Abstract:
A digital assistant supported on devices such as smartphones, tablets, personal computers, game consoles, etc. exposes an updated and enhanced set of alarm functions to improve a device&#39;s user wake-up routines by applying automation rules to a variety of collected or sensed data and inputs in a context-aware manner in order to surface user experiences and content that are contextually meaningful and catered to the particular device user. The digital assistant can support an alarm system having network connectivity to other devices and external systems that enables the user to set an alarm and be awoken using a wide variety of stimuli such as sounds, voice, music, lights, and tactile sensations and then be given a summary of the upcoming day using verbal narration and graphical displays on the device.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Computers and mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets provide a wide variety of functions and features that are beneficial to users and make it easier to perform tasks and get information. However, clock and alarm features on some of these existing devices are not much more comprehensive than what is provided on traditional alarm clocks and clock radios. 
         [0002]    This Background is provided to introduce a brief context for the Summary and Detailed Description that follow. This Background is not intended to be an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter nor be viewed as limiting the claimed subject matter to implementations that solve any or all of the disadvantages or problems presented above. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A digital assistant supported on devices such as smartphones, tablets, personal computers (PCs), game consoles, etc. exposes an updated and enhanced set of alarm functions to improve a device&#39;s user wake-up routines by applying automation rules to a variety of collected or sensed data and inputs in a context-aware manner in order to surface user experiences and content that are contextually meaningful and catered to the particular device user. The digital assistant can support an alarm system having network connectivity to other devices and external systems that enables the user to set an alarm and be awoken using a wide variety of stimuli such as sounds, voice, music, lights, and tactile sensations, and then be given a summary of the upcoming day using verbal narration and graphical displays on the device. The summary provides information that is of interest to the user and which is contextually relevant to the day/time, location, the user&#39;s behaviors/mood, and/or what is happening in the user&#39;s day. So a summary may include information about the current weather and traffic conditions, news headlines, new texts, entertainment items such as jokes and trivia, notifications, messages received, reminders for upcoming tasks, and appointments in the user&#39;s calendar. 
         [0004]    In addition to controlling sound, graphical display, and other user interfaces on the device on which it resides, the digital assistant alarm system can connect with other devices and external systems such as intelligent home devices/systems to control the user&#39;s environment as part of the alarm and wake-up experience. The system can change room ambience as needed to match a wide range of different wake-up scenarios. In one scenario, just the device display screen is very gradually turned up in brightness while dreamy jazz music softly plays in the background. In another scenario, bright room lights are suddenly turned on as rock music is played at a loud volume on a home sound system. 
         [0005]    Once awake, as the user listens to or watches her catered summary, the digital assistant alarm system can interact with connected devices in the home to help start the user&#39;s day. Home appliances can be operated and the user&#39;s PC or other devices can be triggered to launch applications and navigate in advance to specific content and experiences that the user may need or want to use to begin her particular day. Thus, the digital assistant alarm system can take different actions to support different wake-up and summary experiences depending on whether the user is on vacation at a resort with a ski outing planned for the day or if the user is at home with a jam packed day at the office ahead. If the user is running behind schedule on a particular morning, the digital assistant alarm system may skip the jokes in the summary and instead interact with the user to postpone an upcoming appointment and start the user&#39;s car remotely to get it ready for the drive to work. 
         [0006]    The digital assistant alarm system can be initially configured to employ user-selectable default behaviors and can also be adapted to learn a particular user&#39;s wake-up patterns and routines over time so that appropriately catered wake-up and summary experiences can be provided automatically. So if on weekdays the user routinely checks stock prices and the weather on her tablet device while waiting for the coffee to brew, the digital assistant alarm system can automatically read out the current stock and weather information and turn on the coffee maker as part of her catered wake-up experience. If on weekends, the user goes out for a run first thing in the morning—as evidenced by either the user&#39;s schedule maintained on a device or by motion sensor data (e.g., data captured by the device or a companion device such as wristband) that can indicate when she is running—the digital assistant alarm system can automatically begin playing up-tempo music before the run begins to get the user pumped up and ready to exercise. 
         [0007]    This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure. It will be appreciated that the above-described subject matter may be implemented as a computer-controlled apparatus, a computer process, a computing system, or as an article of manufacture such as one or more computer-readable storage media. These and various other features will be apparent from a reading of the following Detailed Description and a review of the associated drawings. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows illustrative features exposed by a digital assistant alarm system during an automated, catered wake-up experience; 
           [0009]      FIGS. 2, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, and 2F  depict illustrative use scenarios involving a user and a digital assistant alarm system; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  shows an illustrative computing environment in which devices can communicate and interact over a network; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  shows a digital assistant alarm system interacting with illustrative network-connected home devices; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  shows an illustrative layered architecture that includes a digital assistant component and alarm application; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show illustrative interfaces between a user and a digital assistant alarm system; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  shows illustrative inputs to a digital assistant alarm system and an illustrative taxonomy of general functions that may be performed by a digital assistant alarm system; 
           [0015]      FIGS. 9, 10, and 11  show screen captures of illustrative user interfaces (UIs) exposed by a digital assistant; 
           [0016]      FIG. 12  shows an illustrative taxonomy of specific functions that may be performed by a digital assistant alarm system during a given wake-up and summary experience; 
           [0017]      FIGS. 13, 14, and 15  show illustrative methods that may be performed when implementing the present digital assistant alarm system; 
           [0018]      FIG. 16  is a simplified block diagram of an illustrative computer system such as a personal computer (PC) that may be used in part to implement the present digital assistant alarm system; 
           [0019]      FIG. 17  shows a block diagram of an illustrative device that may be used in part to implement the present digital assistant alarm system; 
           [0020]      FIG. 18  is a block diagram of an illustrative mobile device; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 19  is a block diagram of an illustrative multimedia console. 
       
    
    
       [0022]    Like reference numerals indicate like elements in the drawings. Elements are not drawn to scale unless otherwise indicated. It is emphasized that the particular UIs displayed in the drawings can vary from what is shown according to the needs of a particular implementation. While UIs are shown in portrait mode in the drawings, the present arrangement may also be implemented using a landscape mode. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]      FIG. 1  shows an overview of the kinds of features and functions that the present digital assistant alarm system  112  instantiated on a device  110  can expose as part of an automated, catered wake-up experience  115 . As shown, the digital assistant alarm system  112  can control ambience  120 , play wake-up music  125  (and/or other audio) that is suited for the user&#39;s particular day, provide a summary of what&#39;s important that day  130  (either verbally or graphically on the device display), and can integrate with automated home devices  135  in order to support a comprehensive and helpful wake-up experience for the device user  105 . 
