Voice gestures

• US 9,020,825 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2012
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rawles, LLC (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Garber, Brian A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PULLIAS, JESSE SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US13/626,676
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 704231-257, 704270-275
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/08 Speech classification or search
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/22 Interactive procedures; Man-machine interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/48 specially adapted for particular use

Abstract

A voice gesture is determined from characteristics of an audio signal based on sound uttered by a user. The voice gesture may represent a command or parameters or a command, and may be context sensitive. Upon determining a command and parameters of the command based on the received voice gesture, the command is executed in accordance with the determined parameters. The command may modify any number of attributes within an environment including, but limited to, an image projected within the environment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

under control of one or more processors configured with executable instructions, displaying;

an image on a surface;

determining a characteristic of a sound uttered by a user, wherein the characteristic includes at least a direction the user is facing when uttering the sound;

ceasing to display the image on the surface; and

displaying the image on a different surface.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the image comprises a user interface associated with an application.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein displaying the image comprises projecting the image onto the surface.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sound uttered by the user further comprises a recognizable voice command.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

performing speech recognition on an audio signal generated from the sound uttered by the user to determine a command; and

determining a parameter to control execution of the command based at least in part on the determined characteristic of the sound uttered by the user, the characteristic further includes one of a volume, a pitch, or a location of the user when uttering the sound; and

modifying the image that is displayed by performing an action associated with the determined command and performing the action in accordance with the determined parameter.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein displaying the image on the different surface further comprises at least one of:

adjusting a zoom of the image;

panning the image;

or

scrolling the image.

7. A system comprising:

one or more microphones for receiving sound from within an environment and for generating corresponding audio signals;

one or more processors; and

computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising;

determining, based on the generated audio signals, at least one of a decrease or an increase in a volume level of the sound, wherein the increase in the volume level is associated with a first action and the decrease in the volume level is associated with a second action that is opposite the first action; and

performing the first action or the second action within the environment based at least in part on the determined decrease or increase in the volume level of the sound.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, the acts further comprising determining an execution parameter based at least in part on the determined decrease or increase in the volume level of the sound such that the execution parameter describes how the command is to be executed.

9. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein the execution parameter describes at least one of a degree to which the first action or the second action is to be performed or a rate at which the first action or the second action is to be performed.

10. A system as recited in claim 7, further comprising a projector for projecting an image within the environment, and wherein the first action or the second action alters the projected image.

11. A system as recited in claim 8, further comprising a camera for recording an image within the environment, and wherein the first action or the second action comprises modifying a position of the camera.

12. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the environment is a hands-free environment.

13. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein the hands-free environment is within an automobile.

14. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising;

causing display of an image on a surface;

determining a characteristic of a sound uttered by a user, wherein the characteristic includes at least a direction the user is facing when uttering the sound;

ceasing display of the image on the surface; and

causing display of the image on a different surface.

15. A system as recited in claim 14, wherein the image comprises a user interface associated with an application.

16. A system as recited in claim 14, wherein the sound uttered by the user further comprises a recognizable voice command.

17. A system as recited in claim 14, the acts further comprising:

performing speech recognition on an audio signal generated from the sound uttered by the user to determine a command; and

determining a parameter to control execution of the command based at least in part on the determined characteristic of the sound uttered by the user, the characteristic further includes one of a volume, a pitch, or a location of the user when uttering the sound; and

modifying display of the image by performing an action associated with the determined command and performing the action in accordance with the determined parameter.

18. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the command comprises at least one of a zoom command, a pan command, or a scroll command.

19. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein causing display of the image on the different surface further comprises at least one of:

adjusting a zoom of the image;

panning the image;

or

scrolling the image.

20. A system as recited in claim 14, wherein the direction the user is facing when uttering the sound undergoes a change to a different direction while the user utters the sound.