Speech recognition capability for a personal digital assistant

• US 20030163321A1
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microlife Medical Home Solutions Inc. (Morgan Stanley)
• Original Assignee: Microlife Corporation (Morgan Stanley)
• Inventors: Mault, James R
• Granted Patent: US 7,392,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0295 adapted for recording user messages or annotations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0462 Apparatus with built-in sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0475 Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0833 Measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4872 Body fat
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 : Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 : Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6896 : Toys
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/749 : Voice-controlled interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 : Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 : relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation

Abstract

A speech recognition module for a personal digital assistant comprises: a module housing designed to engage with an accessory feature of the PDA, such as an accessory slot; a microphone for receiving speech commands from the person; and a speech recognition system. A corresponding electrical speech command signal is communicated to the portable computing device, allowing control of the operation of a software application program running on the portable computing device. In particular, menu items can be selected for generation of a diet log for the person, for example during a weight control program.

Claims

1. A speech recognition module for a portable computing device, comprising:

a module housing configured to engage with an accessory interface of the portable computing device;

a speech receiving device, adapted to receive a speech command from the person and to provide an electrical speech signal; and

a speech recognition system, adapted to receive the electrical speech signal from the speech receiving device, to distinguish the speech command, and to communicate a corresponding electrical speech command signal to the portable computing device, wherein the electrical speech command signal is used to control the operation of a software application program running on the portable computing device.

2. The speech recognition module of claim 1, further comprising a nutritional database, the nutritional database comprising food item identifiers and associated nutritional data for a plurality of food items.

3. The speech recognition module of claim 2, wherein the associated nutritional data comprises a calorie content associated with each of the food item identifiers.

4. The speech recognition module of claim 2, wherein the software application program is adapted to select a selected food item identifier from the nutritional database under control of the electrical speech command signal.

5. The speech recognition module of claim 4, wherein the software application program is further adapted to store the selected food item identifier and associated nutritional data in a memory so as to create a diet log for the person.

6. A portable computing system, comprising:

a display;

a microprocessor;

a memory;

a database of nutritional data relating to each of a plurality of food item identifiers;

a speech recognition system providing an electrical speech command signal correlated with a spoken input;

a software application program, executed by the microprocessor, adapted to display a food menu of food item identifiers on the display, to select a food item identifier from the food menu based on the electrical speech command signal received from the speech recognition system, and to store nutritional data relating to the selected food item identifier in the memory so as to create a diet log of selected food items.

7. The portable computing device of claim 6, wherein the database of nutritional data relating to each of a plurality of food item identifiers comprises a caloric content of food items represented by the food item identifiers.

8. The portable computing device of claim 6, wherein the database is arranged in a hierarchical form wherein particular food items are characterized by a generic type, and wherein the software application program is further adapted to display a menu of generic types on the display, and to select a generic type from the menu of generic types on receipt of the electrical speech signal.

9. An accessory module for a portable computing device, the portable computing device comprising a microprocessor, a display, and an accessory port, the accessory module comprising:

an electrical interface, adapted to communicate with the accessory port;

a memory;

a nutritional database, stored in the memory, correlating each of a plurality of food item identifiers with an associated food item nutritional content;

a software application program, stored in the memory, and executable by the microprocessor so as to present a menu of food item identifiers on the display, further adapted to select a food item selection from the menu of food item identifiers on receipt of a speech command signal, and further adapted to store the food item selection and correlated nutritional content within a diet log for the person.

10. The accessory module of claim 9, wherein the associated food item nutritional content for each of the plurality of food item identifiers comprises a calorie content for each of the plurality of food item identifiers.

11. The accessory module of claim 9, wherein the speech command signal is provided by a speech recognition system resident on the accessory module.

12. The accessory module of claim 9, wherein the speech command signal is provided by a speech recognition system resident on the portable computing device.

13. A method of creating a diet log for a person, comprising:

presenting a menu of food type identifiers to the person;

receiving a type selection speech command from the person;

correlating the type selection speech command with a selected food type identifier;

presenting a menu of food item identifiers to the person, wherein the food item identifiers have a hierarchical relationship to the selected food type identifier;

receiving an item selection speech command from the person;

correlating the item selection speech command with a selected food item identifier; and

storing the selected food item identifier and associated nutritional data within a memory device, so as to create a diet log for the person.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the selected food item identifier is correlated with associated nutritional data using a nutritional database.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the menus are presented to the person on the display of a portable computing device carried by the person.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the menus presented to the person are chosen based on the physical location of the person.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the correlation of speech commands with selected identifiers is performed by a software application program running on the portable computing device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the correlation of speech commands with selected identifiers is performed by a software application program running on a remote computer system in communication with the portable computing device.