Apparatus and method for voice controlled apparel manufacture

• US 5,748,843 A
• Filed: 11/08/1994
• Issued: 05/05/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Teacher Limited LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Clemson University
• Inventors: Wu, Duanpei, Rowland, Randy, Peck, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chawan, Vijay B.
• Application Number:
  US08/336,290
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 395/2.84, 395/2.55, 395/2.42, 364/470, 112/277, 112/112.11
• US Class Current: 704/276
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 19/02 Sewing machines having electronic memory or microprocessor control unit
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23386 Voice, vocal command or message
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25192 Infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2626 Sewing

Abstract

Apparatus and method for speech recognition control of apparel manufacture equipment, such as a sewing machine, is provided. The invention includes a device for recognizing and translating an operator'"'"'s verbal command into a digital control signal; a communication device such as a microphone for inputting the operator'"'"'s verbal command into the recognizing and translating device; and interfacing means for presenting the digital control signal to the apparel manufacture equipment in a form recognized and accepted by the equipment. The method for voice control of apparel manufacture equipment according to the present invention comprises the steps of receiving an operator'"'"'s verbal command; recognizing and translating the verbal command into a digital control signal; and routing this digital control signal to the apparel manufacture equipment in a form recognized by an actable upon by the equipment. An infrared light linkage may be employed to transmit commands from an operator to the machine'"'"'s control circuitry.

Claims

1. Apparel manufacturing system wherein an operator controls specific operations of an apparel manufacturing machine through verbal commands recognized by the system as distinct from other sounds in the environment of the system, the system comprising:

an apparel manufacturing device;

a recognizing and translating device, said recognizing and translating device configured to recognize the verbal command of the operator and to translate the verbal command into a digital control signal wherein said digital control signal includes an identification code corresponding to said apparel manufacturing device;

an input device, said input device being configured to input an operator'"'"'s verbal command into said recognizing and translating device;

an interface device configured for presenting a digital control signal received from said recognizing and translating device to said apparel manufacturing device in a form recognized and accepted by said apparel manufacturing device, said recognizing and translating device being non-dependent on feedback signals indicating the actual operating condition of said apparel manufacturing device; and

an infrared light linkage configured for connecting said interface device in communication with said recognizing and translating device.

2. System as in claim 1, wherein said recognizing and translating device comprises a speech recognition computer.

3. System as in claim 2, wherein said speech recognition computer further comprises:

means for creating a library of operator-specific digitized voice reference patterns correlating to a set of specific digital control signals;

means for storing said library of operator-specific digitized voice reference patterns; and

means for comparing an operator'"'"'s verbal command with said library of stored digitized voice reference patterns and for accessing the digital control signal corresponding to the stored digitized voice reference pattern matching the operator'"'"'s specific verbal command, said comparing and accessing means being connected in communication with said storing means and said interface device.

4. System as in claim 3 further comprising means for training said speech recognition computer to operate with a specific individual operator.

5. System as in claim 4, wherein said means for training comprises an external computer interfaceable with said speech recognition computer, said external computer being configured to allow the operator to communicate with and train said speech recognition computer to create said library of operator-specific digitized voice reference patterns.

6. The system as in claim 4, wherein said speech recognition computer comprises said training means, said training means being configured to allow the operator to communicate with and train said speech recognition computer to create and edit said library of operator-specific voice reference patterns.

7. System as in claim 1, wherein said apparel manufacturing device further comprises an electric motor configured to control specific operational modes of said apparel manufacturing device, said electric motor having control circuitry mateable with said interface device and being configured to receive and act upon said digital control signal thereby directing said electric motor to perform a task according to an operator'"'"'s verbal command.

8. A speech recognition controlled sewing system, wherein an operator controls specific operations performable by said sewing system through verbal commands recognized by said sewing system as distinct from other sounds in the environment of said sewing system, comprising:

a sewing machine capable of performing a desired sewing task;

an electric motor connected to power the operation of said sewing machine;

electric motor control circuitry connected to said electric motor for controlling the operation of said electric motor;

a speech recognition computer for recognizing and translating a verbal command into a digital control signal accepted by and actable upon by said electric motor control circuitry wherein said digital control signal includes an identification code corresponding to at least said sewing machine, said speech recognition computer further comprising;

means for creating a library of operator-specific digitized voice reference patterns correlating to a set of specific digital control signals;

means for storing said library of operator-specific digitized voice reference patterns; and

means for comparing an operator'"'"'s verbal command with said library of stored digitized voice reference patterns and for accessing the digital control signal corresponding to the stored digitized voice reference pattern matching said operator'"'"'s specific verbal command, said comparing and accessing means being connected in communication with said storing means and said electric motor control circuitry;

a microphone for inputting an operator'"'"'s verbal command into said speech recognition computer;

an interface device for presenting the digital control signal to said electric motor control circuitry, said interface device being configured to connect said speech recognition computer into communication with and said electric motor control circuitry, said speech recognition computer being non-dependant on feedback signals indicating the actual operating condition of said serving machine; and

an infrared light linkage configured to connect said interface device in communication with said speech recognition computer.

