Electronic Device and Method of Controlling the Same

• US 20130041665A1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jang, Seokbok, Park, Jongse, Lee, Joonyup, Choi, Jungkyo
• Application Number:
  US13/241,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20130041665A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

There are disclosed an electronic device and a method of controlling the electronic device. The electronic device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a display unit, a voice input unit, and a control unit configured to output a plurality of contents through the electronic device, receive a voice command through the voice input unit for performing a command, determine which of the plurality of contents correspond to the received voice command, and perform the command on one or more of the plurality of contents that correspond to the received voice command. According to the present invention, multi-tasking performed in an electronic device can be efficiently controlled through a voice command.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising

a display unit;

a voice input unit; and

a control unit configured to output a plurality of contents through the electronic device, receive a voice command through the voice input unit for performing a command, determine which of the plurality of contents correspond to the received voice command, and perform the command on one or more of the plurality of contents that correspond to the received voice command.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of command databases that each include one or more commands, wherein at least one command database corresponds to at least one of the plurality of contents, and

the control unit is configured to recognize the received voice command and, when the recognized voice command is matched with any one of the commands in the plurality of command databases corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of contents, control the at least one of the plurality of contents corresponding to the matched command database.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the recognized voice command corresponds to more than one of the plurality of contents, the control unit is configured to control one or more of the plurality of contents, selected according to a predetermined criterion, in response to the recognized voice command.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to provide a user interface for selecting content to be controlled from the plurality of contents in response to the recognized voice command.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to apply the recognized voice command to each of the plurality of contents by taking a sequence that the plurality of contents is executed into consideration.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to apply the recognized voice command to each of the plurality of contents by taking an arrangement of the plurality of contents output through the electronic device into consideration.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a camera for photographing a speaker,

wherein the control unit is configured to control content toward which the speaker is directed in response to the recognized voice command.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of contents comprises at least one of a broadcasting program, text, an image, sound, video, and an application executable on the electronic device.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim wherein the control unit is configured to recognize a speaker based on the received voice command, select content to be controlled based on information about the recognized speaker, and control the selected content in response to the voice command.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the information about the recognized speaker comprises information about the speaker and content whose control authority belongs to the speaker.

10. The electronic device as claimed in claim wherein:

the plurality of contents output through the electronic device has different language characteristics, and

the control unit is configured to select content related to a language characteristic of the received voice command from the plurality of contents and control the selected content in response to the voice command.

11. The electronic device as claimed in claim wherein the voice input unit is a wired or wireless device, including one of a mobile terminal, a smart phone, a game device, a remote control, a microphone installed inside the display device, and a microphone array.

14. A method of controlling an electronic device, comprising:

outputting a plurality of contents though the electronic device;

receiving a voice command through a voice input unit for performing a command;

determining which of the plurality of contents correspond to the voice command; and

performing the command on one or more of the plurality of contents that correspond to the received voice command.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein determining which of the plurality of contents correspond to the voice command comprises:

performing voice recognition for the received voice command; and

selecting content corresponding to a database including the recognized voice command, from among a plurality of command databases, wherein at least one command database corresponds to at least one of the plurality of contents.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein determining which of the plurality of contents correspond to the voice command comprises:

performing voice recognition for the received voice command;

recognizing a speaker based on the received voice command; and

selecting content to be controlled based on information about the recognized speaker.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the voice input unit is a wired or wireless device, including one of a mobile terminal, a smart phone, a game device, a remote control, a microphone installed inside the display device, and a microphone array.