Electronic Device Comprising a Wake Up Module Distinct From a Core Domain

• US 20160170467A1
• Filed: 09/12/2015
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SAS (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SAS (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Cottinet, Jonathan, Bini, Jean Claude
• Granted Patent: US 10,001,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• 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 15/28 Constructional details of speech recognition systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/088 Word spotting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0293 having a sub-controller with a low clock frequency switching on and off a main controller with a high clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An electronic device includes an appended module coupled to a core having a standby state comprising a first power supply circuit, a first clock and a circuit that recognizes multiple vocal commands timed by the first clock. The appended module includes a second power supply circuit independent of the first power supply circuit, a second clock independent of the first clock and having a frequency lower than that of the first clock, digital unit timed by the second clock including a sound capture circuit that delivers a processed sound signal, and a processing unit configured in order, in the presence of a parameter of the processed sound signal greater than a threshold, to analyze the content of the processed sound signal and to deliver, when the content of the sound signal comprises a reference pattern, an activating signal to the core that can take it out of its standby state.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a processing core having a standby state;

an appended module coupled to the processing core and separate from the processing core;

wherein the processing core comprises;

a first power supply circuit;

a first clock; and

a sound recognition circuit configured to recognize multiple vocal commands timed by the first clock; and

wherein the appended module comprises;

a second power supply circuit that is independent of the first power supply circuit;

a second clock that is independent of the first clock and has a frequency lower than that of the first clock;

a digital processing unit timed by the second clock configured to capture a first sound signal and to deliver a processed sound signal; and

a processing unit configured to analyze content of the processed sound signal and, when the content of the processed sound signal comprises a reference pattern, to deliver an activating signal to the processing core that can take the processing core out of the standby state.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to analyze the content when a parameter of the processed sound signal is greater than a threshold.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit has a standby state and is configured to exit from its standby state when the parameter of the processed sound signal is higher than the threshold.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the appended module comprises a local interconnection circuit able to couple the processing unit to the second clock in order to take it out of its standby state.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the digital processing unit comprises means for capturing the first sound signal.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the digital processing unit comprises a digital microphone.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the digital processing unit further comprises a second digital microphone spaced from the digital microphone, wherein the content of the processed sound signal is analyzed based upon sound signals received the digital microphone and the second digital microphone.

8. A method comprising:

capturing a sound signal;

processing the sound signal;

comparing the processed sound signal with a threshold for activation to determine that a signal level of the processed sound signal exceeds the threshold;

waking up a processing unit from a standby state;

using the processing unit to determine that a reference pattern is detected in the processed sound signal; and

delivering a signal from the processing unit to activate a core that is separate from the processing unit.

9. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the sound signal comprises a key word followed by a function request;

wherein the reference pattern is related to the key word; and

wherein the method further comprises the core performing a function indicated by the function request.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the processing unit receives power from a first power supply circuit and wherein the core receives power from a second power supply circuit that is independent of the first power supply circuit.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the processing unit is clocked with a first clock signal at a first frequency and wherein the core is clocked with a second clock signal at a second frequency that is higher than the first clock frequency.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein waking up the processing unit comprises providing a first clock signal to the processing unit.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein capturing the sound signal comprises continuously capturing sound signals using first and second digital microphones.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein processing the sound signal comprises decimating the captured sound to obtain successive samples and processing the decimated sound signals in order to reduce ambient noise based on samples of the sound signals captured by the first digital microphone and corresponding samples of the sound signals captured by the second digital microphone.

15. A method comprising:

continuously capturing sound signals using first and second digital microphones;

decimating the captured sound signals are decimated in order to obtain successive samples of constant size processing the decimated sound signals in order to reduce ambient noise based on samples of the sound signals captured by the first digital microphone and corresponding samples of the sound signals captured by the second digital microphone;

comparing the processed sound signals with a threshold for activation to determine whether or not a signal level of the processed sound signals exceeds the threshold;

if the signal level does not exceed the threshold, returning to the step of continuously capturing sound signals;

if the signal level exceeds the threshold, waking up a processing unit from a standby state;

using the processing unit to determine whether or not a reference pattern is detected in the processed sound signals;

if the reference pattern is not detected in the processed sound signals, switching the processing unit back into standby state; and

if the reference pattern is detected in the processed sound signals, delivering a signal from the processing unit to activate a core that is separate from the processing unit.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the processed sound signals comprises a voice command.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the voice command comprises a keyword followed by a request phrase for a function be carried out.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein waking up the processing unit comprises providing a clock signal to the processing unit and where in switching the processing unit back into the standby state comprises ceasing to provide a clock signal to the processing unit.

19. A method of operating a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

capturing a sound signal that includes a key word and a function request;

processing the captured sound signal to remove noise from the captured sound signal;

determining that a signal level of the processed sound signal exceeds a threshold;

waking up a processing unit from a standby state in response to determining that the signal level of the processed sound signal exceeds the threshold, wherein the processing unit receives power from a first power supply circuit;

using the processing unit to determine that the key word is present in the processed sound signal;

activating a core in response to determining that the key word is present in the processed sound signal, wherein the core receives power from a second power supply circuit that is independent of the first power supply circuit; and

using the core to perform a function based on the function request.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein capturing the sound signal comprises continuously capturing sound signals using first and second digital microphones.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein processing the sound signal comprises decimating the captured sound signal and processing the decimated sound signal in order to reduce ambient noise based on samples of the sound signals captured by the first digital microphone and corresponding samples of the sound signals captured by the second digital microphone.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein the processing unit receives power from a first power supply circuit and wherein the core receives power from a second power supply circuit that is independent of the first power supply circuit.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the processing unit is clocked with a first clock signal at a first frequency and wherein the core is clocked with a second clock signal at a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency.