Intelligent automated assistant in a home environment

Abstract

Systems and processes for operating an intelligent automated assistant are provided. In one example process, discourse input representing a user request is received. The process determines whether the discourse input relates to a device of an established location. In response to determining that the discourse input relates to a device of an established location, a data structure representing a set of devices of the established location is retrieved. The process determines, using the data structure, a user intent corresponding to the discourse input, the user intent associated with an action to be performed by a device of the set of devices, and a criterion to be satisfied prior to performing the action. The action and the device are stored in association with the criterion, where, in accordance with a determination that the criterion is satisfied, the action is performed by the device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for operating a digital assistant, the method comprising:
 at an electronic device with a processor and memory:
 receiving discourse input representing a user request; 
 determining whether the discourse input relates to a device of an established location; 
 in response to determining that the discourse input relates to a device of an established location, retrieving a data structure representing a set of devices of the established location; 
 determining, using the data structure and the discourse input, a user intent corresponding to: an action to be performed by a device of the set of devices and a criterion to be satisfied prior to performing the action; and 
 storing the action and the device in association with the criterion, wherein the action is performed by the device in accordance with a determination that the criterion is satisfied. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the criterion is associated with an actual device characteristic of a second device of the set of devices. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the user intent further comprises:
 determining, based on the discourse input and data structure, the actual device characteristic of the second device; and   determining, based on the data structure and the discourse input, the second device from the set of devices.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the criterion comprises a requirement that an actual value representing the actual device characteristic is greater than, equal to, or less than a threshold value. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining the user intent further comprises determining, based on the discourse input, the threshold value. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the criterion is associated with an operating state of a third device of the set of devices. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the criterion comprises a requirement that the operating state of the third device is equal to a reference operating state. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the criterion comprises a requirement that the operating state of the third device transitions from a second reference operating state to a third reference operating state. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the criterion comprises a requirement that the action was performed less than a predetermined number of times within a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the criterion comprises a requirement that a time of the electronic device is equal to or greater than a reference time. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein determining the user intent further comprises determining the reference time from the discourse input. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein determining the reference time further comprises:
 determining a second reference time from the discourse input; and   determining a duration associated with the reference time, wherein the reference time is determined based on the second reference time and the duration.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving data associated with the criterion;   determining from the received data whether the criterion is satisfied; and   in response to determining that the criterion is satisfied, providing instructions that cause the device of the set of devices to perform the action.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user intent is associated with a second criterion to be satisfied prior to performing the action. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein satisfying the second criterion requires the criterion to be satisfied. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving second data associated with the second criterion; and   determining from the received second data whether the second criterion is satisfied, wherein the instructions are provided in response to determining that the second criterion is satisfied.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to:
 receive discourse input representing a user request;   determine whether the discourse input relates to a device of an established location;   in response to determining that the discourse input relates to a device of an established location, retrieve a data structure representing a set of devices of the established location;   determine, using the data structure and the discourse input, a user intent corresponding to: an action to be performed by a device of the set of devices and a criterion to be satisfied prior to performing the action; and   store the action and the device in association with the criterion, wherein the action is performed by the device in accordance with a determination that the criterion is satisfied.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the criterion is associated with an actual device characteristic of a second device of the set of devices. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein determining the user intent further comprises:
 determining, based on the discourse input and data structure, the actual device characteristic of the second device; and   determining, based on the data structure and the discourse input, the second device from the set of devices.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the criterion comprises a requirement that an actual value representing the actual device characteristic is greater than, equal to, or less than a threshold value. 
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , wherein determining the user intent further comprises determining, based on the discourse input, the threshold value. 
     
     
         22 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the criterion is associated with an operating state of a third device of the set of devices. 
     
     
         23 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the criterion comprises a requirement that the operating state of the third device is equal to a reference operating state. 
     
     
         24 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the criterion comprises a requirement that the operating state of the third device transitions from a second reference operating state to a third reference operating state. 
     
     
         25 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the criterion comprises a requirement that the action was performed less than a predetermined number of times within a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         26 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the criterion comprises a requirement that a time of the electronic device is equal to or greater than a reference time. 
     
     
         27 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 26 , wherein determining the user intent further comprises determining the reference time from the discourse input. 
     
     
         28 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 26 , wherein determining the reference time further comprises:
 determining a second reference time from the discourse input; and   determining a duration associated with the reference time, wherein the reference time is determined based on the second reference time and the duration.   
     
     
         29 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 receiving data associated with the criterion;   determining from the received data whether the criterion is satisfied; and   in response to determining that the criterion is satisfied, providing instructions that cause the device of the set of devices to perform the action.   
     
     
         30 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the user intent is associated with a second criterion to be satisfied prior to performing the action. 
     
     
         31 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 30 , wherein satisfying the second criterion requires the criterion to be satisfied. 
     
     
         32 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 receiving second data associated with the second criterion; and   determining from the received second data whether the second criterion is satisfied, wherein the instructions are provided in response to determining that the second criterion is satisfied.   
     
     
         33 . An electronic device comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory storing one or more programs, the one or more programs including instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive discourse input representing a user request; 
 determine whether the discourse input relates to a device of an established location; 
 in response to determining that the discourse input relates to a device of an established location, retrieve a data structure representing a set of devices of the established location; 
 determine, using the data structure and the discourse input, a user intent corresponding to: an action to be performed by a device of the set of devices and a criterion to be satisfied prior to performing the action; and 
 store the action and the device in association with the criterion, wherein the action is performed by the device in accordance with a determination that the criterion is satisfied.