METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPERATING A MULTI-FUNCTION PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE USING VOICE-ACTIVATION

• US 20150133109A1
• Filed: 01/26/2015
• Published: 05/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: BARRENTINE, Derek B., FREEMAN, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 10,568,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and systems in which a portable electronic device can be voice activated are disclosed. The portable electronic device can be a multi-function electronic device. The voice activation can be robust and context sensitive. The voice activation can also be utilized without any preparatory user action with respect to the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device can also interact with a media system.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method for operating a portable electronic device using voice-activated input, the method comprising:

at the portable electronic device;

receiving a voice command while the portable electronic device is operating in a low power mode;

determining, while the portable electronic device is operating in the low power mode, whether the voice command is one of a set of voice commands supported by the portable electronic device, and in response to determining that the voice command is one of the set of voice commands supported by the portable electronic device;

changing an operational state of the portable electronic device from the low power mode to a normal power mode; and

executing a function associated with the voice command once the portable electronic device is in the normal power mode.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein one or more of the set of voice commands pertain to a macro, each of the macros including a plurality of commands.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein when the executing operates to execute the determined one of the commands which is a macro, the plurality of commands of the macro are sequentially performed.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein determining that the voice command is one of the commands within the set of voice commands comprises determining whether the voice command includes one of a set of key words or phrases that correspond to the set of voice commands.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

while operating the portable electronic device in the normal power mode;

monitoring an operational state of the portable electronic device; and

determining, based on the operational state of the portable electronic device, a second set of voice commands that are authorized for usage with the portable electronic device while the portable electronic device is in the operational state, wherein the second set of commands differs based on the different operational states in which the portable electronic device can operate.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the operational state of the portable electronic device is a state of graphical user interface, and wherein the second set of voice commands that are authorized for usage are dependent on the state of the graphical user interface.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

displaying, on a display device associated with the portable electronic device, information pertaining to the set of voice commands.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the portable electronic device is a multi-function device supporting a plurality of functions, one of the functions being wireless voice communications and another of the functions being media playback.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the portable electronic device is a portable multi-function device that supports wireless voice communications, and wherein the portable multi-function device can operatively connect, wirelessly or wired, with at least one other electronic device or system that supports media playback.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the voice command is executed on the at least one other electronic device or system.

31. A portable electronic device comprising a processor and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the processor, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

receiving a voice command while the portable electronic device is operating in a low power mode;

determining, while the portable electronic device is operating in the low power mode, whether the voice command is one of a set of voice commands supported by the portable electronic device, and in response to determining that the voice command is one of the set of voice commands supported by the portable electronic device;

changing an operational state of the portable electronic device from the low power mode to a normal power mode; and

executing a function associated with the voice command once the portable electronic device is in the normal power mode.

32. The portable electronic device of claim 31, wherein one or more of the set of voice commands pertain to a macro including at least a series of commands to be performed.

33. The portable electronic device of claim 31, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

while operating the portable electronic device in the normal power mode;

monitoring an operational state of the portable electronic device; and

determining, based on the operational state of the portable electronic device, a second set of voice commands that are authorized for usage with the portable electronic device while the portable electronic device is in the operational state, wherein the second set of commands differs based on the different operational states in which the portable electronic device can operate.

34. The portable electronic device of claim 33, wherein the operational state of the portable electronic device is dependent on a state of an application program being executed by the processor.

35. The portable electronic device of claim 33, wherein the portable electronic device includes a display device, and wherein the operational state of the portable electronic device is dependent on a state of a graphical user interface provided on the display device.

36. The portable electronic device of claim 31, wherein the portable electronic device is a multi-function device supporting a plurality of functions, one of the functions being wireless voice communications and another of the functions being media playback or media recording.

37. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for:

receiving a voice command at a portable electronic device while the portable electronic device is operating in a low power mode;

determining, while the portable electronic device is operating in the low power mode, whether the voice command is one of a set of voice commands supported by the portable electronic device, and in response to determining that the voice command is one of the set of voice commands supported by the portable electronic device;

changing an operational state of the portable electronic device from the low power mode to a normal power mode; and

executing a function associated with the voice command once the portable electronic device is in the normal power mode.

38. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 37, further comprising computer-executable instructions for:

while operating the portable electronic device in the normal power mode;

monitoring an operational state of the portable electronic device; and

determining, based on the operational state of the portable electronic device, a second set of voice commands that are authorized for usage with the portable electronic device while the portable electronic device is in the operational state, wherein the second set of commands differs based on the different operational states in which the portable electronic device can operate.

39. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 38, wherein the operational state of the portable electronic device is dependent on a state of an application program being executed by the processor.

40. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 38, wherein the portable electronic device includes a display device, and wherein the operational state of the portable electronic device is dependent on a state of a graphical user interface provided on the display device.