         [0024]    The digital assistant alarm system  112  can be utilized in a variety of scenarios, several of which are now presented. A first illustrative use scenario is shown in  FIG. 2  in which the user  105  interacts with the system  112  on a tablet device  110  and, using her voice with a natural language interface exposed by the digital assistant (named “Cortana” in this example), instructs an alarm to be set for the next morning. The digital assistant alarm system verbally responds to the instruction and confirms the user&#39;s desired wake-up routine. 
         [0025]    The next morning at the set alarm time, as shown in  FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C  the digital assistant alarm system  112  slowly turns up music to wake the user, initiates and carries on conversations with the user, and performs various tasks and actions to get the user&#39;s day started using contextual data such as the user&#39;s location, mood, and observed behaviors to cater the wake-experience to the particular user and make it helpful and beneficial. For example, if the user is determined to be in an upbeat mood and/or has a relaxed schedule that day, the digital assistant alarm system may start the day off by telling a few jokes. However, if the user has a busy or stressful day ahead (e.g., school exams, a big business presentation, etc.), the digital assistant alarm system may dispense with the jokes and instead help the user get prepared to meet the day&#39;s challenges by reviewing the day&#39;s schedule, remind the user to bring the appropriate materials, provide words of encouragement, and the like. The digital assistant can also employ different tones of voice depending on the user&#39;s mood. 
         [0026]    The digital assistant alarm system can also work across the user&#39;s various devices so that wake-up experiences can be seamlessly supported, as shown in  FIG. 2C , in which the user interacts with another instance of the digital assistant alarm system  112   2  on a laptop PC  110   2 . For example, as shown, the user can pick up the interaction with the digital assistant alarm system on the PC to review her daily planner. In other examples (not shown), the user can switch from her tablet to read notifications on the PC using its larger display screen which may be more convenient. In typical implementations, each of the user&#39;s connected devices (for example, smartphones, tablets, PCs and wearable devices) can surface an alarm and be notified when the user wakes up. 
         [0027]    A second illustrative use scenario is shown in  FIGS. 2D, 2E, and 2F . The digital assistant alarm system can learn from the user&#39;s past behaviors and routines to surface contextually relevant information. In this scenario, with the user&#39;s consent, the digital assistant alarm system  112  has observed in the past that the user  105  generally checks the weather forecast each night before going to bed. Accordingly, the digital assistant alarm system in this use scenario has checked and informed the user of the weather forecast as part of the user&#39;s bedtime routine when setting the alarm for the next morning. The digital assistant alarm system also uses contextual data retrieved from the user&#39;s electronic schedule (that is maintained on the device or a connected device) in order to surface a contextually relevant reminder about the upcoming day. 
         [0028]    The next morning at the set alarm time as shown in  FIG. 2E , the digital assistant alarm system knows from user input to a user profile and/or user behaviors that the user has school age children. Therefore, the digital assistant alarm system checks an external resource to get third party content prior to the alarm time to see if local schools are closed because of the weather. Alternatively, the device  110  may be registered to receive push notification from external resources to learn of events such as weather-related delays and closings. The digital assistant alarm system can also interact with counterpart systems on remote devices to retrieve information and complete tasks. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 2F , the digital assistant alarm system can take advantage of device sensors, such as motion sensors and environmental sensors (e.g., those that can sense ambient light, temperature, etc.) in order to know how to surface alarms and other information. The digital assistant alarm system can also enable a user to customize certain interactions such as provide special wake-up messages for other users and/or set alarms on other devices for other users. For example, a parent may set an alarm using a digital assistant alarm system on a device for a child and be notified when the child wakes up. 
         [0030]    It is emphasized that the use scenarios above are intended to be illustrative and that a variety of tasks may be performed and actions taken by the digital assistant alarm system when supporting a catered wake-up routine. These include, for example, interacting with the user (which may involve the digital assistant asking clarifying questions, and/or following up with the user), performing various tasks, providing services, gathering information (e.g., by accessing a search service or interacting with remote resources such as web pages), establishing communications using voice, video, or messaging, operating the device and other network-connected devices and appliances, and performing various other functions to assist the user during a wake-up routine. 
         [0031]    The digital assistant alarm system  112  can employ various heuristics, pattern recognition methods, learning-algorithms, and/or policies that take into account available inputs, contexts, and the user&#39;s behaviors and interactions when providing alarm and wake-up experiences. For example, if the user has established a history of using a particular sequence of applications or visiting a particular sequence of websites after waking, for example, then the digital assistant alarm system  112  can automatically set up those experiences on the user&#39;s devices to save time in the morning. 
         [0032]    If the user typically checks the headlines on a news site after waking up, then the digital assistant alarm system can automatically scrape the headlines off the site and read them to the user as part of her summary. If the user has established a routine of watching television news with her morning coffee, then the digital assistant alarm system can turn on the television and tune to the correct channel while brewing the user&#39;s morning coffee. In some implementations, a user interface can be exposed that enables the user to fine tune the degree to which the digital assistant alarm system will use learning and pattern recognition when providing a catered experience. The user may also be enabled through the UI to override automatic behaviors of the digital assistant alarm system in some cases in which instances of user overrides can be included as part of the learned behavior of the digital assistant. 
         [0033]    Advantageously, the present digital assistant alarm system enables the user&#39;s day to get off to an effective start in a way that provides comprehensive features and wake-up user experiences while simultaneously controlling the technologies in the user environment such as network-connected appliances and devices in a manner that optimizes utilization and allocation of computing resources and network bandwidth. 
         [0034]    Various details of illustrative implementations of the present digital assistant alarm system are now presented.  FIG. 3  shows an illustrative environment  100  in which various users  105  employ respective devices  110  that communicate over a communications network  315 . Each device  110  includes a digital assistant alarm system  112 . The devices  110  can support voice telephony capabilities in some cases and typically support data-consuming applications such as Internet browsing and multimedia (e.g., music, video, etc.) consumption in addition to various other features. The devices  110  may include, for example, user equipment, mobile phones, cell phones, feature phones, tablet computers, and smartphones which users often employ to make and receive voice and/or multimedia (i.e., video) calls, engage in messaging (e.g., texting) and email communications, use applications and access services that employ data, browse the World Wide Web, and the like. 
