# US 10,504,511 B2 · Customizable wake-up voice commands

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- Number: US 10,504,511 B2
- Document ID: US10504511B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/658,357
- Filed: 2017-07-24
- Published: 2019-01-24
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-24
- Assignees: Midea Group Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Midea Group Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Dongyan Wang; Haisong Gu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10504511B2

## CPC

- G10L 15/22: Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
- G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback}
- G10L 15/02: Feature extraction for speech recognition; Selection of recognition unit
- G10L 15/06: Creation of reference templates; Training of speech recognition systems, e.g. adaptation to the characteristics of the speaker's voice (G10L15/14 takes precedence)
- G10L 15/1815: {Semantic context, e.g. disambiguation of the recognition hypotheses based on word meaning}
- G10L 25/18: the extracted parameters being spectral information of each sub-band
- G10L 17/00: Speaker identification or verification techniques
- G10L 2015/088: {Word spotting}
- G10L 2015/223: {Execution procedure of a spoken command}
- G10L 2015/227: {of the speaker; Human-factor methodology}
- G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A voice command module is used to execute voice commands in a residential environment that contains a plurality of home devices. The voice command module includes a speech recognition module and command logic. The speech recognition module receives utterances from users and converts the utterances to commands from a vocabulary of predetermined commands, which includes a customization command to define a new wake-up utterance as corresponding to a wake-up command. The command logic executes the commands. When the customization command is received, the command logic changes the voice command module so that it now executes the wake-up command upon detection of the new wake-up utterance.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic device, comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory including instructions, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving utterances from users and converting the utterances to commands from a vocabulary of predetermined commands, the vocabulary including a customization command to define a new wake-up utterance corresponding to a wake-up command;
receiving a first utterance from a first user;
in response to receiving the first utterance from the first user, and in accordance with a determination that the first utterance corresponds to the customization command to define a new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command, providing a first response to the first user;
after providing the first response to the user, capturing a second utterance from the first user; and
in response to receiving the second utterance from the first user:
determining a likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command, based at least in part on a frequency of use of the second utterance in a first selected corpus;
in accordance with a determination that the likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command is below a threshold, setting the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command; and
in accordance with a determination that the likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command is above the threshold, generating an alert to the first user.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a hub for a home device network that executes commands for one or more home devices on the home device network, and the wake-up command wakes up the hub.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is capable of converting different wake-up utterances from different users to the same wake-up command, wherein the different wake-up utterances for the different users include a first wake-up utterance defined by the first user and a second wake-up utterance defined by a second user distinct from the first user, and the first wake-up utterance and the second wake-up utterance corresponds to completely distinct text.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the wake-up command wakes up a group of home devices corresponding to a first location-based zone, the group of home devices including a first device that is initially waken up by the wake-up command, and including one or more second home devices that are also in the first location-based zone and that receive the wake-up command from the first device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the operations further include:
detecting a user input adding a new home device to the group of home devices corresponding to the first location-based zone; and
after detecting the user input adding the new home device to the group of home devices corresponding to the first location-based zone, automatically extending the wake-up command to to wake up the new home device added to the group of home devices in accordance with a determination that one of the group of home devices corresponding to the first location-based zone has received the new wake-up utterance.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operations further include:
transmitting voice input recorded within an input buffer to a wake-up detection module;
detecting the new wake-up utterance in the voice input; and
transmitting a segment of the voice input in the input buffer that was recorded before the new wake-up utterance to a server for user intent determination.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein determining the likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command is further based on whether the second utterance is currently used as one of the predetermined commands of the vocabulary.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein determining the likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command is further based on a degree of phonetic similarity with other utterances.

