Shhh … Alexa might be listening

That's the future suggested by a patent recently filed by the company, which examined the possibility of eavesdropping on conversations held around its voice-activated devices in order to better suggest products or services to users. The idea seems to be to turn Alexa, the company's virtual assistant, from a dutiful aide under the user's command to one with a more proactive attitude. For instance, the patent suggests: "If the user mentions how much the user would like to go to a restaurant while on the phone, a recommendation might be sent while the user is still engaged in the conversation that enables the user to make a reservation at the restaurant." Other proposals include making a note if you mention you like skiing, for instance, or hate to draw, and using those to update the company's profile of you as a customer. In a statement, Amazon said the patent was a proposal for the future, rather than a feature it is preparing to roll out. "Like many companies, we file a number of forward-looking patent applications that explore the full possibilities of new technology.