Interactive audio control system

• US 5,255,326 A
• Filed: 05/18/1992
• Issued: 10/19/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alden Stevenson
• Original Assignee: Alden Stevenson
• Inventors: Stevenson, Alden
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, Forester W.
• Application Number:
  US07/884,012
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 340/555, 381/59, 381/103, 381/25, 381/1, 381/110, 381/28
• US Class Current: 381/110
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 1/02 Remote control of amplification, tone or bandwidth combined with remote tuning or selection of resonant circuits H03J
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/007 in which the audio signals are in digital form data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/00 Systems employing more than two channels, e.g. quadraphonic H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/303 Tracking of listener position or orientation

Abstract

An interactive audio system employs a sound signal processor coupled with a microprocessor as an interactive audio control system. A pair of tranceivers, operated as stereophonic loudspeakers and also as receiving microphones, are coupled with the signal processor for receiving voice commands from a principal user. The voice commands are processed to operate a variety of different devices, such as television, tape, radio or CD player for supplying signals to the processor, from which signals then are supplied to the loudspeakers of the transceivers to produce the desired sound. Additional infrared sensors may be utilized to constantly triangulate the position of the principal listener to supply signals back through the transceiver system to the processor for constantly adjusting the balance of the sound to maintain the "sweet spot" of the sound focused on the principal listener. Additional devices also may be controlled by the signal processor in response to voice commands which are matched with stored commands to produce an output from the signal processor to operate these other devices in accordance with the spoken voice commands. The system is capable of responding to voice commands simultaneously with the reproduction of stereophonic sound from any one of the sources of sound which are operated by the system.

Claims

1. An interactive audio control system including in combination:

a signal processor means for supplying and receiving signals to be processed and including voice signature recognition means therein;

at least first and second transceiver means coupled with said processor means for reproducing sound signals received from said signal processor means and for supplying control signals to said signal processor means in response to spoken voice commands for controlling the sound reproduced by said first and second transceiver means in accordance with processed voice commands; and

means coupled with said first and second transceiver means for producing control signals supplied to said signal processor means for automatically changing the balance of sound signals reproduced by said first and second transceiver means in response to a predetermined external parameter.

2. The combination according to claim 1 further including a plurality of different sound sources selectively coupled with said signal processor means for supplying signals to said first and second transceiver means.

3. The combination according to claim 2 further including means for selectively coupling said sound sources with said signal processor means.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said means for producing control signals comprises first and second infrared sensors located, respectively, with said first and second transceiver means, each responding to the position of a person located within a predetermined distance from each of said first and second transceiver means for producing said control signals supplied to said signal processor means.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said first and second transceiver means each operate both as a loudspeaker and as a microphone.

6. The combination according to claim 5 further including a plurality of electrically activated devices coupled with said signal processor means for activation thereby in response to different predetermined voice signatures picked up by the microphone of at least one of said first and second transceiver means.

7. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said means for producing control signals comprises first and second infrared sensors located, respectively, with said first and second transceiver means, each responding to the position of a person located within a predetermined distance from each of said first and second transceiver means for producing said control signals supplied to said signal processor means.

8. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said signal processor means includes a voice signature recognition means for responding to different voice speech patterns for comparison with stored patterns to produce different control signals, and further including a plurality of utilization devices responsive to different ones of said control signals for operation thereby.

9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein said signal processor means includes an ROM memory storing a predetermined number of specific voice speech patterns, with voice patterns received by said signal processor means from said transceiver means being compared with said stored voice speech patterns to provide predetermined outputs in response to valid comparisons for producing said different control signals.

10. The combination according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of different audio input devices are coupled with said signal processor means to supply signals thereto for reproduction by said first and second transceiver means.

11. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said first and second transceiver means each operate both as a loudspeaker and as a microphone.

12. The combination according to claim 1 further including a plurality of electrically activated devices coupled with said signal processor means for activation thereby in response to different predetermined voice signatures picked up by the microphone of at least one of said first and second transceiver means.

13. An interactive audio control system including in combination:

a signal processor means for supplying and receiving signals to be processed and including voice signature recognition means therein;

transceiver means coupled with said signal processor means for reproducing sound signals received from said signal processor means and for supplying control signals to said signal processor means in response to spoken voice commands for controlling the sound reproduced by said transceiver means in accordance with processed voice commands;

a device coupled with said signal processor means for operation thereby; and

means coupled with said transceiver means for producing control signals supplied to said signal processor means for operating said device in response to a predetermined external parameter.

14. The combination according to claim 13 wherein said transceiver means operates both as a loudspeaker and as a microphone.

15. An interactive audio control system including in combination:

signal processor means for supplying and receiving signals to be processed and including voice signature recognition means therein;

transceiver means operable both as a microphone and a loudspeaker, coupled with said signal processor means for reproducing sound signals received from said signal processor means and for supplying control signals to said signal processor means in response to different predetermined voice signatures picked up by the microphone of said transceiver means; and

a plurality of electrically activated devices coupled with said signal processor means for activation thereby in response to said different predetermined voice signatures picked up by the microphone of said transceiver means.