APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A HOME THEATER SYSTEM BY SPEECH COMMANDS
First Claim
1. In a control system for controlling a set of electronic devices that together comprise an entertainment system, the control system having a processor-based subsystem that is programmable to respond to a command phrase for selectively altering an operational state of one or more of the electronic devices, the improvement comprising:
- a communications device in electronic communication with the subsystem and including a push to talk control mechanism;
a voice recognizer executable by the processor-based subsystem; and
code executable by the processor-based subsystem in response to actuation of the push to talk control mechanism (a) for generating a control code that mutes at least one audio source in the entertainment system, and (b) for enabling the voice recognizer to recognize at least one command phrase while the audio source is muted.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A “reduced button count” remote control device controls a set of external electronic devices that, collectively, comprise an entertainment system such as a home theater. The remote control device is operable in conjunction with a processor-based subsystem that is programmable to respond to a spoken command phrase for selectively altering an operational state of one or more of the external electronic devices to cause the entertainment system to enter a given activity. The remote control device includes a set of buttons supported within a housing, the set of buttons consisting essentially of a push-to-talk button, a first subset of buttons dedicated to providing up and down volume and channel control, a second subset of buttons dedicated to providing motion control, and a third subset buttons dedicated to providing menu selection control. Preferably, each of the buttons has a fixed, given function irrespective of the particular command phrases or the given system activities. After the push-to-talk button is selected to engage the processor-based subsystem to recognize a spoken command phrase to cause the entertainment system to enter the activity mode, the first subset of buttons is used to provide any required up and down volume and channel control, the second subset of buttons is used to provide any required motion control, and the third subset of buttons is used to provide any required menu selection control.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. In a control system for controlling a set of electronic devices that together comprise an entertainment system, the control system having a processor-based subsystem that is programmable to respond to a command phrase for selectively altering an operational state of one or more of the electronic devices, the improvement comprising:
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a communications device in electronic communication with the subsystem and including a push to talk control mechanism;
a voice recognizer executable by the processor-based subsystem; and
code executable by the processor-based subsystem in response to actuation of the push to talk control mechanism (a) for generating a control code that mutes at least one audio source in the entertainment system, and (b) for enabling the voice recognizer to recognize at least one command phrase while the audio source is muted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A remote control device for controlling a set of electronic devices that together comprise an entertainment system, the remote control device operable in conjunction with a processor-based subsystem that is programmable to respond to a spoken command phrase selected from a set of spoken command phrases, the response selectively altering an operational state of one or more of the given electronic devices, comprising:
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a housing;
a mechanism supported within the housing that, upon activation, engages the processor-based subsystem to recognize a spoken command phrase in the set of spoken command phrases; and
input means consisting essentially of a set of manual input devices supported within the housing, wherein each device in the set has a given function that is substantially independent of any spoken command and that is not assignable through any other manual operation. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for controlling a set of electronic devices that together comprise an entertainment system, comprising:
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a remote control device comprising a housing, and a set of buttons, the set of buttons consisting essentially of a push-to-talk button, a first subset of non-programmable buttons dedicated to providing up and down volume and channel control, a second subset of non-programmable buttons dedicated to providing motion control, and a third subset non-programmable buttons dedicated to providing menu selection control;
a processor-based subsystem that is programmable to respond to a spoken command phrase for selectively altering an operational state of one or more of the electronic devices;
wherein, after the push-to-talk button of the remote control device is selected to engage the processor-based subsystem to recognize a spoken command phrase, the first subset of buttons is used to provide any required up and down volume and channel control, the second subset of buttons is used to provide any required motion control, and the third subset of buttons is used to provide any required menu selection control. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification