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GooglePatent applicationAI & softwareInterest 6/10

Google patents way to swap in new voice bot rules without retraining

Google describes a system that adds a secondary set of rules to an existing voice assistant. When you speak, the system checks if your request fits these new rules; if it does, the secondary system answers instead of the main assistant. This allows companies to update how a bot handles specific topics without rebuilding the entire original program.

Why it mattersThis could make voice assistants easier to maintain by letting developers patch specific behaviors without restarting the entire training process.

In the filing’s own words

Implementations are directed to generating voice-based chatbot policy override(s) and/or utilizing voice-based chatbot policy override(s) in conjunction with existing voice-based chatbot(s). The voice-based chatbot policy override(s) can correspond to, for example, machine learning (ML) model(s) that supplement functionality of the existing voice-based chatbot(s). Notably, the voice-based chatbot policy override(s) are associated with rule(s) (e.g., by virtue of training the ML model(s) that correspond to the voice-based chatbot policy override(s)) for when the voice-based chatbot policy override(s) should be utilized in lieu of the existing voice-based chatbot(s) in responding to spoken utterance(s) of human user(s) engaged in corresponding conversation(s) with the voice-based chatbot policy override(s). Nonetheless, from a perspective of the human user(s), it appears as if they are still engaging in the corresponding conversations with the existing voice-based chatbot(s). Thus, the functionality of the existing voice-based chatbot(s) can be supplemented without having to re-train the existing voice-based chatbot(s).

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method implemented by one or more processors, the method comprising: generating a voice-based chatbot policy override for an existing voice-based chatbot, the voice-based chatbot policy override being associated with one or more rules for when to utilize the voice-based chatbot policy override in lieu of the voice-based chatbot; and causing the existing voice-based chatbot to engage in a corresponding conversation with a human user via a client device of the human user, wherein causing the existing voice-based chatbot to engage in the corresponding conversation with the human user comprises: receiving audio data that captures a spoken utterance provided by the human user; determining, based on processing the audio data that captures the spoken utterance and based on the one or more rules for when to utilize the voice-based chatbot policy override in lieu of the existing voice-based chatbot, whether to utilize the voice-based chatbot policy override in responding to the spoken utterance or the existing voice-based chatbot in responding to the spoken utterance; and in response to determining to utilize the voice-based chatbot policy override in responding to the spoken utterance: generating, using the voice-based chatbot policy override and in lieu of the existing voice-based chatbot, and based on processing the audio data that captures the spoken utterance, a voice-based chatbot policy override response that is responsive to the spoken utterance; and causing the voice-based chatbot policy override response that is responsive to the spoken utterance to be audibly rendered for presentation to the human user via one or more speakers of the client device of the human user.

Facts

Company
Google (GOOGLE LLC)
Official title
VOICE-BASED CHATBOT POLICY OVERRIDE(S) FOR EXISTING VOICE-BASED CHATBOT(S)
Publication number
US20260260652A1
Application number
19656394
Filed
Apr 23, 2026
Published
Sep 3, 2026
Inventors
1
Claims
20

Classified under

G10L 15/22 Physics & computingH04L 51/02 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.