Methods and apparatus for initiating actions using a voice-controlled interface

• US 8,340,970 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2012
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Grant, Richard, McGregor, Pedro E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chawan, Vijay B
• Application Number:
  US13/444,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20120259641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 258 Days
• Field of Search: 704/246, 704/270, 704/275, 704/257, 704/249, 704/270.1, 709/227, 709/250, 717/173, 717/171, 714/15, 370/342, 370/441, 370/335, 375/222, 375/344, 375/345, 375/261
• 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 15/193 Formal grammars, e.g. finite state automata, context free grammars or word networks
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/228 of application context

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for initiating an action using a voice-controlled human interface. The interface provides a hands free, voice driven environment to control processes and applications. According to one embodiment, a method comprises electronically receiving first user input, parsing the first user input to determine whether the first user input contains a command activation statement that cues a voice-controlled human interface to enter a command mode in which a second user input comprising a voice signal is processed to identify at least one executable command and, in response to determining that the first user input comprises the command activation statement, identifying the at least one executable command in the second user input.

Claims

1. A method for initiating an action using a voice-controlled human interface, the method comprising:

electronically receiving first user input;

parsing the first user input to determine whether the first user input contains a command activation statement that cues the voice-controlled human interface to enter a command mode in which a second user input comprising a voice signal is processed to identify at least one executable command; and

in response to determining that the first user input comprises the command activation statement, identifying the at least one executable command in the second user input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user input comprises a voice signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the command activation statement comprises a word or a phrase spoken by a user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the command activation statement comprises a keystroke provided by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein parsing the first user input to determine whether the first user input contains the command activation statement comprises:

identifying a potential command activation statement;

determining whether the potential command activation statement is a command activation statement based at least in part on one or more words near the potential command activation statement in the first user input.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising electronically receiving the second user input after receiving the first user input.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a set of processes appropriate for execution of the at least one identified executable command; and

routing the identified executable command to at least one process in the set of processes appropriate for execution.

8. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions, that when executed by at least one processor, perform a method for initiating and action using a voice-controlled human interface, the method comprising:

electronically receiving first user input;

parsing the first user input to determine whether the first user input contains a command activation statement that cues the voice-controlled human interface to enter a command mode in which a second user input comprising a voice signal is processed to identify at least one executable command; and

in response to determining that the first user input comprises the command activation statement, identifying the at least one executable command in the second user input.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first user input comprises a voice signal.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the command activation statement comprises a word or a phrase spoken by a user.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the command activation statement comprises a keystroke provided by a user.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein parsing the first user input to determine whether the first user input contains the command activation statement comprises:

identifying a potential command activation statement;

determining whether the potential command activation statement is a command activation statement based at least in part on one or more words near the potential command activation statement in the first user input.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises electronically receiving the second user input after receiving the first user input.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a set of processes appropriate for execution of the at least one identified executable command; and

routing the identified executable command to at least one process in the set of processes appropriate for execution.

15. An apparatus for integrating processes within a voice-controlled human to interface, the apparatus comprising:

a communication interface;

at least one memory to store processor-executable instructions; and

at least one processor coupled to the communication interface and the at least one memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the at least one processor, the at least one processor;

A) controls the communication interface so as to electronically receive first user input;

B) parses the first user input to determine whether the first user input contains a command activation statement that cues the voice-controlled human interface to enter a command mode in which a second user input comprising a voice signal is processed to identify at least one executable command; and

C) in response to determining that the first user input comprises the command activation statement, identifies the at least one executable command in the second user input.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first user input comprises a voice signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the command activation statement comprises a word or a phrase spoken by a user.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the command activation statement comprises a keystroke input provided by a user.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein in B) the at least one processor parses the first user input to determine whether the first user input contains the command activation statement by:

identifying a potential command activation statement;

determining whether the potential command activation statement is a command activation statement based at least in part on one or more words near the potential command activation statement in the first user input.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor further:

D) determines a set of processes appropriate for execution of the at least one identified executable command; and

E) routes the identified executable command to at least one process in the set of processes appropriate for execution.