ELECTRONIC DEVICE, CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20200135196A1
• Filed: 10/22/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujita, Shunji
• Granted Patent: US 11,393,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/08 Speech classification or search
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/088 Word spotting
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command

Abstract

An electronic device includes a voice receiving unit configured to receive a voice input, a first communication unit configured to communicate with an external device having a voice recognition function, and a control unit. The control unit receives a notification indicating whether the external device is ready to recognize the voice input, via the first communication unit. In a case where the notification indicates that the external device is not ready to recognize the voice input, the control unit controls the external device to be ready to recognize the voice input via the first communication unit when a predetermined voice input including a phrase corresponding to the external device is received through the voice receiving unit.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a voice receiving unit configured to receive a voice input;

a first communication unit configured to communicate with an external device having a voice recognition function; and

a control unit,

wherein the control unit receives a notification indicating whether the external device is ready to recognize the voice input, via the first communication unit, and

wherein, in a case where the notification indicates that the external device is not ready to recognize the voice input, the control unit controls the external device to be ready to recognize the voice input via the first communication unit when a predetermined voice input including a phrase corresponding to the external device is received through the voice receiving unit.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the notification indicates that the external device is ready to recognize the voice input, the control unit prevents control of the external device via the first communication unit even if a predetermined voice input including a phrase indicating the external device is received through the voice receiving unit.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a second communication unit,

wherein power consumption of communication executed via the first communication unit is lower than power consumption of communication executed via the second communication unit, and

wherein communication speed of communication executed via the second communication unit is faster than communication speed of communication executed via the first communication unit.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein, after the control unit controls the external device that is not ready to recognize a voice input, to be ready to receive a voice input, via the first communication unit, the control unit transmits information about an instruction given to the external device which is included in the predetermined voice input, to the external device via the second communication unit.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the information is voice data received by the voice receiving unit.

6. The electronic device according to claim 4,

wherein the control unit converts voice data received by the voice receiving unit into an instruction for controlling the electronic device, and

wherein the information is the instruction.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit determines a wake word of the electronic device and a wake word of the external device included in a received voice input, and

wherein, in a case where the wake word of the electronic device is received, the control unit controls the electronic device to recognize the received voice input.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, after the control unit controls the external device that is not ready to recognize a voice input, to be ready to recognize the voice input, via the first communication unit, the control unit informs a user that the external device is ready to recognize the voice input.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit receives a notification indicating whether the external device is ready to recognize a voice input, at a predetermined interval via the first communication unit.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the control unit cannot receive a notification indicating whether the external device is ready to recognize a voice input from the external device, the control unit informs a user that the external device is not communicable.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising an output unit configured to output voice,

wherein, after the control unit controls the external device that is not ready to recognize a voice input, to be ready to recognize a voice input, via the first communication unit, the control unit outputs the predetermined voice input through the output unit.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1herein the first communication unit is compliant with a standard of Bluetooth.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined voice input includes a phrase indicating the external device and an indicator for controlling the external device.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the state where the external device is ready to recognize a voice input corresponds to a state where at least the voice receiving unit and a recognition unit for recognizing the voice input are turned on.

15. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a device connected to an external power supply to receive power from the external power supply.

16. A control method of an electronic device including a communication unit for communicating with an external device having a voice recognition function, the control method comprising:

receiving a voice input;

receiving a notification indicating whether the external device is ready to recognize the voice input via the communication unit, and

controlling the external device to be ready to recognize the voice input, via the communication unit when a predetermined voice input including a phrase corresponding to the external device is received through the receiving, in a case where the notification indicates that the external device is not ready to recognize the voice input.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program for causing an electronic device to execute a control method, the electronic device including a communication unit for communicating with an external device having a voice recognition function, the control method comprising:

receiving a voice input;

receiving a notification indicating whether the external device is ready to recognize a voice input, via the communication unit, and

controlling the external device to be ready to recognize a voice input, via the communication unit when a predetermined voice input including a phrase corresponding to the external device is received through the receiving, in a case where the notification indicates that the external device is not ready to recognize a voice input.

18. An electronic device comprising:

a voice receiving unit configured to receive a voice input;

a first communication unit configured to communicate with an external device; and

a control unit,

wherein the control unit includes a voice recognition function for recognizing a predetermined voice input received by the voice receiving unit,

wherein, in a case where the voice recognition function is ON, the control unit controls the electronic device based on the predetermined voice input received by the voice receiving unit,

wherein, in a case where the voice recognition function is OFF, the control unit repeatedly transmits a notification indicating that the voice recognition function is OFF, to the external device via the first communication unit, and

wherein, in a case where a notification instructing to turn on the voice recognition function is received from the external device via the first communication unit, the control unit performs control to turn on the voice recognition function

19. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein, in a case where the voice recognition function is ON, the control unit repeatedly transmits a notification indicating that the voice recognition function is ON, to the external device via the first communication unit.

20. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the control unit periodically transmits a notification indicating whether the voice recognition function is ON, to the external device via the first communication unit.

21. The electronic device according to claim 18, further comprising a second communication unit,

wherein power consumption of communication executed via the first communication unit is lower than power consumption of communication executed via the second communication unit, and

wherein communication speed of communication executed via the second communication unit is faster than communication speed of communication executed via the first communication unit.

22. The electronic device according to claim 21, wherein, in a case where the control unit receives a notification indicating that the predetermined voice input is received from the external device via the first communication unit, the control unit receives data relating to the predetermined voice input from the external device via the second communication unit and controls the electronic device based on the data.

23. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the predetermined voice input includes a phrase indicating the electronic device and an indicator for controlling the electronic device.

24. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the first communication unit is compliant with a standard of Bluetooth®

.

25. The electronic device according to claim 18, further comprising a battery,

wherein the electronic device is a device which receives power from the battery.

26. A control method of an electronic device including a voice receiving unit for receiving a voice input, a first communication unit for communicating with an external device, and a voice recognition function for recognizing a predetermined voice input received by the voice receiving unit, the control method comprising:

controlling the electronic device based on the predetermined voice input received by the voice receiving unit in a case where the voice recognition function is ON;

repeatedly transmitting a notification indicating that the voice recognition function is OFF to the external device via the first communication unit in a case where the voice recognition function is OFF, and

performing control to turn on the voice recognition function in a case where a notification instructing to turn on the voice recognition function is received from the external device via the first communication unit.

27. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program for causing an electronic device to execute a control method, the electronic device including a voice receiving unit for receiving a voice input, a first communication unit for communicating with an external device, and a voice recognition function for recognizing a predetermined voice input received by the voice receiving unit, the control method comprising:

controlling the electronic device based on the predetermined voice input received by the voice receiving unit in a case where the voice recognition function is ON;

repeatedly transmitting a notification indicating that the voice recognition function is OFF, to the external device via the first communication unit in a case where the voice recognition function is OFF, and

performing control to turn on the voice recognition function in a case where a notification instructing to turn on the voice recognition function is received from the external device via the first communication unit.