Patent ID: 12236163

Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS.1A,1B,1C, and1Dare diagrams of an exemplary system100that integrates a functionality of a voice-service provider (VSP) into an executable application to facilitate voice interaction and control, in accordance with certain exemplary implementations. In some aspects, system100may include a communications device110, such as a user's smartphone or tablet computer, and a computing system130, which may represent a cloud-based or other back-end system associated with and/or maintained by the voice-service provider. Additionally, although not shown inFIGS.1A,1B,1C, and1D, system100may also include a communications network that interconnects various components of system100, such as communication device110and computing system130. For example, the communications network may include, but is not limited to, a wireless local area network (LAN), e.g., a “WiFi” network, a RF network, a Near Field Communication (NFC) network, a wireless Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) connecting multiple wireless LANs, and a wide area network (WAN), e.g., the Internet.

In some aspects, communications device110may store and execute various client application programs, such as calendar applications, web browsers, social-media applications, and digital and streaming music players. For example, communications device110may execute a calendar application, and may perform operations that generate content for presentation within a corresponding native graphical user interface (GUI), e.g., through a display unit of communications device110(not depicted inFIGS.1A,1B, and1C). For example, the display unit may include a pressure-sensitive, touchscreen display, and a user101may provide touch-based input to the presented GUI to initiate a voice-based interaction with and control of one or more functions of the calendar application, such as processes that establish a new appointment, cancel an existing appointment, or search for an upcoming appointment on a particular day.

Additionally, communications device110may also store and execute various application programs provided by the voice-service provider, such as a digital-assistant application that, when executed by communications device110, provides a voice-based digital assistant service to user101. For example, the executed digital-assistant application may capture, as input, audio data corresponding to utterances spoken by user101into a microphone or other audio interface of communications device110. The digital-assistant application may, in some aspects, apply one or more adaptive, speech-recognition algorithms to the captured audio data to determine linguistic elements that represent the utterances and further, may apply one or more natural language processing and semantic parsing algorithms to the linguistic elements to establish and meaning associated with the linguistic elements. The digital-assistant application may also provide data indicative of the determined content and/or meaning to one or more available web services, e.g., through a programmatic interface, which may perform operations consistent with the determined content and/or meaning.

In certain implementations, as described below, system100provides an adaptable and customizable framework that leverages the functionality of the digital-assistant applications described above to integrate voice-based interaction and control into a native GUI of an executed client application. For example, one or more components of system100such as computing system130, may provide communications device110with a library or “toolkit” of interface elements associated with components of a voice-user interface (VUI). When incorporated into and presented within the native GUI of the executed client application, these VUI components may enable user101to provide voice input relevant to an operation or functionality of the executed application, and further, may enable the executed client application to access the speech-recognition, natural-language processing, and semantic-parsing functionalities of the digital assistant applications described above, which may determine a content and/or meaning of the application-specific voice input provided by user101. In some aspects, the adaptable and customizable framework provided by system100may voice-enable one or more tasks within the native GUI of the executed client application, and may facilitate a seamless transition between voice-based and touch-based interaction with the native GUI, even in mid-task.

Referring back toFIG.1A, communications device110may execute a client application, such as a calendar application, and a client application module114may generate a native graphical user interface (GUI)150for the calendar application. For example, an interface generation module114B of client application module114may access data repository117, and may obtain data, e.g., interface data122A, from application database118that identifies one or more interface elements associated the executed calendar application. Interface generation module114B may generate native GUI150based on portions of interface data122A, and a display unit of communications device110(not depicted inFIG.1A) may present generated native GUI150to user101, e.g., through a pressure-sensitive, touchscreen. For example, as illustrated inFIG.1A, GUI150may include interface elements that indicate a scheduled “Lunch with Joe” at 12:00 p.m., but no scheduled appointments at 11:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. In some instances, user101may provide touch-based input to communications device110to access the various functionalities of the executed calendar application, as described above.

In additional implementations, client application module114may include, within native GUI150, one or more interface elements associated with corresponding components of a voice-user interface (VUI), which may integrate voice-based interaction and control into native GUI150. For example, and as described above, computing system130may provide data identifying one or more of the VUI components to communications device110, which may store portions of the provided data within a portion of data repository117, e.g., as VUI component data119. In some aspects, computing system130may provide a portion of VUI component data119through a corresponding programmatic interface, such as VSP application programming interface (API)114A. In other aspects, computing system130may provide a portion of VUI component data119in additional or alternate formats, e.g., as statically or dynamically linked library data, through VSP API114A or through other channels of communications across any of the networks described above.

In certain aspects, VUI component data119may identify specific VUI components that are compatible with communications device110and additionally or alternatively, with the application programs executed by communications device110, including the executed calendar application. For example, communications device110may include an audio interface, such as microphone112, and VUI component data119may include data specifying an interface element corresponding to microphone112, such as a graphical icon representative of the microphone and having a predetermined shape and/or dimension. In some aspects, interface generation module114B may access VUI component data119, and may obtain, as part of interface data122A, additional data specifying the interface element corresponding to microphone112, which may be presented within a portion of native GUI150.

For example, as illustrated inFIG.1A, native GUI150of the executed calendar application may include a microphone icon152. In some aspects, user110may express an intention to initiate voice-based interaction with the calendar application by providing input102to communications device110that selects microphone icon152, e.g., by touching or tapping a portion of a surface of the touchscreen display corresponding to microphone icon152with a finger or stylus. In response to a detection of user input102, client application module114may generate a request to initiate a voice-interaction session, which client application module114may provide to a voice-service provider (VSP) application module114through an appropriate programmatic interface. For example, client application module114may transmit the request, e.g., VSP request122B, to VSP module116through VSP API114A, as described above.

VSP module116may receive VSP request122B, and an interface controller module114B may generate and transmit an activation command122C to microphone112. In some instances, activation command122C may modify and operation state of microphone112from an “inactive” state to an “active” state, which may enable microphone112to detect and capture utterances spoken by user101, as described below. Additionally, and in certain aspects, client application module114may detect the change in the operational state of microphone112, e.g., from the inactive to the active state, and interface generation module114B may modify one or more visual characteristics of microphone icon152to reflect the active state of microphone112. For example, interface generation module114B may modify a color of microphone icon152(e.g., changing the color of microphone icon152from red to green), modify a brightness of microphone icon152, cause microphone icon152to flash with a predetermined frequency, or implement any additional or alternate visually perceptible modification to the visual characteristics of microphone icon152to reflect the active state of microphone112.

In certain implementations, and upon activation of microphone112, user101may speak one or more free-form utterances related to a function or an operation of the calendar application. For example, user101may utter an inquiry regarding a status of a scheduled appointment, such as a request for a time, location, or an attendee of the scheduled appointment (e.g., “Where am I meeting Joe for lunch at 12:00 p.m.?”). In other instances, user101may utter a request to change one or more parameters of the scheduled appointment, such as an appointment location (e.g., “Move the lunch with Joe from Del Frisco's to Mastro's.”) and/or an appointment time (e.g., “Move the lunch with Joe to 12:30 p.m.”). Additionally, user101may utter a command to schedule a new appointment, e.g., “Schedule a call with Josh at 1:30 p.m.” The disclosed implementations are not limited to these exemplary utterances, inquiries, and commands, and in other implementations, user101may utter any additional or alternative statement related to function or operation of the calendar application.

In other aspects, user101may speak one or more utterances in response to a graphical or textual prompt presented to user101through an additional interface element disposed within native GUI150. For example, interface generation module114B may obtain an additional VUI component, e.g., from VUI component data119, that identifies inquiries or commands commonly spoken by users of the calendar application. Interface generation module114B may present an interface element representative of the additional VUI component within a portion of native GUI150, and the commonly spoken inquiries or command may serve a prompt to user101when providing the one or more spoken utterances to microphone112.

Referring toFIG.1B, user101may speak an utterance104requesting that the scheduled 12:00 p.m. appointment be moved forward to 12:30 p.m. (e.g., “Move my 12:00 p.m. lunch to 12:30 p.m.”). Microphone112may capture utterance104, and may generate audio data122D representative of the captured utterance, e.g., the spoken request to move the scheduled 12:00 p.m. meeting to 12:30 p.m. In some aspects, microphone112may provide audio data122D as an input to VSP module116. VSP module116may perform operations that implement a voice-based digital assistant on communications device110, and as described below, VSP module116, acting alone or in combination with computing system130, may establish a content and meaning of spoken utterance104based on an application of one or more of a speech-recognition algorithm, a natural-language processing algorithm, and a semantic parsing algorithm to audio data122D.

Additionally, in some aspects, an accuracy of the applied speech-recognition, natural-language processing, and/or semantic processing algorithms may be improved through an analysis of contextual data that describes an interaction of user101with the calendar application. For example, and based on an application of one or more speech recognition algorithms to audio data122D, VSP module116and/or computing system130may identify linguistic elements (e.g., words, phrases, etc.) that represent spoken utterance104. Due to variations in volume or quality of spoken utterance104, or due to a presence of background noise in audio data122D, an uncertainty may exist among the identified linguistic elements, and multiple combinations of linguistic elements may represent a single portion of spoken utterance104. To mitigate the uncertainty among the identified linguistic elements, VSP module116and/or computing system130may apply the one or more speech recognition algorithms to audio data122D in conjunction with contextual data that characterizes a current or prior interaction of user101with the calendar application. In certain aspects, by processing the contextual data, an outcome of the one or more applied speech recognition algorithms may be biased toward linguistic elements that are consistent with the calendar application and the current interaction of user101with that calendar application.