         [0035]    However, alternative types of electronic devices are also envisioned to be usable within the communications environment  100  so long as they are configured with communication capabilities and can connect to the communications network  315 . Such alternative devices variously include handheld computing devices, PDAs (personal digital assistants), portable media players, devices that use headsets and earphones (e.g., Bluetooth-compatible devices), phablet devices (i.e., combination smartphone/tablet devices), wearable computers, navigation devices such as GPS (Global Positioning System) systems, laptop PCs (personal computers), desktop computers, multimedia consoles, gaming systems, or the like. In the discussion that follows, the use of the term “device” is intended to cover all devices that are configured with communication capabilities and are capable of connectivity to the communications network  115 . 
         [0036]    The various devices  110  in the environment  100  can support different features, functionalities, and capabilities (here referred to generally as “features”). Some of the features supported on a given device can be similar to those supported on others, while other features may be unique to a given device. The degree of overlap and/or distinctiveness among features supported on the various devices  110  can vary by implementation. For example, some devices  110  can support touch controls, gesture recognition, and voice commands, while others may enable a more limited UI. Some devices may support video consumption and Internet browsing, while other devices may support more limited media handling and network interface features. 
         [0037]    As shown, the devices  110  can access the communications network  315  in order to implement various user experiences. The communications network can include any of a variety of network types and network infrastructure in various combinations or sub-combinations including cellular networks, satellite networks, IP (Internet-Protocol) networks such as Wi-Fi and Ethernet networks, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), and/or short range networks such as Bluetooth® networks. The network infrastructure can be supported, for example, by mobile operators, enterprises, Internet service providers (ISPs), telephone service providers, data service providers, and the like. The communications network  315  typically includes interfaces that support a connection to the Internet  320  so that the mobile devices  110  can access content provided by one or more content providers  325  and also access a service provider  330  in some cases. Accordingly, the communications network  315  is typically enabled to support various types of device-to-device communications including over-the-top communications, and communications that do not utilize conventional telephone numbers in order to provide connectivity between parties. 
         [0038]    Accessory devices  314 , such as wristbands and other wearable devices may also be present in the environment  100 . Such accessory device  314  typically is adapted to interoperate with a device  110  using a short range communication protocol like Bluetooth to support functions such as monitoring of the wearer&#39;s physiology (e.g., heart rate, steps taken, calories burned, etc.) and environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, ultra-violet (UV) levels, etc.), and surfacing notifications from the coupled device  110 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 4  shows that a device  110  and digital assistant alarm system  112  can be operatively coupled, typically using a network, with network-connected home devices  400  such as smart appliances, lighting, sound system, environmental controls, and the like. 
         [0040]      FIG. 5  shows an illustrative layered architecture  500  that may be instantiated on a given device  110 . The architecture  500  is typically implemented in software, although combinations of software, firmware, and/or hardware may also be utilized in some cases. The architecture  500  is arranged in layers and includes an application layer  505 , an OS (operating system) layer  510 , and a hardware layer  515 . The hardware layer  515  provides an abstraction of the various hardware used by the device  110  (e.g., input and output devices, networking and radio hardware, etc.) to the layers above it. In this illustrative example, the hardware layers support a microphone  520  and an audio endpoint  525  which may include, for example, the device&#39;s internal speaker, a wired or wireless headset/earpiece, external speaker/device, and the like. 
         [0041]    The application layer  505  in this illustrative example supports various applications  530  (e.g., web browser, map app, email app, etc.), as well as an alarm application  545 . The applications are often implemented using locally executing code. However in some cases, these applications may rely on services and/or remote code execution provided by remote servers or other computing platforms such as those supported by the service provider  330  or other cloud-based resources. While the alarm application is shown here as a component that is instantiated in the application layer  505 , it will be appreciated that the functionality provided by a given application may be implemented, in whole or part, using components that are supported in either the OS or hardware layers. 
         [0042]    The OS layer  510  supports a digital assistant  550  and various other OS components  555 . In some cases, the digital assistant  550  can interact with the service provider  330 , as indicated by line  560 . That is, the digital assistant  550  in some implementations can partially utilize or fully utilize remote code execution supported at the service provider  330 , or using other remote resources. In addition, it may utilize and/or interact with the other OS components  555  (and/or other components that are instantiated in the other layers of the architecture  500 ) as may be needed to implement the various features and functions described herein. 
         [0043]    In some implementations, some or all of the functionalities supported by the alarm application  545  can be incorporated into the digital assistant as shown by the dashed rectangle in  FIG. 5 . In this description, the term “digital assistant alarm system” refers to the digital assistant  550  that includes the present alarm functionalities described herein, whether such functionalities are supported by discrete components such as the alarm application  545  or supported by the digital assistant directly. 
         [0044]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , the digital assistant alarm system  112  can employ a natural language user interface (UI)  605  that can take voice inputs  610  as inputs from the user  105 . The voice inputs  610  can be used to invoke various actions, features, and functions on a device  110 , provide inputs to the systems and applications, and the like. In some cases, the voice inputs  610  can be utilized on their own in support of a particular user experience while in other cases the voice inputs can be utilized in combination with other non-voice inputs or inputs such as those implementing physical controls on the device or virtual controls implemented on a UI or those using gestures (as described below). 
         [0045]    The digital assistant alarm system  112  can also employ a gesture UI  705  as shown in  FIG. 7 . Here, the gesture UI  705  can sense gestures  710  performed by the user  105  as inputs to invoke various actions, features, and functions on a device  110 , provide inputs to the systems and applications, and the like. The user gestures  710  can be sensed using various techniques such as optical sensing, touch sensing, proximity sensing, and the like. In some cases, various combinations of voice commands, gestures, and physical manipulation of real or virtual controls can be utilized to interact with the digital assistant. In some scenarios, the digital assistant can be automatically invoked. For example, as the digital assistant typically maintains awareness of device state and other context, the digital assistant may be invoked by specific context such as user input, received notifications, or detected events. 
         [0046]      FIG. 8  shows an illustrative taxonomy of functions  800  that may typically be supported by the digital assistant alarm system  112 . Inputs to the digital assistant alarm system  112  typically can include user input  805 , data from internal sources  810 , and data from external sources  815  which can include third-party content  818 . For example, data from internal sources  810  could include the current location of the device  110  that is reported by a GPS (Global Positioning System) component on the device, or some other location-aware component. The externally sourced data  815  includes data provided, for example, by external systems, databases, services, and the like such as the service provider  330  ( FIG. 3 ). The various inputs can be used alone or in various combinations to enable the digital assistant alarm system  112  to utilize contextual data  820  when it operates. Contextual data can include, for example, time/date, the user&#39;s location, language, schedule, applications installed on the device, the user&#39;s preferences, the user&#39;s behaviors (in which such behaviors are monitored/tracked with notice to the user and the user&#39;s consent), stored contacts (including, in some cases, links to a local user&#39;s or remote user&#39;s social graph such as those maintained by external social networking services), call history, messaging history, browsing history, device type, device capabilities, communication network type and/or features/functionalities provided therein, mobile data plan restrictions/limitations, data associated with other parties to a communication (e.g., their schedules, preferences, etc.), and the like. 
