Method of processing touch commands and voice commands in parallel in an electronic device supporting speech recognition

• US 8,294,683 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Ranford, Paul, Muzina, Hrvoje
• Primary Examiner(s): Sniezek, Andrew L
• Application Number:
  US12/566,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20110074693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue

Abstract

A method of processing touch commands and voice commands in parallel in an electronic device supporting speech recognition includes detecting a touch-down event on a touch-sensitive screen of the electronic device when touch input is sensed on the touch-sensitive screen, the touch-sensitive screen displaying one or more soft buttons, each soft button executing a corresponding command upon activation of the soft button. A microphone of the electronic device is activated to receive voice instructions in response to detecting the touch-down event. A touch-up event is detected when touch input is no longer sensed on the touch-sensitive screen, and it is determined whether a voice command was detected in a time period between the touch-down event and the touch-up event. The voice command is then executed if the voice command was detected.

Claims

1. A method of processing touch commands and voice commands in parallel in an electronic device supporting speech recognition, the method comprising:

detecting a touch-down event on a touch-sensitive screen of the electronic device when touch input is sensed on the touch-sensitive screen, the touch-sensitive screen displaying one or more soft buttons, each soft button executing a corresponding command upon activation of the soft button;

determining that one of the soft buttons was activated through the touch-down event; and

activating a microphone of the electronic device to receive voice instructions in response to detecting the touch-down event;

detecting a touch-up event when touch input is no longer sensed on the touch-sensitive screen;

determining whether a voice command was detected in a time period between the touch-down event and the touch-up event, and executing the voice command if the voice command was detected; and

executing a command corresponding to the soft button activated by the touch event in response to detecting the touch-up event and in response to determining that a voice command was not detected in the time period between the touch-down event and the touch-up event.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

undoing execution of the command corresponding to the soft button activated by the touch event in response to determining that the voice command was detected.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

starting a timer in response to detecting the touch-down event; and

undoing execution of the command corresponding to the soft button activated by the touch event in response to expiration of the timer.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

displaying an indicator on the touch-sensitive screen that the microphone is receiving voice instructions in response to detecting the touch-down event; and

stopping displaying the indicator in response to expiration of the timer.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying an indicator on the touch-sensitive screen that the microphone is receiving voice instructions in response to detecting the touch-down event; and

stopping displaying the indicator in response to detecting the touch-up event.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch-down event is detected when any touch-sensitive part of the touch-sensitive screen is pressed.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising deactivating the microphone in response to detecting the touch-up event.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a personal navigation device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein execution of commands corresponding to the soft buttons is undoable.

10. An electronic device for processing touch commands and voice commands in parallel, comprising:

a processor for controlling operation of the electronic device;

a touch-sensitive screen for detecting a touch-down event when touch input is sensed on the touch-sensitive screen, the touch-sensitive screen displaying one or more soft buttons, and the processor executing a corresponding command upon activation of each soft button;

a microphone for receiving voice instructions when the microphone is activated by the processor in response to the processor detecting the touch-down event and before a touch-up event is detected by the processor when touch input is no longer sensed on the touch-sensitive screen; and

a speech recognition module for determining whether a voice command was detected in a time period between the touch-down event and the touch-up event, wherein the processor executes the voice command if the voice command was detected,

wherein the processor determines that one of the soft buttons was activated through the touch-down event and executes a command corresponding to the soft button activated by the touch event in response to detecting the touch-up event and in response to determining that a voice command was not detected in the time period between the touch-down event and the touch-up event.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor undoes execution of the command corresponding to the soft button activated by the touch event in response to determining that the voice command was detected.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor starts a timer in response to detecting the touch-down event and undoes execution of the command corresponding to the soft button activated by the touch event in response to expiration of the timer.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the processor controls the touch-sensitive screen to display an indicator that the microphone is receiving voice instructions in response to detecting the touch-down event, and controls the touch-sensitive screen to stop displaying the indicator in response to expiration of the timer.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor controls the touch-sensitive screen to display an indicator that the microphone is receiving voice instructions in response to detecting the touch-down event, and controls the touch-sensitive screen to stop displaying the indicator in response to detecting the touch-up event.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the touch-down event is detected when any touch-sensitive part of the touch-sensitive screen is pressed.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processor deactivates the microphone in response to detecting the touch-up event.

17. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the electronic device is a personal navigation device.

18. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein execution of commands corresponding to the soft buttons is undoable.