Referring back toFIG.1B, VSP module116may obtain contextual data122E from client application module116. Contextual data122E may, for example, include data that identifies the calendar application (e.g., a foreground application current accessed by user101) and a version or a particular release of the calendar application. In further instances, contextual data122E may also include data that characterizes content currently viewed by user101within native GUI150of the calendar application, such a type of calendar view presented within native GUI150(e.g., a daily view, a weekly view, a monthly view, etc.), a specific portion of the calendar view presented within native GUI150(e.g., an interval between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on Jun. 23, 2016), and one or more appointments identified within native GUI150(e.g., “Lunch with Joe” at 12:00 p.m.). The disclosed implementations are not limited to these examples of contextual data, and in other implementations, contextual data122E may identify any additional or alternate characteristic indicative of the interaction of user101with the calendar application, or with any other appropriate foreground application executed by communications device110.

In some aspects, VSP module116may transmit a request for the contextual data to client application module114through an appropriate programmatic interface, such as VSP API114A. In response to the received request, client application module114may generate and provide contextual data122E to VSP module116through the programmatic interface. In other aspects, client application module114may generate and provide portions of contextual data122E to VSP module116at predetermined intervals, or alternatively, in response to a detection of certain triggering events, such as a modification to a portion of the calendar view presented by native GUI150or a transition to a different foreground application in response to input from user101.

As described above, VSP module116may receive audio data122D from microphone112and contextual data122E from client application module114. In some aspects, VSP module116may include a query module116A, which may be configured to package portions of audio data122D and contextual data122E into query data122F. Additionally, and upon generation of query data122F, VSP module116may perform operations that cause communications device110to transmit query data122F to a cloud-based system associated with the voice-service provider, such as computing system130, across any of the communications networks described above. Computing system130may receive query data122F, may extract portions of the audio and contextual data, and as described below, may establish a content and meaning of spoken utterance104based on an application of one or more of a speech-recognition algorithm, a natural-language processing algorithm, and a semantic parsing algorithm to portions of the extracted audio and contextual data.

For example, a speech recognition module132may apply one or more speech recognition algorithms to the extracted audio data. The one or more speech-recognition algorithms may include, but are not limited to, a hidden Markov model, a dynamic time-warping-based algorithm, and one or more neural networks, and based on the application of the one or more speech recognition algorithms, speech recognition module132may generate output including one or more linguistic elements, such as words and phrases, that represent utterance104spoken by user101. For example, and as described above, spoken utterance104may correspond to a request by user101to “Move my 12:00 p.m. lunch to 12:30 p.m.,” and based on the application of the one or more speech recognition algorithms, speech recognition module132may generate textual output data142A that corresponds to spoken utterance104, e.g., “move my 12:00 pm lunch to 12:30 pm.”

Further, in some aspects, the application of the one or more speech recognition algorithms to the extracted audio data may identify multiple linguistic elements that could represent portions of spoken utterance104with varying degrees of confidence or certainty. For example, user101may interact with the calendar application while walking to off-site meeting, and a large delivery truck may pass user101as user101speaks utterance104into microphone112. Due to the passage of the large delivery truck, the extracted audio data may include background noise that audibly obscures a portion of utterance104, and speech recognition module132may be unable to identify linguistic elements that accurately represent the portion of utterance104. In some aspects, and based on the extracted contextual data, speech recognition module132may bias the output of the one or more speech recognition algorithms toward linguistic elements that are contextually relevant to the current interaction of user101with the calendar application. For example, due to the background noise that obscures a portion of utterance104that includes the spoken word “move,” speech recognition module132may generate output that identifies the words “prove,” “move,” and “groove” as potentially representative of the obscured portion of utterance104. Based portions of the extracted contextual data that identify the current interaction of user101with the calendar application, speech recognition module132may bias the generated output towards the word “move,” which is consistent and relevant to user101's current interaction with the calendar application. In certain aspects, the biasing of the output of the one or more applied speech recognition algorithms towards linguistic elements that are contextually relevant to user101's current interaction with the foreground application may improve the accuracy of not only the applied speech recognition algorithms, but also the natural language processing and semantic parsing algorithms that rely on textual output data142A, as described below.

As described above, speech recognition module132may generate output data142A that identifies the one or more linguistic elements that represent utterance104, e.g., “move my 12:00 pm lunch to 12:30 pm.” In some aspects, a natural language processing module134may receive textual output data142A and further, may apply one or more natural language processing algorithms and semantic parsing algorithms to portions of textual output data142A. Based on the application of the natural language processing algorithms and the semantic parsing algorithms to the portions of textual output data142A, natural language processing module134may assign a meaning to linguistic elements representative of spoken utterance104, and further, may generate structured data including commands and data inputs that, when passed to the calendar application, would cause the calendar application to perform operations consistent with the established meaning of spoken utterance104.

In some aspects, natural language processing module134may include a semantic parsing module134A, which receives textual output data142A (e.g., including the text “move my 12:00 pm lunch to 12:30 pm”) and the extracted contextual data. As described above, the extracted contextual data may identify the calendar application and include data characterizing user101's current interaction with the calendar application. Additionally, semantic processing module134A may access action database136, and based on the extracted contextual data, obtain action data1428that correlates particular text strings with one or more actions that may be performed by the calendar application. Action data142may also specify, for each of the actions, a structured format of application-specific commands and data inputs that, when processed by the calendar application, would cause the calendar application to perform operations consistent with spoken utterance104.

For example, the calendar application may be associated with a particular action, such as “modify an event,” having a corresponding set of data inputs, such as an event identifier, current values of one or more event parameters that characterize the event, and modified values of the event parameters. In some aspects, action data1428may include data that correlates a text string (e.g., “reschedule an appointment”) with the particular action (e.g., “modify an event”) and further, that specifies a structured command format appropriate for input to the calendar application (e.g., {command=modify an event, (event, current event parameters, modified event parameters)}). The disclosed implementations are not limited to these examples of application-specific actions, correlated text strings, and structured command formats, and in other implementations, action data142B may include data associated with any additional or alternate action appropriate to and implementable by the executed calendar application, which may include, but is not limited to, the actions of “add an event,” “cancel an event,” “switch calendar view,” and “query.”

Further, in certain instances, a developer of the calendar application may access an interface associated with computer system130, such as a web page or digital portal, through a corresponding communications device. Via the accessed web page or digital portal, the developer may provide data that establishes and correlates the application-specific text strings to each of the actions appropriate to the calendar application, and further, that establishes the structured command format for each of the appropriate actions. Computing system130may, in some instances, store portions of the provided data within structured data records of action database136, which may be accessed by natural language processing module134and/or semantic parsing module134A using any of the processes described above. Further, as different executable applications may associate a particular text string with different actions and different structured formats of commands and data inputs, the application developer may provide additional data to computing system130, e.g., through the website or digital portal, that establishes and correlates application-specific text strings to each of the actions appropriate to the different executable applications, and further, that establishes the structured format of application-specific commands and data inputs for each of these actions. As described above, computing system130may store portions of the application-specific data within corresponding structured data records of action database136.

Semantic parsing module134A may, in some aspects, apply one or more semantic parsing algorithms and speech biasing techniques to portions of output data142A and action data142B. Based on the application of these algorithms and techniques, semantic parsing module134A may establish not only an application-specific meaning expressed by spoken utterance104, but also a structured format of commands and data inputs that, when processed by the calendar application, cause the calendar application to perform operations consistent with the application-specific meaning. For example, output data142A may include text that corresponds to spoken utterance104(e.g., “move my 12:00 pm lunch to 12:30 pm”), and action data142may correlate a representative text string (e.g., “reschedule an appointment”) with a particular action performance by the calendar application (e.g., “modify an event”). Based on the application of the one or more semantic parsing algorithms and speech biasing techniques, semantic parsing module134A may determine that spoken utterance104represents an intention by user101to “reschedule an appointment,” which is correlated by action data142to the “modify an event” action. Further, and based on the structured command format associated with the “modify an event” action, semantic parsing module134A may establish an event identifier corresponding to “lunch,” current event parameters that include a scheduled 12:00 p.m. start time, and modified event parameters that include an modified 12:30 p.m. start time.

In certain aspects, semantic parsing module134A may generate a structured response bundle142C that identifies the action associated with utterance104(e.g., “modify an event”), event (e.g., the lunch), the current event parameters (e.g., the current 12:00 p.m. event start time), and the modified event parameters (e.g., the modified 12:30 p.m. start time). Structured response bundle142C may, in certain aspects, be formatted in accordance with the structured command format associated with the identified action, and as described above, the calendar application executed by communications device110may process portions of structured response bundle142C and perform operations consistent with spoken utterance104. Natural language processing module134, additionally or alternatively, semantic parsing module134A, may perform operations that cause computing system130to transmit structured response bundle142C to communications device110across any of the communications network described above.

Referring toFIG.1C, query module116A may receive structured response bundle142C from computing system130, and may process structured response bundle142C to extract command data122G, which may be provided to client application module114through an appropriate programmatic interface, e.g., VSP API114A. By way of example, command data122G may include a portion of structured response bundle142C that is formatted in accordance with the structured command format described above, and may include, but is not limited to, data identifying the action (e.g., “modify an event”), the event (e.g., the 12:00 p.m. lunch), the current event parameters (e.g., the 12:00 p.m. start time), and the modified event parameters (e.g., the modified 12:30 p.m. start time).

In certain aspects, client application module114may parse command data122G, as structured in accordance with the corresponding command format, and based on potions of command data122G, may perform operations consistent with spoken utterance104. By way of example, client application module114may determine, based on the portions of command data122G, that user101intends to reschedule an existing 12:00 p.m. lunch appointment to 12:30 p.m., and client application module114may access data repository117and obtain event data122H that includes parameters of the existing 12:00 p.m. lunch, such as an event duration, one or more attendees, and a location of the event, and additional data identifying one or more additional events scheduled during a current day. For instance, and based on event data122H, client application module114may determine that the existing 12:00 p.m. lunch is located at Del Frisco's and is scheduled to last one hour. Further, event data122H may also establish that, other than the existing 12:00 p.m. lunch appointment, no further appointments are scheduled for user101during the current day.