         [0047]    As shown, the functions  800  illustratively include interacting with the user  825  (through the natural language UI and other graphical UIs, for example); performing tasks  830  (e.g., making note of appointments in the user&#39;s calendar, sending messages and emails, etc.); providing services  835  (e.g., answering questions from the user, mapping directions to a destination, setting alarms, forwarding notifications, etc.); gathering information  840  (e.g., finding information requested by the user about a book or movie, locating the nearest Italian restaurant, etc.); operating devices  845  (e.g., setting preferences, adjusting screen brightness, turning wireless connections such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on and off, communicating with other devices, controlling smart appliances, etc.); and performing various other functions  850 . The list of functions  800  is not intended to be exhaustive and other functions may be provided by the digital assistant as may be needed for a particular implementation of the present digital assistant alarm system. 
         [0048]    The digital assistant alarm system  112  can be exposed to the user  105  through a UI that is displayed on the device  110 . For example,  FIGS. 9, 10, and 11  show various screen captures of illustrative UIs that may be utilized by the present digital assistant alarm system. It is emphasized that the particular UIs displayed in the drawings can vary from what is shown according to the needs of a particular implementation. UI  900  in  FIG. 9  shows the digital assistant (named “Cortana” as discussed above) represented by a tile  905  that is displayed along with tiles representing other apps or user experiences on a start screen of a device. The digital assistant may also be configured to be launched from any location within any UI on the device, or from within any current user experience. For example, the user  105  can be on a phone call, browsing the web, watching a video, or listening to music, and simultaneously launch the digital assistant from within any of those experiences. In some cases the digital assistant can be launched through manipulation of a physical or virtual user control, and/or by voice command and/or gesture in other cases. 
         [0049]    When the user invokes the digital assistant, for example, by touching the tile  905  or by invoking a voice command (e.g., “Hey Cortana”) or gesture, a UI  1000  shown in  FIG. 10  is displayed on the device  110  that includes a text string  1005  that asks the user if something is needed. In alternative implementations, text to voice translation can be employed so that an audio message can be played in place of, or to supplement the text string  1005 . As shown, the UI includes a box  1010  that is configured for showing a textual representation of a received voice command or other user input. 
         [0050]    One or more graphic objects  1015  can be displayed on the UI  1000  to represent the digital assistant to the user. The graphic object  1015  in this example is a circular shape that can be animated so that, for example, it changes its shape, color, transparency, motion, or appearance as the digital assistant performs tasks, provides information, interacts with the user, etc. 
         [0051]    As shown in the UI  1100  in  FIG. 1100 , the user has input the string  1105  “set alarm for 7 am” into the box  1110  using, for example, keypad or voice input. In response to the input, the digital assistant can launch an alarm setting routine on the device  110  as illustratively described in the use scenarios above. 
         [0052]      FIG. 12  provides a taxonomy  1200  of various illustrative examples of features that may be provided, and functions that may be performed by the digital assistant alarm system  112  to support wake-up and summary experiences. The features and functions presented here are intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive and other features/functions may be utilized to meet the needs of a particular implementation and not all of the features/functions need to be supported and/or utilized in every implementation. 
         [0053]    As shown, the taxonomy  1200  includes the digital assistant alarm system: playing media content (as indicated by reference numeral  1205 ) such as music, videos, and/or animations in which the digital assistant alarm system can function as a disc jockey in some cases by introducing the music that is being played; providing news, traffic or weather updates  1210  by showing information on the device&#39;s display screen or on a connected device, or by reading the information aloud; providing updates for social media  1215  such as new Facebook® notifications that can be shown or read out; providing updates on messages  1220  such as emails, text messages, etc.; launching applications  1225 , for example, to help the user quickly get to content or experiences of interest; providing reminders  1230 ; maintaining and updating the user&#39;s schedule and calendar  1235 ; operating devices and/or appliances  1240  such as network-connected and home automation devices; controlling ambience  1245 ; employing the user&#39;s detected mood, location, or physical activities  1250  when catering a wake-up experience; surfacing alerts or notifications  1255  such as weather alerts, application notifications, and the like; providing special handling for contacts that are in the user&#39;s inner circle  1260 , such as giving priority to emails during the summary from specially designated contacts such as family members, colleagues, friends, etc.; interacting with digital assistants on devices of others  1265 ; interacting with remote resources/services/data sources  1270  such as web resources associated with work, school, etc.; interacting with search services  1275  such as Bing®; supporting personalized wake-up messages for others  1280 ; sharing out content and experiences with others  1285 ; communicating with others  1290 ; and, supporting other features and functions  1295  as may be needed for a given implementation of a digital assistant alarm system. 
         [0054]    With respect to the detected mood of the user, a variety of data may be analyzed in order to determine mental or emotional state. For example, analysis may be performed using one or more of i) facial expressions; ii) location; iii) physical input characteristics including one or more of rate of device turn on/turn off or input interaction; iv) application interaction; v) physiological characteristics of the user including heart rate, electrodermal data, electrocardiogram data, or electroencephalogram data; vi) device/network connection data; vii) device battery/charging data; viii) proximity of the device to objects or people; ix) explicitly—provided user input about mental or emotional state; or x) voice inputs to the UI. In some implementations, the mood detection techniques may be utilized as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/472,113 entitled “Emotionally Intelligent Systems” and assigned to the same assignee as the present application, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference having the same effect as if set forth at length herein. 
         [0055]      FIG. 13  shows a flowchart of an illustrative method  1300  for operating a digital assistant on a device. Unless specifically stated, the methods or steps shown in the flowcharts and described in the accompanying text are not constrained to a particular order or sequence. In addition, some of the methods or steps thereof can occur or be performed concurrently and not all the methods or steps have to be performed in a given implementation depending on the requirements of such implementation and some methods or steps may be optionally utilized. 
         [0056]    In step  1305 , the digital assistant sets a wake-up alarm in response to received instructions, such as those from the device user. In step  1310 , contextual data is obtained that pertains to the user, for example from the various sources shown in  FIG. 8  and described in the accompanying text. In step  1315 , when the alarm goes off, the digital assistant uses the contextual data to create a wake-up experience for the user by operating the device to render selected music, sounds, or graphical displays on the device. In step  1320 , the digital assistant generates a summary using the contextual data to determine information that is contextually relevant to the user. In step  1325 , the digital assistant provides the summary to the user, for example, by reading it aloud to the user and/or showing the summary on the device display for the user to peruse. 
