Building Automation Systems with Voice Control

• US 20150106086A1
• Filed: 10/14/2013
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Addy, Kenneth L., Zakrewski, David S., OH, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 10,089,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/231
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/00 Speech recognition G10L17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• 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 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

A regional monitoring system can include a plurality of voice sensing units each of which incorporates speech recognition circuitry. In response to recognizing a verbal command at a unit, a coded representation, or token, along with location information, can be transmitted to a system control apparatus. Upon receipt of the token, the control apparatus can carry out the requested command or provide requested information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a common control element associated with a predetermined region being monitored;

distributing speech sensing units in at least part of the region;

receiving and recognizing speech inputs at respective ones of the units and processing the recognized speech to establish a respective coded representation thereof; and

transmitting the representation to the control element.

2. A method as in claim 1 which includes updating the coded representations at the receiving units.

3. A method as in claim 2 which includes transmitting updated coded representations from the control element to the units, and selectively expanding received tokens to speech.

4. A method as in claim 3 which includes transmitting updated coded representations, in response to received speech, to the control element.

5. A method as in claim 4 which includes deleting obsolete coded representations in at least some of the units.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein the speech inputs comprise human originated voice commands and the respective coded representations comprise vice command tokens.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein the control element, responsive to received tokens, executes the respective voice commands.

8. A method as in claim 7 including transmitting location information from the receiving unit.

9. A method as in claim 8 including maintaining a list of current tokens at the element.

10. A method as in claim 9 including forwarding at least portions of the list to respective ones of the units.

11. A method as in claim 10 including providing an updated local token list at respective ones of the units.

12. A system comprising:

a common element to monitor conditions in at least part of a selected region; and

a plurality of wireless voice command sensing units wherein the units are in communication with the element and transmit coded representations of recognized speech commands to the element wherein the element downloads updated coded representations to at least selected ones of the units.

13. A system as in claim 12 where the units include circuitry to maintain a set of current coded representations and to receive and store additional coded representations.

14. A system as in claim 13 where at least some of the units include speech recognition circuitry.

15. A system as in claim 13 which includes a plurality of condition detectors coupled to the common element.

16. A system as in claim 12 wherein the common element includes circuitry to, at least intermittently download updated coded representations to the units.

17. A system as in claim 16 wherein the units each include circuitry to maintain a list of coded representations and associated speech recognition circuitry.

18. A system as in claim 17 wherein the units include circuitry to update the list in response to downloaded representations.

19. A system as in claim 18 where the units where the units are battery powered and include a wireless transceiver to communicate with the element.

20. A regional monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of voice sensing units each of which incorporates speech recognition circuitry, in response to recognizing a verbal command at a unit, a coded representation, or token, and location information, can be transmitted to a system control apparatus; and

upon receipt of the token, the control apparatus can carry out the requested command with the control apparatus transmitting updated tokens to the units, which are in turn stored by the units to create a local, updated list of commands at the respective units, wherein received tokens can be selectively expanded to corresponding speech.