METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR INITIATING AN ACTION

• US 20130018867A1
• Filed: 07/14/2011
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Regan, Marc W., Sejnoha, Vladimir, Evermann, Gunnar, Brown, Sean P., Laverty, Stephen W., Slater, Jeremy A., Watson, John R., Lyons, Peter K., LaSante, Ryan S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,489,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/707
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90335 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57

Abstract

Some embodiments relate to techniques for receiving a query from a device, the query comprising content; determining based at least in part on the content of the query that an application is to be launched on the device; and causing the device to launch the application using at least some information determined from the content of the query. Some embodiments relate to techniques for receiving a free-form query from a user; transferring a representation of the query to at least one computer; and receiving from the at least one computer at least one instruction to launch an application on the device.

Claims

1. A method, performed by at least one computer, comprising acts of:

(A) receiving a query from a device, the query comprising content;

(B) determining based at least in part on the content of the query that an application is to be launched on the device; and

(C) causing the device to launch the application using at least some information determined from the content of the query.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act (B) further comprises identifying at least one search engine to which to submit a representation of the query, and further comprising an act (D) of issuing instructions to the device to issue a query to the at least one search engine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the act (B) comprises determining that any of a plurality of applications is to be launched on the device, and the act (C) comprises issuing at least one instruction to the device instructing the device to determine whether any of the plurality of applications is on the device, and to launch at least one of the plurality of applications determined to be on the device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one instruction defines a sequence in which the device is to determine whether any of the plurality of applications is on the device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the sequence is defined based at least in part on consideration received by a provider of one of the plurality of applications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act (C) comprises issuing at least one instruction to the device defining a type of application to be launched on the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the act (C) comprises issuing at least one instruction to the device to launch a specific application known to be installed on the device.

8. A method, performed by a device comprising an application, comprising acts of:

(A) receiving a free-form query from a user;

(B) transferring a representation of the query to at least one computer;

(C) receiving from the at least one computer at least one instruction to launch an application on the device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising an act of:

(D) launching the application in response to receiving the at least one instruction.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the application is a first application, wherein the act (C) comprises receiving at least one instruction specifying a plurality of applications, and wherein the act of launching the first application comprises determining that the first application is among the plurality of applications specified and resides on the device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the act (C) comprises receiving at least one instruction specifying the plurality of applications in a prioritized order, and wherein the act (D) comprises determining that the first application is highest in the prioritized order of the plurality of applications that reside on the device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the query received in the act (A) is a voice query, and the act (B) comprises transferring a representation of the query to the at least one computer for automatic speech recognition.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein (B) comprises transferring the representation of the query to the at least one computer via one or more of the Internet, a public network, a wide area network and a wireless network.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the act (C) comprises receiving from the at least one computer an instruction defining a type of application to be launched on the device, and wherein the method further comprises:

(E) identifying an application of the identified type to launch.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the representation of the query transferred in (B) is a first representation, and wherein the method further comprises an act of:

(D) receiving, in response to transferring the first representation of the query in (B), an instruction from the at least one computer to issue a second representation of the query to at least one search engine.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the act (C) comprises receiving at least one instruction to launch a specific application on the device.

17. A method, performed by a device comprising first and second applications, comprising acts of:

(A) receiving, from a user, a natural language input to the first application;

(B) transferring a representation of the natural language input to at least one computer;

(C) receiving from the at least one computer at least one instruction to launch the second application.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first application is a search application.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first application is a voice application.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising an act of:

(D) launching the second application in response to receiving the at least one instruction.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the act (C) comprises receiving at least one instruction specifying a plurality of applications, and wherein the act of launching the second application comprises determining that the second application is among the plurality of applications specified, and resides on the device.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the act (C) comprises receiving at least one instruction specifying the plurality of applications in a prioritized order, and wherein the act (D) comprises determining that the second application is highest in the prioritized order of the plurality of applications that reside on the device.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the natural language input received in the act (A) is a voice query, and the act (B) comprises transferring a representation of the query to the at least one computer for automatic speech recognition.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein (B) comprises transferring the representation of the query to the at least one computer via one or more of the Internet, a public network, a wide area network and a wireless network.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the act (C) comprises receiving from the at least one computer an instruction defining a type of application to be launched on the device, and wherein the method further comprises an act, performed prior to the act (D), of identifying the second application as being of the identified type.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the representation of the natural language input transferred in (B) is a first representation, and wherein the method further comprises an act of:

(D) receiving, in response to the transfer in (B), an instruction from the at least one computer to issue a second representation of the natural language input to at least one search engine.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one instruction specifically identifies the second application.