         [0057]      FIG. 14  shows a flowchart of an illustrative method  1400  that may be performed by a device that hosts a digital assistant. In step  1405 , a digital assistant is exposed for setting a wake-up alarm for a given day and for maintaining context-awareness for a device user by monitoring user behaviors and interactions with the device. In step  1410 , the device user&#39;s schedule is accessed. Typically, the schedule is stored on the device, but it may also be accessed from remote stores and/or resources in some cases. In step  1415 , audio is played over the device UI during a wake-up routine that is catered to the user according to criteria in the schedule. Thus, for example, when the user has a busy day during the week, the digital assistant can play music that is intended to get the user motivated and ready to tackle the day. On the weekend, when the user may have a more relaxed schedule, the digital assistant can play softer, more calming music to gently wake the user. In step  1420 , the digital assistant surfaces various portions of the user&#39;s schedule on the UI, for example by reading out appointments and events, or showing them on the device display. 
         [0058]    In step  1425 , the digital assistant provides information on the UI regarding communications to the device that occurred between the alarm setting and the wake-up routine. The information can be provided either graphically on the device display or using sound, depending on the user&#39;s choice. In step  1430 , the digital assistant exposes content on the UI that has relevance to the user according to the context-awareness of the digital assistant. The content can be exposed either graphically on the device display or using sound, depending on the user&#39;s choice. 
         [0059]      FIG. 15  shows a flowchart of an illustrative method  1500  that may be performed by a server such as one utilized by a remote provider (e.g., service provider  330  and/or content provider  325  shown in  FIG. 3  and described in the accompanying text). In step  1505 , activities of the user when interacting with a device hosting a digital assistant are logged over some time interval. In step  1510 , the logged activities are correlated with a day-by-day schedule of the user. So, for example, such correlation may enable the user&#39;s behaviors and routines on weekdays to be differentiated from those which occur on weekends. Or, the user may have a different schedule on Mondays and Wednesdays because of night classes compared with the rest of the week. In step  1515 , a wake-up routine is created that varies according to the user&#39;s day-by-day schedule. In step  1520 , the wake-up routine is provided to the user&#39;s device so that its operations can be controlled according to the routine. 
         [0060]      FIG. 16  is a simplified block diagram of an illustrative computer system  1600  such as a PC, client machine, or server with which the present digital assistant alarm system may be implemented. Computer system  1600  includes a processor  1605 , a system memory  1611 , and a system bus  1614  that couples various system components including the system memory  1611  to the processor  1605 . The system bus  1614  may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, or a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. The system memory  1611  includes read only memory (ROM)  1617  and random access memory (RAM)  1621 . A basic input/output system (BIOS)  1625 , containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer system  1600 , such as during startup, is stored in ROM  1617 . The computer system  1600  may further include a hard disk drive  1628  for reading from and writing to an internally disposed hard disk (not shown), a magnetic disk drive  1630  for reading from or writing to a removable magnetic disk  1633  (e.g., a floppy disk), and an optical disk drive  1638  for reading from or writing to a removable optical disk  1643  such as a CD (compact disc), DVD (digital versatile disc), or other optical media. The hard disk drive  1628 , magnetic disk drive  1630 , and optical disk drive  1638  are connected to the system bus  1614  by a hard disk drive interface  1646 , a magnetic disk drive interface  1649 , and an optical drive interface  1652 , respectively. The drives and their associated computer-readable storage media provide non-volatile storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for the computer system  1600 . Although this illustrative example includes a hard disk, a removable magnetic disk  1633 , and a removable optical disk  1643 , other types of computer-readable storage media which can store data that is accessible by a computer such as magnetic cassettes, Flash memory cards, digital video disks, data cartridges, random access memories (RAMs), read only memories (ROMs), and the like may also be used in some applications of the present digital assistant alarm system. In addition, as used herein, the term computer-readable storage media includes one or more instances of a media type (e.g., one or more magnetic disks, one or more CDs, etc.). For purposes of this specification and the claims, the phrase “computer-readable storage media” and variations thereof, does not include waves, signals, and/or other transitory and/or intangible communication media. 
         [0061]    A number of program modules may be stored on the hard disk, magnetic disk  1633 , optical disk  1643 , ROM  1617 , or RAM  1621 , including an operating system  1655 , one or more application programs  1657 , other program modules  1660 , and program data  1663 . A user may enter commands and information into the computer system  1600  through input devices such as a keyboard  1666  and pointing device  1668  such as a mouse. Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, trackball, touchpad, touch screen, touch-sensitive device, voice-command module or device, user motion or user gesture capture device, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processor  1605  through a serial port interface  1671  that is coupled to the system bus  1614 , but may be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, game port, or universal serial bus (USB). A monitor  1673  or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus  1614  via an interface, such as a video adapter  1675 . In addition to the monitor  1673 , personal computers typically include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers and printers. The illustrative example shown in  FIG. 16  also includes a host adapter  1678 , a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) bus  1683 , and an external storage device  1676  connected to the SCSI bus  1683 . 
         [0062]    The computer system  1600  is operable in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer  1688 . The remote computer  1688  may be selected as another personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device, or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the computer system  1600 , although only a single representative remote memory/storage device  1690  is shown in  FIG. 16 . The logical connections depicted in  FIG. 16  include a local area network (LAN)  1693  and a wide area network (WAN)  1695 . Such networking environments are often deployed, for example, in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets, and the Internet. 
         [0063]    When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer system  1600  is connected to the local area network  1693  through a network interface or adapter  1696 . When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer system  1600  typically includes a broadband modem  1698 , network gateway, or other means for establishing communications over the wide area network  1695 , such as the Internet. The broadband modem  1698 , which may be internal or external, is connected to the system bus  1614  via a serial port interface  1671 . In a networked environment, program modules related to the computer system  1600 , or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device  1690 . It is noted that the network connections shown in  FIG. 16  are illustrative and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used depending on the specific requirements of an application of the present digital assistant alarm system. 
         [0064]      FIG. 17  shows an illustrative architecture  1700  for a device capable of executing the various components described herein for providing the present digital assistant alarm system. Thus, the architecture  1700  illustrated in  FIG. 17  shows an architecture that may be adapted for a server computer, mobile phone, a PDA, a smartphone, a desktop computer, a netbook computer, a tablet computer, GPS device, gaming console, and/or a laptop computer. The architecture  1700  may be utilized to execute any aspect of the components presented herein. 
