Cognitive and interactive sensor based smart home solution

• US 10,983,753 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2017
• Issued: 04/20/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Daley, Stan K., Lin, Zhong-Hui, Liu, Tao, Phillips, Dean, VanOoyen, Kent R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Jakieda R
• Application Number:
  US15/618,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20180358009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 704275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

Systems and methods for smart sensors are provided. A smart sensor includes: a case; a power adapter configured to be plugged directly into an electrical outlet; a computer processor; a microphone; a speaker; a camera; at least one sensor; a control switch; a sync button; a USB port; and a memory storing: an operating system; a voice control module; a peer interaction module; a remote interaction module; and a cognitive module. In embodiments, the power adapter includes prongs that extend from a back side of the case, and the microphone, the speaker, the camera, and the at least one sensor are on a front side of the case opposite the back side of the case.

Claims

1. A smart sensor, comprising:

a computer processor;

a microphone;

a speaker;

a camera;

at least one sensor; and

a memory storing;

an operating system;

a voice control module;

a peer interaction module;

a remote interaction module; and

a cognitive module,

wherein;

the voice control module is configured to;

resolve a voice command received by the microphone; and

use smart speech recognition to determine an identity of a registered user from plural registered users based on the voice command;

the resolving the voice command comprises determining an instruction;

the smart sensor is configured to access user data stored in a user device of the registered user based on the determining the identity of the registered user;

the smart sensor is configured to carry out the instruction based on the accessed user data;

the instruction includes an instruction for providing an audio response to the registered user;

the smart sensor is configured to detect a motion of the registered user towards an additional smart sensor using the at least one sensor;

the smart sensor is configured to stop performing a function of the carried out instruction based on the detection of motion of the registered user towards the additional smart sensor;

the remote interaction module communicates with a cognitive computing system which provides an answer to a question contained within the voice command in response to receiving the identity of the registered user and determining a subscription tier of the registered user based on the identity of the registered user; and

the cognitive module is configured to control, based upon the answer, at least one selected from a group consisting of;

volume of the audio response produced by the speaker;

speed of the audio response produced by the speaker; and

vocabulary of the audio response produced by the speaker.

2. The smart sensor of claim 1, wherein the carrying out the instruction comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

initiate a telephone call using a contact list on the user device;

play, by the speaker of the smart sensor, music stored on the user device; and

control a smart appliance.

3. The smart sensor of claim 1, wherein:

the cognitive module is configured to perform a cognitive analysis based on the voice command; and

the carrying out the instruction is performed based on the cognitive analysis.

4. The smart sensor of claim 1, wherein the peer interaction module is configured to communicate with at least one additional smart sensor via wireless communication in a mesh network.

5. The smart sensor of claim 1, wherein the remote interaction module is configured to communicate with the cognitive computing system via an external network.

6. The smart sensor of claim 5, wherein the external network is the Internet and the cognitive computing system is a cloud-based cognitive computing system.

7. The smart sensor of claim 5, wherein:

the voice control module is configured to identify the question in the voice command received at the microphone;

the remote interaction module is configured to transmit the question to the cognitive computing system via the external network;

the remote interaction module is configured to receive the answer to the question from the cognitive computing system by accessing the cognitive computing system based on the subscription tier of the registered user; and

the smart sensor is configured to output the answer in audible form via the speaker.

8. The smart sensor of claim 7, wherein the answer is determined using cognitive-based natural language question answering.

9. The smart sensor of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a passive infrared sensor;

a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor; and

an ultrasonic sensor.

10. The smart sensor of claim 1, wherein the smart sensor is configured to:

detect motion using the at least one sensor;

capture video data using the camera and based on the detecting motion; and

transmit the video data to a user device via the Internet.

11. The smart sensor according to claim 1, wherein the user data includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a contact list;

stored music;

credentials for a music streaming service;

user preferences; and

credentials question and answer system.

12. A smart system, comprising:

plural smart sensors connected in a wireless mesh network, wherein each of the smart sensors comprises;

a computer processor;

a microphone;

a speaker;

a camera;

at least one sensor; and

a memory storing;

an operating system;

a voice control module;

a peer interaction module;

a remote interaction module; and

a cognitive module,

wherein;

the power adapter comprises prongs that extend from a back side of the case and configured to plug directly into an electrical outlet to provide a power connection for the smart sensor devoid of a cord;

the microphone, the speaker, the camera, and the at least one sensor are on a front side of the case opposite the back side of the case;

the voice control module of a respective one of the smart sensors is configured to;

resolve a voice command to determine an instruction, wherein the voice command is received by the microphone of the respective one of the smart sensors; and

use smart speech recognition to determine an identity of a registered user from plural registered users based on the voice command;

the smart system is configured to;

access user data stored in a user device of the registered user based on the determining the identity of the registered user; and

carry out the instruction based on the accessed user data;

the instruction includes an instruction for providing an audio response to the registered user;

the remote interaction module accesses a cognitive computing system which provides an answer to a question contained within the voice command in response to receiving the identity of the registered user and determining a subscription tier of the registered user based on the identity of the registered user for the remote interaction module to access the cognitive computing system; and

the cognitive module is configured to control, based upon the answer, at least one selected from a group consisting of;

volume of the audio response produced by the speaker;

speed of the audio response produced by the speaker; and

vocabulary of the audio response produced by the speaker, wherein;

a first one of the smart sensors performs a function based on receiving a voice command from the registered user;

the first one of the smart sensors and a second one of the smart sensors detect that the registered user moves to a location that is closer to the second one of the smart sensors than to the first one of the smart sensors; and

based on the detecting, the first one of the smart sensors stops performing the function and the second one of the smart sensors starts performing the function.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the first one of the smart sensors is configured to perform a first function based on a first voice command received from a first user;

the second one of the smart sensors is configured to perform a second function based on a second voice command received from a second user, the second function being different than the first function and being performed simultaneously with the first function.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein:

a first one of the smart sensors plays requested music based on receiving a voice command from the registered user; and

the first one of the smart sensors and a second one of the smart sensors detect that the registered user moves to a location that is closer to the second one of the smart sensors than to the first one of the smart sensors.

15. The smart system according to claim 12, wherein the user data includes user credentials.