9. Control apparatus for operating at least one apparel manufacturing machine having machine control circuitry for controlling specific machine operations wherein an operator controls specific machine operations through verbal commands recognized by the control apparatus as distinct from other sounds in the environment of the machine, said control apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving an operator'"'"'s verbal command and converting said verbal command into an electronic verbal command;

means for digitizing said electronic verbal command;

means for comparing said digitized verbal command to a library of stored operator specific digitized voice reference patterns and macro definition voice reference patterns and for retrieving one of a digital control signal and a control signal sequence corresponding to one of a stored digitized voice reference pattern and a macro definition voice reference pattern, respectively, matching said digitized verbal command whereby only a particular operator whose digitized verbal command matches said stored digitized voice reference patterns can operate the at least one apparel manufacturing machine; and

an interface device operably disposed between the machine control circuitry and said comparing and retrieving means, said interface device being configured to translate said digital control signals into signals recognized by the machine control circuitry for controlling the at least one operation of the apparel manufacturing machine.

10. Apparatus as in claim 9, further comprising means for recording the sequence, comprising order and timing, of a series of digitized voice reference patterns selected by said comparing and retrieving means and storing instructions capable of executing said sequence in association with a macro definition voice reference pattern.

11. Apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said comparing and retrieving means is configured to select said digitized voice reference pattern sequence upon matching said macro definition voice reference pattern to said digitized verbal command.

12. Apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said recording means is activated upon the matching by said comparing means of said operator'"'"'s verbal command to a digitized learn mode reference pattern stored in said library.

13. Apparatus as in claim 9, further comprising means for recording the sequence, comprising order and timing, of a series of digital control signals selected by said comparing and retrieving means and storing instructions capable of executing said sequence in association with a macro definition voice reference pattern.

14. Apparatus as in claim 13, wherein said comparing and retrieving means is configured to select said digital control signal sequence upon matching said macro definition voice reference pattern to said digitized verbal command.

15. Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said digitizing means and said comparing and retrieving means comprise a speech recognition computer.

16. Apparatus as in claim 15, further comprising:

a storage medium for storing said library, and means for interfacing with said speech recognition computer to create said stored library of operator specific digitized voice reference patterns and macro definition voice reference patterns.

17. Apparatus as in claim 16, wherein said interfacing means comprises an external computer interfaceable with said speech recognition computer, said external computer being configured to allow the operator to communicate with and train said speech recognition computer to create said library of operator specific digitized voice reference patterns and macro definition voice reference patterns.

18. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein said speech recognition computer comprises said interfacing means, said interfacing means being configured to allow the operator to communicate with and train said speech recognition computer to create and edit said library of operator-specific voice reference patterns and macro definition voice reference patterns.

19. The apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said comparing and retrieving means further comprises a means for editing said library of operator-specific voice reference patterns and macro definition voice reference patterns.

20. Control apparatus for operating at least one apparel manufacturing machines having machine control circuitry for controlling specific machine operations wherein an operator controls specific machine operations through verbal commands recognized by the control apparatus as distinct from other sounds in the environment of the machine, said control apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving an operator'"'"'s verbal command and converting said verbal command into an electronic verbal command; and

a speech recognition mechanism in operative communication with said receiver to digitize said electronic verbal command,

to compare said digitized verbal command to a library of stored operator specific digitized voice reference patterns, to retrieve the digital control signal corresponding to a stored digitized voice reference pattern matching said digitized verbal command whereby only a particular operator whose digitized verbal command matches said stored digitized voice reference patterns can operate said at least one apparel manufacturing machine, and

to calibrate at least one environment-dependent operating parameter of the control apparatus,

wherein said speech recognition mechanism is non-dependent on feedback signals indicating the actual operating condition of the at least one apparel manufacturing machine.

21. The control apparatus as in claim 20, further comprising an interface device, said interface device being operably disposed between said machine control circuitry and said speech recognition mechanism, said interface device translating said digital control signals into signals recognized by the machine control circuitry for controlling the operation of the apparel manufacturing machine.

22. Apparatus as in claim 20 wherein said calibrating means is activated by said operator.

23. Apparatus as in claim 20 wherein said speech recognition mechanism is configured to elicit a response from said operator in the form of at least one verbal command corresponding to a said stored digitized voice reference pattern and to calibrate a said operating parameter based upon the variance between said response from said operator and said corresponding stored digitized voice reference pattern.