         [0065]    The architecture  1700  illustrated in  FIG. 17  includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit)  1702 , a system memory  1704 , including a RAM  1706  and a ROM  1708 , and a system bus  1710  that couples the memory  1704  to the CPU  1702 . A basic input/output system containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the architecture  1700 , such as during startup, is stored in the ROM  1708 . The architecture  1700  further includes a mass storage device  1712  for storing software code or other computer-executed code that is utilized to implement applications, the file system, and the operating system. 
         [0066]    The mass storage device  1712  is connected to the CPU  1702  through a mass storage controller (not shown) connected to the bus  1710 . The mass storage device  1712  and its associated computer-readable storage media provide non-volatile storage for the architecture  1700 . 
         [0067]    Although the description of computer-readable storage media contained herein refers to a mass storage device, such as a hard disk or CD-ROM drive, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that computer-readable storage media can be any available storage media that can be accessed by the architecture  1700 . 
         [0068]    By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable storage media may include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. For example, computer-readable media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EPROM (erasable programmable read only memory), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory), Flash memory or other solid state memory technology, CD-ROM, DVDs, HD-DVD (High Definition DVD), Blu-ray, or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by the architecture  1700 . 
         [0069]    According to various embodiments, the architecture  1700  may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to remote computers through a network. The architecture  1700  may connect to the network through a network interface unit  1716  connected to the bus  1710 . It should be appreciated that the network interface unit  1716  also may be utilized to connect to other types of networks and remote computer systems. The architecture  1700  also may include an input/output controller  1718  for receiving and processing input from a number of other devices, including a keyboard, mouse, or electronic stylus (not shown in  FIG. 17 ). Similarly, the input/output controller  1718  may provide output to a display screen, a printer, or other type of output device (also not shown in  FIG. 17 ). 
         [0070]    It should be appreciated that the software components described herein may, when loaded into the CPU  1702  and executed, transform the CPU  1702  and the overall architecture  1700  from a general-purpose computing system into a special-purpose computing system customized to facilitate the functionality presented herein. The CPU  1702  may be constructed from any number of transistors or other discrete circuit elements, which may individually or collectively assume any number of states. More specifically, the CPU  1702  may operate as a finite-state machine, in response to executable instructions contained within the software modules disclosed herein. These computer-executable instructions may transform the CPU  1702  by specifying how the CPU  1702  transitions between states, thereby transforming the transistors or other discrete hardware elements constituting the CPU  1702 . 
         [0071]    Encoding the software modules presented herein also may transform the physical structure of the computer-readable storage media presented herein. The specific transformation of physical structure may depend on various factors, in different implementations of this description. Examples of such factors may include, but are not limited to, the technology used to implement the computer-readable storage media, whether the computer-readable storage media is characterized as primary or secondary storage, and the like. For example, if the computer-readable storage media is implemented as semiconductor-based memory, the software disclosed herein may be encoded on the computer-readable storage media by transforming the physical state of the semiconductor memory. For example, the software may transform the state of transistors, capacitors, or other discrete circuit elements constituting the semiconductor memory. The software also may transform the physical state of such components in order to store data thereupon. 
         [0072]    As another example, the computer-readable storage media disclosed herein may be implemented using magnetic or optical technology. In such implementations, the software presented herein may transform the physical state of magnetic or optical media, when the software is encoded therein. These transformations may include altering the magnetic characteristics of particular locations within given magnetic media. These transformations also may include altering the physical features or characteristics of particular locations within given optical media to change the optical characteristics of those locations. Other transformations of physical media are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the present description, with the foregoing examples provided only to facilitate this discussion. 
         [0073]    In light of the above, it should be appreciated that many types of physical transformations take place in the architecture  1700  in order to store and execute the software components presented herein. It also should be appreciated that the architecture  1700  may include other types of computing devices, including handheld computers, embedded computer systems, smartphones, PDAs, and other types of computing devices known to those skilled in the art. It is also contemplated that the architecture  1700  may not include all of the components shown in  FIG. 17 , may include other components that are not explicitly shown in  FIG. 17 , or may utilize an architecture completely different from that shown in  FIG. 17 . 
         [0074]      FIG. 18  is a functional block diagram of an illustrative device  110  such as a mobile phone or smartphone including a variety of optional hardware and software components, shown generally at  1802 . Any component  1802  in the mobile device can communicate with any other component, although, for ease of illustration, not all connections are shown. The mobile device can be any of a variety of computing devices (e.g., cell phone, smartphone, handheld computer, PDA, etc.) and can allow wireless two-way communications with one or more mobile communication networks  1804 , such as a cellular or satellite network. 
         [0075]    The illustrated device  110  can include a controller or processor  1810  (e.g., signal processor, microprocessor, microcontroller, ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or other control and processing logic circuitry) for performing such tasks as signal coding, data processing, input/output processing, power control, and/or other functions. An operating system  1812  can control the allocation and usage of the components  1802 , including power states, above-lock states, and below-lock states, and provides support for one or more application programs  1814 . The application programs can include common mobile computing applications (e.g., image-capture applications, email applications, calendars, contact managers, web browsers, messaging applications), or any other computing application. 
         [0076]    The illustrated device  110  can include memory  1820 . Memory  1820  can include non-removable memory  1822  and/or removable memory  1824 . The non-removable memory  1822  can include RAM, ROM, Flash memory, a hard disk, or other well-known memory storage technologies. The removable memory  1824  can include Flash memory or a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, which is well known in GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) systems, or other well-known memory storage technologies, such as “smart cards.” The memory  1820  can be used for storing data and/or code for running the operating system  1812  and the application programs  1814 . Example data can include web pages, text, images, sound files, video data, or other data sets to be sent to and/or received from one or more network servers or other devices via one or more wired or wireless networks. 
         [0077]    The memory  1820  may also be arranged as, or include, one or more computer-readable storage media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. For example, computer-readable media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, Flash memory or other solid state memory technology, CD-ROM (compact-disc ROM), DVD, (Digital Versatile Disc) HD-DVD (High Definition DVD), Blu-ray, or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by the device  110 . 
