How Voice Assistants Change Their Speech Based on How You Talk
This patent describes a system where a voice-controlled device adjusts its text-to-speech output characteristics, like speed or tone, based on the user's speaking habits or current situation, making responses feel more natural and personalized.
Original patent title: “Dynamic text-to-speech output”
This patent describes a system where a voice-controlled device adjusts its text-to-speech output characteristics, like speed or tone, based on the user's speaking habits or current situation, making responses feel more natural and personalized. Granted to Amazon Technologies in 2019 with 23 claims and 26 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2036.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent details a method for a computer system to dynamically adjust how it speaks to a user. First, it receives a user's spoken command, called a "first utterance," and figures out how many words were in it (claimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). It then compares this to the user's typical speaking patterns, stored in their "user profile data," specifically an "average number of words of a user command." If the current command's word count "deviates from the average," the system uses this difference to select a special speech style, or "template text data." It then takes the actual response text and applies this special style, generating audio with a "non-default characteristic of speech" (claim 1). For example, if a user usually speaks long commands but suddenly gives a very short one, the system might interpret that as urgency and respond faster. The patent also covers adjusting speech rate if a user's calendar shows they are busy soon (claim 2) or based on their geographic location (claim 6).
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover a system that always responds with a default speech characteristic, regardless of user input or context.
- Does not cover adjusting speech characteristics solely based on the content of the response, without considering user input characteristics or contextual data.
- Does not cover a system that changes its speech without first comparing the current user input to an 'average' characteristic from the user's profile.
- Does not cover adjusting speech based on biometric data like heart rate or facial expression, unless those directly influence a speech characteristic like 'number of words'.
- Does not cover a system that adjusts its output purely based on the server's processing load or network conditions.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The clever part is not just responding to a command, but dynamically altering the *way* the response is delivered based on the user's current speaking pattern (specifically, how it deviates from their average) or relevant contextual information like their calendar or location. This allows for a more adaptive and human-like interaction.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Amazon Alexa
Google Assistant
Apple Siri
Microsoft Cortana
Most modern smartphone voice assistants
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is significant because it allows voice assistants to provide more personalized and context-aware responses, moving beyond generic, one-size-fits-all interactions. By adapting speech characteristics like speed or tone, it can make interactions feel more natural and efficient for the user. This kind of personalization is crucial for improving user experience in devices like Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple's Siri.
Filed
December 21, 2016
Granted
April 30, 2019
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Amazon Technologies, the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, continues to build on this technology with its Alexa voice assistant, aiming for more natural and personalized interactions. Other major players in the voice assistant space, such as Google with Google Assistant and Apple with Siri, also develop and refine similar adaptive speech output systems to enhance user experience.
Market impact
This patent contributed to the evolution of voice assistants, enabling them to offer more sophisticated and personalized user experiences. It moved the industry beyond static, pre-programmed responses towards dynamic interactions that adapt to user behavior and context. This capability helps differentiate voice assistant products and fosters greater user engagement by making the technology feel more intuitive and helpful.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent details a method for a computer system to dynamically adjust how it speaks to a user. First, it receives a user's spoken command, called a "first utterance," and figures out how many words were in it (claim 1). It then compares this to the user's typical speaking patterns, stored in their "user profile data," specifically an "average number of words of a user command." If the current command's word count "deviates from the average," the system uses this difference to select a special speech style, or "template text data." It then takes the actual response text and applies this special style, generating audio with a "non-default characteristic of speech" (claim 1). For example, if a user usually speaks long commands but suddenly gives a very short one, the system might interpret that as urgency and respond faster. The patent also covers adjusting speech rate if a user's calendar shows they are busy soon (claim 2) or based on their geographic location (claim 6).
The clever bit
The clever part is not just responding to a command, but dynamically altering the *way* the response is delivered based on the user's current speaking pattern (specifically, how it deviates from their average) or relevant contextual information like their calendar or location. This allows for a more adaptive and human-like interaction.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover a system that always responds with a default speech characteristic, regardless of user input or context.
- Does not cover adjusting speech characteristics solely based on the content of the response, without considering user input characteristics or contextual data.
- Does not cover a system that changes its speech without first comparing the current user input to an 'average' characteristic from the user's profile.
- Does not cover adjusting speech based on biometric data like heart rate or facial expression, unless those directly influence a speech characteristic like 'number of words'.
- Does not cover a system that adjusts its output purely based on the server's processing load or network conditions.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
29/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$176K – $562K
Midpoint $351K · 10.5 yr remaining · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Barnet, A. T., & Liang, N. Y. (2019). How Voice Assistants Change Their Speech Based on How You Talk (U.S. Patent No. 10,276,149). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10276149/dynamic-text-to-speech-output
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Voice Assistants Change Their Speech Based on How You Talk cover?
This patent describes a system where a voice-controlled device adjusts its text-to-speech output characteristics, like speed or tone, based on the user's speaking habits or current situation, making responses feel more natural and personalized.
Who owns patent US 10276149?
Amazon Technologies owns this patent, granted in 2019.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on December 21, 2036, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10276149 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 26 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is significant because it allows voice assistants to provide more personalized and context-aware responses, moving beyond generic, one-size-fits-all interactions. By adapting speech characteristics like speed or tone, it can make interactions feel more natural and efficient for the user. This kind of personalization is crucial for improving user experience in devices like Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple's Siri.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover a system that always responds with a default speech characteristic, regardless of user input or context.
Same assignee
More from Amazon Technologies
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