24. Apparatus as in claim 20 wherein at least one said parameter comprises a recognition threshold defining the degree of similarity between said digitized verbal command and said stored digitized voice reference pattern required before said speech recognition mechanism recognizes a match.

25. Apparatus as in claim 20 wherein at least one said parameter comprises a delta score defining the minimum difference between the similarity of said digitized verbal command to a first stored digitized voice reference pattern and the similarity of said digitized verbal command to any second stored digitized voice reference pattern permitted before said speech recognition mechanism recognizes a match between said digitized verbal command and said first stored digitized voice reference pattern.

26. Apparatus as in claim 20 wherein at least one said parameter comprises the gain applied to said digitized verbal command.

27. Apparatus as in claim 20, wherein said speech recognition mechanism comprises a speech recognition computer.

28. A speech recognition controlled apparel manufacturing system, wherein an operator controls specific operations performable by an apparel manufacturing machine through verbal commands recognized by said apparel manufacturing machine as distinct from other sounds in the environment of the apparel manufacturing machine, comprising:

an apparel manufacturing machine capable of performing a desired apparel manufacturing task;

a motor configured to power the operation of said apparel manufacturing machine;

motor control circuitry connected to said motor and configured to control the operation of said motor;

a speech recognition computer for recognizing and translating a verbal command into one of a digital control signal, a digital control signal sequence, and a digitized learn mode reference pattern, each of said digital control signals being configured to be accepted by and actable upon by said motor control circuitry wherein each said digital control signal additionally comprises an identification code corresponding to certain said apparel manufacturing machines, said speech recognition computer further comprising;

means for creating a library of operator-specific digital voice reference patterns corresponding to a set of digital control signals and macro definition voice reference patterns corresponding to a macro memory position,

means for storing said library of operator-specific digital voice reference patterns and macro definition voice reference patterns,

means for comparing an operator'"'"'s verbal command with said library of stored digitized voice reference patterns and macro definition voice reference patterns and for accessing one of a said digital control signal and a said digital control signal sequence corresponding to one of a said stored digitized voice reference pattern and a said macro definition voice reference pattern, respectively, matching the operator'"'"'s specific verbal command,

means for recording the sequence, comprising order and timing, of a series of digital control signals selected by said speech recognition computer and storing instructions capable of executing said sequence in association with said macro definition voice reference pattern and whereby said speech recognition computer is capable of selecting said digital control signal sequence upon matching said macro definition voice reference pattern to said digitized voice reference pattern, and

means for calibrating environment-dependent operating parameters, used in matching the operator'"'"'s verbal commands to said stored digitized voice reference patterns, in response to the operator'"'"'s prompted verbal commands to accommodate changed ambient environments;

a microphone for inputting the operator'"'"'s verbal command into said speech recognition computer;

an interface device for presenting a control signal, corresponding to said digital control signal, to said electric motor control circuitry, said interface device being connected in communication with said electric motor control circuitry; and

an infrared light linkage for connecting said interface device in communication with said speech recognition computer.

29. The speech recognition controlled apparel manufacturing system as in claim 28, wherein said calibrating means is configured to elicit a response from said operator in the form of at least one verbal command corresponding to a said stored digitized voice reference pattern and to calibrate a said operating parameter based upon the variance between said response from said operator and said corresponding stored digitized voice reference pattern.

30. The system as in claim 28, wherein said speech recognition computer further comprises a means for editing said library of operator-specific voice reference patterns and macro definition voice reference patterns.

31. A method for voice control of apparel manufacturing equipment, said method comprising the steps of:

creating and storing a library of operator specific digitized voice reference patterns;

receiving an operator'"'"'s verbal command;

translating said verbal command into a digitized verbal command;

comparing the digitized verbal command to said library of operator specific digitized voice reference patterns;

retrieving the digital control signal corresponding to the digitized voice reference pattern matching the digitized verbal command; and

routing the digital control signal to said apparel manufacturing equipment by an infrared light linkage, wherein said method does not depend on receiving signals or external input indicating the actual operating status of the apparel manufacturing equipment.

32. The method as in claim 31, further comprising the step of using an interfacing device disposed between said infrared light linkage and said apparel manufacturing equipment to modify said digital control signal into a form recognized and actable upon by said apparel manufacturing equipment.

