System and method for controlling devices that are connected to a network

• US 8,010,369 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Alfred, Joseph A., Sommer, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCFADDEN, SUSAN IRIS
• Application Number:
  US11/929,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20090112602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 704/275
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A system, method and computer-readable medium for controlling devices connected to a network. The method includes receiving an utterance from a user for remotely controlling a device in a network; converting the received utterance to text using an automatic speech recognition module; accessing a user profile in the network that governs access to a plurality of devices on the network and identifiers which control a conversion of the text to a device specific control language; identifying based on the text a device to be controlled; converting at least a portion of the text to the device control language; and transmitting the device control language to the identified device, wherein the identified device implements a function based on the transmitted device control language.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling devices connected to a network, the method comprising:

receiving an utterance from a user for remotely controlling a remote device in a network;

converting the utterance to text using a computer-implemented automatic speech recognition module;

accessing a user profile in the network that governs access to a plurality of devices on the network and identifiers which control a conversion of the text to a device specific control language;

identifying, based on the text, a device to be controlled;

converting at least a portion of the text to the device specific control language; and

transmitting the device specific control language to the identified device, wherein the identified device implements a function based on the transmitted device specific control language.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a response from the device to be controlled;

accessing the user profile wherein the identifiers convert at least a portion of the response from the device to be controlled to a conversational text; and

generating an automated response from the conversational text.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

creating at least one first user profile wherein the at least one first user profile creates at least one access parameter; and

creating at least one second user profile wherein the at least one second user profile must meet the at least one access parameter in order to gain access to the identifiers.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 further comprising:

receiving a request for access from a second user associated with the at least one second user profile;

converting the request for access to an evaluation text using the automatic speech recognition module; and

evaluating the evaluation text for meeting the at least one access parameter, wherein an evaluation result is generated containing one of an allowance and a denial of access to the device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein evaluating further comprises:

converting the evaluation text to an evaluation request text using the identifiers;

generating an evaluation request from the evaluation request text;

communicating the evaluation request to a first user associated with the at least one first user profile;

receiving an evaluation answer from the first user associated with the at least one first user profile;

categorizing the evaluation answer as one of an allowance and a denial; and

if the evaluation answer is an allowance, granting access to the identifiers, and if the evaluation answer is a denial, denying access to the identifiers.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the utterance is received in a natural language format.

7. A system for controlling devices connected to a network, the system comprising a plurality of modules embodied in one of non-transitory computer-readable and computer-executable storage media, including:

a first module configured to receive an utterance from a user for remotely controlling a remote device in a network;

a second module configured to convert the utterance to text using an automatic speech recognition module;

a third module configured to access a user profile in the network that governs access to a plurality of devices on the network and identifiers which control a conversion of the text to a device specific control language;

a fourth module configured to identify, based on the text, a device to be controlled;

a fifth module configured to convert at least a portion of the text to the device specific control language; and

a sixth module configured to transmit the device specific control language to the identified device, wherein the identified device implements a function based on the transmitted device specific control language.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a seventh module configured to receive a response from the device to be controlled;

an eighth module configured to access the user profile wherein the identifiers convert at least a portion of the response from the device to be controlled to a conversational text; and

a ninth module configured to generate an automated response from the conversational text.

9. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a seventh module configured to create at least one first user profile wherein the at least one first user profile creates at least one access parameter; and

an eighth module configured to create at least one second user profile wherein the at least one second user profile must meet the at least one access parameter in order to gain access to the identifiers.

10. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a seventh module configured to receive an audio communication from a second user associated with the at least one second user profile;

an eighth module configured to convert the audio communication to an evaluation text using the automatic speech recognition module;

a ninth module configured to evaluate the evaluation text for meeting the at least one access parameter, wherein an evaluation result is generated containing at least one of an allowance and denial of access to the device;

a tenth module configured to convert the evaluation result from the specified device to an access text using the identifier; and

an eleventh module configured to generate an access response from the access text.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a twelfth module configured to convert the evaluation text to an evaluation request text using the identifiers;

a thirteenth module configured to generate an evaluation request from the evaluation request text;

a fourteenth module configured to communicate the evaluation request to the at least one first user profile;

a fifteenth module configured to receive an evaluation answer from the at least one first user profile; and

a sixteenth module configured to generate at least one of an allowance and denial of access to the specified device based on the evaluation answer.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the utterance is received in a natural language format.

13. A computer-implemented method for controlling devices connected to a network, the method comprising:

receiving an utterance from a user for remotely controlling a remote device in a network wherein the utterance is in a natural language format;

converting the received utterance to text using a computer-implemented automatic speech recognition module;

accessing a user profile in the network that governs access to a plurality of devices on the network;

identifying based on the text a device to be controlled;

converting at least a portion of the text to the device control language; and

transmitting the device control language to the identified device, wherein the identified device implements a function based on the transmitted device control language.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving a response from the device to be controlled;

accessing the user profile wherein the identifiers convert at least a portion of the response from the device to be controlled to a conversational text; and

generating an automated response from the conversational text.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 further comprising:

creating at least one first user profile wherein the at least one first user profile creates at least one access parameter; and

creating at least one second user profile wherein the at least one second user profile must meet the at least one access parameter in order to gain access to the identifiers.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving an audio communication from a second user associated with the at least one second user profile;

converting the audio communication to an evaluation text using the automatic speech recognition module;

evaluating the evaluation text for meeting the at least one access parameter, wherein an evaluation result is generated containing at least one of an allowance and denial of access to the device;

converting the evaluation result from the specified device to an access text using the identifier; and

generating an access response from the access text.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein evaluating further comprises:

converting the evaluation text to a first text using the identifiers;

generating an evaluation request from the first text;

communicating the evaluation request to the at least one first user profile;

receiving an evaluation answer from the at least one first user profile; and

generating at least one of an allowance and denial of access to the specified device based on the evaluation answer.