Audio appliance with speech recognition, voice command control, and speech generation

• US 20080037727A1
• Filed: 07/13/2006
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Clas Sivertsen, James Wang
• Original Assignee: Clas Sivertsen, James Wang
• Inventors: Wang, James, Sivertsen, Clas
• Application Number:
  US11/485,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20080037727A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

Methods and devices provided for an audio appliance system that remotely command and control cell phone and various IT, electronic products through voice interface. The voice interface includes voice recognition, and voice generation functions, thus enables the appliance to process information through voice on cell phones/IT products, streamline the information transmission and exchange. Additionally, the appliance enables convenient command and control of various IT and consumer products through voice operation, enhancing the usability of these products and the reach of human users to the outside world.

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving human speech as audio input through a microphone or through an audio accessory that processes the received audio into text and receives text that it processes into audible speech comprising:

an audio receiver portion implemented either as an analog to digital converter or as an audio encoder or as part of a codec; and

a central processing unit that runs the operating system and applications necessary to implement the desired functions; and

an audio output portion implemented either as a digital to analog converter or and an audio decoder or as part of a codec that is capable of generating audible sound recognized by a human as speech based on text input.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 with a serial port that connects to a cellular phone, and that can communicate commands for controlling the phone power, navigate menus, dial numbers, answer and terminate calls, receive address book information, containing names, numbers, addresses, e-mail addresses, and additional data stored for each record, store address book information, containing the same information.

3. An apparatus as described in claim 2 where the device is a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), Personal Computer (PC), or a Portable Media Player (PMP).

4. An apparatus as described in claim 1 where the addition of the apparatus described herein enables a device to receive voice commands from a human operator, allowing the operator to control, configure or enable/disable functions of the apparatus without having to interact with the device through buttons.

5. An apparatus as described in claim 4 particularly used in the medical industry, such as but not limited to emergency room equipment, blood and glucose monitors, heart monitors, equipment used to assist in surgery, temperature and blood pressure monitor devices, any electronic medical device requiring interaction from an operator, and in the emergency medical response industry such as in ambulances, fire trucks, and dispatch operators such as but not limited to locating devices, map and tracking devices, traffic speed monitoring devices, equipment for accessing law enforcement databases, and other communication devices.

6. An apparatus as described in claim 4 particularly used in the transportation industry such as but not limited to cargo tracking devices, global positioning equipment, dispatch of personnel and services.

7. An apparatus as described in claim 4 particularly used in the law enforcement such as but not limited to traffic speed monitoring devices, equipment for accessing law enforcement databases, and communication devices.

8. An apparatus as described in claim 4 particularly used in the office administration and documentation such as but not limited to, computers, printers, fax management, message information management, documentation dictation and preparation, unified message system, information reading by voice generation, devices used to store voice messages, reminders, appointments, etc. where data is read in as speech, converted to text, stored as text and read back as speech.

9. An apparatus as described in claim 4 where the application is used in military, defense-systems, aerospace, or outer space equipment to add speech recognition or generation features to an existing device.

10. An apparatus as described in claim 4 specifically used in a home automation product or accessory for controlling lights, security, audio level, audio selection, video channel, video channel selection, lighting theme, sprinklers, pool, spa or water feature controls where the device receives audible speech from an operator, processes the speech into commands or data that passes to the controlling device.

11. An apparatus from claim 10 where adding the apparatus adds capability to device to provide status, data, level, or condition feedback to an operator in the form of human like speech, such as but not limited to automobile maintenance indicator, temperature, oil, gas or speed gauge.

12. An apparatus as described in claim 4 used particularly for ATM machines, cash terminals, card readers, payment and automated checkout stations, devices for blind or vision impaired people.

13. An apparatus as described in claim 4 when used particularly in devices for sports such as golf, bicycling, motorcycling, etc where the user can be provided information through audible speech, thus avoiding having to look at a screen to gather this information.

14. An apparatus as described in claim 4 when integrated with devices traditionally outfitted with a screen such as a CRT, LCD, or plasma, where the screen can be replaced with the device described in these claims to make a screen less unit.

15. An apparatus as described in claim 4 shaped to fit a particular body feature such as the human ear or be attached to span across both ears, be designed in the form of a necklace, a watch, keychain, or as part of a uniform attached to a pair of glasses, sun-glasses, goggles, helmet visor or other contraption used to correct or protect human vision.

16. An apparatus as described in claim 4 designed into a capsule or other apparatus that is particularly constructed for insertion into the human body. Typical locations on the human body for such a product would be inside the ear, under the skin of the human head, behind the skin of the face, inside the nasal or sinus cavity, within and close to the cheekbone, in the throat, near the larynx, or any other suitable place on the body.

17. An apparatus as described in claim 4 where the apparatus in particular is a clock with or without the capability of producing one or more alarms, where speech is used to set time, set alarm time, enable, disable, snooze and silence alarms.

18. An apparatus as described in claim 4 when particularly used in a wall thermostat, a home security or an alarm system, when used to read back temperature and other parameters using audible speech, a kitchen appliance, such as a microwave, a toaster, a coffeemaker, a bread maker, a refrigerator, or other kitchen appliance, where human speech is used to set time, set cooking power, set cooking time, start and stop cooking, and enter special programs or cooking cycles.

19. An apparatus as described in claim 4 specifically used in devices for handicapped and disabled people, including operating and navigating wheel chairs and other mobility devices, respirators, automobiles, motion computers, assisted living devices, etc. where the ability to communicate with a device through human speech and audible speech feedback eliminates the need for using hands when operating equipment, and the need for visual feedback.

20. An apparatus as described in claim 4 where a device being added voice control feature is a camera, a video recorder, data, or sound recorder, where voice commands are used to control such features as start or stop recording, changing settings, requesting status information on battery life, remaining recording media time, or other status or control.