         [0078]    The memory  1820  can be used to store a subscriber identifier, such as an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), and an equipment identifier, such as an International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI). Such identifiers can be transmitted to a network server to identify users and equipment. The device  110  can support one or more input devices  1830 ; such as a touch screen  1832 ; microphone  1834  for implementation of voice input for voice recognition, voice commands and the like; camera  1836 ; physical keyboard  1838 ; trackball  1840 ; and/or proximity sensor  1842 ; and one or more output devices  1850 , such as a speaker  1852  and one or more displays  1854 . Other input devices (not shown) using gesture recognition may also be utilized in some cases. Other possible output devices (not shown) can include piezoelectric or haptic output devices. Some devices can serve more than one input/output function. For example, touchscreen  1832  and display  1854  can be combined into a single input/output device. 
         [0079]    A wireless modem  1860  can be coupled to an antenna (not shown) and can support two-way communications between the processor  1810  and external devices, as is well understood in the art. The modem  1860  is shown generically and can include a cellular modem for communicating with the mobile communication network  1804  and/or other radio-based modems (e.g., Bluetooth  1864  or Wi-Fi  1862 ). The wireless modem  1860  is typically configured for communication with one or more cellular networks, such as a GSM network for data and voice communications within a single cellular network, between cellular networks, or between the device and a public switched telephone network (PSTN). 
         [0080]    The device can further include at least one input/output port  1880 , a power supply  1882 , a satellite navigation system receiver  1884 , such as a GPS receiver, an accelerometer  1886 , a gyroscope (not shown), and/or a physical connector  1890 , which can be a USB port, IEEE 1394 (FireWire) port, and/or an RS-232 port. The illustrated components  1802  are not required or all-inclusive, as any components can be deleted and other components can be added. 
         [0081]      FIG. 19  is an illustrative functional block diagram of a multimedia console  110   4 . The multimedia console  110   4  has a central processing unit (CPU)  1901  having a level 1 cache  1902 , a level 2 cache  1904 , and a Flash ROM (Read Only Memory)  1906 . The level 1 cache  1902  and the level 2 cache  1904  temporarily store data and hence reduce the number of memory access cycles, thereby improving processing speed and throughput. The CPU  1901  may be configured with more than one core, and thus, additional level 1 and level 2 caches  1902  and  1904 . The Flash ROM  1906  may store executable code that is loaded during an initial phase of a boot process when the multimedia console  110   4  is powered ON. 
         [0082]    A graphics processing unit (GPU)  1908  and a video encoder/video codec (coder/decoder)  1914  form a video processing pipeline for high speed and high resolution graphics processing. Data is carried from the GPU  1908  to the video encoder/video codec  1914  via a bus. The video processing pipeline outputs data to an A/V (audio/video) port  1940  for transmission to a television or other display. A memory controller  1910  is connected to the GPU  1908  to facilitate processor access to various types of memory  1912 , such as, but not limited to, a RAM. 
         [0083]    The multimedia console  110   4  includes an I/O controller  1920 , a system management controller  1922 , an audio processing unit  1923 , a network interface controller  1924 , a first USB (Universal Serial Bus) host controller  1926 , a second USB controller  1928 , and a front panel I/O subassembly  1930  that are preferably implemented on a module  1918 . The USB controllers  1926  and  1928  serve as hosts for peripheral controllers  1942 ( 1 ) and  1942 ( 2 ), a wireless adapter  1948 , and an external memory device  1946  (e.g., Flash memory, external CD/DVD ROM drive, removable media, etc.). The network interface controller  1924  and/or wireless adapter  1948  provide access to a network (e.g., the Internet, home network, etc.) and may be any of a wide variety of various wired or wireless adapter components including an Ethernet card, a modem, a Bluetooth module, a cable modem, or the like. 
         [0084]    System memory  1943  is provided to store application data that is loaded during the boot process. A media drive  1944  is provided and may comprise a DVD/CD drive, hard drive, or other removable media drive, etc. The media drive  1944  may be internal or external to the multimedia console  110   4 . Application data may be accessed via the media drive  1944  for execution, playback, etc. by the multimedia console  110   4 . The media drive  1944  is connected to the I/O controller  1920  via a bus, such as a Serial ATA bus or other high speed connection (e.g., IEEE 1394). 
         [0085]    The system management controller  1922  provides a variety of service functions related to assuring availability of the multimedia console  110   4 . The audio processing unit  1923  and an audio codec  1932  form a corresponding audio processing pipeline with high fidelity and stereo processing. Audio data is carried between the audio processing unit  1923  and the audio codec  1932  via a communication link. The audio processing pipeline outputs data to the A/V port  1940  for reproduction by an external audio player or device having audio capabilities. 
         [0086]    The front panel I/O subassembly  1930  supports the functionality of the power button  1950  and the eject button  1952 , as well as any LEDs (light emitting diodes) or other indicators exposed on the outer surface of the multimedia console  110   4 . A system power supply module  1939  provides power to the components of the multimedia console  110   4 . A fan  1938  cools the circuitry within the multimedia console  110   4 . 
         [0087]    The CPU  1901 , GPU  1908 , memory controller  1910 , and various other components within the multimedia console  110   4  are interconnected via one or more buses, including serial and parallel buses, a memory bus, a peripheral bus, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, such architectures can include a Peripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) bus, PCI-Express bus, etc. 
         [0088]    When the multimedia console  110   4  is powered ON, application data may be loaded from the system memory  1943  into memory  1912  and/or caches  1902  and  1904  and executed on the CPU  1901 . The application may present a graphical user interface that provides a consistent user experience when navigating to different media types available on the multimedia console  110   4 . In operation, applications and/or other media contained within the media drive  1944  may be launched or played from the media drive  1944  to provide additional functionalities to the multimedia console  110   4 . 
         [0089]    The multimedia console  110   4  may be operated as a standalone system by simply connecting the system to a television or other display. In this standalone mode, the multimedia console  110   4  allows one or more users to interact with the system, watch movies, or listen to music. However, with the integration of broadband connectivity made available through the network interface controller  1924  or the wireless adapter  1948 , the multimedia console  110   4  may further be operated as a participant in a larger network community. 
         [0090]    When the multimedia console  110   4  is powered ON, a set amount of hardware resources are reserved for system use by the multimedia console operating system. These resources may include a reservation of memory (e.g., 16 MB), CPU and GPU cycles (e.g., 5%), networking bandwidth (e.g., 8 kbps), etc. Because these resources are reserved at system boot time, the reserved resources do not exist from the application&#39;s view. 
         [0091]    In particular, the memory reservation preferably is large enough to contain the launch kernel, concurrent system applications, and drivers. The CPU reservation is preferably constant such that if the reserved CPU usage is not used by the system applications, an idle thread will consume any unused cycles. 
