Wheelchair voice control apparatus
First Claim
1. A system for controlling a motorized wheelchair by vocal sounds from an operator, wherein the motorized wheelchair can be in any one of a plurality of states, including states of movement and non-movement of the motorized wheelchair, comprising:
- control means responsive to electrical signals to change the state of the motorized wheelchair from any one of the plurality of states to another, wherein each of the electrical signals corresponds to a change of state;
means for converting vocal sounds into a plurality of said electrical signals;
means for transmitting said vocal sounds from the operator to said converting means, a seat, and means for tilting the seat relative to a support surface for the wheelchair,wherein said system has a plurality of modes, said converting means in at least one of said modes of said system being capable of converting fewer than all of the plurality of vocal sounds into said electrical signals, whereby the motorized wheelchair can be changed to another one of said plurality of states, but not to any other one of said plurality of states, when said converting means is in said at least one mode, andwherein the system has a mode in which said converting means converts vocal sounds into electrical signals for tilting the seat.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A voice-controlled wheelchair has a control system having a plurality of modes of operation in each of which only a limited number of commands for moving the wheelchair are executed. The commands are entered by a throat-engaging microphone, and backup commands are also recognized, including a command based on an excited utterance to stop the wheelchair. The control system is switchable by voice command between a first condition in which it executes other commands and a second condition in which it does not execute other commands.
183 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for controlling a motorized wheelchair by vocal sounds from an operator, wherein the motorized wheelchair can be in any one of a plurality of states, including states of movement and non-movement of the motorized wheelchair, comprising:
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control means responsive to electrical signals to change the state of the motorized wheelchair from any one of the plurality of states to another, wherein each of the electrical signals corresponds to a change of state; means for converting vocal sounds into a plurality of said electrical signals; means for transmitting said vocal sounds from the operator to said converting means, a seat, and means for tilting the seat relative to a support surface for the wheelchair, wherein said system has a plurality of modes, said converting means in at least one of said modes of said system being capable of converting fewer than all of the plurality of vocal sounds into said electrical signals, whereby the motorized wheelchair can be changed to another one of said plurality of states, but not to any other one of said plurality of states, when said converting means is in said at least one mode, and wherein the system has a mode in which said converting means converts vocal sounds into electrical signals for tilting the seat. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for controlling power driven equipment by a vocal sound from an operator, wherein the equipment can be in any one of a plurality of states, comprising:
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control means responsive to at least one electrical signal to change the state of the power driven equipment; means for converting a vocal sound into said at least one electrical signal; and means for transmitting said vocal sound from the operator to said converting means while preventing transmission to said converting means of sounds similar to said vocal sound, said transmitting means comprising a microphone engaging the larynx region of the operator. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification