Device Leadership Negotiation Among Voice Interface Devices

• US 20170025124A1
• Filed: 10/03/2016
• Published: 01/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Mixter, Kenneth, Melendo Casado, Diego, Gruenstein, Alexander Houston, Tai, Terry, Sharifi, Matthew Nirvan, Hughes, Christopher Thaddeus
• Granted Patent: US 9,812,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/32 Multiple recognisers used in sequence or in parallel; Score combination systems therefor, e.g. voting systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/088 Word spotting
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/60 for measuring the quality of voice signals

Abstract

A method at a first electronic device of multiple electronic devices, each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices including one or more microphones and a speaker, includes detecting a voice input; determining a quality score for the detected voice input; communicating the quality score to the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices; receiving quality scores generated by the other devices for detection of the voice input by the other devices; if the quality score generated by the first electronic device is the highest amongst the quality scores, outputting an audible and/or visual response to the detected voice input, where the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices forgo outputting an audible response to the detected voice input; and if the quality score generated by the first electronic device is not the highest amongst the quality scores, forgoing outputting a response to the detected voice input.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a first electronic device of a plurality of electronic devices, each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices comprising one or more microphones, a speaker, one or more processors, and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

detecting a voice input;

determining a quality score for the detected voice input;

communicating the quality score to the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices;

receiving quality scores generated by the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices for detection of the voice input by the other devices;

in accordance with a determination that the quality score generated by the first electronic device is the highest amongst the generated quality score and received quality scores for the voice input, outputting an audible and/or a visual response to the detected voice input, wherein the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices forgo outputting an audible response to the detected voice input; and

in accordance with a determination that the quality score generated by the first electronic device is not the highest amongst the quality scores for the voice input generated by the plurality of electronic devices, forgoing outputting a response to the detected voice input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronic devices is communicatively coupled through a local network;

and

the communicating and receiving are performed through the local network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the quality score comprises a confidence level of detection of the voice input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the quality score comprises a signal-to-noise rating of detection of the voice input.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recognizing a command in the voice input; and

in accordance with a determination that a type of the command is related to the first electronic device, outputting an audible and/or a visual response to the detected voice input.

6. A first electronic device of a plurality of electronic devices, each of the plurality of electronic devices comprising:

one or more microphones;

a speaker;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for;

detecting a voice input;

determining a quality score for the detected voice input;

communicating the quality score to the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices;

receiving quality scores generated by the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices for detection of the voice input by the other devices;

in accordance with a determination that the quality score generated by the first electronic device is the highest amongst the generated quality score and received quality scores for the voice input, outputting an audible and/or a visual response to the detected voice input, wherein the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices forgo outputting an audible response to the detected voice input; and

in accordance with a determination that the quality score generated by the first electronic device is not the highest amongst the quality scores for the voice input generated by the plurality of electronic devices, forgoing outputting a response to the detected voice input.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of electronic devices is communicatively coupled through a local network;

and

the communicating and receiving are performed through the local network.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the quality score comprises a confidence level of detection of the voice input.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the quality score comprises a signal-to-noise rating of detection of the voice input.

10. The device of claim 6, further comprising instructions for:

recognizing a command in the voice input; and

in accordance with a determination that a type of the command is related to the first electronic device, outputting an audible and/or a visual response to the detected voice input.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which, when executed by a first electronic device of a plurality of electronic devices, each of the plurality of electronic devices comprising one or more microphones, a speaker, and one or more processors, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:

detecting a voice input;

determining a quality score for the detected voice input;

communicating the quality score to the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices;

receiving quality scores generated by the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices for detection of the voice input by the other devices;

in accordance with a determination that the quality score generated by the first electronic device is the highest amongst the generated quality score and received quality scores for the voice input, outputting an audible and/or a visual response to the detected voice input, wherein the other devices of the plurality of electronic devices forgo outputting an audible response to the detected voice input; and

in accordance with a determination that the quality score generated by the first electronic device is not the highest amongst the quality scores for the voice input generated by the plurality of electronic devices, forgoing outputting a response to the detected voice input.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the plurality of electronic devices is communicatively coupled through a local network;

and

the communicating and receiving are performed through the local network.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the quality score comprises a confidence level of detection of the voice input.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the quality score comprises a signal-to-noise rating of detection of the voice input.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:

recognizing a command in the voice input; and

in accordance with a determination that a type of the command is related to the first electronic device, outputting an audible and/or a visual response to the detected voice input.