Based on portions of event data122H, client application module114may determine that no conflict exists between the rescheduled lunch appointment and user101's schedule during the current day, and client application module114may perform operations that reschedule the existing 12:00 p.m. lunch appointment to 12:30 p.m. In some aspects, client application module114may generate appointment data122I, portions of which may be transmitted to data repository117for storage within a corresponding portion of application data118. In further aspects, interface generation module114B may process portions of appointment data122I and modify one or more of the interface elements presented within native GUI150to reflect the rescheduled appointment. For example, as illustrated inFIG.1C, interface generation module may generate an additional interface element154, which may reflect the rescheduled 12:30 p.m. lunch and the expected duration of one hour, and may presented within an appropriate portion of native GUI150.

In certain aspects, as described above, structured response bundle142C may include structured commands that, when processed by client application module114, causes client application module114to perform operations consistent with an application specific meaning associated with spoken utterance104. In other aspects, structured response bundle142C may also include audible content that, when presented to user101through a corresponding audio interface, such as speaker113, prompts user101to provide additional information within one or more follow-up utterances. For example, using any of the processes described above, computing system130may establish a text string (e.g., “Move my 12:00 p.m. lunch”) that corresponds to spoken utterance104, and may determine that the established text string represents to a request to modify an existing event within the calendar application (e.g., the “modify an event” action, as described above). In some instances, computing system130may identify an event (e.g., the 12:00 p.m. lunch appointment) and a current event parameter (e.g., the current 12:00 p.m. start time) associated with the requested modification, but may determine that spoken utterance104lacks one or more modified event parameters necessary to properly populate the structured command data that enables client application module114to reschedule the 12:00 p.m. lunch appointment.

To remedy these deficiencies, computing system130may generate data prompting user101to provide the one or more modified event parameters necessary to reschedule the existing 12:00 p.m. lunch appointment, and a text-to-speech (TTS) module of computing system (not depicted inFIGS.1A-1C) may convert the generated data to audible content for presentation to user101. For example, the generated data, and the converted audible content, may prompt user101to input a modified start time for the rescheduled lunch appointment, and computing system130may incorporate the converted audio content into a portion of structured response bundle142C, which computing system130may transmit to communications device110using any of the processes described above.

As described above, query module116A may receive structured response bundle142C, which query module116A may parse to extract audible content112J. In some aspects, query module116A may provide audible content122J to speaker113for presentation to user101. For example, audible content112J may prompt user101to provide one or more modified event parameters for the rescheduled 12:00 p.m. lunch appointment, such as a modified start time or a modified appointment location, and user101verbally identify the modified start time (e.g., 12:30 p.m.) or the modified appointment location within one or more follow-up utterances, which may be captured by microphone112and processed by VSP module112and/or computing system130using any of the processes described above. In certain implementations, the inclusion of audible content within the structured response bundle142C may enable communications device110to establish a dialogue with user101that facilitates a deeper and more intuitive voice-based interaction with and control of executed applications.

Further, in certain implementations described above, spoken utterance104may include one or more requests or inquiries associated with a particular application executed by communications device110. In other implementations, spoken utterance104may include one or more generic inquiries that lack a relationship with any of the applications executed by communications device110. For example, during an interaction with the executed calendar application, user101may utter a generic inquiry related to current weather conditions in Washington, D.C., prior to departing for a scheduled meeting, and microphone112may capture this additional utterance, which includes the generic inquiry related to the current weather conditions. Using any of the exemplary processes described above, query module116A may transmit audio data that includes the additional utterance to computing system130, and speech recognition module132of computing system130may generate textual output representative of the generic, weather-related inquiry. In some aspects, and based on the generated textual output, computing system130may query one or more external computing systems (e.g., through a corresponding programmatic interface) to obtain weather data indicative of the current conditions experienced in Washington, D.C., and computing system130may include portions of the weather data into structured response bundle142C for transmission to communications device110.

As described above, query module116A may receive structured response bundle142C, may parse structured response bundle142C to extract the portions of the weather data (e.g., which may specify the current weather conditions in Washington, D.C.), and may provide the portions of the weather data to client application module114through a corresponding programmatic interface, e.g., VSP API114A. In some aspects, interface generation module114B may generate one or more additional interface elements that provide a graphical or textual representation of the current weather conditions in Washington, D.C., and the one or more additional interface elements may be presented to user101within a corresponding portion of native GUI150.

Further, in additional aspects, interface generation module114B may access VUI components119within data repository117, and may obtain data that identifies one or more inquiry-specific interface elements and a corresponding view container that presents the one or more inquiry-specific interface elements within native GUI150. For example, the inquiry-specific interface elements may include an informational or navigation card that simultaneously presents a graphical and textual representation of the current weather conditions. In some aspects, interface generation module114B may populate the informational or navigation card with the current weather conditions in Washington, D.C., and may generate interface data that specifies the populated informational or navigation card, that specifies a position of the view container and the informational or navigation card within native GUI150, and further, that configures the populated information or navigation card as an overlay card that obscures a portion of native GUI150, as slide-up card or slide-down card that translates into or out of native GUI150along a corresponding longitudinal axis, or a drawer card that translates into or out of native GUI150along a transverse axis. As described above, a display unit of communications device110, such as a pressure-sensitive touchscreen display, may render the generated interface data and present the view container and informational or navigation card within native GUI150.

Further, in additional implementations, user101may provide additional input to communications device110that expresses an intention to terminate the previously initiated voice-based interaction with the calendar application. For example, the additional input may corresponding to a subsequent or follow-up selection of microphone icon152, e.g., by touching or tapping a portion of a surface of the touchscreen display corresponding to microphone icon152with a finger or stylus. In response to a detection of the additional input, client application module114may generate a request to terminate the voice-interaction session, which client application module114may provide to VSP module116through an appropriate programmatic interface, such as VSP API114A. As described above, VSP module116may receive the request to complete the voice-interaction session, and may generate and transmit a de-activation command to microphone112, which modifies the operational state of microphone112from the “active” state to the “inactive” state. Additionally, and in certain aspects, client application module114may detect the change in the operational state of microphone112, e.g., from the active to the inactive state, and interface generation module114B may modify one or more visual characteristics of microphone icon152to reflect the active state of microphone112. For example, interface generation module114B may modify a color of microphone icon152(e.g., changing the color of microphone icon152from green back to red), modify a brightness of microphone icon152, or implement any additional or alternate visually perceptible modification to the visual characteristics of microphone icon152to reflect the inactive state.

As described above, user101may express an intention to initiate voice-based interaction with a calendar application executed by communications device110by selecting a voice-user interface (VUI) element, e.g., microphone icon152, presented within native GUI150associated with the calendar application, which may cause communications device110to activate an embedded microphone, such as microphone112. Microphone112may capture one or more application-specific utterances spoken by the user, and communications device110may generate audio data that represents the spoken utterances and thus, an application-specific, contextual query spoken by user101. In some aspects, communications device110may generate contextual query data that includes the generated audio data and further, contextual data indicative of the user's current interaction with the calendar application, and communications device110may transmit portions of the contextual query data (e.g., query data122F) to computing system130.

In certain aspects, and as described above, computing system130may determine a content and an application-specific meaning expressed the spoken utterances, and may generate a response to the contextual query (e.g., structured response bundle142C) that identifies one or more application-specific operations or functions that are consistent with the expressed content and application-specific meaning. Computing system130may, in some implementations, transmit the generated response back to communications device110, which captured the one or more spoken utterances and generated the contextual query data, and communications device110may perform operations that implement the one or more application-specific operations or functions using any of the processes described above.

In other implementations, computing system130may transmit the generated response to a communications device that is different from the communications device that captured the spoken utterances and generated the contextual query data. By way of example, user101may be associated with or may operate one or more additional communications devices, which include, but are not limited to, a smart watch, a home- or work-based connected device (such as a connected “Internet-of-Things” (IoT) device), and a vehicle-based device. These additional communications devices may store and execute various client application programs (e.g., a calendar application) and various application programs provided by a voice-service provider (such as a digital-assistant application). In some aspects, the client application programs and voice-service provider applications may be implemented as one or more modules of computer-program instructions (e.g., client application module114and/or VSP module116, as described in reference to communications device110ofFIGS.1A-1C) that, upon execution, may cause one or more of the additional communications devices to capture application-specific utterances spoken by user101, generate contextual query data that includes portions of the captured utterances and contextual data, and transmit the generated contextual query to computing system130using any of the processes described above.

For example, as illustrated inFIG.1D, the additional communications devices may include a device worn by user101, e.g., smart watch111, which may execute a calendar application that establishes and maintains a calendar of daily appointments on behalf of user101. The daily appointments may, in some instances, include a scheduled 12:00 p.m. lunch with Joe, which user101may intend to reschedule to 12:30 p.m. In certain aspects, and using any the processes described above, user101may provide input to smart watch111that activates an embedded microphone (e.g., by selecting microphone icon152presented within a native GUI150A of the executed calendar application), and the microphone may capture an utterance104spoken by user101, which may specify to a request to delay a start time of the scheduled lunch (e.g., “Move my 12:00 p.m. lunch to 12:30 p.m.”). In some aspects, the microphone may generate audio data that represents spoken utterance104, and provide that generated audio data to a corresponding voice-service provider (VSP) module (e.g., VSP module116ofFIGS.1A-1C). Additionally in certain instances, a client application module of smart device111(e.g., client application module114ofFIGS.1A-1C) may perform any of the processes described above to generate contextual data indicative user101's current interaction with the executed calendar application, which may also be provided as input to the VSP module.

