Method and apparatus for controlling voice controlled devices

• US 6,584,439 B1
• Filed: 05/21/1999
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: Pyo, Phillip Paul, Geilhufe, Michael, MacMillan, David, Barel, Avraham, Brown, Amos, Bootsma, Karin Lissette, Gaddy, Lawrence Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks-Harold, Marsha D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lerner, Martin
• Application Number:
  US09/316,643
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 704/246, 704/270, 704/272, 704/273, 704/275, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.03, 379/88.04
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

Voice controlled devices with speech recognition have user assignable appliance names and default appliance names to address and control the voice controlled devices. Methods of controling voice controlled devices include addressing a voice controlled device by name and providing a command.

Claims

1. A voice controlled device comprising:

a processor;

a processor readable storage medium;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to store at least one user assignable appliance name in the processor readable storage medium;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to inform a user of said at least one user assignable appliance name after a random delay upon receiving a command from said user for said at least one user assignable appliance name;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to recognize the at least one user assignable appliance name;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to store personal preferences of the voice controlled device associated with the at least one user assignable appliance name;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to personalize the voice controlled device to the stored personal preferences associated with the at least one user assignable appliance name upon recognition of the at least one user assignable appliance name;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to recognize a command; and

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to control the voice controlled device in response to recognizing the user assignable appliance name and the command, wherein said appliance name and the command is communicated in electronic from over a wireless medium.

2. The voice controlled device of claim 1, further comprising:

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to store a default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to recognize the default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device; and

wherein,

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to control the voice controlled electronic device is further responsive to recognizing the default appliance name and the command.

3. The voice controlled device of claim 2, wherein,

the default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device is factory assignable.

4. The voice controlled device of claim 2, wherein,

the default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device is factory and user assignable.

5. The voice controlled device of claim 1, wherein,

the user assignable appliance name and the command are provided using audible speech.

6. The voice controlled device of claim 1 further comprising:

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to store a default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to recognize the default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device; and

wherein,

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to control the voice controlled electronic device is further responsive to recognizing the default appliance name and the command.

7. The voice controlled device of claim 6, wherein,

the default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device is factory assignable.

8. The voice controlled device of claim 6, wherein,

the default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device is factory and user assignable.

9. A method of controlling a voice controlled device, the method comprising:

providing a voice controlled device having a speech recognition system for recognizing speech;

storing at least one user assignable appliance name into the voice controlled device;

informing a user by said voice controlled device of said at least one user assignable appliance name after a random delay upon receiving a command from said user to said at least one user assignable appliance name;

communicating a communicated appliance name and a command to the voice controlled device;

storing personal preferences into the voice controlled device associated with the at least one user assignable appliance name; and

personalizing the voice controlled device to the stored personal preferences associated with the at least one user assignable appliance name if the communicated name is recognized as matching the at least one user assignable appliance name and the command is recognized by the voice controlled device, wherein said appliance name and the command is communicated in electronic form over a wireless medium.

10. The method of claim 9 for activating a voice controlled device, wherein,

the communicated appliance name and the command are communicated using audible speech.

11. A method of controlling a voice controlled device, the method comprising:

providing a voice controlled device having a speech recognition system for recognizing speech;

storing a default appliance name into the voice controlled device;

informing a user by said voice controlled device of said at least one user assignable appliance name after a random delay upon receiving a command from said user to said default appliance name;

communicating a communicated name and a command to the voice controlled device;

storing personal preferences into the voice controlled device associated with the default appliance name; and

personalizing the voice controlled device to the stored personal preferences associated with the default appliance name if the communicated name is recognized as matching the default appliance name and the command is recognized by the voice controlled device, wherein said appliance name and the command is communicated in electronic form over a wireless medium.

12. The method of claim 11 for activating a voice controlled device, wherein,

the communicated appliance name and the command are communicated using audible speech.

13. A method for activating a voice controlled device, the method comprising:

providing a voice controlled device having a speech recognition system for recognizing speech;

storing a default appliance name into the voice controlled device;

storing at least one user assignable appliance name into the voice controlled device;

informing a user by said voice controlled device of said default name and/or said at least one user assignable appliance name after a random delay upon receiving a command from said user for said at least one user assignable appliance name;

communicating a communicated name and a command to the voice controlled device;

controlling the voice controlled device if the communicated name is recognized as matching the at least one user assignable appliance name or the default appliance name and the command is recognized by the voice controlled device;

storing personal preferences into the voice controlled device associated with the at least one user assignable appliance name; and

personalizing the voice controlled device to the stored personal preferences associated with the at least one user assignable appliance name if the communicated name is recognized as matching the at least one user-assignable appliance name, wherein said appliance name and the command is communicated in electronic form over a wireless medium.

14. The method of claim 13 for activating a voice controlled device, wherein,

the communicated name is communicated using audible speech.

15. The method of claim 13 for activating a voice controlled device, wherein,

the default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device is factory assignable.

16. The method of claim 13 for activating a voice controlled device, wherein,

the default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device is factory and user assignable.

