assistant user interface, including displaying a second dialogue in the second instance of the digital assistant user interface, where the first dialogue remains available for display in the second instance of the digital assistant user interface.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2014Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: David A. Carson, Daniel Keen, Evan Dibiase, Harry J. Saddler, Marco Iacono, Stephen O. Lemay, Donald W. Pitschel, Thomas R. Gruber
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Patent number: 10178972Abstract: In some implementations, a mobile device can adjust an alarm setting based on the sleep onset latency duration detected for a user of the mobile device. For example, sleep onset latency can be the amount of time it takes for the user to fall asleep after the user attempts to go to sleep (e.g., goes to bed). The mobile device can determine when the user intends or attempts to go to sleep based on detected sleep ritual activities. Sleep ritual activities can include those activities a user performs in preparation for sleep. The mobile device can determine when the user is asleep based on detected sleep signals (e.g., biometric data, sounds, etc.). In some implementations, the mobile device can determine recurring patterns of long or short sleep onset latency and present suggestions that might help the user sleep better or feel more rested.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2018Date of Patent: January 15, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Roy J. Raymann, Wren N. Dougherty, Divya Nag, Deborah M. Lambert, Stephanie Greer, Thomas R. Gruber
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Patent number: 10169329Abstract: Systems and processes for exemplar-based natural language processing are provided. In one example process, a first text phrase can be received. It can be determined whether editing the first text phrase to match a second text phrase requires one or more of inserting, deleting, and substituting a word of the first text phrase. In response to determining that editing the first text phrase to match the second text phrase requires one or more of inserting, deleting, and substituting a word of the first text phrase, one or more of an insertion cost, a deletion cost, and a substitution cost can be determined. A semantic edit distance between the first text phrase and the second text phrase in a semantic space can be determined based on one or more of the insertion cost, the deletion cost, and the substitution cost.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2016Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Richard L. Futrell, Thomas R. Gruber
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Publication number: 20180373487Abstract: A list of notification items is received, the list including a plurality of notification items, wherein each respective one of the plurality of notification items is associated with a respective urgency value. An information item is detected. In some implementations, the information item is a communication (e.g., an email). In some implementations, the information item is a change in context of a user. Upon determining that the information item is relevant to the urgency value of the first notification item, the urgency value of the first notification item is adjusted. Upon determining that the adjusted urgency value satisfies the predetermined threshold, a first audio prompt is provided to a user.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2018Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventors: Thomas R. GRUBER, Donald W. PITSCHEL
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Publication number: 20180350353Abstract: Systems and processes are disclosed for handling a multi-part voice command for a virtual assistant. Speech input can be received from a user that includes multiple actionable commands within a single utterance. A text string can be generated from the speech input using a speech transcription process. The text string can be parsed into multiple candidate substrings based on domain keywords, imperative verbs, predetermined substring lengths, or the like. For each candidate substring, a probability can be determined indicating whether the candidate substring corresponds to an actionable command. Such probabilities can be determined based on semantic coherence, similarity to user request templates, querying services to determine manageability, or the like. If the probabilities exceed a threshold, the user intent of each substring can be determined, processes associated with the user intents can be executed, and an acknowledgment can be provided to the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Inventors: Thomas R. GRUBER, Harry J. SADDLER, Jerome Rene BELLEGARDA, Bryce H. NYEGGEN, Alessandro SABATELLI
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Publication number: 20180336905Abstract: Systems and processes for operating an intelligent automated assistant to provide extension of digital assistant services are provided. An example method includes, at an electronic device having one or more processors, receiving, from a first user, a first speech input representing a user request. The method further includes obtaining an identity of the first user; and in accordance with the user identity, providing a representation of the user request to at least one of a second electronic device or a third electronic device. The method further includes receiving, based on a determination of whether the second electronic device or the third electronic device, or both, is to provide the response to the first electronic device, the response to the user request from the second electronic device or the third electronic device. The method further includes providing a representation of the response to the first user.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2017Publication date: November 22, 2018Inventors: Yoon KIM, Charles SRISUWANANUKORN, David A. CARSON, Thomas R. GRUBER, Justin G. BINDER
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Publication number: 20180329677Abstract: Systems and processes for operating an intelligent automated assistant to perform intelligent list reading are provided. In accordance with one example, a method includes, at an electronic device having one or more processors, receiving a first user input of a first input type, the first user input including a plurality of words; displaying, on the touch-sensitive display, the plurality of words; receiving a second user input of a second input type indicating a selection of a word of the plurality of words, the second input type different than the first input type; receiving a third user input; modifying the selected word based on the third user input to provide a modified one or more words; and displaying, on the touch-sensitive display, the modified one or more words.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2018Publication date: November 15, 2018Inventors: Thomas R. Gruber, Mohammed A. Tayyeb, Ron C. Santos, Madhusudan Chinthakunta
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Publication number: 20180317839Abstract: In some implementations, a mobile device can adjust an alarm setting based on the sleep onset latency duration detected for a user of the mobile device. For example, sleep onset latency can be the amount of time it takes for the user to fall asleep after the user attempts to go to sleep (e.g., goes to bed). The mobile device can determine when the user intends or attempts to go to sleep based on detected sleep ritual activities. Sleep ritual activities can include those activities a user performs in preparation for sleep. The mobile device can determine when the user is asleep based on detected sleep signals (e.g., biometric data, sounds, etc.). In some implementations, the mobile device can determine recurring patterns of long or short sleep onset latency and present suggestions that might help the user sleep better or feel more rested.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2018Publication date: November 8, 2018Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Roy J. Raymann, Wren N. Dougherty, Divya Nag, Deborah M. Lambert, Stephanie Greer, Thomas R. Gruber
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Patent number: 10078487Abstract: A list of notification items is received, the list including a plurality of notification items, wherein each respective one of the plurality of notification items is associated with a respective urgency value. An information item is detected. In some implementations, the information item is a communication (e.g., an email). In some implementations, the information item is a change in context of a user. Upon determining that the information item is relevant to the urgency value of the first notification item, the urgency value of the first notification item is adjusted. Upon determining that the adjusted urgency value satisfies the predetermined threshold, a first audio prompt is provided to a user.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: September 18, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Thomas R. Gruber, Donald W. Pitschel
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Patent number: 10052061Abstract: In some implementations, a mobile device can adjust an alarm setting based on the sleep onset latency duration detected for a user of the mobile device. For example, sleep onset latency can be the amount of time it takes for the user to fall asleep after the user attempts to go to sleep (e.g., goes to bed). The mobile device can determine when the user intends or attempts to go to sleep based on detected sleep ritual activities. Sleep ritual activities can include those activities a user performs in preparation for sleep. The mobile device can determine when the user is asleep based on detected sleep signals (e.g., biometric data, sounds, etc.). In some implementations, the mobile device can determine recurring patterns of long or short sleep onset latency and present suggestions that might help the user sleep better or feel more rested.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2017Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Roy J. Raymann, Wren N. Dougherty, Divya Nag, Deborah M. Lambert, Stephanie Greer, Thomas R. Gruber
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Patent number: 9966065Abstract: Systems and processes are disclosed for handling a multi-part voice command for a virtual assistant. Speech input can be received from a user that includes multiple actionable commands within a single utterance. A text string can be generated from the speech input using a speech transcription process. The text string can be parsed into multiple candidate substrings based on domain keywords, imperative verbs, predetermined substring lengths, or the like. For each candidate substring, a probability can be determined indicating whether the candidate substring corresponds to an actionable command. Such probabilities can be determined based on semantic coherence, similarity to user request templates, querying services to determine manageability, or the like. If the probabilities exceed a threshold, the user intent of each substring can be determined, processes associated with the user intents can be executed, and an acknowledgment can be provided to the user.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2015Date of Patent: May 8, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Thomas R. Gruber, Harry J. Saddler, Jerome Rene Bellegarda, Bryce H. Nyeggen, Alessandro Sabatelli
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Patent number: 9966060Abstract: The method is performed at an electronic device with one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors. A first speech input including at least one word is received. A first phonetic representation of the at least one word is determined, the first phonetic representation comprising a first set of phonemes selected from a speech recognition phonetic alphabet. The first set of phonemes is mapped to a second set of phonemes to generate a second phonetic representation, where the second set of phonemes is selected from a speech synthesis phonetic alphabet. The second phonetic representation is stored in association with a text string corresponding to the at least one word.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2017Date of Patent: May 8, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Devang K. Naik, Thomas R. Gruber, Liam Weiner, Justin G. Binder, Charles Srisuwananukorn, Gunnar Evermann, Shaun Eric Williams, Hong Chen, Lia T. Napolitano
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Patent number: 9953088Abstract: A user request is received from a mobile client device, where the user request includes at least a speech input and seeks an informational answer or performance of a task. A failure to provide a satisfactory response to the user request is detected. In response to detection of the failure, information relevant to the user request is crowd-sourced by querying one or more crowd sourcing information sources. One or more answers are received from the crowd sourcing information sources, and the response to the user request is generated based on at least one of the one or more answers received from the one or more crowd sourcing information sources.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Thomas R. Gruber, Adam John Cheyer, Donald W. Pitschel