33. A method for voice control of apparel manufacturing equipment, said method comprising the steps of:

creating and storing a library of operator specific digitized voice reference patterns and macro definition voice reference patterns;

receiving an operator'"'"'s verbal command;

translating said verbal command into a digitized verbal command;

comparing the digitized verbal command to said library of operator specific digitized voice reference patterns and macro definition voice reference patterns;

retrieving one of a digital control signal and a digital control signal sequence corresponding to the one of a said digitized voice reference pattern and a said macro definition voice reference pattern matching said digitized verbal command; and

routing said one of a digital control signal and a control signal sequence to the apparel manufacturing equipment.

34. The method as in claim 33, further comprising the steps of recording the sequence, comprising order and timing, of a series of digitized voice reference patterns corresponding to said retrieved digitized reference patterns and storing instructions, capable of executing said sequence, in association with said macro definition voice reference pattern.

35. The method as in claim 33, further comprising the steps of recording the sequence, comprising order and timing, of a series of said retrieved digital control signals and storing instructions, capable of executing said sequence, in association with said macro definition voice reference pattern.

36. The method as in claim 33, further comprising the step of selecting said digital control signal sequence upon matching said macro definition voice reference pattern to said digitized verbal command.

37. A method for voice control of apparel manufacturing equipment, said method comprising the steps of:

creating and storing a library of operator specific digitized voice reference patterns corresponding to respective different digital control signals;

receiving an operator'"'"'s verbal command;

translating said verbal command into a digitized verbal command;

comparing said digitized verbal command to said library of operator specific digitized voice reference patterns;

retrieving from said library a digital control signal corresponding to the digitized voice reference pattern matching said digitized verbal command;

calibrating at least one environment-dependent operating parameter, used in matching said digitized voice reference patterns to said digitized verbal commands, whereby said at least one operating parameter is adjusted relative to a changed ambient environment; and

routing said retrieved digital control signal to said apparel manufacturing equipment, wherein said method does not depend on receiving signals or external input indicating the actual operating status of the apparel manufacturing equipment.

38. The method as in claim 37, wherein said operator initiates said calibration step.

39. The method as in claim 37, further comprising the step of eliciting a response from said operator in the form of at least one verbal command corresponding to a said stored digitized voice reference pattern and calibrating said parameter based upon the variance between said response from said operator and said corresponding stored digitized voice reference pattern.

40. The method as in claim 37, wherein at least one said parameter comprises a recognition threshold defining the degree of similarity between said digitized verbal command and said stored digitized voice reference pattern required before said comparing and retrieving means recognizes a match.

41. The method as in claim 37 wherein at least one said parameter comprises a delta score defining the minimum difference between the similarity of said digitized verbal command to a first stored digitized voice reference pattern and the similarity of said digitized verbal command to any second stored digitized voice reference pattern permitted before said comparing and retrieving means recognizes a match between said digitized verbal command and said first stored digitized voice reference pattern.

42. The method as in claim 37, wherein at least one said parameter comprises the gain applied to said digitized verbal command.

43. A method for voice control of apparel manufacturing equipment, said method comprising the steps of:

creating and storing a library of operator specific digitized voice reference patterns corresponding to respective different digital control signals and macro definition voice reference patterns corresponding to respective different macro memory positions;

receiving an operator'"'"'s verbal command;

translating said verbal command into a digitized verbal command;

matching said digitized verbal command to one of a said operator specific digitized voice reference pattern and a said macro definition voice reference pattern stored in said library;

retrieving from said library one of a said digital control signal and a digital control signal sequence corresponding to said matching one of a said digitized voice reference pattern and a said macro definition voice reference pattern, wherein said digital control signal sequences are stored in association with corresponding macro definition voice reference patterns and wherein a specific digital control signal sequence is selected upon matching one of said macro definition voice reference patterns to said digitized verbal command;

calibrating environment-dependent operating parameters, used in matching said digitized voice reference patterns to said digitized verbal commands, in response to an operator'"'"'s elicited verbal commands whereby said operating parameters are adjusted relative to a changed ambient environment and wherein the operator is prompted to repeat certain of said verbal commands corresponding to stored digitized voice reference patterns and wherein said calibration is based upon the variance between the operator'"'"'s responsive digitized verbal commands and corresponding said stored digitized voice reference patterns;

routing said one of said digital control signal and said digital control signal sequence to the apparel manufacturing equipment by an infrared light linkage; and

modifying said digital control signal into a form recognized and actable upon by the apparel manufacturing equipment by means of an interfacing device configured to communicate between said infrared linkage and the apparel manufacturing equipment.

44. The method as in claim 43 further comprising the steps of recording the sequence, comprising order and timing, of a series of said retrieved digital control signals and storing instructions capable of executing said sequence in association with said macro definition voice reference pattern.

45. The method as in claim 44, wherein said recording step is initiated upon matching said digitized verbal command to a digitized learn mode reference pattern stored in said library.