METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING MULTIPLE VOICE OPERATION TRIGGER PHRASES

• US 20170213559A1
• Filed: 01/27/2016
• Published: 07/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Agrawal, Amit Kumar, Rout, Satyabrata
• Granted Patent: US 10,388,280 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/228 of application context
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/51 for comparison or discrimination

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing multiple voice operation trigger phrases includes an electronic computing device enabling a first voice operation trigger phrase and a second voice operation trigger phrase on the electronic computing device. The method further includes determining whether a context applies to the electronic computing device, loading the first voice operation trigger phrase upon determining that a first context applies to the electronic computing device, and loading the second voice operation trigger phrase upon determining that a second context applies to the electronic computing device.

Claims

1. A method performed by an electronic computing device, the method comprising:

enabling a first voice operation trigger phrase, wherein the electronic computing device detecting the first voice operation trigger phrase being spoken by a user while the first voice operation trigger phrase is loaded initiates a voice operation mode of the electronic computing device;

enabling a second voice operation trigger phrase, wherein the electronic computing device detecting the second voice operation trigger phrase being spoken by the user while the second voice operation trigger phrase is loaded initiates the voice operation mode of the electronic computing device;

determining whether a context applies to the electronic computing device;

loading the first voice operation trigger phrase upon determining that a first context applies to the electronic computing device; and

loading the second voice operation trigger phrase upon determining that a second context applies to the electronic computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising loading the first voice operation trigger phrase when the electronic computing device fails to determine that the first context applies to the electronic computing device and fails to determine that the second context applies to the electronic computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

enabling a third voice operation trigger phrase; and

loading the third voice operation trigger phrase when the electronic computing device fails to determine that the first context applies to the electronic computing device and fails to determine that the second context applies to the electronic computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first context applying to the electronic computing device comprises the electronic computing device being within a geographic area.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the electronic computing device being within a geographic area comprises the electronic computing device being at a residence of the user.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the electronic computing device being within a geographic area comprises the electronic computing device being at a place of employment of the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second context applying to the electronic computing device comprises the electronic computing device being outside at least one geographic area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second context applying to the electronic computing device comprises the electronic computing device being subjected to ambient noise that adversely affects the electronic computing device detecting the user speaking the first voice operation trigger phrase.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a level of the ambient noise that adversely affects the electronic computing device detecting the user speaking the first voice operation trigger phrase is greater than a threshold level of ambient noise.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the ambient noise that adversely affects the electronic computing device detecting the user speaking the first voice operation trigger phrase comprises a type of noise that obscures the electronic computing device from detecting at least part of the first voice operation trigger phrase as spoken by the user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second context applying to the electronic computing device comprises at least one person in addition to the user being in a vicinity of the electronic computing device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one person in addition to the user being in the vicinity of the electronic computing device comprises the at least one person being within a personal threshold distance of the electronic computing device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one person in addition to the user being in the vicinity of the electronic computing device comprises at least one identified person in addition the user being in the vicinity of the electronic computing device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second context applying to the electronic computing device comprises the electronic computing device being at a scheduled meeting.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the second context applying to the electronic computing device comprises the electronic computing device being in a motor vehicle.

16. An electronic computing device comprising:

a voice enrolment module configured to facilitate voice enrolment of the electronic computing device to enable voice operation trigger phrases on the electronic computing device; and

a processing element operatively coupled to the voice enrolment module, wherein the processing element is configured to;

enable a first voice operation trigger phrase on the electronic computing device, wherein the electronic computing device detecting the first voice operation trigger phrase being spoken by a user while the first voice operation trigger phrase is loaded initiates a voice operation mode of the electronic computing device;

enable a second voice operation trigger phrase on the electronic computing device, wherein the electronic computing device detecting the second voice operation trigger phrase being spoken by the user while the second voice operation trigger phrase is loaded initiates the voice operation mode of the electronic computing device;

determine whether a context applies to the electronic computing device;

load the first voice operation trigger phrase upon determining that a first context applies to the electronic computing device; and

load the second voice operation trigger phrase upon determining that a second context applies to the electronic computing device.

17. The electronic computing device of claim 16 further comprising a global positioning system receiver operatively coupled to the processing element, wherein the global positioning system receiver is configured to determine a geographic location for the electronic computing device, and wherein the first context applying to the electronic computing device comprises the electronic computing device being at a geographic location.

18. The electronic computing device of claim 16 further comprising a microphone operatively coupled to the processing element, wherein the microphone is configured to capture ambient noise, and wherein the processing element is further configured to determine, from the captured ambient noise, a level of ambient noise, wherein the first context applying to the electronic computing device comprises the level of ambient noise being greater than a threshold level of ambient noise.

19. The electronic computing device of claim 16 further comprising a microphone operatively coupled to the processing element, wherein the microphone is configured to capture speech, and wherein the processing element is further configured to determine, from the captured speech, that an indentified person is in proximity to the electronic computing device, wherein the first context applying to the electronic computing device comprises the indentified person being in proximity to the electronic computing device.

20. The electronic computing device of claim 16 further comprising a camera operatively coupled to the processing element, wherein the camera is configured to capture an image, and wherein the processing element is further configured to determine, based on the captured image, that an indentified person is in proximity to the electronic computing device, wherein the first context applying to the electronic computing device comprises the indentified person being in proximity to the electronic computing device.