Patents by Inventor Yuzhao Ni

Yuzhao Ni 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).

  • Patent number: 12260861
    Abstract: Implementations relate to mitigating client device latency in rendering of remotely generated automated assistant content. Some of those implementations mitigate client device latency between rendering of multiple instances of output that are each based on content that is responsive to a corresponding automated assistant action of a multiple action request. For example, those implementations can reduce latency between rendering of first output that is based on first content responsive to a first automated assistant action of a multiple action request, and second output that is based on second content responsive to a second automated assistant action of the multiple action request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventor: Yuzhao Ni
  • Patent number: 12248659
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for tailoring composite graphical assistant interfaces for interacting with multiple different connected devices. The composite graphical assistant interfaces can be generated in response to a user providing a request for an automated assistant to cause a connected device to perform a particular function. In response to the automated assistant receiving the request, the automated assistant can identify other connected devices, and other functions capable of being performed by the other connected devices. The other functions can then be mapped to various graphical control elements in order to provide a composite graphical assistant interface from which the user can interact with different connected devices. Each graphical control element can be arranged to reflect how each connected device is operating simultaneous to the presentation of the composite graphical assistant interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Yuzhao Ni, David Roy Schairer
  • Publication number: 20250028435
    Abstract: Implementations discussed herein relate to systems, methods, and apparatuses for controlling one or more internet of things (IoT) devices via a graphical camera interface of a portable electronic device. The graphical camera interface can be presented at the portable electronic device in response to the user accessing a camera application via the portable electronic device and directing a camera of the portable electronic device at the IoT device. One or more images generated from an output of the camera can be processed to identify the IoT device that the user is intending to control. Information related to a context in which the user aimed their camera at the IoT device can be used to assist in narrowing down a selection of the IoT device from multiple different IoT devices that may be associated with the user and/or an image captured by the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2024
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Inventor: Yuzhao Ni
  • Patent number: 12175978
    Abstract: Transferring (e.g., automatically) an automated assistant routine between client devices during execution of the automated assistant routine. The automated assistant routine can correspond to a set of actions to be performed by one or more agents and/or one or more devices. While content, corresponding to an action of the routine, is being rendered at a particular device, the user may walk away from the particular device and toward a separate device. The automated assistant routine can be automatically transferred in response, and the separate device can continue to rendering the content for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventor: Yuzhao Ni
  • Publication number: 20240412732
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for using shortcut command phrases to operate an automated assistant. A user of the automated assistant can request that a shortcut command phrase be established for causing the automated assistant to perform a variety of different actions. In this way, the user does not necessarily have to provide an individual command for each action to be performed but, rather, can use a shortcut command phrase to cause the automated assistant to perform the actions. The shortcut command phrases can be used to control peripheral devices, IoT devices, applications, websites, and/or any other apparatuses or processes capable of being controlled through an automated assistant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2024
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Inventors: Yuzhao Ni, Lucas Palmer
  • Publication number: 20240370138
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for tailoring composite graphical assistant interfaces for interacting with multiple different connected devices. The composite graphical assistant interfaces can be generated proactively and/or in response to a user providing a request for an automated assistant to cause a connected device to perform a particular function. In response to the automated assistant receiving the request, the automated assistant can identify other connected devices, and other functions capable of being performed by the other connected devices. The other functions can then be mapped to various graphical control elements in order to provide a composite graphical assistant interface from which the user can interact with different connected devices. Each graphical control element can be arranged to reflect how each connected device is operating simultaneous to the presentation of the composite graphical assistant interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2024
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Inventors: Yuzhao Ni, David Roy Schairer
  • Publication number: 20240372737
    Abstract: Implementing methods to provide a shortened textual summary that includes status information that is most pertinent to the user for a plurality of connected smart devices. The method includes determining a list of current statuses for a plurality of enabled smart devices and filtering the list to remove statuses that may not be of interest to the user. The filtering of the list is based on a current context of the requesting user and one or more previous contexts of the user. The resulting filtered statuses are then converted to textual snippets, summarized, and provided to the user via one or more output devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2024
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Inventors: Yuzhao Ni, Ashwin Limaye, Cindy Tran, Thomas Clifton, David Roy Schairer
