Dynamic text-to-speech response from a smart speaker

• US 10,521,512 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2017
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Alders, Jamie, Song, Zukui, Cheung, Shiufun, Freeman, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leland, III, Edwin S
• Application Number:
  US15/607,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20180341643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 704275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90332 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/40 Processing or translation of natural language natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/033 Voice editing, e.g. manipulating the voice of the synthesiser
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/1822 Parsing for meaning understanding
• 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: G10L 2015/226 using non-speech characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0364 for improving intelligibility

Abstract

A method of operating a situationally aware speaker associated with a virtual personal assistant (VPA) service provider that comprises receiving an indication of at least one parameter of an environment proximate the situationally aware speaker, and delivering the response to the vocal query to the user formatted as speech through an audio output of the situationally aware speaker, at least one audio parameter of the response set based on the indication of the at least one parameter.

Claims

1. A method of operating a situationally aware speaker, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of at least one parameter of an environment proximate the situationally aware speaker;

receiving audio information at the situationally aware speaker from a virtual personal assistant, wherein receiving the audio information comprises receiving an audio response to a query spoken to the situationally aware speaker by a user; and

modifying the audio information based on the indication of the at least one parameter, wherein modifying the audio information comprises varying a volume of the audio response based on at least two of a volume of the query, an identity of the user, or a time of day.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the audio information includes one or more of adjusting a volume, a tone, an equalization, a tone, or a speed of rendering of the audio information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter includes one or more of a volume of a query provided to the situationally aware speaker, a volume of background noise, a frequency spectrum of background noise, an identity of the user, a location of the user, a time of day, a physiological parameter of a person proximate the situationally aware speaker, a response by the user to a previous response provided by the situationally aware speaker, or a state of activity of one or more devices proximate the situationally aware speaker.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising rendering the audio response through the situationally aware speaker.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the audio information comprises varying the volume of the response based on at least the volume of the query.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising modifying the audio information by setting the volume of the response based on at least the indication of the at least one parameter.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising setting the volume of the response based on at least a volume of background noise sensed by an audio sensor of the situationally aware speaker.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the audio information comprises varying the volume of the response based on at least the identity of the user of the situationally aware speaker.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising setting the volume of the response based on at least a location of a user of the situationally aware speaker.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting a speaker through which to deliver the response based on the location of the user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the audio information comprises varying the volume of the response based on at least the time of day.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising setting the volume of the response based on at least a physiological parameter of a person within hearing distance of the situationally aware speaker.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising setting the volume of the response based on at least a response by the user to a previous response provided by the situationally aware speaker.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising setting the volume of the response based on at least a state of activity of one or more devices proximate the situationally aware speaker.

15. The method of claim 1, comprising setting a tone of the response based on the indication of the at least one parameter.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising formatting the response as one of a simulated whisper, a simulated shout, or with low frequency components of the response removed.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising setting a tone of the response based on one or more of a volume of the vocal query, a volume of background noise sensed by the audio sensor, an identity of the user, a location of the user, a time of day, a physiological parameter of a person within hearing distance of the situationally aware speaker, a frequency spectrum of background noise sensed by the audio sensor, or a response by the user to a previous response provided by the situationally aware speaker.

18. The method of claim 1, comprising setting a speed of simulated speech of the response based on one of a speed of speech of the vocal query or an identity of the user.

19. A method of dynamically formatting a response of a virtual personal assistant (VPA) service provider to a query of a user, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a vocal query received from a user through an audio sensor of a device having access to the VPA service provider;

receiving a response to the vocal query; and

delivering the response to the user formatted as speech through an audio output of the device, at least one audio parameter of the response set based on at least one parameter of an environment proximate the device, wherein a volume of the response is varied based on at least two of a volume of the query, an identity of the user, or a time of day.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising formatting the volume of the response based on the at least one parameter.

21. The method of claim 19, comprising formatting a tone of the response based on the at least one parameter.

22. The method of claim 19, comprising formatting an audio parameter of the response based on an identity of the user.

23. The method of claim 19, comprising formatting an audio parameter of the response based on a time of day.

24. A smart speaker comprising:

a microphone;

at least one speaker; and

a processor configured to;

recognize a spoken user query received at the microphone;

communicate the user query to a virtual personal assistant service provider;

receive a response to the user query from the virtual personal assistant service provider;

format the response as speech, at least one audio parameter of the response set based on at least one parameter of an environment proximate the smart speaker;

vary a volume of the response based on at least two of a volume of the user query, an identity of the user, or a time of day; and

render the response to a user through the at least one speaker.

25. The smart speaker of claim 24, wherein the processor is further configured to set the volume of the response based on one or more of a volume of background noise sensed by the microphone, a location of the user, a physiological parameter of the user, or a response by the user to a previous response provided by the smart speaker.

26. The smart speaker of claim 24, wherein the processor is configured to set a tone of the response based on one or more of a tone of the spoken user query, a frequency spectrum of background noise sensed by the microphone, an identity of the user, a location of the user, or a time of day.