         [0092]    With regard to the GPU reservation, lightweight messages generated by the system applications (e.g., pop-ups) are displayed by using a GPU interrupt to schedule code to render pop-ups into an overlay. The amount of memory needed for an overlay depends on the overlay area size and the overlay preferably scales with screen resolution. Where a full user interface is used by the concurrent system application, it is preferable to use a resolution independent of application resolution. A scaler may be used to set this resolution such that the need to change frequency and cause a TV re-sync is eliminated. 
         [0093]    After the multimedia console  110   4  boots and system resources are reserved, concurrent system applications execute to provide system functionalities. The system functionalities are encapsulated in a set of system applications that execute within the reserved system resources described above. The operating system kernel identifies threads that are system application threads versus gaming application threads. The system applications are preferably scheduled to run on the CPU  1901  at predetermined times and intervals in order to provide a consistent system resource view to the application. The scheduling is to minimize cache disruption for the gaming application running on the console. 
         [0094]    When a concurrent system application requires audio, audio processing is scheduled asynchronously to the gaming application due to time sensitivity. A multimedia console application manager (described below) controls the gaming application audio level (e.g., mute, attenuate) when system applications are active. 
         [0095]    Input devices (e.g., controllers  1942 ( 1 ) and  1942 ( 2 )) are shared by gaming applications and system applications. The input devices are not reserved resources, but are to be switched between system applications and the gaming application such that each will have a focus of the device. The application manager preferably controls the switching of input stream, without knowledge of the gaming application&#39;s knowledge and a driver maintains state information regarding focus switches. 
         [0096]    Various exemplary embodiments of the present digital assistant alarm system are now presented by way of illustration and not as an exhaustive list of all embodiments. An example includes a method for using a digital assistant operating on a device to provide a catered wake-up experience, comprising: setting a wake-up alarm in response to received instructions; obtaining contextual data pertaining to a device user; when the wake-up alarm goes off, using the contextual data to create a wake-up experience for the user by operating the device to render selected music, sounds, or graphical displays on the device; generating a summary using the contextual data to determine information that is contextually relevant to the user; and providing the summary to the user. 
         [0097]    In another example, the method further includes setting the wake-up alarm to occur at a time or in response to an occurrence of an event, the digital assistant being configured to monitor for the event occurrence. In another example, the contextual data comprises one or more of time/date, location of the user or device, language, schedule, applications installed on the device, user preferences, user behaviors, user activities, stored contacts, call history, messaging history, browsing history, device type, device capabilities, or communication network type. In another example, the method further includes configuring the digital assistant for verbally reading out the summary or displaying the summary on the device or displaying the summary on another device that is operatively coupled to the device. In another example, the method further includes monitoring user behaviors over a time interval and adjusting the catered wake-up experience in response to the monitored user behaviors. In another example, the method further includes controlling ambience using one of sound, music, or lighting. In another example, the method further includes controlling a network-connected appliance or device. In another example, the method further includes interacting with a digital assistant instantiated on the network-connected appliance or device. In another example, the method further includes launching an application to pre-fetch data for the user to review after waking, the application being launched on the device or on a connected device. In another example, the method further includes configuring the digital assistant, responsively to voice input, gesture input, or manual input for performing at least one of sharing contact information, sharing a stored contact, scheduling a meeting, looking at a user&#39;s calendar, scheduling a reminder, making a call, operating a device, playing games, making purchases, taking notes, scheduling an alarm or wake-up reminder, sending a message, checking social media for updates, scraping a website, interacting with a search service, sharing or showing files, sending a link to a website, or sending a link to a resource. 
         [0098]    A further example includes a device, comprising: one or more processors; a user interface (UI) for interacting with a user of the device using one of visual display or audio; and a memory device storing computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, perform a method comprising the steps of: exposing a digital assistant for setting a wake-up alarm for a given day and for maintaining context-awareness for a device user by monitoring user behaviors and interactions with the device, accessing the device user&#39;s schedule for the day, playing audio over the UI during a wake-up routine that is catered to the user according criteria in the schedule, surfacing selected portions of the schedule on the UI, the schedule portions being rendered graphically or auditorily according to user interaction with the digital assistant, providing information on the UI regarding communications to the device that occurred between the alarm setting and the wake-up routine, the provided information being rendered graphically or auditorily according to user interaction with the digital assistant, and exposing content on the UI that has relevance to the user according to the context-awareness of the digital assistant, the exposed content being rendered graphically or auditorily according to user interaction with the digital assistant. 
         [0099]    In another example, the device further includes a motion sensor and using data from the motion sensor to put the alarm in snooze when the device is shaken. In another example, the device further includes performing one of the surfacing, providing, or exposing when a sensor in the device indicates that the device has been picked up. In another example, the device further includes one or more sensors for detecting ambient conditions. In another example, the device further includes interoperating with a remote server to retrieve data or services to support the catered wake-up experience. In another example, the communication information pertains to one of text message, email, alert, or social media notification. In another example, the UI includes a graphical user interface or a natural language interface. In another example, the device further includes monitoring user behaviors and interactions with the device with regard to application usage and web browsing. In another example, the device further includes detecting a mood of the user using analysis of one or more of i) facial expressions; ii) location; iii) physical input characteristics including one or more of rate of device turn on/turn off or input interaction; iv) application interaction; v) physiology characteristics of the user including heart rate, electrodermal data, electrocardiogram data, or electroencephalogram data; vi) device/network connection data; vii) device battery/charging data; viii) proximity of the device to objects or people; ix) explicitly-provided user input about mental or emotional state; or x) voice inputs to the UI and adjusting the wake-up routine according to the detected mood. 
         [0100]    A further example includes one or more computer-readable storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors disposed in a computer server, perform a method comprising the steps of: logging activities of a user when interacting with a device hosting a digital assistant over a time interval; correlating the logged activities to a day-by-day schedule for the user; creating a wake-up routine that varies according to the day-by-day schedule, the wake-up routine including a wake-up experience and daily summary of information that are catered to the user to be contextually relevant; providing the wake-up routine to the user&#39;s device so that operation of the device is controlled according to the wake-up routine, the device at least including a graphical user interface and support for an audio endpoint. 
         [0101]    Based on the foregoing, it should be appreciated that technologies for a digital assistant alarm system have been disclosed herein. Although the subject matter presented herein has been described in language specific to computer structural features, methodological and transformative acts, specific computing machinery, and computer-readable storage media, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features, acts, or media described herein. Rather, the specific features, acts, and mediums are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims. 
         [0102]    The subject matter described above is provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed as limiting. Various modifications and changes may be made to the subject matter described herein without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described, and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention, which is set forth in the following claims.