Method and apparatus for changing a persona of a digital assistant

• US 9,967,724 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2017
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Gan, Guo Dong, Foo, Kong Yong, Tham, Mun Yew, Lim, Bing Qin
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temica M
• Application Number:
  US15/588,760
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 4554041, 4554042, 4554141, 4554142, 4554143, 4554561, 4555562, 455567
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus for changing a persona of a digital assistant is provided herein. During operation a digital assistant will determine a public-safety incident type and then change its persona based on the public-safety incident type.

Claims

1. A method of changing a persona of a digital assistant, the method comprising the steps of:

conveying information to a user by an electronic device using the digital assistant having a first persona;

receiving a notification of a public-safety incident from a public-safety dispatch center, wherein the notification comprises a computer-aided-dispatch identification (CAD ID);

the electronic device determining that the public-safety incident has occurred based on the received CAD ID;

the electronic device determining a second persona that is based on the CAD ID; and

the electronic device conveying information to the user about the public-safety incident using the digital assistant having the second persona.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first persona comprises a first voice type and wherein the second persona comprises a second voice type.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first persona comprises a first avatar and the second persona comprises a second avatar.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first persona comprises a persona having a first gender and the second persona comprises a person having a second gender, differing from the first gender.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining that a public-safety incident has occurred further comprises the step of receiving a notification from a personal-area-network (PAN) sensor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of conveying information comprises the steps of conveying audible information.

7. A method comprising the steps of:

conveying information to a user using a digital assistant having a first voice of a first gender;

receiving a computer-aided-dispatch identification (CAD ID) from a public-safety dispatch center that a public-safety incident has occurred;

determining a second voice having a second gender that is based on the CAD ID received from the public-safety dispatch center; and

conveying information to the user about the public-safety incident using the digital assistant having the second voice.

8. A device existing as part of a personal-area network (PAN), the device comprising:

a short-range transceiver configured to communicate with other PAN devices;

a long-range transceiver configured to communicate with a public-safety dispatch center;

a digital assistant configured to convey information to a user with a first persona, determine that a public-safety incident has occurred by receiving a notification of the public-safety incident via the short-range transceiver and/or the long-range transceiver, determine a second persona that is based on the public safety incident, and convey information to the user about the public-safety incident using the second persona;

wherein the notification via the short-range transceiver comprises a sensor as part of the PAN; and

wherein the notification via the long-range transceiver comprises a computer-aided-dispatch identification (CAD ID) received from a public-safety dispatch center.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the first persona comprises a first voice type and wherein the second persona comprises a second voice type.