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GooglePatent applicationAudio & voiceInterest 6/10

Google patents voice assistant that interrupts itself to answer new questions

This filing describes a method where a voice assistant can stop its current spoken answer if it hears a new question from the user. The system analyzes the new audio to decide if it is meant for the assistant, then cuts off the old response to play the new one.

Why it mattersIt makes voice conversations feel more natural by allowing users to interrupt the device without saying a specific wake word like "Hey Google".

In the filing’s own words

The presentation of an automated assistant response may be selectively pre-empted in response to a hot-word free utterance that is received during the presentation and that is determined to be likely directed to the automated assistant. The determination that the utterance is likely directed to the automated assistant may be performed, for example, using an utterance classification operation that is performed on audio data received during presentation of the response, and based upon such a determination, the response may be pre-empted with another response associated with the later-received utterance. In addition, the duration that is used to determine when a session should be terminated at the conclusion of a conversation between a user and an automated assistant may be dynamically controlled based upon when the presentation of a response has completed.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving first data associated with a first utterance captured by a microphone and directed to an automated assistant device; initiating, based on at least a portion of the first data, a first utterance fulfillment operation that causes playback of a first, spoken audio response for the first utterance; receiving second data associated with a second, hot-word free utterance captured by the microphone during playback of the first, spoken audio response for the first utterance; determining, based on at least a portion of the second data, and during the playback of the first, spoken audio response, that the second, hot-word free utterance is likely directed to the automated assistant device; and initiating, based on at least a portion of the second data, and during the playback of the first, spoken audio response, a second utterance fulfillment operation that causes pre-emption of the playback of the first, spoken audio response with playback of a second, spoken audio response for the second, hot-word free utterance.

Facts

Company
Google (GOOGLE LLC)
Official title
HOT-WORD FREE PRE-EMPTION OF AUTOMATED ASSISTANT RESPONSE PRESENTATION
Publication number
US20260279344A1
Application number
19677265
Filed
May 14, 2026
Published
Sep 17, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
20

Classified under

G10L 15/16 Physics & computingG06N 3/08 Physics & computingG10L 17/00 Physics & computingG10L 21/0208 Physics & computingG10L 2015/088 Physics & computingG10L 2021/02082 Physics & computing
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.