### Claim 9

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, including instructions, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving utterances from users and converting the utterances to commands from a vocabulary of predetermined commands, the vocabulary including a customization command to define a new wake-up utterance corresponding to a wake-up command;
receiving a first utterance from a first user;
in response to receiving the first utterance from the first user, and in accordance with a determination that the first utterance corresponds to the customization command to define a new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command, providing a first response to the first user;
after providing the first response to the user, capturing a second utterance from the first user; and
in response to receiving the second utterance from the first user:
determining a likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command, based at least in part on a frequency of use of the second utterance in a first selected corpus;
in accordance with a determination that the likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command is below a threshold, setting the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command; and
in accordance with a determination that the likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command is above the threshold, generating an alert to the first user.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the electronic device is a hub for a home device network that executes commands for one or more home devices on the home device network, and the wake-up command wakes up the hub.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the electronic device is capable of converting different wake-up utterances from different users to the same wake-up command, wherein the different wake-up utterances for the different users include a first wake-up utterance defined by the first user and a second wake-up utterance defined by a second user distinct from the first user, and the first wake-up utterance and the second wake-up utterance corresponds to completely distinct text.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the wake-up command wakes up a group of home devices corresponding to a first location-based zone, the group of home devices including a first device that is initially waken up by the wake-up command, and including one or more second home devices that are also in the first location-based zone and that receive the wake-up command from the first device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further include:
detecting a user input adding a new home device to the group of home devices corresponding to the first location-based zone; and
after detecting the user input adding the new home device to the group of home devices corresponding to the first location-based zone, automatically extending the wake-up command to wake up the new home device added to the group of home devices in accordance with a determination that one of the group of home devices corresponding to the first location-based zone has received the new wake-up utterance.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further include:
transmitting voice input recorded within an input buffer to a wake-up detection module;
detecting the new wake-up utterance in the voice input; and
transmitting a segment of the voice input in the input buffer that was recorded before the new wake-up utterance to a server for user intent determination.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein determining the likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command is further based on whether the second utterance is currently used as one of the predetermined commands of the vocabulary.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein determining the likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command is further based on a degree of phonetic similarity with other utterances.

### Claim 17

A method, comprising:
receiving utterances from users and converting the utterances to commands from a vocabulary of predetermined commands, the vocabulary including a customization command to define a new wake-up utterance corresponding to a wake-up command;
receiving a first utterance from a first user;
in response to receiving the first utterance from the first user, and in accordance with a determination that the first utterance corresponds to the customization command to define a new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command, providing a first response to the first user;
after providing the first response to the user, capturing a second utterance from the first user; and
in response to receiving the second utterance from the first user:
determining a likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command, based at least in part on a frequency of use of the second utterance in a first selected corpus;
in accordance with a determination that the likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command is below a threshold, setting the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command; and
in accordance with a determination that the likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command is above the threshold, generating an alert to the first user.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the electronic device is a hub for a home device network that executes commands for one or more home devices on the home device network, and the wake-up command wakes up the hub.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the electronic deviceis capable of converting different wake-up utterances from different users to the same wake-up command, wherein the different wake-up utterances for the different users include a first wake-up utterance defined by the first user and a second wake-up utterance defined by a second user distinct from the first user, and the first wake-up utterance and the second wake-up utterance corresponds to completely distinct text.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the electronic device is capable of converting different wake-up utterances to wake-up commands for different home devices.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the wake-up command wakes up a group of home devices corresponding to a first location-based zone, the group of home devices including a first device that is initially waken up by the wake-up command, and including one or more second home devices that are also in the first location-based zone and that receive the wake-up command from the first device.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the operations further include:
detecting a user input adding a new home device to the group of home devices corresponding to the first location-based zone; and
after detecting the user input adding the new home device to the group of home devices corresponding to the first location-based zone, automatically extending the wake-up command to wake up the new home device added to the group of home devices in accordance with a determination that one of the group of home devices corresponding to the first location-based zone has received the new wake-up utterance.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the operations further include:
transmitting voice input recorded within an input buffer to a wake-up detection module;
detecting the new wake-up utterance in the voice input; and
transmitting a segment of the voice input in the input buffer that was recorded before the new wake-up utterance to a server for user intent determination.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein determining the likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command is further based on whether the second utterance is currently used as one of the predetermined commands of the vocabulary.

### Claim 25 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein determining the likelihood of confusion for using the second utterance as the new wake-up utterance corresponding to the wake-up command is further based on a degree of phonetic similarity with other utterances.