Hands-free, voice-operated remote control transmitter

• US 6,397,186 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ambush Interactive, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ambush Interactive, Inc.
• Inventors: Bush, William Stuart, Roura, Carlos Ferdinand
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Application Number:
  US09/469,707
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 704/200,275,272,231,233,251,252,255,250
• US Class Current: 704/274
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/31 Voice input
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/228 of application context

Abstract

A wireless, programmable, sound-activated and voice-operated remote control transmitter can be used to add hands-free speech control operation to a plurality of remotely controlled appliances manufactured by various manufacturers, each of which is normally controlled with one or more signals from an associated remote control transmitter. The system may be pre-programmed with a universal library of codes for controlling various appliance categories and appliances produced by various manufacturers within each category. The system may also be programmed using the controlled appliances'"'"' remote control transmitters and one or more operators'"'"' spoken commands. Once programming is complete, there is no need for the operator to manually operate the system, allowing true hands-free voice control of the remotely controlled products. Voice commands are organized into a plurality of linked recognition vocabulary sets, each representing a subset of the complete voice command vocabulary available. These subsets are structured in a fashion that is intuitive to the user because the structure is consistent with controlled appliance operation. As such, the system allows a user to easily navigate via voice commands between recognition sets to attain access to the intended voice commands.

Claims

1. An audio signal activated control system for controlling appliances comprising:

a microphone for receiving audio signals and converting said audio signals to electrical signals;

a speech recognition system for receiving said electrical signals, said speech recognition system including a processor and having a low power sound activation mode for detecting the presence of said electrical signals and a speech recognition mode for converting said electrical signals to electrical representative signals, decoding said electrical representative signals and generating control signals for controlling one or more appliances, wherein in said speech recognition mode said processor decodes said electrical representative signals and wherein in said sound activation mode said processor is in a low power state, said speech recognition system configured to automatically switch from said sound activation mode to said speech recognition mode as a function of the amplitude of said electrical signals; and

an appliance control circuit which includes a transmitter, said appliance control circuit configured to receive said control signals from said speech recognition system and generate and automatically transmit one or more appliance control signals to said one or more appliances.

2. The voice actuated audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit said one or more appliance control signals to said one or more appliances.

3. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 2, wherein said transmitter is an infrared transmitter.

4. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 2, wherein said transmitter is an RF transmitter.

5. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said speech recognition system further includes a user-adjustable sound activation sensitivity control configured to enable a user to adjust the signal amplitude threshold level that must be exceeded by said amplitude of said electrical signals for automatically switching from said sound activation mode to said speech recognition mode.

6. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said speech recognition system further includes a user-adjustable amplification circuit configured to enable the degree of amplification of said amplitude of said electrical signals to be varied.

7. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said low power state of said processor is a sleep state.

8. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 1, wherein in said speech recognition mode said processor operates at a higher operating frequency than in said low power state.

9. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said speech recognition system is further configured to automatically terminate said speech recognition mode and automatically switch to said low power sound activation mode.

10. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 9, wherein said speech recognition system is configured for automatically terminating said speech recognition mode after a predetermined period of time.

11. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 9, wherein said speech recognition system is configured for automatically terminating said speech recognition mode after a period of time that is based upon the results of said decoding of said electrical representative signals.

12. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 9, wherein said speech recognition system is configured for automatically terminating said speech recognition mode based upon the results of said decoding of said electrical representative signals.

13. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 12, wherein said results include one or more predetermined errors detected during said speech recognition mode.

14. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said control system further comprises a memory for storage of data associated with said appliance control signals.

15. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said control system further comprises a memory for storage of data associated with a plurality of said appliance control signals for controlling an appliance.

16. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said control system further comprises a memory for storage of data associated with a plurality of said appliance control signals for controlling a plurality of said appliances.

17. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said speech recognition system further includes a programming mode to enable a user to define a control signal to be associated with a defined audible command, wherein in said speech recognition mode said speech recognition system generates said defined control signal for controlling one or more appliances if said electrical signals represent said defined audible command.

18. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said speech recognition system further includes a programming mode to enable a user to define a plurality of control signals to be associated with a defined audible command, wherein in said speech recognition mode said speech recognition system generates said defined plurality of control signals for controlling said one or more appliances if said electrical signals represent said defined audible command.

19. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said speech recognition system wherein in said speech recognition mode is further configured for decoding said electrical representative signals to define an appliance type, said appliance type defining said appliance to which said appliance control signals are transmitted by said appliance control circuit.

20. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 19, wherein said speech recognition system wherein in said speech recognition mode is further configured for decoding said electrical representative signals to determine if said signals represent predetermined audible commands corresponding to control functions associated with said defined appliance type.

21. An audio signal activated control system for controlling one or more appliances, said control system comprising:

a microphone for receiving audio signals and converting said audio signals to electrical signals;

a speech recognition circuit including a processor and having a plurality of modes of operation including a speech recognition mode and a low power sound activation mode, wherein in said speech recognition mode said speech recognition circuit converts said electrical signals to electrical representative signals and said processor decodes said electrical representative signals and wherein in said sound activation mode said processor is placed in a low power state;

a sound activation circuit configured for determining if the amplitude of said electrical signals exceeds a predetermined threshold and causing said speech recognition circuit to switch automatically from said sound activation mode to another of said plurality of said modes of operation;

said speech recognition circuit configured for generating first control signals in said speech recognition mode if said electrical signals represent one or more predetermined audible commands, said speech recognition circuit configured for switching automatically from said speech recognition mode to another of said plurality of said modes of operation under predetermined conditions; and

an appliance control circuit configured for receiving said first control signals from said speech recognition circuit and generating second control signals to cause one or more appliances to perform one or more functions associated with said first control signals.

22. The control system as recited in claim 21, wherein said predetermined threshold of said sound activation circuit is user-adjustable.

23. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 21, wherein said appliance control circuit is configured to wirelessly transmit said second control signals to said one or more appliances.

24. The control system as recited in claim 23, wherein said second control signals are RF signals.

25. The control system as recited in claim 23, wherein said second control signals are infrared signals.

26. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 21, wherein said sound activation circuit is configured to cause said speech recognition circuit to switch automatically from said sound activation mode to another of said plurality of said modes of operation, wherein another of said plurality of said modes of operation is said speech recognition mode.

27. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 21, wherein said sound activation circuit further includes a user-adjustable amplification level control to enable the degree of amplification of said amplitude of said electrical signals to be varied for controlling the sensitivity of said sound activation circuit.

28. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 21, wherein said low power state of said processor is a sleep state.

29. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 21, wherein said speech recognition circuit is configured for switching automatically from said speech recognition mode to another of said plurality of said modes of operation under predetermined conditions, wherein another of said plurality of said modes of operation is said sound activation mode.

30. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 21, wherein said predetermined conditions include a predetermined period of time.

31. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 21, wherein said predetermined conditions include a period of time that tis based upon the results of determining if said electrical signals represent said predetermined audible commands.

32. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 21, wherein said predetermined conditions are based upon the results of determining if said electrical signals represent said predetermined audible commands.

33. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 32, wherein said results include one or more predetermined errors detected during said speech regognition mode.

34. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 21, wherein said control system further comprises a memory for storage of data associated with said second control signals.

35. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 21, wherein said control system further comprises a memory for storage of data associated with a plurality of said second control signals for controlling an appliance.

36. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 21, wherein said control system further comprises a memory for storage of data associated with a plurality of said second control signals for controlling a plurality of said appliances.

37. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 21, wherein one of said plurality of said modes of operation is a programming mode wherein said speech recognition circuit is configured to enable a user to define a first control signal to be associated with a defined audible command, wherein in said speech recognition mode said speech recognition circuit generates said defined first control signal if said electrical signals represent said predetermined audible command defined in said programming mode.

38. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 21, wherein one of said plurality of said modes of operation is a programming mode wherein said speech recognition circuit is configured to enable a user to define a plurality of first control signals to be associated with a defined audible command, wherein in said speech recognition mode said speech recognition circuit generates said plurality of first control signals if said electrical signals represent said predetermined audible command defined in said programming mode.

39. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 21, wherein said control system further comprises a signal circuit for enabling said electrical signals to be in communication with said speech recognition circuit in said speech recognition mode and for enabling said electrical signals to be in communication with said sound activation circuit in said sound activation mode.

40. The audio signal activated control system as recited in claim 39, wherein said signal circuit is further configured for detecting when said speech recognition circuit is in said speech recognition mode and disabling said communication between said electrical signals from said microphone and said sound activation circuit.

41. A method for providing hands-free control of appliances, comprising:

providing a speech recognition system having a speech recognition mode wherein a processor recognizes representations of audible signals as corresponding to predetermined audible commands;

configuring said speech recognition system to have a low power sound activation mode wherein said processor is in a low power state;

monitoring said audible signals to detect if the amplitude of said audible signals exceeds a predetermined threshold;

enabling said speech recognition system to switch automatically from said sound activation mode to said speech recognition mode if said amplitude exceeds said predetermined threshold;

generating and decoding representations of said audible signals in said speech recognition mode; and

generating and transmitting one or more appliance control signals for controlling one or more appliances if said decoded representations of said audio signals represent one or more said predetermined audible commands.

42. The method for providing hands-free control of appliances as recited in claim 41, further comprising the step of providing a user-adjustable sound activation sensitivity control to enable the level of said predetermined threshold to be varied.

43. The method for providing hands-free control of appliances as recited in claim 41, wherein said low power state of said processor is a sleep state.

44. The method for providing hands-free control of appliances as recited in claim 41, further comprising the step of terminating said speech recognition mode automatically and returning to said sound activation mode.

45. The method for providing hands-free control of appliances as recited in claim 41, further comprising the step of terminating said speech recognition mode automatically and returning to said sound activation mode after a predetermined period of time.

46. The method for providing hands-free control of appliances as recited in claim 41, further comprising the step of terminating said speech recognition mode automatically and returning to said sound activation mode after a period of time that is based upon the results of said decoding of said representations of said audible signals.

47. The method for providing hands-free control of appliances as recited in claim 41, further comprising the step of terminating said speech recognition mode automatically and returning to said sound activation mode based upon the results of said decoding of said representations of said audible signals.

48. The method for providing hands-free control of appliances as recited in claim 41, further comprising the step of terminating said speech recognition mode automatically and returning to said sound activation mode based upon the detection of one or more predetermined errors during said speech recognition mode.

49. The method for providing hands-free control of appliances as recited in claim 41, wherein said step of generating and transmitting one or more appliance control signals comprises wirelessly transmitting said one or more appliance control signals to one or more appliances.

50. The method for providing hands-free control of appliances as recited in claim 41, further comprising the step of providing a memory for storage of data associated with said appliance control signals.

51. The method for providing hands-free control of appliances as recited in claim 41, further comprising the step of providing a memory for storage of data associated with a plurality of said appliance control signals for controlling an appliance.

52. The method for providing hands-free control of appliances as recited in claim 41, further comprising the step of providing a memory for storage of data associated with a plurality of said appliance control signals for controlling a plurality of said appliances.

53. The method for providing hands-free control of appliances as recited in claim 41, further comprising the steps of:

providing a programming mode for defining an appliance control signal to be associated with a defined audible command;

generating and transmitting said defined appliance control signal for controlling one or more appliances if said representations of said audio signals decoded in said speech recognition mode represent said defined audible command.

54. The method for providing hands-free control of appliances as recited in claim 41, further comprising the steps of:

providing a programming mode for defining a plurality of appliance control signals to be associated with a defined audible command;

generating and transmitting said defined plurality of appliance control signals for controlling one or more appliances if said representations of said audio signals decoded in said speech recognition mode represent said defined audible command.

55. The method for providing hands-free control of appliances as recited in claim 41, further comprising the step of decoding said representations of said audible signals in said speech recognition mode to define an appliance type for defining said appliance to which