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Patent number: 9922642Abstract: An electronic device with one or more processors and memory includes a procedure for training a digital assistant. In some embodiments, the device detects an impasse in a dialog between the digital assistant and a user including a speech input. During a learning session, the device utilizes a subsequent clarification input from the user to adjust intent inference or task execution associated with the speech input to produce a satisfactory response. In some embodiments, the device identifies a pattern of success or failure associated with an aspect previously used to complete a task and generates a hypothesis regarding a parameter used in speech recognition, intent inference or task execution as a cause for the pattern. Then, the device tests the hypothesis by altering the parameter for a subsequent completion of the task and adopts or rejects the hypothesis based on feedback information collected from the subsequent completion.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Donald W. Pitschel, Adam J. Cheyer, Christopher D. Brigham, Thomas R. Gruber
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Publication number: 20180042547Abstract: In some implementations, a mobile device can adjust an alarm setting based on the sleep onset latency duration detected for a user of the mobile device. For example, sleep onset latency can be the amount of time it takes for the user to fall asleep after the user attempts to go to sleep (e.g., goes to bed). The mobile device can determine when the user intends or attempts to go to sleep based on detected sleep ritual activities. Sleep ritual activities can include those activities a user performs in preparation for sleep. The mobile device can determine when the user is asleep based on detected sleep signals (e.g., biometric data, sounds, etc.). In some implementations, the mobile device can determine recurring patterns of long or short sleep onset latency and present suggestions that might help the user sleep better or feel more rested.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2017Publication date: February 15, 2018Inventors: Roy J. Raymann, Wren N. Dougherty, Divya Nag, Deborah M. Lambert, Stephanie Greer, Thomas R. Gruber
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Publication number: 20170358303Abstract: Systems and processes for application integration with a digital assistant are provided. In accordance with one example, a method includes, at an electronic device having one or more processors and memory, receiving a natural-language user input; identifying, with the one or more processors, an intent object of a set of intent objects and a parameter associated with the intent, where the intent object and the parameter are derived from the natural-language user input. The method further includes identifying a software application associated with the intent object of the set of intent objects; and providing the intent object and the parameter to the software application.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2016Publication date: December 14, 2017Inventors: Robert A. WALKER, II, Brandon J. NEWENDORP, Rohit DASARI, Richard D. GIULI, Thomas R. GRUBER, Carey E. RADEBAUGH, Ashish GARG, Vineet KHOSLA, Jonathan H. RUSSELL, Corey PETERSON
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Patent number: 9826930Abstract: In some implementations, a mobile device can adjust an alarm setting based on the sleep onset latency duration detected for a user of the mobile device. For example, sleep onset latency can be the amount of time it takes for the user to fall asleep after the user attempts to go to sleep (e.g., goes to bed). The mobile device can determine when the user intends or attempts to go to sleep based on detected sleep ritual activities. Sleep ritual activities can include those activities a user performs in preparation for sleep. The mobile device can determine when the user is asleep based on detected sleep signals (e.g., biometric data, sounds, etc.). In some implementations, the mobile device can determine recurring patterns of long or short sleep onset latency and present suggestions that might help the user sleep better or feel more rested.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2017Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Roy J. Raymann, Wren N. Dougherty, Divya Nag, Deborah M. Lambert, Stephanie Greer, Thomas R. Gruber
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Publication number: 20170263248Abstract: An electronic device implements dictation-based editing of textual data. The device receives a natural-language user input and determines whether the natural-language user input includes a predefined editing command. If the natural-language user input includes the predefined editing command, the device modifies the textual data in accordance with the predefined editing command. If the natural-language user input does not include the predefined editing command, the device transcribes the natural-language user input and adds the transcribed text to the textual data.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2016Publication date: September 14, 2017Inventors: Thomas R. GRUBER, G. Cortis CLARK
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Publication number: 20170238864Abstract: In some implementations, a mobile device can adjust an alarm setting based on the sleep onset latency duration detected for a user of the mobile device. For example, sleep onset latency can be the amount of time it takes for the user to fall asleep after the user attempts to go to sleep (e.g., goes to bed). The mobile device can determine when the user intends or attempts to go to sleep based on detected sleep ritual activities. Sleep ritual activities can include those activities a user performs in preparation for sleep. The mobile device can determine when the user is asleep based on detected sleep signals (e.g., biometric data, sounds, etc.). In some implementations, the mobile device can determine recurring patterns of long or short sleep onset latency and present suggestions that might help the user sleep better or feel more rested.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2017Publication date: August 24, 2017Inventors: Roy J. Raymann, Wren N. Dougherty, Divya Nag, Deborah M. Lambert, Stephanie Greer, Thomas R. Gruber