Naming devices via voice commands

• US 10,127,906 B1
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mutagi, Rohan, Taylor, Isaac Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer, Mark
• Application Number:
  US14/980,844
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/40 Visual indication of stereophonic sound image

Abstract

Techniques for naming devices via voice commands are described herein. For instance, a user may issue a voice command to a voice-controlled device stating, “you are the kitchen device”. Thereafter, the device may respond to voice commands directed, by name, to this device. For instance, the user may issue a voice command requesting to “play music on my kitchen device”. Given that the user has configured the device to respond to this name, the device may respond to the command by outputting the requested music.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first audio signal from a first voice-controlled device in an environment, the first voice-controlled device including a first microphone and a first speaker, the first audio signal generated based at least in part on first sound captured by the first microphone;

performing speech recognition on the first audio signal to identify a first voice command indicating that the first voice-controlled device is to correspond to a first channel in a multichannel audio system;

storing a first indication that the first voice-controlled device corresponds to the first channel in the multichannel audio system;

sending a first configuration code to the first voice-controlled device to cause the first voice-controlled device to perform functionality corresponding to the first channel in the multichannel audio system;

receiving a second audio signal from a second voice-controlled device in the environment, the second voice-controlled device including a second microphone and a second speaker, the second audio signal generated based at least in part on second sound captured by the second microphone;

performing speech recognition on the second audio signal to identify a second voice command indicating that the second voice-controlled device is to correspond to a second channel in the multichannel audio system;

storing a second indication that the second voice-controlled device corresponds to the second channel in the multichannel audio system;

sending a second configuration code to the second voice-controlled device to cause the second voice-controlled device to perform functionality corresponding to the second channel in the multichannel audio system;

receiving a request to output content in the environment, the content including audio content;

sending, to at least one device in the environment, the requested content, the first voice-controlled device to output a first portion of the requested content designated for output by the first channel of the multichannel audio system, the second-voice controlled device to output a second portion of the requested content designated for output by the second channel of the multichannel audio system.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the receiving the first voice command comprises receiving a first voice command indicating that the first voice-controlled device is to correspond to a front left channel in a surround right channel in a 5.1 surround sound audio system; and

the receiving the second voice command comprises receiving a second voice command indicating that the second voice-controlled device is to correspond to a front right channel in the 5.1 surround sound audio system.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the performing the speech recognition on the first audio signal generates text, and further comprising:

determining that a first portion of the text includes a command to associate a role with the first voice-controlled device;

determining that a second portion of the text includes the role, the role comprising the first channel in the multichannel audio system;

determining that the role comprises a predefined role associated with predefined functionality;

determining a brand or model of the first voice-controlled device;

selecting, based on the brand or model of the first voice-controlled device, a configuration code to send to the first voice-controlled device to cause the first voice-controlled device to implement the predefined functionality; and

sending the configured code to the first voice-controlled device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the performing the speech recognition on the first audio signal comprises performing the speech recognition on the first audio signal to determine that the first voice command includes first speech indicating that a user is going to name the first voice-controlled device followed by second speech indicating that the first voice-controlled device is to correspond to the first channel of the multichannel audio system; and

the performing the speech recognition on the second audio signal comprises performing the speech recognition on the second audio signal to determine that the second voice command includes third speech indicating that the user is going to name the second voice-controlled device followed by fourth speech indicating that the second voice-controlled device is to correspond to the second channel of the multichannel audio system.

