METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENABLING A DEVICE FUNCTION OF A VEHICLE

• US 20080215336A1
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Oesterling, Christopher L., Stefan, Jeffrey M., Mazzara, William E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,751,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

The current invention provides a method and system for enabling a device function of a vehicle. A speech input stream is received at a telematics unit. A speech input context is determined for the received speech input stream. The received speech input stream is processed based on the determination and the device function of the vehicle is enabled responsive to the processed speech input stream. A vehicle device in control of the enabled device function of the vehicle is directed based on the processed speech input stream. A computer usable medium with suitable computer program code is employed for enabling a device function of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining information from speech at a vehicle, comprising:

(a) receiving a first speech input at a vehicle telematics unit;

(b) determining a context of the first speech input by comparing the first speech input to a predefined context verbiage;

(c) identifying a vehicle device associated with the context;

(d) receiving a second speech input at the vehicle telematics unit;

(e) obtaining data from the second speech input by performing speech recognition on the second speech input; and

(f) sending the obtained data to a vehicle device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined context verbiage of step (b) is contained in a context recognizer that receives the speech input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) is initiated by detecting at least one predefined keyword uttered by a vehicle occupant.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising carrying out a vehicle function related to the obtained data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) further comprises converting the data into a form usable by the vehicle device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the received speech input at the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises selecting a domain specific actuator associated with the vehicle device and step (e) further comprises recognizing the data from the second speech input using the selected domain specific actuator.

8. A method of obtaining information from speech at a vehicle, comprising:

(a) receiving speech from a vehicle occupant at a vehicle;

(b) identifying one or more words in the received speech;

(c) comparing the identified word(s) with a list of words that are associated with a request for information; and

(d) if a match is found between the identified word(s) and the list of words, then carrying out the following steps;

(i) monitoring speech received via the telematics unit;

(ii) identifying the requested information in the speech received via the telematics unit; and

(iii) storing at least part of the received speech.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein step (d) further comprises activating a vehicle device based on the match.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the activating step further comprises enabling a vehicle function related to the requested information.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein at least part of the requested information in step (d) is an address or a telephone number.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein step (iii) is converts data into a form usable by the vehicle device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the identified words include one or more words, numbers, or phrases.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein step (d) further comprises storing at least part of the content of the requested information at the vehicle.

15. A system of obtaining information from speech at a vehicle, comprising:

(a) receiving a spoken request for directory assistance at a telematics unit at a vehicle;

(b) identifying a vehicle function associated with the requested directory assistance;

(c) wirelessly transmitting the request from the vehicle;

(d) receiving a response to the request for directory assistance;

(e) performing speech recognition on the response;

(f) automatically selecting from the recognized speech at least a part of the directory assistance that is usable by a vehicle device to carry out the vehicle function;

(g) putting the selected directory assistance into a form usable by the vehicle device to carry out the vehicle function; and

(h) carrying out the vehicle function using the vehicle device and selected directory assistance.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the obtained directory assistance is an address or telephone number.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein step (b) further comprises detecting a predefined keyword uttered by a vehicle occupant.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein step (f) further comprises converting the data into a form usable by the vehicle device.