Voice activated fireplace control system

• US 6,413,079 B1
• Filed: 04/10/2000
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HNI Technologies Inc. (HNI Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Heat-N-Glo Fireplace Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Lyons, David Charles, Butler, Gary Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cocks, Josiah C.
• Application Number:
  US09/545,732
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 431/125, 431/12, 431/2, 431/18, 431/89, 126/512, 126/500, 704/246, 704/231, 704/200, 704/270, 704/275, 236/90, 236/91.R, 236/91.F, 236/51
• US Class Current: 431/125
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 3/122 on stoves
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

Gas fireplaces are provided with commercially available gas valves that are similar to gas valves in furnaces and boilers. Such gas valves may be controlled manually, by thermostat or by solenoid valves which turn the fireplace burner ON and OFF and HIGH and LOW using a closed loop radio frequency transceiver system. The present invention provides an improved voice or sound actuated gas valve for fireplace burners.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a microphone is coupled to a voice actuated electronic control module which converts analog sound signals to digital control signals. The sound may be music or other non-voice sounds employed to modulate the flames from the fireplace burner. Preferably the sounds are voice commands that are predetermined and preferably comprise a recognition command followed by an actuation command. Signals generated by the voice actuated electronic module are applied to a linear transducer coupled to a control regulation valve which may be inside or outside of a conventional modified or gas burner control valve. Further, a remote controller for generating sound signals that are used to maintain or control a desired temperature may be incorporated into the system without additional transceivers and closed loop systems.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a gas burner for a prefabricated gas fireplace, comprising:

a multi-element gas control valve mounted in said gas fireplace for regulating gas to said gas burner,

adjuster means coupled to one of said elements forming an externally adjustable valve,

a controller module for generating control signals coupled to said adjustable valve,

a microphone means for receiving predetermined words or sounds and producing digital signals indicative of said words and sounds,

a voice recognizer coupled to said microphone means and to said controller module for determining the meaning of said predetermined words and sounds and for producing command signals, and

said command signals being coupled to said adjustable valve comprising signals for controlling the flow of gas to said burner in response to spoken words, thereby substantially eliminating the need for manual controls and/or bi-directional remote controllers.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said controller module comprises means for responding to words recognized and for generating said command signals, some of said control signals being coupled to said adjustable valve in said gas control valve for varying the flow of gas to said gas burner.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said adjustable valve comprises a transducer for variably regulating the flow of gas to said gas burner.

4. A system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said adjustable valve comprises at least ON, OFF and variable settings.

5. A system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said controller module is programmed to set or adjust said adjustable valve to ON and OFF setting in response to the spoken words ON and OFF.

6. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said command signals are generated in response to predetermined spoken words, and

visual indicator means at said fireplace for indicating that predetermined words of said spoken words have been recognized by said voice recognizer.

7. A system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said predetermined spoken words comprise two parts having a recognition command and an activation command.

8. A system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said transducer comprises a linear transducer, and

said controller module being programmed to generate incremental movement in response to High or Up or Low or Down spoken commands.

9. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gas control valve comprises an external auxiliary valve for controlling the flow of gas to said burner in response to spoken words or sounds, thereby eliminating the need for modification of commercially available gas control valves.

10. A system for controlling a gas burner for a gas fireplace, comprising:

a gas burner for use in a fireplace, multi-element gas valve control means for regulating the flow of gas to said gas burner,

adjuster means coupled to one of said elements forming an externally adjustable valve, and

a voice activation system for generating control signals for controlling said adjustable valve of said gas valve control means in response to spoken words or sounds.

11. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said voice activation system comprises a microphone for receiving spoken words and sounds, a voice recognizer and a voice responsive controller for generating said control signals for controlling said gas valve control means.

12. A system as set forth in claim 11 which further includes a thermostat coupled to said voice responsive controller for maintaining a temperature set on said thermostat.

13. A system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said thermostat is hard wired to said voice responsive controller.

14. A system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said thermostat is a remote thermostat adapted to maintain its set temperature by transmitting sounds to said voice activation system.

15. A system as set forth in claim 14 wherein said remote thermostat comprises means for generating sounds recognizable by said voice activation system.

16. A method for controlling a gas burner in a gas fireplace comprising the steps of:

coupling said burner to a gas source controlled by a gas multi-element control valve,

coupling adjustor means to one of said elements forming an externally adjustable valve,

providing a voice responsive control module having output signals,

coupling said output signals to said adjustor means of said gas control valve to control the flow of gas to said burner,

said voice responsive control module comprising a voice recognizer coupled to said voice responsive control module,

coupling microphone means to said voice recognizer, and

controlling said gas control valve using predetermined words recognized by said voice recognizer.