5. A method comprising:

receiving a first audio signal associated with a first microphone of a first device within an environment, the first audio signal based on sound from the environment;

performing speech recognition on the first audio signal;

identifying an instruction to associate a functional identifier with an electronic device;

receiving a second audio signal associated with a second microphone of a second device, the second audio signal based on the sound;

analyzing the first audio signal with respect to the second audio signal;

determining that the instruction comprises an instruction to associate the functional identifier with the first device;

determining at least one function of the first device to enable based at least in part on the functional identifier; and

sending, to the first device, an indication of the at least one function of the first device to enable.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the analyzing comprises:

analyzing a first amplitude of the first audio signal with respect to a second amplitude of the second audio signal; and

determining that the first amplitude is greater than the second amplitude.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

determining at least one of a brand or model of the first device;

determining a configuration code to send to the first device, the configuration code to cause the first device to implement functionality associated with the functionality identifier; and

sending the configuration code to the first device.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising sending, for storage in memory of the first device, an additional indication that the first device corresponds to the functional identifier.

9. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the performing of the speech recognition is to generate the text, and the identifying comprises identifying a first portion of the text indicating that the electronic device is to be named and identifying a second portion of the text, subsequent to the first portion, indicating the functional identifier.

10. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a third audio signal from the second device;

performing speech recognition on the third audio signal;

identifying the functional identifier and a request to perform an operation;

determining that the functional identifier corresponds to the first device; and

sending, to the first device, an instruction to cause the first device to perform the requested operation.

11. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a third audio signal associated with the first microphone of the first device, the first audio signal based on additional sound from the environment;

performing speech recognition on the third audio signal;

identifying an additional instruction to associate an additional functional identifier with an electronic device;

receiving a fourth audio signal associated with the second microphone of the second device, the second audio signal based on the additional sound within the environment;

analyzing the third audio signal with respect to the fourth audio signal;

determining that the additional instruction comprises an instruction to associate the additional functional identifier with the second device; and

causing the second device to output at least one of audible or visual content to indicate that the additional functional identifier has been associated with the second device and not the first device.

12. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

determining a role to associated with the first device based at least in part on the functional identifier,

wherein the determining of the at least one function of the first device to enable or the at least one function of the first device to disable based at least in part on the functional identifier comprises determining the at least one function of the first device to enable or the at least one function of the first device to disable based at least in part on the role.

13. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

determining a role to associated with the first device based at least in part on the functional identifier; and

storing an additional indication of the role in association with the functional identifier.

14. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to;

receive a first audio signal from a first device that is within an environment;

perform speech recognition on the first audio signal;

identify an instruction to associate a functional identifier with an electronic device;

receive a second audio signal from a second device within the environment;

determine that the first audio signal and the second audio signal correspond to common sound from the environment;

analyze the first audio signal with respect to the second audio signal;

determine that the instruction comprises an instruction to associate the functional identifier with the first device;

determine at least one function of the first device to enable based at least in part on the functional identifier; and

send, to the first device, an indication of the at least one function of the first device to enable.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the analyzing comprises analyzing a first amplitude of the first audio signal with respect to a second amplitude of the second audio signal, and the one or more computer-readable media storing further computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to determine that the first amplitude is greater than the second amplitude.

16. The system as recited in claim 14, the one or more computer-readable media storing further computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to send, to the first device, an additional indication that the first device is associated with the functional identifier.

17. The system as recited in claim 14, the one or more computer-readable media storing further computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to store, in the computer-readable media of the system, an additional indication that the first device corresponds to the functional identifier.

18. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the performing of the speech recognition is to generate the text, and the identifying comprises identifying a first portion of the text indicating that the electronic device is to be named and identifying a second portion of the text, subsequent to the first portion, indicating the functional identifier.

19. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the functional identifier specifies a channel of a multichannel audio system.

20. The system as recited in claim 14, the one or more computer-readable media storing further computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

receive a third audio signal from the first device;

perform speech recognition on the third audio signal;

identify additional instruction to associate an additional functional identifier with an electronic device;

receive a fourth audio signal generated by the second device;

determine that the third audio signal and the fourth audio signal correspond to common sound from the environment;

analyze the third audio signal with respect to the fourth audio signal;

determine that the additional instruction comprises an instruction to associate the functional identifier with the second device; and

cause the second device to output at least one of audible or visual content to indicate that the additional functional identifier has been associated with the second device and not the first device.