Alerts 1.1

Warning: Version 1.1 is not the current version of the Alerts interface. To view the documentation for the latest version of Alerts, use the Interface Version Selector to select the latest version.

The Alerts Interface of the Alexa Voice Service (AVS) exposes directives and events that set, manage, and cancel timers, alarms, and reminders. For a user to set an alert, your client must have an active internet connection to receive directives that instruct your client to take action.

See the Alerts Overview and the Interaction Model for more implementation details.

Version changes

The payload of the SetAlert directive now supports named timers and reminders. This change is backward compatible.

Capability assertion

Alerts 1.1 may be implemented by the device on its own behalf, but not on behalf of any connected endpoints.

New AVS integrations must assert support through Alexa.Discovery, but AVS continues support for legacy integrations through the Capabilities API.

Sample Object

{
    "type": "AlexaInterface",
    "interface": "Alerts",
    "version": "1.1",
    "configurations": {
        "maximumAlerts": {
            "overall": {{INTEGER}},
            "alarms": {{INTEGER}},
            "timers": {{INTEGER}}
        }
    }
}

Configuration Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
maximumAlerts	An object that contains configuration information for your Alerts implementation.	object
maximumAlerts.overall	The maximum number of combined alerts (timers and alarms) your product can store at a given time.	integer
maximumAlerts.alarms	The maximum number of alarms your product can store at a given time.	integer
maximumAlerts.timers	The maximum number of timers your product can store at a given time.	integer

Tip: The sum of maximumAlerts.alarms and maximumAlerts.timers may exceed the value provided for maximumAlerts.overall. For example, you can declare that maximumAlerts.overall == 10 and that maximumAlerts.alarms and maximumAlerts.timers each == 8; but if 7 alarms are set, you can only set 3 timers.

Context

Alexa expects a client to report the status of all locally stored alerts with each event that requires context. Alerts are organized into two lists: allAlerts and activeAlerts. allAlerts is a complete list of locally stored alerts. activeAlerts is a list of alerts currently in focus or sounding for an end user.

To learn more about reporting Context, see Context Overview.

Sample Message

{
    "header": {
        "namespace": "Alerts",
        "name": "AlertsState"
    },
    "payload": {
        "allAlerts": [
            {
                "token": "{{STRING}}",
                "type": "{{STRING}}",
                "scheduledTime": "{{STRING}}"
            }
        ],
        "activeAlerts": [
            {
                "token": "{{STRING}}",
                "type": "{{STRING}}",
                "scheduledTime": "{{STRING}}"
            }
        ]
    }
}

Payload Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
allAlerts	Key/value pairs for allAlerts	object
allAlerts.token	Alert token returned by Alexa when the alert was set.	string
allAlerts.type	Identifies the alert type. Accepted Values: TIMER, ALARM, REMINDER.	string
allAlerts.scheduledTime	Timestamp for when the alert is scheduled in YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss±hhmm ISO 8601 format. Example value: "2018-11-28T09:34:32+0000"	string
activeAlerts	Key/value pairs for activeAlerts	object
activeAlerts.token	The token for the alert that is currently firing.	string
activeAlerts.type	Identifies the alert type. Accepted Values: TIMER or ALARM	string
activeAlerts.scheduledTime	Timestamp for when the alert is scheduled in YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss±hhmm ISO 8601 format. Example value: "2018-11-28T09:34:32+0000"	string

Directives

SetAlert

This directive instructs your client to set a timer, alarm, or reminder for a specific duration or time. Your client may receive the SetAlert directive as a result of a speech request to set an alert, or when a previously set alert is re-enabled using the Amazon Alexa app.

If loopCount is absent from the payload, the alert must sound for one hour or until it is stopped by the user (voice request or physical affordance).

Cloud provided assets take precedence over locally stored audio files. If assets are provided they must be played for the user in the order provided in the assetPlayOrder list. Otherwise, use the audio files for alerts provided by Amazon.

Important: If the assets.url[i] is unreachable, or if your client fails to download the associated files, it should play the audio files for the associated alert type provided by Amazon and adhere to the provided loopCount and loopPauseInMilliSeconds.

Sample Message

{
    "directive": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alerts",
            "name": "SetAlert",
            "messageId": "{{STRING}}",
            "dialogRequestId": "{{STRING}}"
        },
        "payload": {
            "token": "{{STRING}}",
            "type": "{{STRING}}",
            "scheduledTime": "{{STRING}}",
            "assets": [
                {
                    "assetId": "{{STRING}}",
                    "url": "{{STRING}}"
                },
                {
                    "assetId": "{{STRING}}",
                    "url": "{{STRING}}"
                },
            ],
            "assetPlayOrder": [ {{LIST}} ],
            "backgroundAlertAsset": "{{STRING}}",
            "loopCount": {{LONG}},
            "loopPauseInMilliSeconds": {{LONG}},
            "label": "{{STRING}}",
            "originalTime": "{{STRING}}"
        }
    }
}

Header Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
messageId	A unique ID used to represent a specific message.	string
dialogRequestId	A unique ID used to correlate directives sent in response to a specific `Recognize` event.	string

Payload Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
token	An opaque token that uniquely identifies the alert.	string
type	Identifies the alert type. If an unrecognized value is sent to your client, it should default to an `ALARM`. Accepted values: `TIMER`, `ALARM`, `REMINDER`.	string
scheduledTime	Timestamp for when the alert is scheduled in YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss±hhmm ISO 8601 format. Example value: "2018-11-28T09:34:32+0000"	string
assets	A list that contains audio assets to be played to the user.	list
assets[i].assetId	A unique identifier for the audio asset.	string
assets[i].url	Identifies the location of the asset in the cloud for the client to download and cache. The URL expires in 24 hours, so have the device download the asset and store it locally before the asset expires. The device plays the locally downloaded asset at the `scheduledTime`.	string
assetPlayOrder	The sequence that audio assets must be played. The list is comprised of `assetId`s. Note: i) `assetId`s may appear multiple times in the list. When this occurs, all `assetId`s must be played. ii) If your client fails to download and cache the assets, your device should use the audio files provided by Amazon.	list
backgroundAlertAsset	If present, the `backgroundAlertAsset` value will match an `assetId` in the `assets` list. If `backgroundAlertAsset` is not included in the payload, default to the Amazon provided sound in the Alexa sound library for AVS, which is available to download in the Alexa Voice Service > Resources section of the Developer Console.	string
loopCount	The number of times each sequence of assets must be played. For example: If the value is `2`, your client must loop through `assetPlayOrder` two times. Note: If `loopCount` is absent from the payload, you must loop the `assets` for one hour, or until the alert is stopped by the user.	long
loopPauseInMilliSeconds	Duration between the beginnings of each asset loop, which includes the asset rendering time. For example: If a single alarm sound has a 200-millisecond duration and `loopPauseInMilliSeconds` is `700`, assuming `loopCount` is greater than `1`, your client must render 500 milliseconds of silence between the end of one instance of the alarm sound and the beginning of the next. If the Alerts channel is sent to the background (regardless of whether it is currently rendering the asset or silent between loops), wait the full duration of `loopPauseInMilliSeconds` before rendering the background asset. If it regains foreground focus, begin rendering the foreground asset immediately. Note: If this value is not specified, is set to `0`, or is shorter than the duration of the asset, there must not be any silence between asset loops.	long
label	A custom description label for the contents of the alert. For reminder alerts, this string represents a reminder's label. For timer alerts, this string represents a timer's name. This field isn't sent with all alerts, it's only sent if the label preexists. Examples: - Timer utterance: "Set a coffee timer for five minutes." The label is "coffee". - Reminder utterance: "Remind me to pick up kids from school at seven PM." The label is "pick up kids".	string
originalTime	The starting time that the alert is first set to, specified in the ISO 8601 extended format. Snoozing or deferring an alert doesn't modify this value.	string

DeleteAlert

This directive is sent from AVS instructing your client to delete an existing alert. Your client may receive the DeleteAlert directive as a result of a speech request to cancel/delete a timer, alarm, or reminder, or when a previously set alert is deleted using the Amazon Alexa app.

Sample Message

{
    "directive": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alerts",
            "name": "DeleteAlert",
            "messageId": "{{STRING}}",
            "dialogRequestId": "{{STRING}}"
        },
        "payload": {
            "token": "{{STRING}}"
        }
    }
}

Header Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
messageId	A unique ID used to represent a specific message.	string
dialogRequestId	A unique ID used to correlate directives sent in response to a specific `Recognize` event.	string

Payload Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
token	An opaque token that uniquely identifies the alert.	string

Events

SetAlertSucceeded

The SetAlertSucceeded event must be sent to AVS after receiving a SetAlert directive, when the client successfully sets the alert.