Using any of the processes described above, smart watch111may generate contextual query data, e.g., query data122F, that includes portions of the generated audio data and contextual data, and smart watch111may transmit query data122F to a cloud-based system associated with the voice-service provider, such as computing system130, across any of the communications networks described above. Computing system130may receive query data122F, may extract portions of the audio and contextual data, and as described above, may establish not only an application-specific meaning expressed by spoken utterance104, but also a structured format of commands and data inputs that, when processed by the calendar application, cause the calendar application to perform operations consistent with the application-specific meaning.

For example, and based on the application of the one or more semantic parsing algorithms and speech biasing techniques described above, computing system130may determine that spoken utterance104represents an intention by user101to “reschedule an appointment,” which may be correlated by computing system130to the “modify an event” action (e.g., based on action data142B ofFIGS.1B and1C). Further, and based on the structured command format associated with the “modify an event” action, computing system130may establish an event identifier corresponding to “lunch,” current event parameters that include a scheduled 12:00 p.m. start time, and modified event parameters that include an modified 12:30 p.m. start time. In certain aspects, computing system130may generate a response to the contextual query, e.g., structured response bundle142C, that identifies the action associated with spoken utterance104e.g., “modify an event”), the event (e.g., the lunch), the current event parameters (e.g., the current 12:00 p.m. event start time), and the modified event parameters (e.g., the modified 12:30 p.m. start time).

In one implementation, computing system130may transmit structured response bundle142C back to smart watch111. Smart watch111may, in some instances, receive and process structured response bundle142C, extract command data structured in accordance with the corresponding structured command format, and as described above, provide that structured command data to the executed calendar application through a corresponding programmatic interface, such as VSP API114A. As described above, the executed calendar application may perform operations consistent with spoken utterance104, which include, but are not limited to, rescheduling the lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m., presenting, through a display unit, interface elements indicative of the rescheduled lunch within native GUI150A, and presenting audible, follow-up inquiries through a corresponding audio interface, such as an embedded speaker.

In other implementations, computing system130may transmit portions of structured response bundle142C to one or more additional communications devices associated with user101and additionally or alternatively, one or more additional users. For example, spoken utterance104may also include spoken content identifying a “destination” device, such as user101's smartphone or tablet computer, that should present a notification of the rescheduled lunch to user101. In some aspects, and using any of the processes described above, smart watch111may parse audio data representing spoken utterance104to identify not only the requested modification to the scheduled lunch (e.g., “Move my 12:00 p.m. lunch to 12:30 p.m.”), but also an identifier of the destination device (e.g., “my smartphone”), and may generate portions of query data122F that includes the requested modification to the scheduled appointment, the contextual data indicative of user101's current interaction with the executed calendar application, and further, the identifier of the destination device.

Computing system130may receive query data122F, and may generate structured response bundle142C that identifies the action associated with spoken utterance104(e.g., “modify an event”), the event (e.g., the lunch), the current event parameters (e.g., the current 12:00 p.m. event start time), and the modified event parameters (e.g., the modified 12:30 p.m. start time). Computing system130may also access device data (e.g., as stored within one or more local data repositories or remotely accessible data repositories, such as cloud-based storage) that identifies one or more communications devices associated with or operated by user101and additionally or alternatively, unique network identifiers of these communications devices (e.g., MAC addresses, IP addresses, etc.). In some aspects, and based on the accessed device data, computing system130may determine that communications device110corresponds to user101's smartphone, may access the unique network identifier of communications device110, and may transmit structured response bundle142C to communications device110using any of the processes described above.

As described above, communications device110may receive structured response bundle146, extract command data indicative of the requested modification to user101's daily appointments from structured response bundle146, and provide that extracted command data to the executed calendar application, which may implement the requested modification in accordance with the provided command data. For example, and based on the extracted command data, the executed calendar application may reschedule to the 12:00 p.m. lunch to 12:30 p.m., and may generate one or more interface elements indicative of the effected modification for presentation within the native GUI of the calendar application (such as additional interface element154, which reflects the rescheduled 12:00 p.m. lunch and the expected duration of one hour, as presented within native GUI150B).

In certain implementations described above, user101may identify, within a spoken utterance, one or more “destination” devices capable of receiving a structured response to a contextual query and performing one or more operations consistent spoken utterance104, such as modifying a scheduled appointment and/or presenting interface elements indicative of the modification. In other implementations, computing system130may identify the one or more destination device based not on an corresponding identifier spoken by user101, but based on stored configuration data that associates the one or more candidate destination device with user101, smart watch111, and additionally or alternatively, a scope or a nature of the corresponding contextual query.

By way of example, query data122F may include data identifying user101(e.g., a user name, email address, telephone number, etc.) and data identifying smart watch111(e.g., an IP address, a MAC address, a device identifier, etc.). In some aspects, upon receipt of query data122F, computing system130may access configuration data (e.g., as stored within one or more local data repositories or remotely accessible data repositories, such as cloud-based storage) that includes one or more logical rules associating identifiers of candidate destination devices with corresponding characteristics of various contextual queries. These characteristics may include, but are not limited to, an action associated with a contextual query (e.g., “modify an event”), an event associated with the action, one or more current or modified event parameters, a user associated with the contextual query (e.g., user101), a device that generated the contextual query (e.g., smart watch111, a connected IoT device, a vehicle-based device, etc.), and one or more application programs associated with the action (e.g., the executed calendar application). Further, portions of the configuration data may be established by computing system130based on capabilities of the devices that generated the contextual queries and the destination devices, and additionally or alternatively, portions of the configuration data may be established based on user input received through a corresponding web page or digital portal associated with the voice-service provider.

For instance, the access configuration data may identify communications device110as a “destination” device for a contextual query generated by smart watch111, involving user101, and associated with a modification to an appointment scheduled by an executed application program. In some aspects, computing system130may obtain, from the obtained configuration data (or from the device data described above) a unique network identifier of communications device110(e.g., a MAC address, an IP address, etc.), and may transmit structured response bundle142C to communications device110, which may perform operations consistent with command data included within structured response bundle142C using any of the example processes described above.

As described above, user101may express an intention to initiate voice-based interaction with the calendar application by selecting a voice-user interface (VUI) element, such as a microphone icon, presented within a native GUI associated with the calendar application. Although described in terms of the calendar application, the disclosed implementations are not limited to this example application, and the microphone icon and other VUI elements may be embedded within the native GUIs of any additional or alternate application executed by communications device110to facilitate voice-based interaction and control of the executed applications by user101. In some instances, and as described below, a developer of an executed application may access one or more VUI elements, which may collectively specify a VUI “toolkit.” The accessed data may, for example, include widgets or other elements of executable code associated with each of the VUI elements, and the developer may link the widget or executable code associated with one or more of the VUI elements to corresponding ones of the executed applications such that these executed applications embed the one or more VUI elements into their native GUIs. In certain aspects, the embedded VUI elements may facilitate an initiation, by user101, of voice-based interaction and control of the corresponding executed applications using any of the processes described above.

FIG.2is a diagram of an exemplary system200for integrating voice-user interface (VUI) elements into a native graphical user interfaces (GUIs) generated by various executed applications, in accordance with certain exemplary implementations. In some aspects, system200may include communications device110and voice-service provider (VSP) system130, as described above. Further, although not depicted inFIGS.2A and2B, system200may also include a communications network that interconnects various components of system200, such as communication device110and computing system130. For example, and as described above, the communications network may include, but is not limited to, a wireless local area network (LAN), e.g., a “WiFi” network, a RF network, a Near Field Communication (NFC) network, a wireless Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) connecting multiple wireless LANs, and a wide area network (WAN), e.g., the Internet.

Referring toFIG.2, computing system130may include a VUI component library232, which may include structured data records that store data characterizing a plurality of available VUI elements. In certain aspects, and in contrast to the application-specific GUI elements that establish native GUIs of various executed applications, the available VUI elements may be application-neutral and may be embedded within any of the native GUIs to facilitate, initiate, and terminate voice-based interaction and control of the corresponding executed applications.

For example, VUI component library232may store a widget and/or elements of executable code that establish and embed a microphone icon (e.g., microphone icon152ofFIGS.1A,1B, and1C) into a native GUI of one or more executable applications. The microphone icon may, in some instances, indicate an activity or inactivity of a microphone included within a corresponding computing device, such as communications device110, and selection of the microphone icon embedded within the native GUI by user101may facilitate an initiation, a pause, a resumption, or a termination of voice-based interaction and control of the corresponding executable application, as described above. The disclosed implementations are not limited with these examples of audio interfaces, and in other implementations, VUI component library232may store a widget and/or elements of executable code that establish and embed icons associated with other audio interfaces, such as speakers, into the native GUIs to indicate a status and level of activity associated with these audio interfaces.

In other instances, VUI component library232may store widgets and/or elements of executable code that establish interface elements, e.g., “help cards,” that present textual representations of various requests or inquiries commonly uttered by user101. In some aspects, one or more of these help cards may be context-specific, and may suggest requests or inquiries commonly uttered by user101during interaction with specific applications, certain application views (e.g., a day or monthly calendar view), and additionally or alternatively, certain combinations of GUI elements associated with a particular application view. For example, a program module of an application executed by communications device110, e.g., client application module114, may determine a context indicative of user101's current interaction with the executed application and may identify one or more of the help cards that are appropriate to and consistent with the determined context, and an interface generation module of the executed application, e.g., interface generation module114B, may present the one or more identified help cards within a corresponding portion of the executed application's native GUI, e.g., native GUI150.

