Voice-activated call pick-up for mobile device

• US 10,686,925 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2019
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Network LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dish Network LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: Trygubova, Svitlana
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US16/249,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20190199844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 4555692
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/00 Speech recognition G10L17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/78 Detection of presence or absence of voice signals switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72484 wherein functions are triggered by incoming communication events
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments are directed an application program configured to run on a user'"'"'s mobile device can allow voice-activated call pick-up to the user, without the user having to use his or her hands for picking up the call. For example, the application program can initially be trained to a user'"'"'s voice command. When an incoming call is received at the mobile device, the user can pick up the call by issuing a voice command. In some embodiments, the application program can determine whether to allow voice-activated pick-up of calls based on data collected from multiple sensors associated with the vehicle, the mobile device, or a remote source.

Claims

1. A method for automated sensor-based communication using a mobile device, the method comprising:

determining that the mobile device is located within a moving vehicle and an interaction with one or more physical inputs of the mobile device is absent;

automatically activating a microphone operatively coupled to the mobile device, in response to an incoming communication received at the mobile device;

receiving at least one voice command to connect the incoming communication;

connecting the incoming communication via the microphone;

receiving an indication that the mobile device disconnected the incoming communication;

determining that an interaction with the one or more physical inputs of the mobile device is present; and

disabling the microphone operatively coupled to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the mobile device is located within the moving vehicle includes:

receiving short-range wireless communication data connecting the vehicle with the mobile device or audible data within the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the short-range wireless communication data includes GPS coordinates received from the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the GPS coordinates received from the mobile device are based on an estimated location of the mobile device within the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the GPS coordinates received from the mobile device are based on processing one or more received wireless signals.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving communication data connecting the vehicle with the mobile device indicating a speed of the vehicle or communication data connecting the vehicle with the mobile device indicating that the engine of the vehicle is running.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the interaction with the one or more physical inputs of the mobile device is absent includes:

receiving short-range wireless communication data connecting the vehicle with the mobile device or self-sensing data collected by the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is electronically coupled to at least one of:

ignition circuitry of the vehicle, circuitry for operating windshield wipers of the vehicle, circuitry for operating traction control of the vehicle, circuitry for operating lights of the vehicle, circuitry for operating air conditioner of the vehicle, or circuitry for calculating a speed or an acceleration of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device includes at least one of:

a GPS receiver, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a barometer, or a compass.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a geographical location of the vehicle, a road type associated with the vehicle, or a weather associated with the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the command to connect the incoming communication is received from the user within a predetermined time interval, further comprising:

in an event of not receiving the command to connect the incoming communication within the predetermined time interval or not recognizing the command, the mobile device not connecting the incoming communication.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the mobile device not connecting the incoming communication comprises:

allowing the user to manually connect the incoming communication or diverting the incoming communication to voicemail.

13. An electronic mobile device for automated sensor-based communication comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions thereon which cause the one or more processors to;

determine that the mobile device is located within a moving vehicle and an interaction with one or more physical inputs of the mobile device is absent;

automatically activate a microphone operatively coupled to the mobile device, in response to an incoming communication received at the mobile device;

receive at least one voice command to connect the incoming telephonic communication;

connect the incoming communication via the microphone;

receive an indication that the mobile device disconnected the incoming communication;

determine that an interaction with the one or more physical inputs of the mobile device is present; and

disable the microphone operatively coupled to the mobile device.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the instructions to determine that the mobile device is located within the moving vehicle further comprise instructions to:

receive short-range wireless communication data connecting the vehicle with the mobile device or audible data within the vehicle.

15. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

receive communication data connecting the vehicle with the mobile device indicating a speed of the vehicle or communication data connecting the vehicle with the mobile device indicating that the engine of the vehicle is running.

16. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the instructions to determine the interaction with the one or more physical inputs of the mobile device is absent further comprise instructions to:

receive short-range wireless communication data connecting the vehicle with the mobile device or self-sensing data collected by the mobile device.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions configured to cause at least one computer processor to perform a method comprising:

determining that the mobile device is located within a moving vehicle and an interaction with one or more physical inputs of the mobile device is absent;

automatically activating a microphone operatively coupled to the mobile device, in response to an incoming communication received at the mobile device;

receiving at least one voice command to connect the incoming communication;

connecting the incoming communication via the microphone;

receiving an indication that the mobile device disconnected the incoming communication;

determining that an interaction with the one or more physical inputs of the mobile device is present; and

disabling the microphone operatively coupled to the mobile device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein determining that the mobile device is located within the moving vehicle includes:

receiving short-range wireless communication data connecting the vehicle with the mobile device or audible data within the vehicle.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving communication data connecting the vehicle with the mobile device indicating a speed of the vehicle or communication data connecting the vehicle with the mobile device indicating that the engine of the vehicle is running.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the second data from the second sensor comprises:

communication data connecting the vehicle with the mobile device indicating a speed of the vehicle or communication data connecting the vehicle with the mobile device indicating that the engine of the vehicle is running.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method for determining the interaction with the one or more physical inputs of the mobile device is absent includes:

receiving short-range wireless communication data connecting the vehicle with the mobile device or self-sensing data collected by the mobile device.