VIRTUAL ASSISTANT FOR MEDIA PLAYBACK

• US 20160378747A1
• Filed: 08/05/2015
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: MANDEL, Daniel J., SINESIO, Andrew J., BARNETT, Connor J., ORR, Ryan M.
• Application Number:
  US14/819,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20160378747A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/279 Recognition of textual entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/30 Semantic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

An exemplary method for identifying media may include receiving user input associated with a request for media, where that user input includes unstructured natural language speech including one or more words; identifying at least one context associated with the user input; causing a search for the media based on the at least one context and the user input; determining, based on the at least one context and the user input, at least one media item that satisfies the request; and in accordance with a determination that the at least one media item satisfies the request, obtaining the at least one media item.

Claims

1. A method for identifying media, comprising:

at a device with one or more processors, memory and a microphone;

receiving user input associated with a request for media, the user input comprising unstructured natural language speech including one or more words;

identifying at least one context associated with the user input;

causing a search for the media based on the at least one context and the user input;

determining, based on the at least one context and the user input, at least one media item that satisfies the request;

in accordance with a determination that the at least one media item satisfies the request, obtaining the at least one media item;

receiving second user input requesting alternate media;

in response to receiving the second user input, causing a search for the media based on the at least one context, the user input and the second user input;

determining, based on the at least one context, the user input and the second user input, at least one additional media item that satisfies the request; and

in accordance with a determination that the at least one additional media item satisfies the request, obtaining the at least one additional media item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the causing a search causes searching to be performed locally on the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the causing a search causes searching to be performed remotely to the device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining the media item for the user comprises:

determining whether a local library includes the media item; and

in accordance with a determination that the local library includes the media item, presenting the media item to the user;

in accordance with a determination that the local library does not include the media item, obtaining the media item from an external data source.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one context associated with the user input includes a device context.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the device context includes the location of the device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the device context includes the proximity of the device to a wireless location transmitter.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the device context includes the content of media concurrently played by the device.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the device context includes a timecode associated with media concurrently played by the device.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the device context includes audio input from the microphone other than user speech.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the device context includes data associated with media stored on the device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one context associated with the user input includes a user context.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the user context includes the content of the user input.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the user context includes media associated with the user.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the user context includes demographic information associated with the user.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the user context includes information relating to a musical preference of the user.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the user context includes data associated with user content accessible by the device.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one context associated with the user input includes a social context.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the social context includes the access frequency of a particular media item across a plurality of users.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the social context includes the number of references to a media item in a social media database.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the media item is a song.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to obtaining the at least one media item, playing at least one media item, and terminating concurrent playback of other media.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the at least one media item comprises adding the at least one media item to a media library associated with the user.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after obtaining the media item, receiving second user input comprising unstructured natural language speech including one or more words;

annotating the media item with the one or more words.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, based on the at least one context and the user input, at least one media item that satisfies the request comprises:

determining a probability, based on the at least one context and the user input, that at least one media item satisfies the request; and

determining whether the probability exceeds a threshold.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, based on the at least one context and the user input, at least one media item that satisfies the request comprises:

determining a probability, based on the at least one context and the user input, that at least one media item satisfies the request; and

selecting the media item having the highest probability.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the at least one media item comprises receiving streaming audio containing the at least one media item.

5. (canceled)

29. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a memory;

a microphone;

a processor coupled to the display, the memory and the microphone;

the processor configured to;

receive user input associated with a request for media, the user input comprising unstructured natural language speech including one or more words;

identify at least one context associated with the user input;

cause a search for the media based on the at least one context and the user input;

determine, based on the at least one context and the user input, at least one media item that satisfies the request;

in accordance with a determination that the at least one media item satisfies the request, obtain the at least one media item;

receiving second user input requesting alternate media;

in response to receiving the second user input, causing a search for the media based on the at least one context, the user input and the second user input;

determining, based on the at least one context, the user input and the second user input, at least one additional media item that satisfies the request; and

in accordance with a determination that the at least one additional media item satisfies the request, obtaining the at least one additional media item.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to:

receive user input associated with a request for media, the user input comprising unstructured natural language speech including one or more words;

identify at least one context associated with the user input;

cause a search for the media based on the at least one context and the user input;

determine, based on the at least one context and the user input, at least one media item that satisfies the request; and

in accordance with a determination that the at least one media item satisfies the request, obtain the at least one media item;

receiving second user input requesting alternate media;

in response to receiving the second user input, causing a search for the media based on the at least one context, the user input and the second user input;

determining, based on the at least one context, the user input and the second user input, at least one additional media item that satisfies the request; and

in accordance with a determination that the at least one additional media item satisfies the request, obtaining the at least one additional media item.