Lighting control using speech recognition

• US 20020044066A1
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting North America Corporation (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Color Kinetics Incorporated (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Mueller, George G., Dowling, Kevin J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,031,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/815.46
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 17/00 Apparatus for performing colour-music
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/12 by detecting audible sound
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A system and method for the control of color-based lighting through voice control or speech recognition as well as a syntax for use with such a system. In this approach, the spoken voice (in any language) can be used to more naturally control effects without having to learn the myriad manipulation required of some complex controller interfaces. A simple control language based upon spoken words consisting of commands and values is constructed and used to provide a common base for lighting and system control.

Claims

1. A system for the control of color-based lighting through voice control, the system comprising:

a transducer to take in voice signals and convert the voice signals into electrical signals;

a lighting system to control at least one lighting device capable of producing multiple colors; and

a computing device, coupled to the transducer and the lighting system, to convert the electrical signals into control signals that can be used by the lighting system to control said at least one lighting device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the transducer comprises a microphone.

3. The system of claim 1, in combination with the lighting device, wherein the lighting device includes at least one LED.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the lighting device includes at least two LEDs of different colors.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the lighting device further comprises:

a processor to control at least one of the at least two LEDs.

7. The system of claim 1, in combination with the lighting device, wherein the lighting device further comprises at least one group of lighting devices.

6. The system of 5, wherein the processor further comprises an addressable processor having an alterable address.

8. A method for the control of color-based lighting comprising acts of:

receiving a command spoken in a syntax composed for use with a lighting system;

translating the command into a signal to be used to control a lighting device capable of producing multiple colors;

applying the signal to the lighting device to cause the lighting device to carry out an action that corresponds to the spoken command.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said syntax is of the form:

<

System call>

<

object>

<

value>

.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said syntax corresponds to a natural language.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the lighting device includes at least one LED.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the lighting device further comprises a processor for controlling the at least one LED.