VUI component library232may also store widgets and/or elements of executable code that establish interface elements, e.g., “text view” elements, capable of displaying, to user101, portions of textual content recognized within spoken utterances, e.g., spoken utterance104. For example, the stored widgets and/or executable code elements may be linked, through an appropriate programmatic interface, to a voice-service provider (VSP) application, such as a digital virtual assistant application executed by communications device110, and may be configured to obtain portions of text recognized in real-time by the VSP application from spoken utterance104. In some aspects, interface generation module114B may incorporate one or more of the text view elements into native GUI150, and upon presentation to user101, the text view elements may present a time-evolving representation of textual content corresponding to spoken utterance104.

Additional, and in further instances, VUI component library232may also store widgets and/or elements of executable code that establish one or more inquiry-specific interface elements and a corresponding view container that presents the one or more inquiry-specific interface elements within native GUI150. For example, and as described above, the inquiry-specific interface elements may include an informational or navigation card that simultaneously presents a graphical and textual representation of responses to one or more generic inquiries, such as weather inquiries, inquiries about current events or media personalities, and other inquiries unrelated to an operation of the applications executed by communications device110. In some aspects, interface generation module114B may populate the informational or navigation card with portions of the responses to the one or more generic inquiries (e.g., as received from one or more external or third-party computing systems), and may generate interface data that specifies the populated informational or navigation card, that specifies a position of the view condition and the informational or navigation card within native GUI150, and further, that configures the populated information or navigation card as an overlay card that obscures a portion of native GUI150, as slide-up card or slide-down card that translates into or out of native GUI150along a corresponding longitudinal axis, or a drawer card that translates into or out of native GUI150along a transverse axis. The disclosed implementations are, however, not limited to these examples of VUI components and VUI elements, and in other implementations, VUI component library232may store structured data indicative of any additional or alternate VUI component or interface data, which may be embedded into a native GUI of an application executed by communications device110to facilitate voice-based interaction and control.

In some instances, computer system130may execute one or more application programs that generate and provide to communications device110a package of VUI components for inclusion within native GUIs of applications executed by communications device110. For example, a VUI component module234of computing system130may access VUI component library232and obtain data242A identifying one or more VUI components. VUI component module234may identify a subset of the VUI components that are consistent with one or more characteristics of communications device110, such as version of an operating system, and with one or more of the application programs executed by communications device110. In some instances, VUI component module234may obtain the widgets and/or executable code elements associated with the subset of VUI components within VUI component data242A, and may incorporate a portion of data242A into a corresponding structured data package for transmission to communications device110across any of the communications networks described above.

For example, VUI component module234may incorporate portions of data242A within a dynamically linked supporting library. VUI component module234may generate a VUI component package242B that includes the linked or dynamically linked supporting library, and transmit VUI component package242B to communications device110, as described above. In other aspects, VUI component module234may obtain elements of code that establish a corresponding programmatic interface, and transmit the obtained code elements to communications device110across any of the communications networks described above. Communications device110may, in some instances, execute the transmitted code elements to establish the corresponding programmatic interface, and VUI component module234may perform operations that push portions of data242A to communications device110through the established programmatic interface at predetermined time or in response to a detection of certain triggering events, such as an update to or a modification of the VUI component data stored within VUI component library232.

In some aspects, a VUI component manager module212of communications device110may receive VUI component package242B through a corresponding programmatic interface, e.g., VUI API212A. VUI component manager module212may process or parse portions of VUI component package242B to extract VUI component data222A, and may perform operations that store portions of VUI component data222A within one or more data records of structured data repository117, such as within VUI components119. For example, and as described above, the stored VUI component data may include, but is not limited to: (i) audio interface status element data219A, which include widgets and/or elements of executable code that establish and embed icons and interface elements indicative of a status of an audio interface, such as a microphone or speaker, into a native GUI of an executable application; (ii) help card data219B, which may include widgets and/or elements of executable code establishing interface elements, or help cards, that present textual representations of various, commonly uttered requests or inquiries; (iii) text-view element data219C, which includes widgets and/or elements of executable code that establish text-view interface elements capable of displaying, in real-time, portions of textual content recognized within spoken utterances; and (iv) generic inquiry element data219D, which includes widgets and/or elements of executable code that establish one or more inquiry-specific interface elements and corresponding view containers that presents the one or more inquiry-specific interface elements within the native GUIs. The disclosed implementations are, however, not limited to these examples of VUI components and VUI elements, and in other implementations, VUI component manager212may store, within data repository117, structured data indicative of any additional or alternate VUI component or element that facilitate voice-based interaction with one or more applications executed by communications device110.

In certain implementations, a developer of a particular application, such as the calendar application described above, may perform operations that embed one or more of the stored VUI component, as described above, into a native GUI of the calendar application to facilitate a user's voice-based interaction with the executed calendar application. For example, data repository117may store portions of the VUI component data as statically or dynamically linked libraries, and the application developer may provide input to communications device110, e.g., in response to an accessed digital portal or GUI associated with a text editor, that links the libraries associated with one or more of the VUI components to an object file associated with the calendar application. In response to the established linkage, communications device110(and other devices capable of accessing the linked object file and VUI component libraries) may execute the calendar application present interface elements corresponding to the one or more linked VUI components within portions of the native GUI associated with the calendar application, e.g., GUI150ofFIGS.1A-1C.

For example, the application developer may intend to embed an icon representative of a microphone into native GUI150of the calendar application. As described above, the microphone icon may, in some instances, indicate an activity or inactivity of a microphone included within a corresponding computing device, such as communications device110, and a selection of the microphone icon embedded within the native GUI by user101may facilitate an initiation, a pause, a resumption, or a termination of voice-based interaction and control of the corresponding executable application. In some aspects, and as described above, the application developer may perform operations that link the widgets and/or executable code associated with the microphone icon, such as those stored within audio interface status element data219A ofFIG.2, with the object file associated with the calendar application. Upon execution by communications device110, the calendar application may generate a native GUI, such as native GUI150ofFIGS.1A-1C, and embed within native GUI150a corresponding microphone icon, e.g., icon152ofFIGS.1A-1C, which may visually convey a current status of the microphone to a user and enable the user to provide input initiating voice-based interaction and control of the calendar application.

For example, and as described above, a user may provide input to communications device110that selects microphone icon152, e.g., by touching or tapping a portion of a surface of the touchscreen display corresponding to microphone icon152with a finger or stylus. In response to the provided input, the widgets and/or executable code that establish microphone icon152may cause the calendar application (e.g., via client application module114FIGS.1A-1C) to generate and provide a request to initiate the voice-based interaction to a VSP application through a corresponding programmatic interface (e.g., VSP API114A ofFIGS.1A-1C). The VSP application (e.g., via VSP module116ofFIGS.1A-1C) may generate a signal that activates a microphone (e.g., microphone112ofFIGS.1A-1C), and causes the executed calendar application to modify one or more visual characteristics of microphone icon152to reflect the active state of microphone112, as described above. In certain implementations, and upon activation of microphone112, user101may speak one or more utterances related to a function or an operation of the calendar application, and communications device110and/or computing system130may perform operations that facilitate the user's voice-based interaction with and control of the executed calendar application using any of the exemplary processes described above.

Referring back toFIG.2, computing system130may, in some instances, update or modify portions of the VUI component data stored within VUI component library232, and provide additional VUI component packages to communication device110and other communications devices that reflect these modifications or updates a regular intervals on in response to the each instance of an update or modification. For example, computing system130may be configured to receive data indicative of additional audio interfaces associated with one or more communications device, and VUI component module234may generate (or obtain) widgets and/or executable code elements that establish and embed icons and interface elements indicative of a status of the additional audio interfaces into a native GUI of an executable application. In some instances, VUI component module may store these widgets and/or executable code elements as an update to VUI component library232, and may also generate and transmit to communications device110an updated VUI component package that includes these widgets and/or executable code elements using any of the processes described above.

Further, in additional aspects (not depicted inFIG.2), computing system130may be in communication with additional back-end systems and server maintained by the voice-service provider, such as back-end systems that perform one or more of the speech recognition, natural language processing, and semantic parsing processes described above. In other implementations, the generation, maintenance, and provision of application-neutral VUI component libraries need not be performed by application programs and software modules executed by computing system130. For example, another back-end computing system or server maintained by the voice-service provider or by a third-party entity may be in communication with computing system130, and may be configured to perform any of the processes described above that generate, maintain, and distribute the application-neutral VUI component libraries to various computing devices.

FIG.3Ais a flowchart of an exemplary process300for integrating voice-user interface (VUI) elements into a native graphical user interfaces (GUIs) generated by various executed applications, in accordance with certain exemplary implementations. In some aspects, a computing system (e.g., computing system130) may perform the steps of exemplary process300, which may enable computing system130to maintain and populate a library of available VUI components and elements, to generate a VUI component package that includes a subset of the available VUI components and elements, and to provide the generated package to one or more communications devices, which may embed one or more of the available VUI components and elements into native GUIs of executed applications.

In some aspects, computing system130may establish and maintain a VUI component library, such as VUI component library232ofFIG.2, which may include structured data records that store data characterized a plurality of available VUI components and elements (e.g., in step302). As described above, in contrast to the application-specific GUI elements that establish native GUIs of applications executed by various communications devices, the available VUI elements may be application neutral and may be embedded within any of the native GUIs to facilitate, initiate, and terminate voice-based interaction and control of the corresponding executed applications. In some aspects, computing system130may include, within the VUI component library, one or more widgets and elements of executable code that establish the VUI component and elements, specify one or more visual characteristics of the presentation of these VUI component and elements within corresponding native GUIs, and additionally or alternatively, specify and interaction of the VUI components and interfaces with the executed application and with other applications executed by the various communications devices, such as the such as digital assistant applications and VSP applications described above.

