Method and apparatus for controlling lock/unlock state of terminal through voice recognition

• US 9,852,278 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2015
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ahn, Yumi, Kim, Seonhwa, Kim, Heewoon, Jeon, Hayoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Baker, Charlotte M
• Application Number:
  US14/832,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20150363587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 704275, 704E21001, 704246, 348143
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4418 Suspend and resume; Hibernate and awake
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/00 Speech recognition G10L17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/00 Speech or voice signal processing techniques to produce another audible or non-audible signal, e.g. visual or tactile, in order to modify its quality or its intelligibility G10L19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724634 With partially locked states, e.g. when some telephonic functional locked states or applications remain accessible in the locked states
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/66 user interface aspects for indicating selection options for a communication line
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for controlling a terminal through a voice input is provided. The method includes receiving a voice input when the terminal is in a state in which the terminal is locked and performing an operation corresponding to the voice input if the voice input corresponds to a preset command.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a display;

a sound input unit configured to receive one or more sound inputs; and

at least one processor coupled to the sound input unit and the display, wherein the at least one processor is configured to;

obtain a sound input by using the sound input unit while the electronic device is in a locked state,

determine that the sound input corresponds to a specified command, and

perform a specified function corresponding to the specified command while the electronic device is in the locked state based at least in part on the determining that the sound input corresponds to the specified command,

wherein the locked state is maintained after performing the specified function.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transition the electronic device from the locked state to an unlocked state based at least in part on the determining that the sound input corresponds to the specified command.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the specified function comprises at least one of a voice recognition application, a schedule application, a media application, a camera application, or a message application.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

perform a first specified function as at least part of the specified function if the specified command corresponds to a first specified command, and

perform a second specified function as at least part of the specified function if the specified command corresponds to a second specified command.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform, as at least part of the specified function, a login with respect to a specified user account, or a connection with a network corresponding to a specified subscriber identification module.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to display a user interface (UI) corresponding to the specified function via a display electrically coupled with the at least one processor.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to compare, as at least part of the determining that the sound input corresponds to a specified command, the sound input with a sound characteristic of a user stored in the memory.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a display;

a sound input unit; and

at least one processor coupled to the sound input unit and the display, wherein the at least one processor is configured to;

obtain a sound input by using the sound input unit while the display is deactivated,

determine that the sound input corresponds to a specified command, and

activate the display and provide, on the activated display, information related to an application corresponding to the specified command based on the determining that the sound input corresponds to the specified command.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to obtain the sound input while the display is deactivated and the electronic device is in the locked state.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the application comprises one of a voice recognition application, a schedule application, a media application, a camera application, or a message application.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

execute a first application if the specified command corresponds to a first specified command, and

execute a second application if the specified command corresponds to a second specified command.

18. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to activate the display and provide, on the activated display, the information related to an application corresponding to the specified command while the electronic device is in a locked state.

19. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the information related to the application is provided while the electronic device is in the locked state.

12. A method comprising:

obtaining, at an electronic device including a sound input device and at least one processor coupled to the sound input device, a sound input by using the sound input device while the electronic device is in a locked state;

determining, using the at least one processor, that the sound input corresponds to a specified command; and

activating a display of the electronic device and providing, on the activated display, information related to an application corresponding to the specified command based on the determining that the sound input corresponds to the specified command.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the obtaining of the sound input using the sound input device while the electronic device is in the locked state is executed while the display coupled with the at least one processor is deactivated.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the application comprises one of a voice recognition application, a schedule application, a media application, a camera application, or a message application.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the activating of the display of the electronic device and providing, on the activated display, the information relating to the application corresponding to the specified command comprises:

executing a first application if the specified command corresponds to a first specified command; and

executing a second application if the specified command corresponds to a second specified command.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the activating of the display of the electronic device and providing, on the activated display, the information relating to the application corresponding to the specified command comprises:

executing a first login with respect to a first user account if the sound input corresponds to a first sound characteristic of a first user; and

executing a second login with respect to a second user account if the sound input corresponds to a second sound characteristic of a second user.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the activating of the display of the electronic device and providing, on the activated display, the information relating to the application corresponding to the specified command comprises:

connecting the electronic device with a first network corresponding to a first specified subscriber identification module if the sound input corresponds to a first specified command; and

connecting the electronic device with a second network corresponding to a second specified subscriber identification module if the sound input corresponds to a second specified command.