Method for controlling speech-recognition text-generation system and method for controlling mobile terminal

• US 10,515,633 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2017
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Funase, Kazuki, Sakaguchi, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Riley, Marcus T
• Application Number:
  US15/725,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20180040320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/088 Word spotting
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/221 Announcement of recognition results
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00

Abstract

A method is provided for controlling a device used in a speech-recognition system, in which the device captures speech. The method includes determining a presence or an absence of an object in proximity to the device. The method also includes controlling capturing speech or not capturing speech in accordance with the determination. In the method, the capturing of speech is performed using a microphone of the device.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a device used in a speech-recognition system, in which the device captures speech, the method comprising:

placing the device on a flat surface;

detecting whether the device is in a substantially horizontal position while the device is laying on the flat surface;

determining a presence or an absence of an object in proximity to the device while the device is laying on the flat surface in the substantially horizontal position; and

controlling capturing speech or not capturing speech in accordance with the determination,

wherein the capturing is performed using a microphone of the device,

wherein the device includes a light-emitting part emitting light; and

wherein when the controlling is changed from starting capturing to stopping capturing, or from stopping capturing to starting capturing, the light-emitting part emits visible light and changes color or luminosity of the emitting.

2. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the capturing is stopped when it is determined that an object is in proximity to the device, and

wherein the capturing is started when it is determined that no object is in proximity to the device.

3. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the capturing is started when it is determined that an object is in proximity to the device, and

wherein the capturing is stopped when it is determined that no object is in proximity to the device.

4. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the device includes a display displaying a speech recognition result, and

wherein the light-emitting part is the display.

5. The method according to claim 3,

wherein the device includes a display displaying a speech recognition result, and

wherein the light-emitting part is the display.

6. A method for controlling a device used in a speech-recognition system, in which the device captures speech, the method comprising:

placing the device on a flat surface;

detecting whether the device is in a substantially horizontal position while the device is laying on the flat surface;

determining a presence or an absence of an object in proximity to the device while the device is laying on the flat surface in the substantially horizontal position; and

controlling transmitting captured speech to an external device for recognizing the captured speech or not transmitting captured speech to an external device in accordance with the detecting and the determining,

wherein the captured speech is not transmitted to the external device while the object is determined to be in proximity to the device,

wherein the capturing is performed using a microphone of the device, and

wherein recognizing the captured speech is performed using a processor of the external device.

7. A method for controlling a device used in a speech-recognition system, in which the device captures speech, the method comprising:

placing the device on a flat surface;

detecting whether the device is in a substantially horizontal position while the device is laying on the flat surface;

determining a presence or an absence of an object in proximity to the device while the device is laying on the flat surface in the substantially horizontal position;

capturing speech using a microphone of the device,

wherein the captured speech is not transmitted to the external device while the object is determined to be in proximity to the device; and

controlling recognizing the captured speech or not in accordance with the detecting and the determining.

8. A method for controlling a device used in a speech-recognition system, in which the device captures speech, the method comprising,

placing the device on a flat surface;

detecting whether the device is in a substantially horizontal position while the device is laying on the flat surface;

determining a presence or an absence of a user'"'"'s hand in proximity to the device while the device is laying on the flat surface in the substantially horizontal position; and

controlling capturing speech or not in accordance with the detecting and the determining,

wherein the capturing speech is stopped upon a determination that the user'"'"'s hand is in proximity to the device, and

wherein the capturing is performed using a microphone of the device.