For example, the VUI component library established by VUI system130may include, but is not limited to: (i) widgets and/or elements of executable code that establish and embed icons and interface elements indicative of a status of an audio interface, such as a microphone or speaker, into a native GUI of an executable application; (ii) widgets and/or elements of executable code establishing help-card interface elements that present textual representations of commonly uttered requests or inquiries; (iii) widgets and/or elements of executable code that establish text-view interface elements capable of displaying, in real-time, portions of textual content recognized within spoken utterances; and (iv) widgets and/or elements of executable code that establish one or more interface elements and corresponding view containers capable of presenting results to various generic inquiries uttered by the user during the voice-based interaction with the executed applications. The disclosed implementations are, however, not limited to these examples of VUI components, and in other implementations, computing system130may store, within the VUI component library, structured data indicative of any additional or alternate VUI component that facilitates voice-based interaction with applications executed by the various communications devices.

Computing system130may, in some aspects, access the established and maintained VUI component library and obtain data identifying a subset of the available VUI components or elements (e.g., in step304). For example, computing system130may identify a subset of the available VUI components that are consistent with one or more characteristics of one or more communications devices (e.g., communications device110), such as version of an operating system, and with one or more of the application programs executed by the one or more communications devices. In some instances, computing system130may obtain data identifying the widgets and/or executable code elements associated with the subset of VUI components and elements, and may incorporate the obtained data into a corresponding structured data package for transmission to the one or more communications devices across any of the communications networks described above (e.g., in step306).

For example, in step306, computing system130may incorporate portions of the obtained data (e.g., the widgets and/or executable code) into a statically linked or dynamically linked supporting library, and may include the statically linked or dynamically linked supporting library within the generated structured data package. In some aspects, computing system130may transmit the structured data package to the one or more communications devices across any of the communications networks described above (e.g., in step308). Exemplary process300may then be completed in step310.

In other aspects, computing system130may obtain elements of code that establish a corresponding programmatic interface, and transmit the obtained code elements to the one or more communications devices across any of the communications networks described above (e.g., in step308). The one or more communications devices may, in some instances, execute the transmitted code elements to establish the corresponding programmatic interface, and computing system130may perform operations that push portions of the obtained data to the one or more communications devices through the established programmatic interface at predetermined times or in response to a detection of certain triggering events, such as an update to or a modification of the VUI component data stored within the VUI component library.

In certain implementations, a developer of a particular application, such as the calendar application, may perform operations that embed one or more of the stored VUI component or element, as described above, into a native GUI of the calendar application to facilitate a user's voice-based interaction with the executed calendar application. For example, and as described above, computing system130may generate statically or dynamically linked libraries of the widgets and/or executable code elements specifying one or more VUI components or elements, and these statically or dynamically linked libraries may be provided to the one or more communications devices that execute the calendar application. In some aspects, and using any of the processes described above, the application developer may link the libraries associated with one or more of the VUI components to an object file associated with the calendar application. In response to the established linkage, and as described below in reference toFIG.3B, the one or more communications devices may execute the calendar application, which may present interface elements corresponding to the one or more linked VUI components within portions of the native GUI associated with the calendar application.

FIG.3Bis a flowchart of an additional exemplary process320for integrating voice-user interface (VUI) elements into native graphical user interfaces (GUIs) generated by various executed applications, in accordance with certain implementations. In some aspects, a communications device (e.g., communications device110) may perform the steps of exemplary process320, which may enable communications device110to obtain a library of widgets and/or executable code elements that specifying one or more VUI components, to execute an application program linked to the obtained library, and to embed interface elements associated with the one or more VUI components within a native GUI of the executed application.

In one aspect, communications device110may receive a structured data package that identifies widgets and/or elements of executable code associated with one or more VUI components (e.g., in step322). As described above, the one or more VUI components may be appropriate to and consistent with communications device110, operating characteristics of communications device110, and additionally or alternatively, one or more application programs executed by communications device110. Further, in some aspects, the structured data package may include a statically or dynamically linked library of the widgets and/or executable code elements associated with the one or more VUI components. Communications device110may, in some aspects, also perform operations that store portions of the structured data package, including the statically or dynamically linked supporting libraries, within a locally accessible data repository, such as VUI components119of data repository117(e.g., in step324).

In some aspects, as described above, a developer of an application executed by communications device110, such as a calendar application, may link at least a portion of the stored supporting library to a corresponding application object file. For example, the developer may intend to embed an icon associated with a microphone of the communications device within a native GUI generated by the executed calendar application, and may link the supporting library associated with the microphone icon to the object file associated with the calendar application. As described above, the supporting library associated with the microphone icon may include widgets or executable code elements that embed the microphone icon within a corresponding portion of the native GUI of the calendar application and further, upon selection by a user, cause communications device110to perform operations that initiate the user's voice-based interaction and control of the executed application.

Referring back toFIG.3B, communications device110may be configured to execute a particular application program, such as the calendar application (e.g., in step326), and generate interface data associated with the corresponding native GUI (e.g., in step328). As described above, the supporting library associated with the microphone icon may be linked to the object file of the calendar application, and upon execution of the calendar application, communications device110may include, within the interface data, interface elements that correspond to the embedded microphone icon. In some aspects, communications device110may render the generated interface data for presentation, and present the native GUI and embedded microphone icon to the user via a corresponding display unit, such as a pressure-sensitive, touchscreen display (e.g., in step330). In some aspects, the user may provide input to communications device110that selects the embedded microphone icon, and in response to the provided input, communications device110may initiate a voice-based interaction and control of the executed calendar application using any of the processes described herein. Exemplary process320may then be completed in step332.

FIG.4is a flowchart of an exemplary process400for initiating and performing voice-based interaction with and control of an executed application, in accordance with certain exemplary implementations. In some aspects, a communications device (e.g., communications device110) may perform the steps of exemplary process400, which may enable communications device110to initiate a voice-based interaction with an executed application based on detected user input, to capture audio data indicative of an utterance spoken by the user, to determine a content and an application-specific intent of the spoken utterance, and further, to perform application-specific operations consistent with the determined content and intent.

For example, and as described above, communications device110may execute a client application, such as a calendar application, and communications device110may generate and present a native graphical user interface (GUI) associated with the calendar application to the user through a corresponding display unit, such as a pressure-sensitive, touchscreen display. The native GUI may include interface elements that specify one or more scheduled appointments throughout a calendar day, week, or month, and the user may provide touch-based input to communications device110to access the various functionalities of the executed calendar application, as described above. In some aspects, the native GUI may include one or more interface elements associated with corresponding components of a voice-user interface (VUI), which may integrate voice-based interaction and control into the native GUI. Further, and as described above, the native GUI may include an embedded microphone icon, and the user may express an intention to initiate voice-based interaction with the calendar application by providing input to communications device110that selects the embedded microphone icon, e.g., by touching or tapping a portion of a surface of the touchscreen display corresponding to the microphone icon with a finger or stylus.

In some aspects, communications device110may detect the user's selection of the embedded microphone icon (e.g., in step402). In response to the detected input, and using any of the processes described above, communications device110may perform operations that activate the microphone and modify one or more visual characteristics of the embedded microphone icon to indicate the newly activated state (e.g., in step404). For example, the executed calendar application may detected the user's selection of the embedded microphone icon, and may transmit a request to initiate a voice-interaction session to a voice-service provider (VSP) application through a corresponding programmatic interface. In some instances, the VSP application may corresponding to a voice-based digital personal assistant application. The VSP application may receive the request through the programmatic interface, and generate and provide to the microphone and activation command that modifies an operation state of the microphone112from an “inactive” state to an “active” state, which may enable the microphone to detect and capture utterances spoken by the user. Additionally, and in certain aspects, the executed calendar application may detect the change in the operational state of the microphone, e.g., from the inactive to the active state, and may modify one or more visual characteristics of the microphone icon to reflect the active state of the microphone, as described above.

In certain aspects, and upon activation of the microphone, the user may speak one or more utterances related to a function or an operation of the calendar application. For example, the utterances may be free-form utterances or may be prompted by textual or graphical content presented within the native GUI, such as a presented interface element that identifies inquiries or commands commonly spoken by users of the calendar application. In some aspects, the microphone may capture the spoken utterance, and communications device110may generate audio data that includes the captured utterance and may provide portions of the generated audio data as an input to the VSP application (e.g., in step406).

Communications device110may also obtain contextual data indicative of the user's current interaction with the executed calendar application, and may provide portions of the obtained contextual data to the VSP application through the corresponding programmatic interface (e.g., in step408). For example, the obtained contextual data may identify the executed calendar application (e.g., a foreground application current accessed by the user) and a version or a particular release of the calendar application. The obtained contextual data may also include data that characterizes content currently viewed by the within the native GUI of the calendar application, such a type of calendar view presented within the native GUI (e.g., a daily view, a monthly view, etc.), a specific portion of that calendar view presented within the native GUI (e.g., an interval between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on Jun. 23, 2016), and one or more appointments identified within native GUI150(e.g., “Lunch with Joe” at 12:00 p.m.). The disclosed implementations are not limited to these examples of contextual data, and in other implementations, the obtained contextual may identify any additional or alternate characteristic indicative of the user's interaction with the calendar application, or with any other appropriate foreground application executed by communications device110.

Communications device110may, in some aspects, generate contextual query data that includes portions of the generated audio data, which includes the captured utterance spoken by the user, and portions of the obtained contextual data, which characterizes the user's current interaction with the calendar application (e.g., in step410). For example, and as described above, the VSP application may receive the portions of the generated audio data and the obtained contextual data through the programmatic interface, and may package the portions of the audio and contextual data into the corresponding contextual query data. In certain aspects, communications device110may perform operations that transmit the contextual query data to a cloud-based computing system maintained by the voice-service provider, e.g., computing system130, across any of the communications networks described above (e.g., in step412). As described below in reference toFIG.5, computing system130may receive the contextual query data, may extract the packaged portions of audio data122D and contextual data122E, and may perform operations that determine a content and an application-specific intent of the user, as expressed through the spoken utterance.