  • Patent number: 12135748
    Abstract: Generating and/or recommending command bundles for a user of an automated assistant. A command bundle comprises a plurality of discrete actions that can be performed by an automated assistant. One or more of the actions of a command bundle can cause transmission of a corresponding command and/or other data to one or more devices and/or agents that are distinct from devices and/or agents to which data is transmitted based on other action(s) of the bundle. Implementations determine command bundles that are likely relevant to a user, and present those command bundles as suggestions to the user. In some of those implementations, a machine learning model is utilized to generate a user action embedding for the user, and a command bundle embedding for each of a plurality of command bundles. Command bundle(s) can be selected for suggestion based on comparison of the user action embedding and the command bundle embeddings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventor: Yuzhao Ni
  • Patent number: 12131180
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for allowing an automated assistant routine to be interrupted during performance of the routine. A routine can correspond to a set of actions to be performed at the direction of the automated assistant. When the routine is initialized and a user subsequently issues a command to interrupt the routine, the automated assistant can modify a status identifier for the routine. That status identifier can be stored at a database and allow other applications and/or devices that are operating to complete the routine to be put on notice that the user has requested the routine be interrupted. The database can be accessible to one or more devices and/or applications, such as third party applications, in order to provide a medium through which the devices and/or applications can check the statuses of various automated assistant routines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventor: Yuzhao Ni
  • Patent number: 12112032
    Abstract: Implementations discussed herein relate to systems, methods, and apparatuses for controlling one or more internet of things (IoT) devices via a graphical camera interface of a portable electronic device. The graphical camera interface can be presented at the portable electronic device in response to the user accessing a camera application via the portable electronic device and directing a camera of the portable electronic device at the IoT device. One or more images generated from an output of the camera can be processed to identify the IoT device that the user is intending to control. Information related to a context in which the user aimed their camera at the IoT device can be used to assist in narrowing down a selection of the IoT device from multiple different IoT devices that may be associated with the user and/or an image captured by the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventor: Yuzhao Ni
  • Publication number: 20240289090
    Abstract: In response to a user interacting with a tangible peripheral assistant control device (e.g., depressing a button of the device), causing an automated assistant to perform one or more actions. The action(s) performed can be based on input previously provided by the user in configuring the peripheral assistant control device. The action(s) performed in response to interaction with the peripheral assistant control device can vary based on one or more conditions, such as which user is currently active, where the peripheral assistant control device is currently located (which can optionally be inferred based on which of multiple assistant computing devices the button is paired with), and/or the current state of one or more smart devices and/or other devices (e.g., as determined based on a device topology). A utility of the peripheral assistant control device can be automatically extended beyond what was specifically requested by a user during configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2024
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Inventors: Tomer Amarilio, Yuzhao Ni, Bryan Allen, Norbert Tydingco, Will Donnelly, Feng Yuan, Nathaniel Nesiba, Anurag Jain, Jacky Cheung, Ronghui Zhu, Chunya Hua, Gregory Kielian
  • Patent number: 12067984
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for using shortcut command phrases to operate an automated assistant. A user of the automated assistant can request that a shortcut command phrase be established for causing the automated assistant to perform a variety of different actions. In this way, the user does not necessarily have to provide an individual command for each action to be performed but, rather, can use a shortcut command phrase to cause the automated assistant to perform the actions. The shortcut command phrases can be used to control peripheral devices, IoT devices, applications, websites, and/or any other apparatuses or processes capable of being controlled through an automated assistant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Yuzhao Ni, Lucas Palmer
  • Patent number: 12063317
    Abstract: Implementing methods to provide a shortened textual summary that includes status information that is most pertinent to the user for a plurality of connected smart devices. The method includes determining a list of current statuses for a plurality of enabled smart devices and filtering the list to remove statuses that may not be of interest to the user. The filtering of the list is based on a current context of the requesting user and one or more previous contexts of the user. The resulting filtered statuses are then converted to textual snippets, summarized, and provided to the user via one or more output devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Yuzhao Ni, Ashwin Limaye, Cindy Tran, Thomas Clifton, David Roy Schairer
  • Patent number: 12039150
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for tailoring composite graphical assistant interfaces for interacting with multiple different connected devices. The composite graphical assistant interfaces can be generated proactively and/or in response to a user providing a request for an automated assistant to cause a connected device to perform a particular function. In response to the automated assistant receiving the request, the automated assistant can identify other connected devices, and other functions capable of being performed by the other connected devices. The other functions can then be mapped to various graphical control elements in order to provide a composite graphical assistant interface from which the user can interact with different connected devices. Each graphical control element can be arranged to reflect how each connected device is operating simultaneous to the presentation of the composite graphical assistant interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Yuzhao Ni, David Roy Schairer
