Limiting notification interruptions

Abstract

Techniques for a computing device operating in limited-access states are provided. One example method includes determining, by a computing device, that a notification is scheduled for output by the computing device during a first time period and that a pattern of audio detected during the first time period is indicative of human speech. The method further includes delaying output of the notification during the first time period and determining that a pattern of audio detected during a second time period is not indicative of human speech. The method also includes outputting at least a portion of the notification at an earlier in time of an end of the second time period or an expiration of a third time period.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining, by a computing device, that a notification is scheduled for output by the computing device during a first time period;   responsive to determining that a pattern of audio detected during the first time period is indicative of human speech, delaying, by the computing device, output of the notification during the first time period; and   outputting, by the computing device, at least a portion of the notification responsive to a first to occur of (1) determining that a pattern of audio detected during a second time period is not indicative of human speech and (2) an expiration of a maximum delay period for output of the notification.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the computing device, which portion of the notification to output based at least in part on the pattern of audio detected during the second time period.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining which portion of the notification to output comprises determining to output only a portion of the notification, wherein the portion of the notification is capable of being fully output by the computing device during a portion of the second time period during which no audio indicative of human speech is detected by the computing device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 continuously monitoring and analyzing audio detected by a microphone operatively coupled to the computing device;   storing a representation of the audio to a storage device;   analyzing the representation of the audio; and   responsive to analyzing the representation of the audio determining, by the computing device, that the pattern of audio detected during the first time period is indicative of human speech.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a type of the notification; and   determining a duration of the maximum delay period based at least in part on the type of the notification.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the pattern of audio detected during the second time period indicates that the second time period is suitable for outputting an entirety of the notification,   wherein outputting at least the portion of the notification comprises outputting the entirety of the notification.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the pattern of audio detected during the first time period is indicative of human speech further comprises:
 querying a database for one or more stored human speech patterns;   comparing the pattern of audio detected during the first time period with the one or more stored human speech patterns; and   determining that the pattern of audio detected during the first time period is indicative of human speech in response to determining that the pattern of audio detected during the first time period matches one of the one or more stored human speech patterns within a threshold matching level.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring, by the computing device, an ambient noise level of audio,   wherein outputting at least the portion of the notification further comprises outputting at least the portion of the notification responsive to the ambient noise level being below a threshold noise level.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the notification comprises an audio notification, and wherein outputting at least a portion of the audio notification further comprises outputting, by a speaker, at least a portion the audio notification. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 executing, by the computing device, a navigation application;   generating, by the navigation application and responsive to commencement of the first time period, the audio notification, wherein the audio notification includes directional information; and   determining the maximum delay period for output of the notification based on a time of commencement of the first time period and a time at which at least part of the directional information would become incorrect.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the portion of the notification includes the directional information, further comprising:
 responsive to determining that the maximum delay period has not yet been reached, outputting the directional information responsive to determining that the pattern of audio detected during the second time period is not indicative of human speech; and   responsive to determining that the maximum delay period has been reached before the directional information becomes incorrect, outputting the directional information before determining that a pattern of audio detected during the second time period is not indicative of human speech.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the computing device, an incoming request for communication;   generating, by the computing device at commencement of the first time period, the audio notification that indicates the request for communication has been received; and   determining the maximum delay period based on a time of commencement of the first time period and a time when the request for communication would expire.   
     
     
         13 . A computing device, comprising:
 a microphone;   an output device; and   one or more processors operable to:
 determine that a notification is scheduled for output by the computing device during a first time period; 
 responsive to determining that a pattern of audio detected during the first time period is indicative of human speech, delay output of the notification during the first time period; and 
 output at least a portion of the notification responsive to a first to occur of (1) determining that a pattern of audio detected during a second time period is not indicative of human speech and (2) an expiration of a maximum delay period for output of the notification. 
   
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors is further operable to:
 determine which portion of the notification to output based at least in part on the pattern of audio detected during the second time period.   
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors is further operable to:
 determine a type of the notification; and   determine a duration of the maximum delay period based at least in part on the type of the notification.   
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein determine that the pattern of audio detected during the first time period is indicative of human speech further comprises:
 query a database for one or more stored human speech patterns;   compare the pattern of audio detected during the first time period with the one or more stored human speech patterns; and   determine that the pattern of audio detected during the first time period is indicative of human speech when the pattern of audio detected during the first time period matches one of the one or more stored human speech patterns within a threshold matching level.   
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein the notification comprises a first notification, and wherein the one or more processors is further operable to:
 receive an incoming request for communication;   generate, at commencement of the first time period, a second notification to indicate the request for communication has been received; and   determine a maximum delay period for the second notification based on a time of commencement of the first time period and a time when the request for communication would expire.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the one or more processors to:
 determine that a notification is scheduled for output by the computing device during a first time period;   responsive to determining that a pattern of audio detected during the first time period is indicative of human speech, delay output of the notification during the first time period; and   output at least a portion of the notification responsive to a first to occur of (1) determining that a pattern of audio detected during a second time period is not indicative of human speech and (2) an expiration of a maximum delay period for the notification.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
 determine a type of the notification; and   determine a duration of the maximum delay period based at least in part on the type of the notification.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
 query a database for one or more stored human speech patterns;   compare the pattern of audio detected during the first time period with the one or more stored human speech patterns; and   determine that the pattern of audio detected during the first time period is indicative of human speech when the pattern of audio detected during the first time period matches one of the one or more stored human speech patterns within a threshold matching level.