FIG.5is a flowchart of an exemplary process500for determining a content and an application-specific intent associated with a spoken utterance, in accordance with certain exemplary implementations. In some aspects, a computing system (e.g., computing system130) may perform the steps of exemplary process500, which may enable computing system130to determine a content and an application-specific of a spoken utterance based on an application of one or more of a speech-recognition algorithm, a natural-language processing algorithm, and a semantic parsing algorithm to the extracted portions of audio data and contextual data.

As described above, a communications device, such as communications device110, may execute a particular application, such as a calendar application, and may present a native GUI associated with the application to a user through a corresponding display unit, such as a pressure-sensitive touchscreen display. In certain instances, the native GUI may include an embedded microphone icon, which the user may select to initiate voice-based interaction and control of the calendar application, and to activate a microphone included within communications device110. The activated microphone may capture one or more application-specific utterances spoken by the user, and communications device110may generate audio data that includes the one or more captured utterances. Further, and based on the generated audio data and contextual data indicative of the user's current interaction with the calendar application, communications device110may generate contextual query and transmit portions of the contextual query data to computing system130, which may perform operations that determine a content and an application-specific meaning, as expressed by the one or more spoken utterances.

For example, computing system130may receive the contextual query data communications device110(e.g., in step502), and may parse the contextual query data to extract (i) audio data that includes the one or more spoken utterances and (ii) contextual data that characterizes the user's current interaction with the calendar application (e.g., in step504). In some aspects, computing system130may apply one or more speech recognition algorithms to the extracted audio data (e.g., in step506). The one or more speech-recognition algorithms may include, but are not limited to, a hidden Markov model, a dynamic time-warping-based algorithm, and one or more neural networks.

Based on the application of the one or more speech recognition algorithms, computing system130may generate output including one or more linguistic elements, such as words and phrases, that represent the one or more spoken utterances (e.g., in step508). In some instances, however, the application of the one or more speech recognition algorithms to the extracted audio may identify multiple linguistic elements that could represent portions of the one or more spoken utterance with various degrees of confidence or certainty. In an effort to increase an accuracy of the applied speech recognition algorithms in steps506and508, computing system130may, in certain aspects, access the extracted contextual data and bias the output of the one or more speech recognition algorithms toward linguistic elements that are contextually relevant to the current interaction of the user with the calendar application.

For example, due to the presence of background noise within the extracted audio data, computing system132may be unable to clearly recognize the word “move” within the one or more spoken utterances, and may generate output that identifies the words “prove,” “move,” and “groove.” Based on portions of the extracted contextual data that identify the user's current interaction with the calendar application, computing system130may bias the generated output towards the word “move,” which is consistent and relevant to the user's current interaction with the calendar application. In certain aspects, the biasing of the output of the one or more applied speech recognition algorithms towards linguistic elements that are contextually relevant to the user's current interaction with the calendar application may improve the accuracy of not only the applied speech recognition algorithms, but also the natural language processing and semantic parsing algorithms that rely on the output data, as described below.

In additional aspects, computing system130may apply one or more natural language processing algorithms to the one or more linguistic elements that represent the utterances spoken by the user (e.g., in step510). Based on the application of the natural language processing algorithms to the one or more linguistic elements, computing system130may assign an application-specific intent to the one or more spoken utterances, and further, may generate structured data including commands and data inputs that, when passed to the calendar application, would cause the calendar application to perform operations consistent with the established application-specific meaning expressed by the one or more spoken utterances (e.g., in step512).

For example, the natural language processing algorithms may include one or more semantic parsing algorithms and additionally or alternatively, one or more speech biasing techniques. In certain aspects, and using any of the processes described above, computing system130may apply the one or more semantic parsing algorithms and speech biasing techniques to (i) the output data, which identifies the linguistic elements that represent the one or more spoken utterance, and (ii) action data, which correlates representative text strings with particular actions performable by the calendar application (e.g., as a part of step510). Based on the application of these algorithms and techniques, computing system130may establish not only an application-specific meaning of the one or more spoken utterances, but also a structured format of commands and data inputs that, when processed by the calendar application, cause the calendar application to perform operations consistent with the application-specific intent (e.g., as part of step512), as described above.

In certain aspects, computing system130may generate a structured response bundle that identifies the action associated with the one or more spoken utterances, a corresponding event within the calendar application, current event parameters, and the modified event parameters (e.g., in step514). As described above, the structured response bundle may be formatted in accordance with a structured command format associated with the identified action, and in some aspects, the calendar application executed by communications device110may process portions of the structured response bundle and perform operations consistent with the determined intent of the one or more spoken utterances.

In step516, computing system130may perform operations that transmit the structured response bundle to one or more destination devices across any of the communications network described above. In one instance, computing system120may establish, as a destination device, that device that generated and transmitted the contextual query data to computing system130, e.g., communications device110. In other instances, and using any of the example processes described above, computing system130may identify any additional or alternate destination device based on a correspondence between portions of the structured response bundle (e.g., the identified action, the calendar application, the current or modified event parameters, an identity of user101, etc.) and portions of stored device and/or configuration data. Exemplary process500may then be complete in step518.

Referring back toFIG.4, communications device110may receive the structured response bundle from computing system130(e.g., in step414). For example, and as described above, the structured response bundle may include data instructing the calendar application to perform one or more actions, which may be consistent with the determined meaning, as expressed by the one or more spoken utterances. In some instances, the spoken response bundle may be formatted in accordance with a command format associated with the one or more actions, and may include, but is not limited to, data identifying the one or more actions, the calendar event associated with the actions, and current and modified event parameters, which may facilitate a performance of the one or more actions by the calendar application. Additionally, in certain aspects, the VSP application may receive the structured response bundle, and may provide portions of the structured response bundle to the calendar application through the corresponding programmatic interface.

In some aspects, communications device110may perform one or more operations that are consistent with the structured responding bundle and as such, the meaning expressed by the one or more spoken utterances (e.g., in step416). For example, the executed calendar application may receive the portions of the structured response bundle through the programmatic interface, and may process the portions of the structured response bundle to perform the one or more actions consistent with the user's application-specific intent. For example, the one or more operations may include, but are not limited to, operations that establish a new appointment, cancel an existing appointment, modify parameters of an existing appointment, or response to a calendar-specific query (e.g., “When is my next appointment?”). In some aspects, and in step416, communications device110may store data indicative of an outcome of the one or more performed actions in a locally accessible data repository (e.g., data repository117), and may perform operations that modify or update portions of the native GUI, as presented through the corresponding display unit, to reflect the outcome of the performance of the one or more actions.

Additionally, communications device110may determine whether the structured response bundle includes any audible content suitable for presentation as a follow-up to the user's spoken utterances (e.g., in step418). For example, and as described above, computing system130may determine that the user's spoken utterances correspond to a specific action that may be performed by the calendar application, such as a request to modify the event parameters of an existing appointment, but that these utterances fail to include one or more modified event parameters necessary to complete the modification of the existing appointment, such as a modified start time or event location. In some aspects, the structured response bundle may include pre-recorded audio content, such as text-to-speech (TTS) content generated by computing system130(or any additional or alternate system in communication with computing system130), that may be presented to the user through a corresponding audio interface, such as a speaker, and which prompts the user to provide the information necessary to complete the one or more actions.

For example, if communications device110were to detect additional audible content within the structured response bundle (e.g., step418; YES), communications device110may initiate a voice-based dialog with the user, and may present the additional audible content to the user through the speaker as a follow-up to the one or more spoken utterances (e.g., in step420). Exemplary process400may then pass back to step406, and the microphone included within communications device110may capture additional utterances spoken by the user in response to the presented audio content. Alternatively, if communications device110were to detect no additional audible content within the structured response bundle (e.g., step418; NO), communications device110may deactivate the microphone using any of the processes described above (e.g., in step422). Exemplary process400may then be complete in step424.

In certain implementations described above, a computing system maintained by a voice-service provider, e.g., computing system130, performs operations that apply speech-recognition algorithms to the captured audio data and obtained contextual data to determine one or more linguistic elements that represent one or more spoken utterances and further, may apply one or more natural-language processing and semantic parsing algorithms to the linguistic elements to establish an application-specific intent of the utterances and to generate structured data that, when processed by an executed application, cause the executed application to perform operations consistent with the user's application-specific intent. In other implementations, communications device110may implement a speech recognition module (e.g., similar to speech recognition module132described above), which may directly apply the one or more speech-recognition algorithms to portions of the captured audio data and obtained contextual data to determine the one or more linguistic elements that represent the user's spoken utterances without computing system130. Additionally or alternatively, communications device110may also implement a natural language processing module and/or a semantic parsing module (e.g., similar to natural language processing module134and semantic parsing module134A described above), which may directly apply the one or more natural-language processing and semantic parsing algorithms to the linguistic elements to establish the application-specific intent of the user's spoken utterances, and further, to generate the structured data without recourse to computing system130.

FIG.6is a block diagram of computing devices600and650that may be used to implement the systems and methods described in this document, as either a client or as a server or plurality of servers. Computing device600is intended to represent various forms of digital computers, such as laptops, desktops, workstations, personal digital assistants, servers, blade servers, mainframes, and other appropriate computers (e.g., computing system130ofFIG.1). Computing device650is intended to represent various forms of mobile devices, such as personal digital assistants, cellular telephones, smartphones, and other similar computing devices (e.g., communications device110ofFIG.1). Additionally computing device600or650can include Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drives. The USB flash drives may store operating systems and other applications. The USB flash drives can include input/output components, such as a wireless transmitter or USB connector that may be inserted into a USB port of another computing device. The components shown here, their connections and relationships, and their functions, are meant to be exemplary only, and are not meant to limit implementations of the inventions described and/or claimed in this document.

