Voice assistant system

• US 9,818,402 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2015
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vocollect, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vocollect Healthcare Systems, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Emerick, Charles Thomas, Logan, James R., Bates, Richard Anthony, Wahl, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Godbold, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US14/921,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20160042737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses to assist a user in the performance of a plurality of tasks are provided. The invention includes storing at least one care plan for a resident, the care plan defining a plurality of tasks to be performed for providing care to the resident. The method includes capturing speech inputs from the user and providing speech outputs to the user to provide a speech dialog with the user reflective of the care plan. Information is captured with a contactless communication interface and is used for engaging the care plan.

Claims

1. A method of providing care to a resident using at least one mobile device comprising:

receiving at least one individualized care plan for a resident, a care plan defining a plurality of tasks to be performed by a user for providing care to a resident, the at least one individualized care plan identified at least in part by the at least one mobile device automatically reading a contactless communication tag associated with the resident, the at least one mobile device comprising a contactless communication interface configured to automatically read the contactless communication tag as a user of the mobile device approaches the resident;

storing the received care plan on the mobile device;

capturing speech inputs from the user through the mobile device;

providing speech outputs to the user through the mobile device;

using the speech inputs and speech outputs and providing a speech dialog with the user through the mobile device, the speech dialog being reflective of a stored care plan for a resident;

capturing non-spoken information associated with a resident with a contactless communication interface;

capturing additional non-spoken information as a background noise sample; and

using the captured information and the captured speech inputs for engaging the care plan.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining if the mobile device can connect to an available network;

if the mobile device can connect to an available network, connecting the mobile device to the available network and transmitting the captured information, captured speech input, and/or stored care plan over the available network; and

if the mobile device cannot connect to an available network, storing the captured information, storing the captured speech input, and/or updating the stored care plan.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining if the mobile device can connect to an available network;

if the mobile device can connect to an available network, connecting the mobile device to the available network and receiving updates via the available network.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining if the mobile device can connect to an available network;

if the mobile device can connect to an available network, connecting the mobile device to the available network and receiving updates to at least one care plan via the available network.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining if the mobile device can connect to an available network;

if the mobile device can connect to an available network, connecting the mobile device to the available network and receiving real-time updates via the available network.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining if the mobile device can connect to an available network;

if the mobile device can connect to an available network, connecting the mobile device to the available network and transmitting the captured information, captured speech input, and/or stored care plan over the available network in near real-time and/or in a delayed manner.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication comprising a speech output from a speaker associated with the at least one mobile device based at least in part on the contactless communication interface reading the contactless communication tag associated with the resident, the indication comprising the resident'"'"'s name and/or at least one task associated with the individualized care plan.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the speech inputs reflect the user addressing the resident by name and/or the user performing the at least one of the plurality of tasks.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a microphone for capturing speech inputs from a user;

a speaker for providing speech outputs to the user;

a contactless communication interface configured to automatically read a contactless communication tag;

a processor;

a memory; and

program code resident in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident at least in part by;

storing at least one care plan in the memory for a resident, the care plan defining a plurality of tasks to be performed by a user to provide care to the resident;

receiving an indication comprising a speech output from the speaker based at least in part on the at least one care plan, the indication comprising the resident'"'"'s name and/or at least one of the plurality of tasks to be performed by the user, the at least one care plan identified at least in part by the contactless communication interface automatically reading a contactless communication tag associated with the resident;

using the speech inputs and speech outputs to provide a speech dialog with a user that is reflective of a care plan for the resident;

capturing non-spoken information as a background noise sample; and

using the captured information and the captured speech inputs for engaging the care plan.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the program code is configured to be executed by the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident by:

determining if the apparatus can connect to an available network;

if the apparatus can connect to an available network, connecting the apparatus to the available network and transmitting the captured information, captured speech input, and/or stored care plan over the available network; and

if the apparatus cannot connect to an available network, storing the captured information, storing the captured speech input, and/or updating the stored care plan.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the program code is configured to be executed by the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident by:

determining if the apparatus can connect to an available network;

if the apparatus can connect to an available network, connecting the apparatus to the available network and receiving updates via the available network.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the program code is configured to be executed by the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident by:

determining if the apparatus can connect to an available network;

if the apparatus can connect to an available network, connecting the apparatus to the available network and receiving updates to at least one care plan via the available network.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the program code is configured to be executed by the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident by:

determining if the apparatus can connect to an available network;

if the apparatus can connect to an available network, connecting the apparatus to the available network and receiving real-time updates via the available network.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the program code is configured to be executed by the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident by:

determining if the apparatus can connect to an available network;

if the apparatus can connect to an available network, connecting the apparatus to the available network and transmitting the captured information, captured speech input, and/or stored care plan over the available network in real-time.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the program code is configured to be executed by the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident by:

determining if the apparatus can connect to an available network;

if the apparatus can connect to an available network, connecting the apparatus to the available network and transmitting the captured information, captured speech input, and/or stored care plan over the available network in near real-time and/or in a delayed manner.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises a contactless communication interface configured to automatically read contactless communication tags; and

the program code is further configured to be executed by the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident at least in part by;

automatically reading a contactless communication tag associated with the resident; and

accessing the at least one care plan when the apparatus automatically reads the contactless communication tag associated with the resident.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is configured to automatically read the contactless communication tag associated with the resident as the user approaches the resident.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the indication comprising the speech output is received in near real-time as the user approaches the resident.

19. A mobile device, comprising:

a contactless communication interface configured to automatically read a contactless communication tag as a user of the mobile device approaches a resident;

a microphone for capturing speech inputs from a user;

a speaker for providing speech outputs to a user;

a network interface;

a processor;

a memory; and

program code resident in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident by;

storing at least one care plan in the memory for a resident, the care plan defining a plurality of tasks to be performed by a user to provide care to the resident;

retrieving an individualized care plan selected from among the at least one care plan in the memory, the individualized care plan identified at least in part by the mobile device automatically reading a contactless communication tag associated with the resident;

receiving an indication comprising a speech output from the speaker based at least in part on the individualized care plan, the indication comprising the resident'"'"'s name and/or at least one of the plurality of tasks to be performed by the user;

using the speech inputs and speech outputs to provide a speech dialog with a user that is reflective of a care plan for the resident;

capturing non-spoken information as a background noise sample;

using the captured information and the captured speech inputs for engaging the care plan;

determining if the mobile device can connect to an available network via the network interface; and

if the mobile device cannot connect to an available network, storing the captured information, storing the captured speech input, and/or updating the stored care plan.

20. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the program code is configured to be executed by the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident by:

if the mobile device can connect to an available network, connecting the mobile device to the available network and transmitting the captured information, captured speech input, and/or stored care plan over the available network.

21. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the program code is configured to be executed by the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident by:

if the mobile device can connect to an available network, connecting the mobile device to the available network and receiving updates via the available network.

22. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the program code is configured to be executed by the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident by:

if the mobile device can connect to an available network, connecting the mobile device to the available network and receiving updates to at least one care plan via the available network.

23. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the program code is configured to be executed by the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident by:

if the mobile device can connect to an available network, connecting the mobile device to the available network and receiving real-time updates via the available network.

24. The mobile device of claim 19, the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident by:

if the mobile device can connect to an available network, connecting the mobile device to the available network and transmitting the captured information, captured speech input, and/or stored care plan over the available network in real-time.

25. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the program code is configured to be executed by the processor to assist a user with providing care to a resident by:

if the mobile device can connect to an available network, connecting the mobile device to the available network and transmitting the captured information, captured speech input, and/or stored care plan over the available network in near real-time and/or in a delayed manner.