Apple Inc.

Justin G Binder

Thomas R Gruber

Samuel David Post

Onur E Tackin

Philippe P Piernot

Charles Srisuwananukorn

Benjamin S Phipps

Karl Ferdinand Schramm

Po Keng Sung

Devang Kalidas Naik

David A Carson

Yoon Kim

Hong M Chen

Lia T Napolitano

Gunnar Evermann

Shaun Eric Williams

Liam Weiner

Anushree Prasanna Kumar

Sachin S Kajarekar

Ahmed S Hussen Abdelaziz

Abhishek Walia

Ahmed Serag El Din Hussen Abdelaziz

Chloé Ann Seivwright

Abhimanyu Yadav

Philippe P Pierrot

A method for operating a voice trigger is provided. In some implementations, the method is performed at an electronic device including one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors. The method includes receiving a sound input. The sound input may correspond to a spoken word or phrase, or a portion thereof. The method includes determining whether at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to a predetermined type of sound, such as a human voice. The method includes, upon a determination that at least a portion of the sound input corresponds to the predetermined type, determining whether the sound input includes predetermined content, such as a predetermined trigger word or phrase. The method also includes, upon a determination that the sound input includes the predetermined content, initiating a speech-based service, such as a voice-based digital assistant.

Voice trigger for a digital assistant

An example process includes receiving, from a user, an input corresponding to a request to render, without using a camera, and during a communication session with an external electronic device, an avatar associated with the user; and in accordance with receiving the input: in accordance with a determination that the electronic device is coupled to an external accessory device: during the communication session with the external electronic device, and while a camera corresponding to the communication session is disabled: receiving, from the external accessory device, a first data stream detected by a first type of sensor of the external accessory device; determining, based on the first data stream, a first set of data representing a first type of visual feature of the avatar; and rendering the avatar using the first set of data.

Camera-less representation of users during communication sessions

Systems and processes for operating an intelligent automated assistant to provide extension of digital assistant services are provided. An example method includes, at an electronic device having one or more processors, receiving, from a first user, a first speech input representing a user request. The method further includes obtaining an identity of the first user; and in accordance with the user identity, providing a representation of the user request to at least one of a second electronic device or a third electronic device. The method further includes receiving, based on a determination of whether the second electronic device or the third electronic device, or both, is to provide the response to the first electronic device, the response to the user request from the second electronic device or the third electronic device. The method further includes providing a representation of the response to the first user.

Far-field extension of digital assistant services for providing a notification of an event to a user

Systems and processes for selectively processing and responding to a spoken user input are provided. In one example, audio input containing a spoken user input can be received at a user device. The spoken user input can be identified from the audio input by identifying start and end-points of the spoken user input. It can be determined whether or not the spoken user input was intended for a virtual assistant based on contextual information. The determination can be made using a rule-based system or a probabilistic system. If it is determined that the spoken user input was intended for the virtual assistant, the spoken user input can be processed and an appropriate response can be generated. If it is instead determined that the spoken user input was not intended for the virtual assistant, the spoken user input can be ignored and/or no response can be generated.

Reducing the need for manual start/end-pointing and trigger phrases

The present disclosure generally relates to using voice interaction to access call functionality of a companion device. In an example process, a user utterance is received. Based on the user utterance and contextual information, the process causes a server to determine a user intent corresponding to the user utterance. The contextual information is based on a signal received from the companion device. In accordance with the user intent corresponding to an actionable intent of answering the incoming call, a command is received. Based on the command, instructions are provided to the companion device, which cause the companion device to answer the incoming call and provide audio data of the answered incoming call. Audio is outputted according to the audio data of the answered incoming call.

Voice interaction at a primary device to access call functionality of a companion device

Systems and processes for animating an avatar are provided. An example process of animating an avatar includes at an electronic device having one or more processors and memory, receiving text, determining an emotional state, and generating, using a neural network, a speech data set representing the received text and a set of parameters representing one or more movements of an avatar based on the received text and the determined emotional state.

Using text for avatar animation

Far-field extension for digital assistant services

Systems and processes for device voice control are provided. An example process includes, at an electronic device, receiving a spoken user input and interpreting the spoken user input to derive a representation of user intent. The process further includes determining whether a task may be identified based on the representation of user intent. In accordance with a determination that a task may be identified based on the representation of user intent, the task is performed, and in accordance with a determination that a task may not be identified based on the representation of user intent, the spoken user input is disambiguated.

Device voice control

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Oakland, CA, United States of America

Justin G Binder