Speech controlled vehicle alarm system

• US 5,706,399 A
• Filed: 06/03/1996
• Issued: 01/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Voice Control Systems, Inc. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Bareis, Bernard F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Application Number:
  US08/660,652
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 381/41-43, 381/86, 381/110, 80/289, 340/825.31, 340/384.5, 340/825.32, 367/158, 364/434, 364/424.04, 395/2, 395/2.1, 395/2.79, 395/2.84, 395/2.4
• US Class Current: 704/274
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/10 actuating a signalling device
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1003 Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns

Abstract

An advanced electronic vehicle alarm system allows control of alarm functions to be accomplished using specific spoken commands. A microphone converts speech into time-variant voltage levels which are amplified and sent to a analog-to-digital converter and digitized. The digitized data is then processed by a speech recognition subsystem. The speech recognition subsystem separates extraneous speech from words and provides corresponding output signals when control words are recognized. The output signals are preferably employed by the alarm system to operate door locking and unlocking controls, to operate a loud audible siren and/or horn, to operate vehicle light controls, to provide engine cut-off control, to provide engine starting control or to operate a response indicator incorporated in the main alarm processing unit. The response indicator provides verbal responses to confirm spoken commands. A speaker verification capability is also included in the speech recognition subsystem to allow for secured operation of the vehicle alarm system.

Claims

1. A control system for a vehicle, comprising:

a control unit having a power source, input means for receiving operator commands, a transceiver for transmitting operator commands and for receiving messages from the vehicle, and output means for announcing the received messages to a user of the control unit;

a responder unit carried in the vehicle and including a transceiver and means for controlling at least one function associated with the vehicle, the responder unit being actuated by an operator command transmitted from the control unit to enable the user to control the at least one function using spoken commands; and

a speech recognition subsystem for identifying a first spoken command and a control function associated with the first spoken command using speaker-independent processing, and responsive to identification of a control function relating to enablement or disablement of control functions, for identifying a second spoken command using speaker-dependent processing to verify the user has authority to enable or disable the control functions.

2. The system as described in claim 1 wherein the speech recognition subsystem is located in the control unit.

3. The system as described in claim 2 wherein the input means of the control unit includes a switch that upon actuation by the user selectively powers the speech recognition subsystem.

4. The system as described in claim 1 wherein the speech recognition subsystem is located in the vehicle.

5. The system as described in claim 1 wherein the input means of the control unit includes a microphone and at least one control button.

6. The system as described in claim 1 wherein the output means is a speaker for providing control or status messages.

7. The system as described in claim 1 wherein the speech recognition subsystem further includes means for verifying the identity of a user before the user is allowed to control a function with spoken commands.

8. The system as described in claim 1 wherein the functions include door locking/unlocking.

9. The system as described in claim 1 wherein the functions include trunk opening.

10. The system as described in claim 1 wherein the functions include actuating a vehicle horn.

11. The system as described in claim 1 wherein the alarm functions include actuating vehicle lights in a predetermined manner.

12. The system as described in claim 1 wherein the alarm functions include controlling the vehicle engine through verifying the identity of a person who desires to operate the vehicle.

13. The control system of claim 1 further including means for monitoring unauthorized entry into the vehicle, wherein the means for monitoring generates an activation signal to an external alarm upon detection of an unauthorized entry.

14. A hand held control unit remotely located from a responder unit carried in a vehicle for controlling one or more vehicle functions associated with the vehicle, the control unit comprising:

a power source;

a microphone for receiving commands spoken by a user;

a transceiver;

a speech recognition subsystem for identifying a first spoken command and a control function associated with the first spoken command using speaker-independent processing, and responsive to identification of a control function relating to enablement or disablement of control functions, for identifying a second spoken command using speaker-dependent processing to verify the user has authority to enable or elisable the control functions;

a switch that upon actuation by the user selectively powers the speech recognition subsystem; and

a means for announcing control or status messages to the user.

15. The control unit in claim 14 wherein the means for announcing control or status messages to the user comprises a speaker.

16. A responder unit for use in a control system for a vehicle responsive to a remotely located control unit carried by a user, the responder unit comprising:

a transceiver for receiving signals from and transmitting signals to the remotely located control unit;

means for controlling one or more functions associated within the vehicle, the responder unit being operated by the remotely located control unit upon receipt of a signal to enable the user to control the functions using spoken commands;

a speech recognition subsystem for identifying a first spoken command and a control function associated with the first spoken command using speaker-independent independent processing, and responsive to identification of a control function relating to enablement or disablement of control functions for identifying a second spoken command using speaker-dependent processing to verify the user has authority to enable or disable the control functions;

means for announcing control or status messages to the user through the control unit.

17. The responder unit as described in claim 16 wherein the speech recognition subsystem further includes means for verifying the identity of a user before the user is allowed to control a function with spoken commands.