17. The method of claim 13 for activating a voice controlled device, further comprising:

securing the voice controlled device to protect it from unauthorized use.

18. A first voice controlled device capable of operating in a communication environment with at least one other voice controlled device, the first voice controlled device comprising:

a processor;

a processor readable storage medium;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to store a plurality of user assignable appliance names in the processor readable storage medium for activating the first voice controlled device;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to inform a user of said plurality of user assignable appliance names after a random delay upon receiving a command from said user for said names;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to recognize the plurality of user assignable appliance names associated with the first voice controlled device;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to recognize a command; and

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to control the first voice controlled device in response to recognizing one of the plurality of user assignable appliance names and the command, wherein said appliance name and the command is communicated in electronic form over a wireless medium.

19. The first voice controlled device of claim 18 capable of operating in a communication environment with at least one other voice controlled device, wherein,

the user assignable appliance names and the command are provided using audible speech.

20. The first voice controlled device of claim 18 capable of operating in a communication environment with at least one other voice controlled device, the first voice controlled device further comprising:

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to store a default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to recognize the default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device; and

wherein,

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to control the voice controlled electronic device is further responsive to recognizing the default appliance name and the command.

21. The first voice controlled device of claim 20 capable of operating in a communication environment with at least one other voice controlled device, wherein,

the default appliance name associated with each of the voice controlled devices is factory assignable.

22. The first voice controlled device of claim 20 capable of operating in a communication environment with at least one other voice controlled device, wherein

the default appliance name associated with each of the voice controlled devices is factory and user assignable.

23. The first voice controlled device of claim 22 capable of operating in a communication environment with at least one other voice controlled device, the first voice controlled device further comprising:

a security means to protect each voice controlled device from unauthorized use.

24. The first voice controlled device of claim 18 capable of operating in a communication environment with at least one other voice controlled device, the first voice controlled device further comprising:

a security means to protect each voice controlled device from unauthorized use.

25. A voice controlled device capable of operating in a communication environment with at least one other voice controlled device, the voice controlled device comprising:

a processor;

a processor readable storage medium;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to store a plurality of user assignable appliance names in the processor readable storage medium for activating the voice controlled device;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to store personal preferences of the voice controlled device associated with at least one user assignable appliance name;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to inform a user of said plurality of user assignable appliance names after a random delay upon receiving a command from said user for said names;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to recognize the plurality of user assignable appliance names associated with the voice controlled device;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to recognize a command;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to personalize the voice controlled device to the stored personal preferences associated with the at least one user assignable appliance name upon recognition of the at least one user assignable appliance name; and

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to control the voice controlled device in response to recognizing one of the plurality of user assignable appliance names and the command, wherein said appliance name and the command is communicated in electronic form over a wireless medium.

26. The voice controlled device of claim 25 capable of operating in a communication environment with at least one other voice controlled device, the voice controlled device further comprising:

a security means to protect each voice controlled device from unauthorized use.

27. The voice controlled device of claim 25 capable of operating in a communication environment with at least one other voice controlled device, the voice controlled device further comprising:

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to store a default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device;

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to recognize the default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device; and

wherein,

code recorded in the processor readable storage medium to control the voice controlled electronic device is further responsive to recognizing the default appliance name and the command.

28. The voice controlled device of claim 27 capable of operating in a communication environment with at least one other voice controlled device, wherein,

the default appliance name associated with each of the voice controlled devices is factory assignable.

29. The voice controlled device of claim 27 capable of operating in a communication environment with at least one other voice controlled device, wherein

the default appliance name associated with each of the voice controlled devices is factory and user assignable.

30. The voice controlled device of claim 25 capable of operating in a communication environment with at least one other voice controlled device, wherein

the at least one user assignable appliance name and the command are recognized from audible speech.

31. A method for a voice controlled device, the method comprising:

storing at least one user assignable appliance name into a voice controlled device;

storing personal preferences into the voice controlled device associated with the at least one user assignable appliance name;

informing a user by said voice controlled device of said at least one user assignable appliance name after a random delay upon receiving a command from said user to said at least one user assignable appliance name;

communicating a communicated appliance name to the voice controlled device; and

personalizing the voice controlled device to the stored personal preferences associated with the at least one user assignable appliance name if the communicated appliance name is recognized as matching the at least one user-assignable appliance name, wherein said appliance name and the command is communicated in electronic form over a wireless medium.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein,

the communicated appliance name is communicated using audible speech.

33. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

communicating a command to the voice controlled device; and

controlling the voice controlled device if the communicated appliance name is recognized as matching the at least one user assignable appliance name and the command is recognized by the voice controlled device.

34. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

storing a default appliance name into the voice controlled device; and

controlling the voice controlled device if the communicated appliance name is recognized as matching the at least one user assignable appliance name and the command is recognized by the voice controlled device.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein,

the default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device is factory assignable.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein,

the default appliance name associated with the voice controlled device is factory and user assignable.

37. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

securing the voice controlled device to protect it from unauthorized use.