Distributed voice user interface

• US 20060293897A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ben Franklin Patent Holding LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Surace, Kevin J., White, George M., Markman, Steven, Shires, Glen E., Buteau, James J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,769,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270.1
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications

Abstract

A distributed voice user interface system includes a local device which receives speech input issued from a user. Such speech input may specify a command or a request by the user. The local device performs preliminary processing of the speech input and determines whether it is able to respond to the command or request by itself. If not, the local device initiates communication with a remote system for further processing of the speech input.

Claims

1-38. -38. (canceled)

39. A local device comprising:

an input device operable to receive speech input issued from a user; and

a processing component coupled to the input device and operative to extract feature parameters from the speech input for processing at both the local device and at a remote system.

40. The local device of claim 39, wherein the processing component is operable to search the speech input for keywords.

41. The local device of claim 39, further comprising a transceiver coupled to the processing component.

42. The local device of claim 41, wherein the transceiver is operable to establish a connection between the local device and the remote system to enable communication therebetween.

43. The local device of claim 42, wherein the connection comprises a high bandwidth connection for returning data supporting audio or video output to a user at the local device.

44. The local device of claim 42, wherein the connection comprises a low bandwidth connection for returning data supporting control signals for controlling the operation of the local device.

45. The local device of claim 42, further comprising a manual input device operable to allow the user to initiate the connection.

46. The local device of claim 42, wherein the processing component is operable to search the speech input for at least one keyword and to initiate the connection when the keyword is found.

47. The local device of claim 39, wherein the processing component is operable to transmit the feature parameters to the remote system so that the remote system can recognize the speech input.

48. The local device of claim 39, further comprising a recording device operable to record the speech input issued from the user.

49. The local device of claim 48, wherein the recording device is operable to play back the recorded speech input for transmission to the remote system.

50. The local device of claim 39, wherein the processing component comprises a speech generation engine operable to generate speech output.

51. The local device of claim 50, wherein the speech output generated by the speech generation engine is consistent with speech output generated by the remote system.

52. The local device of claim 39, wherein the local device scans the speech input for feature parameters and sends a signal based upon the parameters to the remote system.

53. The local device of claim 39, wherein both the local device and the remote system scan the speech input for feature parameters.

54. The local device of claim 39, further comprising a device selected from the group consisting of a personal digital assistant, a smart telephone, a remote control device, a household appliance, an entertainment system, a security system, and a climate control system.