Systems and methods for TV navigation with compressed voice-activated commands

• US 20050144009A1
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synamedia Limited
• Original Assignee: Albert Garcia, Arturo A. Rodriguez, David A Sedacca
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Arturo A., Sedacca, David A., Garcia, Albert
• Granted Patent: US 7,321,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/242 Dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/31 Voice input
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/00 Speech or audio signals analysis-synthesis techniques for redundancy reduction, e.g. in vocoders; Coding or decoding of speech or audio signals, using source filter models or psychoacoustic analysis in musical instruments G10H
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/008 Multichannel audio signal coding or decoding using interchannel correlation to reduce redundancy, e.g. joint-stereo, intensity-coding or matrixing
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/0631 Creating reference templates; Clustering
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system that receives speech commands at a remote control device, digitizes those speech commands, and transmits the digitized speech commands to an electronic device, such as a digital home communication terminal (DCHT). The electronic device interprets the speech commands to allow the remote control operator to control the electronic device. Because speech recognition is performed at the electronic device, rather than at the remote control device, the remote control does not have to interpret and transmit infrared signals that represent user commands. This simplifies the processing and voice recognition capabilities required by the remote control. Additionally, because the electronic device processes the digitized voice received from the remote control device, the electronic device can negate the effect of sounds, such as television audio, likely captured by the microphone on the remote control device. This results in a great capability of the electronic device to interpret user commands.

Claims

1. A method of using voice activated commands to instruct electronic equipment to perform one or more functions, comprising:

receiving at a remote control device speech representing a user command;

digitizing the speech at the remote control device;

compressing the digitized speech;

transmitting the compressed digitized speech wirelessly to the electronic equipment;

receiving the compressed digitized speech at the electronic equipment;

decompressing the digitized speech; and

performing at the electronic equipment a function based upon a stored instruction associated with the digitized speech.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at the remote control device speech representing the user command comprises receiving at a remote control device user instructions and unwanted ambient audio,

wherein the unwanted ambient noise comprises background noise generated by sources other than the electronic equipment,

wherein transmitting the compressed digitized speech wirelessly comprises:

transmitting the compressed digitized speech over a wireless communication channel for digitized media;

transmitting the digitized speech via a transmission antenna;

transmitting the digitized speech via a transmission antenna, wherein receiving the compressed digitized speech comprises receiving the compressed digitized speech via a receiver antenna; and

transmitting the compressed digitized speech over a wireless media radio-frequency communication channel,

wherein receiving the compressed digitized speech comprises receiving the compressed digitized speech via a receiver antenna,

wherein the electronic equipment is a digital home communication terminal, the digital home communication terminal is a cable television digital home communication terminal, and

wherein the digital home communication terminal is a satellite digital home communication terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing at least a portion of the decompressed digitized speech to a dictionary of speech segments, where the dictionary of speech segments are pre-programmed by a user,

wherein the comparing at least a portion of the decompressed digitized speech to a dictionary of speech segments further comprises producing a matching score representing the likelihood of a match between the at least one portion of the decompressed digitized speech and at least one speech segment in the dictionary of speech segments.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

subtracting the unwanted ambient audio fiom the decompressed digitized speech, wherein the step of subtracting the unwanted ambient audio fiom the decompressed digitized speech occurs before the at least a portion of the digitized speech is compared to the dictionary of speech segments, wherein the unwanted ambient audio comprises audio generated by the electronic equipment, wherein the unwanted ambient audio further comprises background noise generated by sources other than the electronic equipment, wherein the unwanted ambient audio is emitted by a speaker associated with a television set, wherein the unwanted ambient audio generated by the electronic equipment corresponds to a program broadcast by a TV station;

storing a time-shifted delay version of the unwanted ambient audio in the electronic equipment;

storing a time-shifted delay version of the unwanted ambient audio in memory in the electronic equipment, wherein the time-shifted delay version of the unwanted ambient audio stored in memory is matched with the unwanted ambient audio in the decompressed digitized speech;

subtracting the unwanted ambient audio from the decompressed digitized speech;

storing unwanted ambient audio generated by the electronic equipment in memory in the electronic equipment, wherein the unwanted ambient audio stored in memory is updated with new unwanted ambient audio as time progresses, and wherein the new unwanted ambient audio comprises television program audio;

identifying at least one dictionary speech segment associated with at least a portion of the decompressed digitize speech;

assigning a matching score to each portion of decompressed digitized speech associated with at least one dictionary speech segment;

rejecting at least a portion of decompressed digitized speech representing a user command each matching score falls below a threshold value;

requesting the user to repeat the user command;

graphically displaying a function associated with the at least one identified dictionary speech segment; and

audibly identifying the function associated with the at least one identified dictionary speech segment; and

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

querying a user for said speech representing a user command, wherein querying comprises graphically requesting the user for said speech representing a user command, wherein querying further comprises audibly requesting the user for said speech representing a user command;

graphically displaying the received user command; and

audibly identifying the received user command.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the compressed digitized speech controls an electronic program guide appliance of the electronic equipment;

wherein the electronic equipment is associated with a television and the electronic program guide appliance includes a graphical user interface presentable on a display,

wherein the electronic program guide appliance resides in memory in the electronic equipment, and

wherein the decomposed digital speech controls an electronic program guide navigation of the electronic equipment.

