VOICE-CONTROLLED CONFIGURATION OF AN AUTOMATION SYSTEM

• US 20140156281A1
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: CARY, James B., BOYD, John D., WENGER, Geoffrey C.
• Application Number:
  US13/692,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20140156281A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/00 Speech or voice signal processing techniques to produce another audible or non-audible signal, e.g. visual or tactile, in order to modify its quality or its intelligibility G10L19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/283 Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for configuring control of an automation system for a home or other space, using audio input to a controller. Activation of an appliance in the automation system initiates the providing of the capabilities of the appliance to the controller and a data collection process via an audible interface. Audible user input is converted to an audio signal, and then processed by the controller to determine control input for the appliance. The audible input may also be used for user authentication. Subsequently, the controller controls the appliance based on the control input.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a computer server, an appliance in communication with the computer server via a computer network;

receiving, by the computer server, information indicating capabilities of the appliance;

receiving audio input from a user converted by an electroacoustic transducer into an audio signal; and

determining control settings controlling the capabilities of the appliance, based on the audio signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the capabilities of the appliance, based on the control settings.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a network identifier for the at least one appliance, based on the audio signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising recognizing a voice pattern of the user based on the audio signal, and authenticating the user at least in part based on the voice pattern.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the information indicating the capabilities comprises at least one of:

(a) communicating with a remote server to pull the information from a database stored on the server, or (b) receiving the information from the appliance via the network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer server comprises a centralized controller for a home automation system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer server comprises one of a plurality of distributed controllers for a home automation system.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the signal to the controller indicating capabilities of the appliance comprises at least one of:

(a) providing a pointer to a record of a remote database comprising the information, or (b) providing the information directly from the appliance via the network.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured for detecting an appliance in communication via a computer network, receiving information indicating capabilities of the appliance, receiving audio input from a user converted by an electroacoustic transducer into an audio signal, and determining control settings controlling the capabilities of the appliance, based on the audio signal; and

a memory component, in operative communication with the at least one processor, for storing data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured for controlling the capabilities of the appliance, based on the control settings.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured for generating a network identifier for the at least one appliance, based on the audio signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured for recognizing a voice pattern of the user based on the audio signal, and authenticating the user at least in part based on the voice pattern.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured for receiving the information indicating the capabilities by at least one of:

(a) communicating with a remote server to pull the information from a database stored on the server, or (b) receiving the information from the appliance via the network.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

means for detecting an appliance in communication via a computer network;

means for receiving information indicating capabilities of the appliance;

means for receiving audio input from a user converted by an electroacoustic transducer into an audio signal; and

means for determining control settings controlling the capabilities of the appliance, based on the audio signal.

14. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to;

detect an appliance in communication via a computer network;

receive information indicating capabilities of the appliance;

receive audio input from a user converted by an electroacoustic transducer into an audio signal; and

determining control settings controlling the capabilities of the appliance, based on the audio signal.

15. A method comprising:

advertising an appliance to a controller of an automation system via a computer network;

transmitting a signal to the controller indicating capabilities of the appliance;

converting audio input from a user into an audio signal, using an electroacoustic transducer; and

transmitting control settings for the appliance encoded in the audio signal to the controller.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising performing the converting the audio input using a mobile entity operating a user interface application.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising performing the converting the audio input using a transducer component of the appliance.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting a network identifier for the appliance encoded in the audio signal.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured for advertising an appliance to a controller of an automation system via a computer network, transmitting a signal to the controller indicating capabilities of the appliance, converting audio input from a user into an audio signal, using an electroacoustic transducer, and transmitting control settings for the appliance encoded in the audio signal to the controller; and

a memory component, in operative communication with the at least one processor, for storing data.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is further configured for performing the converting the audio input using a mobile entity operating a user interface application.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is further configured for performing the converting the audio input using a transducer component of the appliance.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is further configured for transmitting a network identifier for the appliance encoded in the audio signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is further configured for transmitting the signal to the controller indicating capabilities of the appliance by at least one of:

(a) providing a pointer to a record of a remote database comprising the information, or (b) providing the information directly from the appliance via the network.

25. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to;

advertise an appliance to a controller of an automation system via a computer network;

transmit a signal to the controller indicating capabilities of the appliance;

convert audio input from a user into an audio signal, using an electroacoustic transducer; and

transmit control settings for the appliance encoded in the audio signal to the controller.

26. An apparatus for installing at least one appliance with a home automation system comprising a controller, the apparatus comprising:

means for advertising an appliance to a controller of an automation system via a computer network;

means for transmitting a signal to the controller indicating capabilities of the appliance

means for converting audio input from a user into an audio signal, using an electroacoustic transducer; and

means for transmitting control settings for the appliance encoded in the audio signal to the controller.