Computing device600includes a processor602, memory604, a storage device606, a high-speed interface608connecting to memory604and high-speed expansion ports610, and a low speed interface612connecting to low speed bus614and storage device606. Each of the components602,604,606,608,610, and612, are interconnected using various busses, and may be mounted on a common motherboard or in other manners as appropriate. The processor602can process instructions for execution within the computing device600, including instructions stored in the memory604or on the storage device606to display graphical information for a GUI on an external input/output device, such as display616coupled to high speed interface608. In other implementations, multiple processors and/or multiple buses may be used, as appropriate, along with multiple memories and types of memory. Also, multiple computing devices600may be connected, with each device providing portions of the necessary operations (e.g., as a server bank, a group of blade servers, or a multi-processor system).

The memory604stores information within the computing device600. In one implementation, the memory604is a volatile memory unit or units. In another implementation, the memory604is a non-volatile memory unit or units. The memory604may also be another form of computer-readable medium, such as a magnetic or optical disk.

The storage device606is capable of providing mass storage for the computing device600. In one implementation, the storage device606may be or contain a computer-readable medium, such as a floppy disk device, a hard disk device, an optical disk device, or a tape device, a flash memory or other similar solid state memory device, or an array of devices, including devices in a storage area network or other configurations. A computer program product can be tangibly embodied in an information carrier. The computer program product may also contain instructions that, when executed, perform one or more methods, such as those described above. The information carrier is a computer- or machine-readable medium, such as the memory604, the storage device606, or memory on processor602.

The high speed controller608manages bandwidth-intensive operations for the computing device600, while the low speed controller612manages lower bandwidth-intensive operations. Such allocation of functions is exemplary only. In one implementation, the high-speed controller608is coupled to memory604, display616(e.g., through a graphics processor or accelerator), and to high-speed expansion ports610, which may accept various expansion cards (not shown). In the implementation, low-speed controller612is coupled to storage device606and low-speed expansion port614. The low-speed expansion port, which may include various communication ports (e.g., USB, Bluetooth, Ethernet, wireless Ethernet) may be coupled to one or more input/output devices, such as a keyboard, a pointing device, microphone/speaker pair, a scanner, or a networking device such as a switch or router, e.g., through a network adapter.

The computing device600may be implemented in a number of different forms, as shown in the figure. For example, it may be implemented as a standard server620, or multiple times in a group of such servers. It may also be implemented as part of a rack server system624. In addition, it may be implemented in a personal computer such as a laptop computer622. Alternatively, components from computing device600may be combined with other components in a mobile device (not shown), such as device650. Each of such devices may contain one or more of computing device600,650, and an entire system may be made up of multiple computing devices600,650communicating with each other.

Computing device650includes a processor652, memory664, an input/output device such as a display654, a communication interface666, and a transceiver668, among other components. The device650may also be provided with a storage device, such as a microdrive or other device, to provide additional storage. Each of the components650,652,664,654,666, and668, are interconnected using various buses, and several of the components may be mounted on a common motherboard or in other manners as appropriate.

The processor652can execute instructions within the computing device650, including instructions stored in the memory664. The processor may be implemented as a chipset of chips that include separate and multiple analog and digital processors. Additionally, the processor may be implemented using any of a number of architectures. For example, the processor602may be a CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computers) processor, a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) processor, or a MISC (Minimal Instruction Set Computer) processor. The processor may provide, for example, for coordination of the other components of the device650, such as control of user interfaces, applications run by device650, and wireless communication by device650.

Processor652may communicate with a user through control interface658and display interface656coupled to a display654. The display654may be, for example, a TFT (Thin-Film-Transistor Liquid Crystal Display) display or an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display, or other appropriate display technology. The display interface656may comprise appropriate circuitry for driving the display654to present graphical and other information to a user. The control interface658may receive commands from a user and convert them for submission to the processor652. In addition, an external interface662may be provide in communication with processor652, so as to enable near area communication of device650with other devices. External interface662may provide, for example, for wired communication in some implementations, or for wireless communication in other implementations, and multiple interfaces may also be used.

The memory664stores information within the computing device650. The memory664can be implemented as one or more of a computer-readable medium or media, a volatile memory unit or units, or a non-volatile memory unit or units. Expansion memory674may also be provided and connected to device650through expansion interface672, which may include, for example, a SIMM (Single In Line Memory Module) card interface. Such expansion memory674may provide extra storage space for device650, or may also store applications or other information for device650. Specifically, expansion memory674may include instructions to carry out or supplement the processes described above, and may include secure information also. Thus, for example, expansion memory674may be provide as a security module for device650, and may be programmed with instructions that permit secure use of device650. In addition, secure applications may be provided via the SIMM cards, along with additional information, such as placing identifying information on the SIMM card in a non-hackable manner.

The memory may include, for example, flash memory and/or NVRAM memory, as discussed below. In one implementation, a computer program product is tangibly embodied in an information carrier. The computer program product contains instructions that, when executed, perform one or more methods, such as those described above. The information carrier is a computer- or machine-readable medium, such as the memory664, expansion memory674, or memory on processor652that may be received, for example, over transceiver668or external interface662.

Device650may communicate wirelessly through communication interface666, which may include digital signal processing circuitry where necessary. Communication interface666may provide for communications under various modes or protocols, such as GSM voice calls, SMS, EMS, or MMS messaging, CDMA, TDMA, PDC, WCDMA, CDMA2000, or GPRS, among others. Such communication may occur, for example, through radio-frequency transceiver668. In addition, short-range communication may occur, such as using a Bluetooth, WiFi, or other such transceiver (not shown). In addition, GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver module670may provide additional navigation- and location-related wireless data to device650, which may be used as appropriate by applications running on device650.

Device650may also communicate audibly using audio codec660, which may receive spoken information from a user and convert it to usable digital information. Audio codec660may likewise generate audible sound for a user, such as through a speaker, e.g., in a handset of device650. Such sound may include sound from voice telephone calls, may include recorded sound (e.g., voice messages, music files, etc.) and may also include sound generated by applications operating on device650.

The computing device650may be implemented in a number of different forms, as shown in the figure. For example, it may be implemented as a cellular telephone680. It may also be implemented as part of a smartphone682, personal digital assistant, or other similar mobile device.

A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. For example, various forms of the flows shown above may be used, with steps re-ordered, added, or removed. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.

For instances in which the systems and/or methods discussed here may collect personal information about users, or may make use of personal information, the users may be provided with an opportunity to control whether programs or features collect personal information, e.g., information about a user's social network, social actions or activities, profession, preferences, or current location, or to control whether and/or how the system and/or methods can perform operations more relevant to the user. In addition, certain data may be anonymized in one or more ways before it is stored or used, so that personally identifiable information is removed. For example, a user's identity may be anonymized so that no personally identifiable information can be determined for the user, or a user's geographic location may be generalized where location information is obtained, such as to a city, ZIP code, or state level, so that a particular location of a user cannot be determined. Thus, the user may have control over how information is collected about him or her and used.

Embodiments and all of the functional operations described in this specification may be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or in combinations of one or more of them. Embodiments may be implemented as one or more computer program products, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a computer readable medium for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus. The computer readable medium may be a machine-readable storage device, a machine-readable storage substrate, a memory device, a composition of matter effecting a machine-readable propagated signal, or a combination of one or more of them. The term “data processing apparatus” encompasses all apparatus, devices, and machines for processing data, including by way of example a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple processors or computers. The apparatus may include, in addition to hardware, code that creates an execution environment for the computer program in question, e.g., code that constitutes processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database management system, an operating system, or a combination of one or more of them. A propagated signal is an artificially generated signal, e.g., a machine-generated electrical, optical, or electromagnetic signal that is generated to encode information for transmission to suitable receiver apparatus.

A computer program (also known as a program, software, software application, script, or code) may be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and it may be deployed in any form, including as a stand alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program does not necessarily correspond to a file in a file system. A program may be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store one or more modules, sub programs, or portions of code). A computer program may be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers that are located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.

The processes and logic flows described in this specification may be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output. The processes and logic flows may also be performed by, and apparatus may also be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit).

Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read only memory or a random access memory or both.

The essential elements of a computer are a processor for performing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto optical disks, or optical disks. However, a computer need not have such devices. Moreover, a computer may be embedded in another device, e.g., a tablet computer, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile audio player, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, to name just a few. Computer readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media and memory devices, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto optical disks; and CD ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory may be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.

To provide for interaction with a user, embodiments may be implemented on a computer having a display device, e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball, by which the user may provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices may be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example, feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback, e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user may be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input.

Embodiments may be implemented in a computing system that includes a back end component, e.g., as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, e.g., an application server, or that includes a front end component, e.g., a client computer having a graphical user interface or a Web browser through which a user may interact with an implementation, or any combination of one or more such back end, middleware, or front end components. The components of the system may be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication, e.g., a communication network. Examples of communication networks include a local area network (“LAN”) and a wide area network (“WAN”), e.g., the Internet.

The computing system may include clients and servers. A client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network. The relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

While this specification contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the disclosure or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination may in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the embodiments described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems may generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products.

In each instance where an HTML file is mentioned, other file types or formats may be substituted. For instance, an HTML file may be replaced by an XML, JSON, plain text, or other types of files. Moreover, where a table or hash table is mentioned, other data structures (such as spreadsheets, relational databases, or structured files) may be used.

Thus, particular embodiments have been described. Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. For example, the actions recited in the claims may be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results.