Can you guess what Apple’s patent application 2012/0016678 (published yesterday) covers?
Hint #1:
The abstract of application reads as follows:
An intelligent automated assistant system engages with the user in an integrated, conversational manner using natural language dialog, and invokes external services when appropriate to obtain information or perform various actions. The system can be implemented using any of a number of different platforms, such as the web, email, smartphone, and the like, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the system is based on sets of interrelated domains and tasks, and employs additional functionally powered by external services with which the system can interact.
Hint #2:
The application claims the benefit of a provisional application with “attorney docket number SIRIP003P“.
If you guessed that this application relates to Siri, Apple’s intelligent software assistant and navigator for the iOS operating system, you are right!
For an interesting discussion of this application, see Apple introduces us to Siri, the Killer Patent in the Patently Apple blog.
And, presumably, the attorney docket number of the non-provisional is SIRIP003 (without the “P”).