28. At least one computer-readable medium having instructions thereon which, when executed by at least one computer, perform a method comprising acts of:

(A) receiving a query from a device, the query comprising content;

(B) determining based at least in part on the content of the query that an application is to be launched on the device; and

(C) causing the device to launch the application using at least some information determined from the content of the query.

29. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the act (B) further comprises identifying at least one search engine to which to submit a representation of the query, and further comprising an act (D) of issuing instructions to the device to issue a query to the at least one search engine.

30. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the act (B) comprises determining that any of a plurality of applications is to be launched on the device, and the act (C) comprises issuing at least one instruction to the device instructing the device to determine whether any of the plurality of applications is on the device, and to launch at least one of the plurality of applications determined to be on the device.

31. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the at least one instruction defines a sequence in which the device is to determine whether any of the plurality of applications is on the device.

32. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the sequence is defined based at least in part on consideration received by a provider of one of the plurality of applications.

33. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the act (C) comprises issuing at least one instruction to the device defining a type of application to be launched on the device.

34. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the act (C) comprises issuing at least one instruction to the device to launch a specific application known to be installed on the device.

35. At least one computer-readable medium having instructions recorded thereon which, when executed by a device comprising an application, perform a method comprising acts of:

(A) receiving a free-form query from a user;

(B) transferring a representation of the query to at least one computer;

(C) receiving from the at least one computer at least one instruction to launch an application on the device.

36. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises an act of:

(D) launching the application in response to receiving the at least one instruction.

37. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the application is a first application, wherein the act (C) comprises receiving at least one instruction specifying a plurality of applications, and wherein the act of launching the first application comprises determining that the first application is among the plurality of applications specified and resides on the device.

38. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the act (C) comprises receiving at least one instruction specifying the plurality of applications in a prioritized order, and wherein the act (D) comprises determining that the first application is highest in the prioritized order of the plurality of applications that reside on the device.

39. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the query received in the act (A) is a voice query, and the act (B) comprises transferring a representation of the query to the at least one computer for automatic speech recognition.

40. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein (B) comprises transferring the representation of the query to the at least one computer via one or more of the Internet, a public network, a wide area network and a wireless network.

41. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the act (C) comprises receiving from the at least one computer an instruction defining a type of application to be launched on the device, and wherein the method further comprises an act of:

(E) identifying an application of the identified type to launch.

42. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the representation of the query transferred in (B) is a first representation, and wherein the method further comprises an act of:

(D) receiving, in response to transferring the first representation of the query in (B), an instruction from the at least one computer to issue a second representation of the query to at least one search engine.

43. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the act (C) comprises receiving at least one instruction to launch a specific application on the device.

44. At least one computer-readable medium having instructions recorded thereon which, when executed by a device comprising first and second applications, perform a method comprising acts of:

(A) receiving, from a user, a natural language input to the first application;

(B) transferring a representation of the natural language input to at least one computer;

(C) receiving from the at least one computer at least one instruction to launch the second application.

45. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the first application is a search application.

46. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the first application is a voice application.

47. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the method further comprises an act of:

(D) launching the second application in response to receiving the at least one instruction.

48. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the act (C) comprises receiving at least one instruction specifying a plurality of applications, and wherein the act of launching the second application comprises determining that the second application is among the plurality of applications specified, and resides on the device.

49. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the act (C) comprises receiving at least one instruction specifying the plurality of applications in a prioritized order, and wherein the act (D) comprises determining that the second application is highest in the prioritized order of the plurality of applications that reside on the device.

50. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the natural language input received in the act (A) is a voice query, and the act (B) comprises transferring a representation of the query to the at least one computer for automatic speech recognition.

51. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein (B) comprises transferring the representation of the query to the at least one computer via one or more of the Internet, a public network, a wide area network and a wireless network.

52. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the act (C) comprises receiving from the at least one computer an instruction defining a type of application to be launched on the device, and wherein the method further comprises an act, performed prior to the act (D), of identifying the second application as being of the identified type.

53. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the representation of the natural language input transferred in (B) is a first representation, and wherein the method further comprises an act of:

(D) receiving, in response to the transfer in (B), an instruction from the at least one computer to issue a second representation of the natural language input to at least one search engine.

54. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the at least one instruction specifically identifies the second application.

55. At least one computer, comprising:

at least one processor, programmed to;

receive a query from a device, the query comprising content;

determine based at least in part on the content of the query that an application is to be launched on the device; and

cause the device to launch the application using at least some information determined from the content of the query.

56. The at least one computer of claim 55, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to identify at least one search engine to which to submit a representation of the query, and to issue instructions to the device to issue a query to the at least one search engine.

57. The at least one computer of claim 55, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to determine that any of a plurality of applications is to be launched on the device, and to issue at least one instruction to the device instructing the device to determine whether any of the plurality of applications is on the device and to launch at least one of the plurality of applications determined to be on the device.

58. The at least one computer of claim 57, wherein the at least one instruction defines a sequence in which the device is to determine whether any of the plurality of applications is on the device.

59. The at least one computer of claim 58, wherein the sequence is defined based at least in part on consideration received by a provider of one of the plurality of applications.

60. The at least one computer of claim 55, wherein the act (C) comprises issuing at least one instruction to the device defining a type of application to be launched on the device.

61. The at least one computer of claim 55, wherein the act (C) comprises issuing at least one instruction to the device to launch a specific application known to be installed on the device.

62. A device, comprising:

at least one processor;

an application, executed by the at least one processor, that;

receives a free-form query from a user;

transfers a representation of the query to at least one computer;

receives from the at least one computer at least one instruction to launch an application on the device.

63. The device of claim 62, wherein the application further launches the application in response to receiving the at least one instruction.

64. The device of claim 63, wherein the application is a first application, wherein the at least one instruction specifies a plurality of applications, and wherein the launching of the first application comprises determining that the first application is among the plurality of applications specified and resides on the device.

65. The device of claim 64, wherein the at least one instruction specifies the plurality of applications in a prioritized order, and wherein the launching of the first application comprises determining that the first application is highest in the prioritized order of the plurality of applications that reside on the device.

66. The device of claim 62, wherein the query is a voice query, and wherein the application transfers a representation of the query to the at least one computer for automatic speech recognition.

67. The device of claim 66, wherein the application transfers the representation of the query to the at least one computer via one or more of the Internet, a public network, a wide area network and a wireless network.

68. The device of claim 63, wherein the application receives from the at least one computer an instruction defining a type of application to be launched on the device and identifies an application of the identified type to launch.

69. The device of claim 62, wherein the representation of the query is a first representation, and wherein the application receives, in response to transferring the first representation of the query, an instruction from the at least one computer to issue a second representation of the query to at least one search engine.

70. The device of claim 62, wherein the application receives at least one instruction to launch a specific application on the device.

71. A device, comprising:

at least one processor; and

first and second applications, executed by the at least one processor;

wherein the first application;

receives, from a user, a natural language input to the first application;

transfers a representation of the natural language input to at least one computer;

receives from the at least one computer at least one instruction to launch the second application.

72. The device of claim 71, wherein the first application is a search application.

73. The device of claim 71, wherein the first application is a voice application.

74. The device of claim 71, wherein the first application launches the second application in response to receiving the at least one instruction.

75. The device of claim 74, wherein the at least one instruction specifies a plurality of applications, and wherein launching the second application comprises determining that the second application is among the plurality of applications specified, and resides on the device.

76. The device of claim 74, wherein the at least one instruction specifies the plurality of applications in a prioritized order, and wherein launching the second application comprises determining that the second application is highest in the prioritized order of the plurality of applications that reside on the device.

77. The device of claim 71, wherein the natural language input is a voice query, and the first application transfers a representation of the query to the at least one computer for automatic speech recognition.

78. The device of claim 77, wherein the first application transfers the representation of the query to the at least one computer via one or more of the Internet, a public network, a wide area network and a wireless network.

79. The device of claim 74, wherein the first application receives from the at least one computer an instruction defining a type of application to be launched on the device, and identifies the second application as being of the identified type.

80. The device of claim 71, wherein the representation of the natural language input is a first representation, and wherein the first application receives, in response to the transfer, an instruction from the at least one computer to issue a second representation of the natural language input to at least one search engine.

81. The device of claim 71, wherein the at least one instruction specifically identifies the second application.