  • Publication number: 20240235881
    Abstract: Implementations herein relate to information describing one or more internal states of a technical system. Implementations herein are provided for characterizing reliability of various different third party servers, at least when reporting third party device statuses, as well as adapting protocols for device ecosystems affected by such reliability. Latency can affect accuracy of device states represented by assistant devices. Certain servers can be characterized as especially delayed when reporting an updated device state in response to a user request, and, as a result, the third party server can be correlated to a metric that characterizes the relative latency of the third party server. When the metric fails to satisfy a particular threshold, a server and/or client associated with the “ecosystem” of third party devices can affirmatively operate to retrieve device state updates, rather than passively await updates from a corresponding third party server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2024
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventor: Yuzhao Ni
  • Publication number: 20240144927
    Abstract: Implementations relate to mitigating client device latency in rendering of remotely generated automated assistant content. Some of those implementations mitigate client device latency between rendering of multiple instances of output that are each based on content that is responsive to a corresponding automated assistant action of a multiple action request. For example, those implementations can reduce latency between rendering of first output that is based on first content responsive to a first automated assistant action of a multiple action request, and second output that is based on second content responsive to a second automated assistant action of the multiple action request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventor: Yuzhao Ni
  • Patent number: 11943075
    Abstract: Implementations herein relate to information describing one or more internal states of a technical system. Implementations herein are provided for characterizing reliability of various different third party servers, at least when reporting third party device statuses, as well as adapting protocols for device ecosystems affected by such reliability. Latency can affect accuracy of device states represented by assistant devices. Certain servers can be characterized as especially delayed when reporting an updated device state in response to a user request, and, as a result, the third party server can be correlated to a metric that characterizes the relative latency of the third party server. When the metric fails to satisfy a particular threshold, a server and/or client associated with the “ecosystem” of third party devices can affirmatively operate to retrieve device state updates, rather than passively await updates from a corresponding third party server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventor: Yuzhao Ni
  • Publication number: 20240086230
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media for engaging an automated assistant to perform multiple tasks through a multitask command. The multitask command can be a command that, when provided by a user, causes the automated assistant to invoke multiple different agent modules for performing tasks to complete the multitask command. During execution of the multitask command, a user can provide input that can be used by one or more agent modules to perform their respective tasks. Furthermore, feedback from one or more agent modules can be used by the automated assistant to dynamically alter tasks in order to more effectively use resources available during completion of the multitask command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Yuzhao Ni, David Schairer
  • Patent number: 11893309
    Abstract: In response to a user interacting with a tangible peripheral assistant control device (e.g., depressing a button of the device), causing an automated assistant to perform one or more actions. The action(s) performed can be based on input previously provided by the user in configuring the peripheral assistant control device. The action(s) performed in response to interaction with the peripheral assistant control device can vary based on one or more conditions, such as which user is currently active, where the peripheral assistant control device is currently located (which can optionally be inferred based on which of multiple assistant computing devices the button is paired with), and/or the current state of one or more smart devices and/or other devices (e.g., as determined based on a device topology). A utility of the peripheral assistant control device can be automatically extended beyond what was specifically requested by a user during configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Tomer Amarilio, Yuzhao Ni, Bryan Allen, Norbert Tydingco, Will Donnelly, Feng Yuan, Nathaniel Nesiba, Anurag Jain, Jacky Cheung, Ronghui Zhu, Chunya Hua, Gregory Kielian
  • Publication number: 20240036541
    Abstract: Efficient control and/or linking of smart network connected devices. Some implementations are directed to rendering, within an active application that enables control of multiple smart devices from multiple parties, both: (1) an interactive graphical interface element that, when interacted with, causes corresponding control of smart device(s) of a third-party (3P); and (2) a selectable element that, when selected, causes execution of a deeplink to cause a 3P application to open in a state that presents additional information for the smart device(s). Some implementations are additionally or alternatively directed to, in response to determining that a 3P application is installed at a client device, but a smart device topology lacks any entries for 3P smart devices of the 3P, efficiently adding one or more particular smart devices of the 3P to the smart device topology.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Yuzhao Ni, David Roy Schairer