Method for adjusting a voice recognition system comprising a speaker and a microphone, and voice recognition system

• US 10,115,392 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2010
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Sims, Michael J., Douthitt, Brian L., Hughes, David J., Zeinstra, Mark, Ringold, Ted W., Klamer, Douglas W., Witters, Todd, Anderson, Elisabet A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sharma, Neeraj
• Application Number:
  US12/793,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20110301954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,071 Days
• Field of Search: 704246, 704233, 704234, 704251, 704254, 704260, 704275, 704270, 704257, 4555759, 4555692, 4554041, 381 86, 381151, 381 96, 381 66, 381 92, 340438, 340990, 715800, 715863, 701211, 701 1, 343711, 34235775, 369 2501
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/065 Adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/20 Speech recognition techniques specially adapted for robustness in adverse environments, e.g. in noise, of stress induced speech G10L21/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for adjusting a voice recognition system and a voice recognition system is disclosed, wherein the voice recognition system comprises a speaker and a microphone, and wherein the method comprises the steps of:

• • memorizing an audio frequency signal,
  • playing back the audio frequency signal by means of the speaker,
  • generating a detection signal by detecting the audio frequency signal by means of the microphone, and
  • adjusting parameters of the voice recognition system dependent on the detection signal.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a voice recognition system to different surrounding acoustic noise levels and voice characteristics, wherein the voice recognition system comprises a speaker and a microphone, the method comprising the steps of:

a) memorizing an audio frequency signal by the voice recognition system;

wherein the audio frequency signal comprises any prompt output by the speaker or any audible signal output by the speaker and/or a prompt signal prompting for a user input signal and/or a welcome signal;

wherein the audio frequency signal is recognized by the voice recognition system;

b) playing back the audio frequency signal by means of the speaker, wherein after the playing back of the audio frequency signal, a user is prompted to provide the user input signal;

c) detecting an acoustic effect of the playing back of the audio frequency signal by the microphone;

d) generating a detection signal by the microphone based on the detected acoustic effect of the playing back of the audio frequency signal;

e) automatically adjusting parameters of the voice recognition system upon detecting the generated detection signal and prior to the user operatively using the voice recognition system; and

f) receiving the user input signal by the voice recognition system;

wherein the user input signal comprises a first voice command;

wherein the steps a) through f) are performed in sequential order;

wherein the adjusting of parameters of the voice recognition system includes an adjustment of a gain of an amplifier associated to the microphone, speaker or both;

wherein the voice recognition system is in a vehicle; and

wherein the step of playing back the audio frequency signal is conducted during an initial use of the voice recognition system once the user enters the vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the audio frequency signal is played back within the vehicle and wherein the audio frequency signal is detected within the vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment of parameters of the voice recognition system includes an adjustment of the gain of an amplifier associated to the microphone.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment of parameters of the voice recognition system includes an adjustment of the gain of an amplifier associated to the speaker.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of memorizing the audio frequency signal is conducted during manufacture of the voice recognition system.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of memorizing the frequency signal is conducted during adaptation of the voice recognition system for different languages.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the audio frequency signal is preinstalled.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises a step of memorizing the user input signal by the voice recognition system, and wherein the step of memorizing the user input signal is conducted during adaptation of the voice recognition system for different languages.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein geometric characteristics of a vehicle interior leading to certain acoustic characteristics are automatically taken into consideration by the voice recognition system.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the method further comprises the step of recognizing the user input signal by the voice recognition system, wherein the user input signal includes a plurality of different voices and a plurality of different surrounding acoustic noise levels and characteristics.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein after the step of generating the detection signal, the method further comprises the steps of analyzing the detection signal and determining a noise level pattern;

and estimating a noise level pattern of the user input signal.

5. A voice recognition system comprising:

a memory device assigned to the voice recognition system, wherein the memory device is configured to store an audio frequency signal;

wherein the audio frequency signal comprises any prompt output by a speaker or any audible signal output by the speaker and/or a prompt signal prompting for a user input signal and/or a welcome signal;

means for recognizing the audio frequency signal;

the speaker configured to play back the audio frequency signal and further configured to prompt a user to provide the user input signal after the playing back of the audio frequency signal;

a microphone configured to detect an acoustic effect of the playing back of the audio frequency signal, wherein the microphone is further configured to generate a detection signal based on the detected acoustic effect of the playing back of the audio frequency signal;

means for automatically adjusting parameters of the voice recognition system upon detecting the generated detection signal and prior to the user operatively using the voice recognition system to adjust the voice recognition system to different surrounding acoustic noise levels and voice characteristics, wherein the means for automatically adjusting parameters of the voice recognition system includes an adjustment of a gain of an amplifier associated to the microphone, speaker, or both; and

wherein the microphone is further configured to receive the user input signal after the adjustment of the voice recognition system to the different surrounding acoustic noise levels and voice characteristics, wherein the user input signal comprises a first voice command;

wherein the voice recognition system is an in-vehicle voice recognition system; and

wherein the playing back the audio frequency signal is conducted during an initial use of the voice recognition system once the user enters the vehicle.

6. The voice recognition system according to claim 5, wherein the audio frequency signal is played back within the vehicle and wherein the audio frequency signal is detected within the vehicle.

7. The voice recognition system according to claim 5, wherein the in-vehicle voice recognition system is fixedly built in the vehicle.

8. The voice recognition system according to claim 5, wherein the in-vehicle voice recognition system is fixedly built in the vehicle by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).

16. A method for adjusting a voice recognition system to different surrounding acoustic noise levels and voice characteristics, wherein the voice recognition system comprises a speaker and a microphone, the method comprising the steps of:

a) memorizing an audio frequency signal by the voice recognition system;

wherein the audio frequency signal comprises any prompt output by the speaker or any audible signal output by the speaker and/or a prompt signal prompting for a user input signal and/or a welcome signal;

wherein the audio frequency signal is recognized by the voice recognition system;

b) playing back the audio frequency signal by the speaker, wherein after the playing back of the audio frequency signal, a user is prompted to provide the user input signal;

c) detecting an acoustic effect of the playing back of the audio frequency signal by the microphone;

d) generating a detection signal by the microphone based on the detected acoustic effect of the playing back of the audio frequency signal; and

e) automatically adjusting parameters of the voice recognition system upon detecting the generated detection signal and prior to the user operatively using the voice recognition system, wherein the adjustment of parameters of the voice recognition system includes an adjustment of the gain of an amplifier associated to the microphone, speaker or both;

wherein the voice recognition system is in a vehicle; and

wherein the step of playing back the audio frequency signal is conducted during an initial use of the voice recognition system once the user enters the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, the method further comprises a step of f) receiving the user input signal by the voice recognition system, wherein the user input signal comprises a first voice command.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein after the step of generating the detection signal, the method further comprises the steps of analyzing the detection signal and determining a noise level pattern;

and estimating a noise level pattern of the user input signal.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the audio frequency signal is played back within the vehicle and wherein the audio frequency signal is detected within the vehicle.