METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXECUTING VOICE COMMAND IN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20130325484A1
• Filed: 05/28/2013
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Sang-Hoon, CHAKLADAR, Subhojit, KIM, Hee-Woon
• Granted Patent: US 9,619,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/225 Feedback of the input speech

Abstract

An apparatus and method for executing a voice command in an electronic device. In an exemplary embodiment, a voice signal is detected and speech thereof is recognized. When the recognized speech contains a wakeup command, a voice command mode is activated, and a signal containing at least a portion of the detected voice signal is transmitted to a server. The server generates a control signal or a result signal corresponding to the voice command, and transmits the same to the electronic device. The device receives and processes the control or result signal, and awakens. Thereby, voice commands are executed without the need for the user to physically touch the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method in an electronic device, comprising:

detecting a voice signal and recognizing speech thereof;

when the speech is recognized to contain a wakeup command, activating a voice command mode and transmitting a transmit signal containing at least a portion of the detected voice signal to a server; and

receiving and processing a control signal or a result signal generated and transmitted by the server in response to a voice command within the transmit signal recognized by the server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice signal comprises the wakeup command followed by the voice command.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wakeup command also comprises the voice command.

4. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a silence duration between the wakeup command and the voice command.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing the control signal or the result signal comprises executing a particular application of the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing of the control signal or the result signal comprises displaying data corresponding to the result signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, once the voice command mode is entered,

activating an object on a display indicative of the voice command mode being activated.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein when a screen is locked prior to recognizing the wakeup command in the speech, unlocking the screen responsive to the recognized wakeup command.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the speech is recognized to contain a predetermined wakeup command only if a predetermined speaker of the voice signal is recognized.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the wakeup command is detected automatically when the voice of the predetermined speaker is recognized.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the wakeup command is detected when the voice of the predetermined speaker is recognized and a predetermined wakeup command is recognized within the speech of the predetermined speaker.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice signal is input through a microphone of the electronic device in an idle mode, and when the wakeup command is detected in the idle mode, the voice command mode is activated.

13. A method for executing a voice command in an electronic device, comprising:

detecting a voice signal which contains at least one of a wakeup command and a voice command;

transmitting the voice signal to a server;

awakening the electronic device upon receiving a result signal indicative of the server detecting the wakeup command in the voice signal;

receiving a control signal or a result signal corresponding to the voice command from the server; and

processing the control signal or the result signal corresponding to the voice command.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the processing of the control signal or the result signal corresponding to the voice command comprises:

controlling a function of the electronic device or executing a particular application of the electronic device, according to the control signal.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the processing of the control signal or the result signal corresponding to the voice command comprises:

displaying data corresponding to the result signal.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

when receiving a speaker verification success message, activating an object for recognizing a second voice signal corresponding to the voice command.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

when a screen is locked, unlocking the screen.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the speaker verification is one of a speaker dependent recognition scheme or a speaker independent recognition scheme.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the voice signal corresponding to the wakeup command or the voice command is input through a microphone of the electronic device in an idle mode or in a locked screen.

20. A method operable in a server, for supporting a voice command of an electronic device, comprising:

receiving a transmitted voice signal which contains at least a voice command, from the electronic device;

generating a control signal or a result signal corresponding to the voice command by recognizing and analyzing the voice command; and

sending the control signal or the result signal corresponding to the first voice command, to the electronic device.

21. An electronic device comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors,

wherein the program comprises instructions for detecting a voice signal and recognizing speech thereof, when the speech is recognized to contain a wakeup command, activating a voice command mode and transmitting a transmit signal containing at least a portion of the detected voice signal to a server and receiving and processing a control signal or a result signal generated and transmitted by the server in response to a voice command within the transmit signal recognized by the server.

22. An electronic device comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors,

wherein the program comprises instructions for detecting a voice signal which contains at least one of a wakeup command and a voice command, transmitting the voice signal to a server, awakening the electronic device upon receiving a result signal indicative of the server detecting the wakeup command in the voice signal, receiving a control signal or a result signal corresponding to the voice command from the server and processing the control signal or the result signal corresponding to the voice command.

23. An electronic device comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors,

wherein the program comprises instructions for receiving a transmitted voice signal which contains at least a voice command, from the electronic device, generating a control signal or a result signal corresponding to the voice command by recognizing and analyzing the voice command and sending the control signal or the result signal corresponding to the first voice command, to the electronic device.