Sample Message

{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alerts",
            "name": "SetAlertSucceeded",
            "messageId": "{{STRING}}"
        },
        "payload": {
            "token": "{{STRING}}"
        }
    }
}

Header Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
messageId	A unique ID used to represent a specific message.	string

Payload Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
token	An opaque token provided by the `SetAlert` directive.	string

SetAlertFailed

The SetAlertFailed event must be sent to AVS after receiving a SetAlert directive, when the client fails to sets an alert.

Sample Message

{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alerts",
            "name": "SetAlertFailed",
            "messageId": "{{STRING}}"
        },
        "payload": {
            "token": "{{STRING}}"
        }
    }
}

Header Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
messageId	A unique ID used to represent a specific message.	string

Payload Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
token	An opaque token provided by the `SetAlert` directive.	string

DeleteAlertSucceeded

The DeleteAlertSucceeded event must be sent to AVS after receiving a DeleteAlert directive, when the client successfully deletes or cancels an existing alert.

Note: For more information on when to send the DeleteAlertSucceeded event, please see Alerts Overview.

Sample Message

{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alerts",
            "name": "DeleteAlertSucceeded",
            "messageId": "{{STRING}}"
        },
        "payload": {
            "token": "{{STRING}}"
        }
    }
}

Header Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
messageId	A unique ID used to represent a specific message.	string

Payload Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
token	An opaque token provided by the `DeleteAlert` directive.	string

DeleteAlertFailed

The DeleteAlertFailed event must be sent to AVS after receiving a DeleteAlert directive, when the client fails to delete or cancel an existing alert.

Note: For more information on when to send the DeleteAlertFailed event, please see Alerts Overview.

Sample Message

{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alerts",
            "name": "DeleteAlertFailed",
            "messageId": "{{STRING}}"
        },
        "payload": {
            "token": "{{STRING}}"
        }
    }
}

Header Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
messageId	A unique ID used to represent a specific message.	string

Payload Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
token	An opaque token provided by the `DeleteAlert` directive.	string

AlertStarted

The AlertStarted event must be sent to AVS when an alert is triggered at its scheduled time.

Note: For more information on when to send the AlertStarted event, please see Alerts Overview

Sample Message

{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alerts",
            "name": "AlertStarted",
            "messageId": "{{STRING}}"
        },
        "payload": {
            "token": "{{STRING}}"
        }
    }
}

Header Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
messageId	A unique ID used to represent a specific message.	string

Payload Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
token	An opaque token provided by the `SetAlert` directive.	string

AlertStopped

The AlertStopped event must be sent to AVS when an active alert is stopped. An alert is stopped when:

A DeleteAlert directive is received. After sending an AlertStopped event, your client must inform AVS if the alert was successfully deleted with either a DeleteAlertSucceeded event or DeleteAlertFailed event. This interaction is illustrated in Alerts Overview.
A physical control (hardware button or GUI) is used to stop the alert.
The loopCount is complete, or an alert without a loopCount has played for an hour and is stopped locally.

Note: For more information on when to send the StopAlert event, please see Alerts Overview.

Sample Message

{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alerts",
            "name": "AlertStopped",
            "messageId": "{STRING}"
        },
        "payload": {
            "token": "{{STRING}}"
        }
    }
}

Header Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
messageId	A unique ID used to represent a specific message.	string

Payload Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
token	An opaque token provided by the `SetAlert` directive.	string

AlertEnteredForeground

The AlertEnteredForeground event must be sent from your client to AVS when an active alert enters the foreground (plays at full volume) or re-enters the foreground after a concurrent interaction on the Dialog channel finishes. For specific details on channel interaction, see Interaction Model.

Sample Message

{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alerts",
            "name": "AlertEnteredForeground",
            "messageId": "{{STRING}}"
        },
        "payload": {
            "token": "{{STRING}}"
        }
    }
}

Header Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
messageId	A unique ID used to represent a specific message.	string

Payload Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
token	An opaque token provided by the `SetAlert` directive.	string

AlertEnteredBackground

The AlertEnteredBackground event must be sent from your client to AVS when an active alert exits the foreground (attenuates or pauses) while a concurrent interaction on the Dialog channel is occurring. For specific details on channel interaction, see Interaction Model.

Sample Message

{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alerts",
            "name": "AlertEnteredBackground",
            "messageId": "{{STRING}}"
        },
        "payload": {
            "token": "{{STRING}}"
        }
    }
}

Header Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
messageId	A unique ID used to represent a specific message.	string

Payload Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type
token	An opaque token provided in the `SetAlert` directive.	string

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Last updated: Aug 11, 2021