Voice input system and method of using same

• US 6,424,357 B1
• Filed: 03/05/1999
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Azonix Corp. (Massachusetts) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Touch Controls, Inc. (Stille AB)
• Inventors: Frulla, Roberto E., Kirby, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu D.
• Application Number:
  US09/263,182
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/333, 345/978, 345/156, 345/157, 345/145, 345/716, 345/727, 345/728, 345/729, 345/856, 345/629
• US Class Current: 715/728
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/978 Audio interaction as part of an operator interface

Abstract

A voice input system has a microphone coupled to a computing device, with the computing device typically operating a computer software application. A user speaks voice commands into the microphone, with the computing device operating a voice command module that interprets the voice command and causes the graphical or non-graphical application to be commanded and controlled consistent with the use of a physical mouse. In one form of the invention, voice commands are overlayed on normal command points of the application program. Such voice commands are stored in a separate voice command repository, with an edit mode provided to create new voice command sequences and to edit existing voice command sequences.

Claims

1. A method for emulating mouse functionality in an active program using human voice, the active program executing on a computer and having a graphical cursor, comprising:

receiving a voice command at a microphone, the voice command spoken by a human voice and emulating a mouse command;

repeating the received voice command by said computer for certain cursor locations;

executing the active program responsive to the received voice command, the execution initiated upon repeating of the voice command;

receiving at least another voice command at said microphone; and

confirming with a user the received at least another voice command for other cursor locations; and

executing the active program in response to receiving confirmation.

2. The method for emulating mouse functionality of claim 1, wherein said at least another voice command further causes the active program to receive an event emulating the click of a mouse, the event emulating the click of a mouse initiating an active program function.

3. The method for emulating mouse functionality of claim 1, wherein the step of repeating is a step of reporting, in response to receiving the voice command.

4. The method for emulating mouse functionality of claim 3, wherein the reporting is audible.

5. The method for emulating mouse functionality of claim 3, wherein the step of confirming with a user reports an industrial control function to be performed.

6. The method for emulating mouse functionality of claim 5, wherein the user confirms verbally using the microphone.

7. The method for emulating mouse functionality of claim 1, wherein said at least another voice command includes commands for implementing a left mouse click, a right mouse click, and a double click.

8. The method for emulating mouse functionality of claim 7, wherein said at least another voice command further includes commands for implementing a mouse drag function, a mouse move function, and a mouse range select function.

9. The method for emulating mouse functionality of claim 1, wherein said at least another voice command includes commands for implementing mouse functions used in conjunction with a keyboard input.

10. The method for emulating mouse functionality of claim 9, wherein the keyboard input is a key selected from the group consisting of a control key, an alt key, and a shift key.

11. The method for emulating mouse functionality of claim 1, further comprising the step of assigning a location name to a position in the active program and moving to said position in response to receiving a voice command comprising the location name.

12. The method for emulating mouse function of claim 1, further including providing an overlay for the active program.

13. The method for emulating mouse function of claim 12, further including editing the overlay at desired locations thereon.

14. The method for emulating mouse function of claim 13, wherein certain ones of the locations are designated for the step of repeating.

15. The method for emulating mouse function of claim 13, wherein other ones of the locations are designated for the step of confirming.

16. The method for emulating mouse function of claim 15, wherein the active program comprises industrial control functions including the control of pumps or valves.

17. A system for controlling an active program using human voice, the active program executing on a computer and having a graphical cursor comprising:

means, including a microphone, for receiving a voice command of a human voice, the voice command emulating a mouse command;

means, including said computer, for repeating the received voice command for certain cursor locations;

means for executing the active program responsive to the received voice command, the cursor movement initiated upon repeating the voice command;

means, including said microphone, for receiving at least another voice command;

means for confirming with a user the received at least another voice command for other cursor locations; and

means for executing the active program in response to receiving confirmation.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said at least another voice command further causes the active program to receive an event emulating the click of a mouse, the event emulating the click of a mouse initiating an active program function.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said means for repeating includes means for reporting, in response to receiving the voice command.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the reporting is audible.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said means for confirming with a user reports an industrial control function to be performed.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the user confirms verbally using the microphone.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein said at least another voice command includes commands for implementing a left mouse click, a right mouse click, and a double click.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said at least another voice command further includes commands for implementing a mouse drag function, a mouse move function, and a mouse range select function.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein said at least another voice command includes commands for implementing mouse functions used in conjunction with a keyboard input.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the keyboard input is a key selected from the group consisting of a control key, an alt key, and a shift key.

27. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for assigning a location name to a position in the active program and moving to said position in response to receiving a voice command comprising the location name.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the location name is an overlay name defining an industrial control device.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein certain ones of the locations are designated for the means for repeating.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein other ones of the locations are designated for the means for confirming.

31. The system of claim 17, further including means for providing an overlay for the active program.

32. The system of claim 31, further including means for editing the overlay at desired locations thereon.