Transmitting data from an automated assistant to an accessory

• US 9,674,331 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2012
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rathi, Shailesh, Prakash, Jude A., De Rocha Rosario, Daniel, Louboutin, Sylvain R. Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desir, Pierre-Louis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tzeng, Forrest F
• Application Number:
  US13/632,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20130332172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,709 Days
• Field of Search: 704275, 704E21001
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724098 Interfacing with an on-board device of a vehicle for hands-free speaking in vehicles H04M1/6075
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00

Abstract

An accessory is configured to receive a request. The accessory transmits information associated with the request to a portable device. An automated assistant application executed by the portable device can interpret the request and provide a report. The portable device can transmit the report to the accessory. The report may include one or more results determined by the automated assistant.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with an automated assistant executing on a portable electronic device using an accessory, the method comprising:

establishing a communication channel between the accessory and the portable electronic device, wherein the accessory is configured to remotely control operations of the portable electronic device via the automated assistant,

wherein the portable electronic device and the accessory communicate through messages which are grouped into a general message set and an optional message set, wherein the general message set includes authentication messages to verify an identity and a capability of the portable electronic device or the accessory, and the optional message set comprising functionality information of the portable electronic device or the accessory, and wherein the portable electronic device or the accessory may be blocked from evoking certain or all of the optional messages if the authentication is unsuccessful;

wherein the automated assistant is an intelligent application facilitating interaction with the portable electronic device;

transmitting, by the accessory, to the portable electronic device, an indication of a mode of the accessory;

receiving, by the accessory, input to activate the automated assistant executing on the portable electronic device;

receiving, by the accessory, a voice request;

transmitting, by the accessory, data associated with the voice request to the automated assistant executing on the portable electronic device;

receiving, by the accessory, a report responsive to the voice request from the portable electronic device, wherein the report is generated by the automated assistant, wherein the report is received in accordance with the mode indicated by the accessory and the report includes one or more search results obtained by the automated assistant based on the voice request;

presenting, by the accessory, the report in accordance with the mode indicated by the accessory;

receiving, by a user input device of the accessory, a selection of a result associated with the report; and

transmitting, by the accessory, the selected result to the automated assistant executing on the portable electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the report includes one or more results, each result formatted as a vCard.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the report includes an associated intent.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, by the accessory, performing a function indicated by an intent associated with the selected result.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to perform a function indicated by an intent associated with the selected result.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a status message from the portable electronic device; and

displaying the status message on a display of the accessory.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the report comprises displaying the report on a display of the accessory.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the report comprises producing a verbal audio output.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessory is a head unit of a vehicle.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein the search results are Internet search results.

24. The method according to claim 1, wherein the automated assistant facilitates user interaction with the portable electronic device and services provided by the portable electronic device.

25. The method according to claim 1, wherein the report is generated by the automated assistant by obtaining information stored remotely from the portable electronic device.

26. The method according to claim 1, wherein the voice request is recognized, parsed and analyzed by the automated assistant.

10. A method for communicating with an accessory, comprising, by a portable electronic device:

establishing a communication channel between the accessory and the portable electronic device, wherein the accessory is configured to remotely control operations of the portable electronic device via an automated assistant executing on the portable electronic device,

wherein the portable electronic device and the accessory communicate through messages which are grouped into a general message set and an optional message set, wherein the general message set includes authentication messages to verify an identity and a capability of the portable electronic device or the accessory, and the optional message set comprising functionality information of the portable electronic device or the accessory, and wherein the portable electronic device or the accessory may be blocked from evoking certain or all of the optional messages if the authentication is unsuccessful;

wherein the automated assistant is an intelligent application facilitating interaction with the portable electronic device;

receiving, from the accessory, a message indicating a mode of the accessory;

receiving, from the accessory, data associated with a voice request received by the accessory;

determining, by the automated assistant of the portable electronic device, a task associated with the request;

performing, by the automated assistant, the task;

generating, by the automated assistant, a report including one or more results determined by performing the task, wherein the report is generated in accordance with the received mode of the accessory and the report includes one or more search results obtained by the automated assistant based on the voice request;

sending the report to the accessory; and

receiving, from the accessory, a selection of a result associated with the report.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending a status message to the accessory, wherein the status message indicates a state of the automated assistant.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein each result of the report has an associated intent.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising

performing, by the automated assistant, a function indicated by an intent associated with the result.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing to the accessory information associated with the function performed by the automated assistant.

15. An accessory comprising:

a controller;

a user interface communicatively coupled to the controller, the user interface including an input device configured to receive a voice request;

a communication interface communicatively coupled to the controller, the communication interface configured to;

establish a communication channel between the accessory and a portable electronic device, wherein the accessory is configured to remotely control operations of the portable electronic device via an automated assistant executing on the portable electronic device,

wherein the portable electronic device and the accessory communicate through messages which are grouped into a general message set and an optional message set, wherein the general message set includes authentication messages to verify an identity and a capability of the portable electronic device or the accessory, and the optional message set comprising functionality information of the portable electronic device or the accessory, and wherein the portable electronic device or the accessory may be blocked from evoking certain or all of the optional messages if the authentication is unsuccessful;

wherein the automated assistant is an intelligent application facilitating interaction with the portable electronic device;

transmit, to the portable electronic device, an indication of a mode of the accessory;

transmit data associated with the voice request to the automated assistant executing on the portable electronic device; and

receive a report responsive to the voice request from the portable electronic device, wherein the report is received in accordance with the mode indicated by the accessory and the report includes one or more search results obtained by the automated assistant based on the voice request;

an output device of the user interface configured to present the report in accordance with the mode indicated by the accessory;

the user interface further configured to receive a selection of a result associated with the report; and

the communication interface further configured to transmit the selected result to the automated assistant executing on the portable electronic device.

16. The accessory of claim 15, wherein the input device includes a microphone.

17. The accessory of claim 15, wherein the output device includes a display.

18. The accessory of claim 15, wherein the output device includes a speaker.

19. A portable electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a computer readable medium communicatively coupled to the processor, the computer readable medium having instructions therein executable by the processor, wherein the instructions include a set of instructions for an automated assistant;

wherein the automated assistant is an intelligent application facilitating interaction with the portable electronic device;

an accessory interface communicatively coupled to the processor, the accessory interface configured to;

establish a communication channel between an accessory and the portable electronic device, wherein the accessory is configured to remotely control operations of the portable electronic device via an automated assistant executing on the portable electronic device,

wherein the portable electronic device and the accessory communicate through messages which are grouped into a general message set and an optional message set, wherein the general message set includes authentication messages to verify an identity and a capability of the portable electronic device or the accessory, and the optional message set comprising functionality information of the portable electronic device or the accessory, and wherein the portable electronic device or the accessory may be blocked from evoking certain or all of the optional messages if the authentication is unsuccessful;

receive a message indicating a mode of an accessory, and

receive data associated with a request from the accessory; and

the automated assistant configured to;

determine a task associated with the request;

perform the task; and

generate a report including a plurality of results determined by performing the task, wherein the report is generated in accordance with the received mode of the accessory and the report includes one or more search results obtained by the automated assistant based on the request;

send the report to the accessory; and

receive, from the accessory, a selection of a result associated with the report.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 19, further comprising a network interface, wherein the automated assistant obtains at least one result by accessing a network via the network interface.

21. The portable electronic device of claim 19, wherein the automated assistant obtains at least one result by accessing information stored in a storage device of the portable electronic device.

22. The portable electronic device of claim 19, wherein the automated assistant obtains at least one result by accessing information stored on a storage device of the accessory.