Voice recognition interface apparatus and method for interacting with a programmable timekeeping device

• US 5,794,205 A
• Filed: 10/19/1995
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spectrum Brands, Inc. (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Voice It Worldwide, Inc. (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: Agarwal, Anil K., Walters, Timothy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDOUARD, PATRICK NESTOR
• Application Number:
  US08/545,538
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 368/63, 704/270, 704/272-276, 704/246
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/06 using voice

Abstract

A voice recognition interface apparatus and method for interacting with a programmable timekeeping device is disclosed. The voice recognition interface includes a display for displaying time, alarm, calendar, and other information, and also includes a microphone and a speaker for facilitating verbal communication between a user and the programmable timekeeping device. A number of illuminatable annunciators are provided on the display for visually communicating prompts to the user. Programming, querying, and other interactive operations are facilitated through use of the voice recognition interface generally by producing a visual prompt to invoke a particular verbal input from the user, receiving the verbal input by use of the microphone, validating the verbal input against a pre-established recognition word library, verbally confirming the verbal input by broadcasting over a speaker pre-synthesized words and phrases retrieved from a message word library, and displaying or otherwise broadcasting information associated with the particular programming, querying, or other interactive operation. The voice recognition interface includes a logic controller that controls and cooperates with a memory, a voice recognition device, a display, and a clock circuit to provide an intuitive voice-driven programming and querying interface for interacting with a programmable timekeeping device. Manually actuatable control switches are also provided for enhancing programming and querying operations. Advanced features include a personal message recording and playback capability, multiple programmable alarms for activating personalized alarm messages, and user-modifiable verbal prompts for personalizing the voice recognition interface dialogue.

Claims

1. A voice recognition interface for a programmable timekeeping device including a display, a microphone, and a speaker, comprising:

prompting means for producing a prompt to invoke a verbal input from a user;

a memory for storing a plurality of message word sets and a plurality of recognition word sets;

a voice recognition device coupled to the microphone and the speaker; and

a controller, comprising;

means for controlling the prompting means to produce the prompt;

means for transferring a recognition word set associated with the prompt between the memory and the voice recognition device;

means for coordinating displaying of a parameter corresponding to the verbal input on the display in response to the voice recognition device successfully comparing the verbal input with the recognition word set; and

means for transferring to the voice recognition device for broadcasting over the speaker a message word set associated with the prompt in response to the voice recognition device unsuccessfully comparing the verbal input with the recognition word set.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises means for effecting concatenation of the message word set associated with the prompt with a synthesized word set corresponding to at least a portion of the verbal input received by the microphone.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the prompting means comprises means for producing either one of an audio prompt for broadcasting over the speaker and a visual prompt displayable on the display.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising mode selection means for selecting either one of a programming mode and a querying mode, the programming mode associated with a plurality of verbal interfacing steps for displaying on the display a parameter representative of the verbal input received from the user, and the querying mode associated with a plurality of verbal interfacing steps for retrieving from the memory previously stored information for broadcasting over the speaker.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of recognition and message word sets comprises discrete validation words associated with a corresponding prompt produced by the prompting means.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises:

means for controlling the prompting means to produce either one of a time prompt and an alarm prompt; and

means for transferring between the memory and the voice recognition device a time recognition word set and an alarm recognition word set in response to the time prompt and the alarm prompt, respectively.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller comprises:

means for controlling the prompting means to produce a date prompt; and

means for transferring between the memory and the voice recognition device a date recognition word set in response to the date prompt.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for recording and playing back a plurality of personal messages.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the message recording and playback means comprises:

means for recording the messages delineated by discrete message categories; and

means for playing back the messages associated with a user-selected message category.

10. A voice recognition interface for a programmable timekeeping device, comprising:

prompting means for producing a prompt to invoke a verbal input from a user;

a microphone for receiving the verbal input from the user;

a display for displaying time parameters;

a speaker;

a memory for storing a recognition word library;

a voice recognition device; and

a controller, coupled to the memory, for controlling the voice recognition device to compare the verbal input with the recognition word library, and for coordinating the display of a time parameter representative of the verbal input on the display in response to a successful comparison of the verbal input with the recognition word library.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a message word library stored in the memory, wherein the controller coordinates broadcasting of a message from the message word library over the speaker in response to an unsuccessful comparison of the verbal input with the recognition word library.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the recognition word library comprises a plurality of recognition word sets; and

the controller controls the voice recognition device to compare the verbal input with a recognition word set associated with the prompt.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the programmable timekeeping device is contained in a hingedly closable housing.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a time switch and an alarm switch for manually initiating time and alarm functions of the programmable timekeeping device, respectively.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the prompting means comprises a plurality of annunciators disposed on the display for visually prompting the user for the verbal input.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising means for recording and playing back a plurality of personal messages.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the message recording and playback means comprises:

means for recording the messages delineated by discrete message categories; and

means for playing back the messages associated with a user-selected message category.

18. A method for verbally interfacing with a programmable timekeeping device having a display, the verbal interfacing method comprising the steps of:

annunciating a user prompt;

receiving a verbal input from a user associated with the user prompt;

comparing the verbal input with a recognition word set associated with the user prompt;

illuminating on the display a character representative of the verbal input in response to a successful comparison of the verbal input to the recognition word set; and

broadcasting a message word set associated with the user prompt in response to an unsuccessful comparison of the verbal input to the recognition word set.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the broadcasting step includes the further step of effecting concatenation of the message word set with a synthesized word set corresponding to at least a portion of the verbal input received from the user.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the annunciating step includes the further step of illuminating a visual annunciator on the display as the user prompt.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the annunciating step includes the further step of flashing on the display the character associated with the user prompt; and

the illuminating step includes the further step of illuminating at a constant illumination state on the display the character representative of the verbal input in response to a successful comparison of the verbal input to the recognition word set.

22. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the broadcasting step includes the further step of broadcasting a message word set associated with a status condition of the programmable timekeeping device.