7. A remote control apparatus that receives voice activated commands comprising:

a first microphone;

at least one enable microphone function for activating the first microphone such that the first microphone can receive one or more inputs;

at least one processor for digitizing inputs received at the first microphone; and

at least one transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the digitized inputs to a device associated with the remote control apparatus.

8. The remote control apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of function keys,

wherein at least one of the plurality of function keys is associated with one or more inputs,

wherein the one or more inputs are voice activated commands,

wherein the one or more inputs comprise the pressing of at least of the plurality of function keys in combination with one or more voice commands,

wherein the one or more voice commands effect control of a television,

wherein the one or more voice commands effect control of an electronic program guide,

wherein the one or more inputs comprise voice commands,

wherein the at least one enable microphone function is in an active state when a user depresses a function key on remote control apparatus,

wherein the at least one enable microphone function comprises a spring-force level switch that is placed in an active state when a user depresses the switch,

wherein the enable microphone function is a two position on/off switch, and

wherein at least one function key of the plurality of function keys is selected fiom a group consisting of a toggle switch, a button, and a spring-force level switch.

9. The remote control apparatus of claim 7, further comprising at least one standby command that identifies when the at least one enable microphone function is enabled,

wherein the standby command is generated autonomously by the remote control apparatus,

wherein the standby command is generated upon detection of the completion of the one or more inputs, and

wherein the completion of the one or more inputs is detected by the remote control apparatus when the level of the one or more inputs falls below a first threshold value.

10. The remote control apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a digital signal filter that is operative to reduce ambient noise received by the first microphone.

11. The remote control apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a second microphone that is operative to assist in canceling noise received by the first microphone, wherein the at least one processor is operative to digitize one or more inputs received by the second microphone.

12. The remote control apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

at least one speech encoder that encodes speech received at the first microphone when the level of the one or more inputs is above a threshold value established by the at least one processor, and

at least one standby command that identifies when the at least one enable microphone function is enabled.

13. The remote control apparatus of claim 7, further comprising an Internet Protocol address associated with the remote control apparatus.

14. A home communication terminal that receives voice activated commands and, based upon the voice activated commands, instructs electronic equipment to perform one or more functions, comprising:

a receiver that receives encoded digitized signals from at least one remote device, wherein the encoded digitized signals include one or more signals representing at least one voice activated command;

at least one speech decoder that decodes the encoded digitized signals;

at least one memory that stores at least a portion of the decoded digitized signals;

at least one audio buffer that stores audio signals broadcast by a device in electrical communication with the receiver;

at least one processor that eliminates stored audio signals from the decoded digitized signals, such that the resulting decoded digitized signals do not contain audio signals broadcast by the device in electrical communication with the receiver; and

at least one comparison component that matches at least a portion of the resulting decoded digital signals to one or more commands representing at least one function the home communication terminal is operative to perform.

15. The home communication terminal of claim 14, wherein the encoded digitized signals comprise unwanted signals and wherein the terminal further comprises at least one digital signal filter that is operative to reduce the unwanted signals in the decoded digitized signals.

16. The home communication terminal of claim 14, further comprising:

an infrared receiver that receives infrared commands transmitted from the at least one remote device; and

an Internet Protocol address associated with the home communication terminal.

17. The home communication terminal of claim 14, further comprising:

an electronic program guide (EPG) application controllable by the at least one remote device via the at least one voice activated command; and

program information stored in the at least one memory and accessible by the EPG application,

wherein the at least one memory further comprises a dictionary of terms, wherein each term is associated with the one or more commands representing the at least one function that the home communication terminal is operative to perform, wherein each term is associated with a machine state of the EPG application.

18. The home communication terminal of claim 14, further comprising a training procedure application,

wherein the dictionary of terms is constructed during a training procedure effected by the processor in conjunction with the training procedure application,

wherein each term in the dictionary of terms is associated with one or more commands representing a navigation task that the home communication terminal is operative to perform,

wherein the training procedure application averages multiple versions of the one or more signals representing the at least one voice activated command input during the training procedure,

wherein the training procedure application stores in the dictionary of terms the multiple versions of the one or more signals representing the at least one voice activated command input during the training procedure,

wherein each version of the versions of the one or more signals representing the at least one voice activated command input during the training procedure is associated with a television command,

wherein each version of the versions of the one or more signals representing the at least one voice activated command input during the training procedure is associated with an electronic program guide application command,

wherein the dictionary of terms is stored in the at least one memory of the home communication terminal,

wherein the at least one memory further comprises a dictionary of terms, wherein each term is associated with the one or more commands representing the at least one function that the home communication terminal is operative to perform, and

wherein each term is associated with a television function.

19. The home communication terminal of claim 14, further comprising a graphical user interface application at operates in conjunction with the processor to display the one or more commands resenting at least one function t the home communication terminal is operative to perform.

20. The home communication terminal of claim 14, further comprising at least one microphone for receiving audio signals.