# US 10,770,075 B2 · Method and apparatus for activating application by speech input > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,770,075 B2 - Document ID: US10770075B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/257,814 - Filed: 2014-04-21 - Published: 2015-10-22 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-04-21 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Taesu Kim; Minsub Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770075B2 ## CPC - G10L 17/22: Interactive procedures; Man-machine interfaces - G10L 15/08: Speech classification or search - G10L 15/22: Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue - G10L 2015/223: {Execution procedure of a spoken command} - G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING ## Abstract A method, which is performed in an electronic device, for activating a target application is disclosed. The method may include receiving an input sound stream including an activation keyword for activating the target application and a speech command indicative of a function of the target application. The method may also detect the activation keyword from the input sound stream. If the activation keyword is detected, a portion of the input sound stream including at least a portion of the speech command may be buffered in a buffer memory. In addition, in response to detecting the activation keyword, the target application may be activated to perform the function of the target application. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for processing input sound, the method comprising: receiving, at an electronic device, an input sound stream including an activation keyword for activating a target application and a speech command portion that follows the activation keyword; detecting, at the electronic device, the activation keyword from the input sound stream; based on the detecting of an activation keyword, processing the speech command portion to determine whether to activate the target application; generating sensor data indicative of an environment where the device is located using one or more context sensors in the electronic device; and selectively activating the target application based on the processing of the speech command and the sensor data. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to activate the target application is based on sound characteristics of the speech command portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein processing the speech command portion to determine whether to activate the target application includes: extracting sound characteristics of speech in the speech command portion; and comparing the extracted sound characteristics to sound characteristics indicative of a particular speaker. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein processing the speech command portion to determine whether to activate the target application further includes determining not to activate the target application responsive to the comparison indicating that the speech in the speech command portion is not indicative of the particular speaker. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating loading of the target application from a storage unit responsive to detecting the activation keyword and prior to determining not to activate the target application. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: responsive to determining, based on the processing of the speech command portion, that the target application is not to be activated, detecting the activation keyword from a second input sound stream that further includes a second speech command portion; processing the second speech command portion to determine whether to activate the target application; and activating the target application based on the processing of the second speech command portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising activating a processor in response to determining to activate the target application, wherein the target application is selectively activated by the processor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises data from a contact sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises data from an accelerometer or motion sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises data from a location sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises data from an illumination sensor. ### Claim 12 An apparatus comprising: a memory; and one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to: receive an input sound stream including an activation keyword for activating a target application and a speech command portion that follows the activation keyword; detect the activation keyword from the input sound stream; process the speech command portion to determine whether to activate the target application; generate sensor data indicative of an environment where the device is located using one or more context sensors in the apparatus; and selectively activate the target application based on the processing of the speech command and the sensor data. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the determination of whether to activate the target application is based on sound characteristics of the speech command portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: extract sound characteristics of speech in the speech command portion; and compare the extracted sound characteristics to sound characteristics indicative of a particular speaker. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors are configured to not activate the target application responsive to the comparison indicating that the speech in the speech command portion is not indicative of the particular speaker. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to initiate loading of the target application from a storage unit responsive to detection of the activation keyword and prior to a determination not to activate the target application. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform input sound stream processing to detect another occurrence of the activation keyword in response to a determination that the target application is not to be activated. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the memory and the one or more processors are integrated into a mobile device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sensor data comprises data from a contact sensor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sensor data comprises data from an accelerometer or motion sensor. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sensor data comprises data from a location sensor. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sensor data comprises data from an illumination sensor. ### Claim 23 A method for processing input sound, the method comprising: receiving, at an electronic device, a first input sound stream including an activation keyword for activating a target application and a first speech command portion that follows the activation keyword; detecting, at the electronic device, the activation keyword from the first input sound stream; processing the first speech command portion to determine whether to activate the target application; generating sensor data indicative of an environment where the device is located using one or more context sensors; responsive to determining, based on the processing of the first speech command portion, that the target application is not to be activated, detecting the activation keyword from a second input sound stream that further includes a second speech command portion; processing the second speech command portion to determine whether to activate the target application; and activating the target application based on the processing of the second speech command portion and the sensor data. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein determining whether to activate the target application is based on sound characteristics of the first speech command portion. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein processing the first speech command portion to determine whether to activate the target application includes: extracting sound characteristics of speech in the first speech command portion; and comparing the extracted sound characteristics to sound characteristics indicative of a particular speaker. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein processing the speech command portion to determine whether to activate the target application further includes determining not to activate the target application responsive to the comparison indicating that the speech in the speech command portion is not indicative of the particular speaker. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising initiating loading of the target application from a storage unit responsive to detecting the activation keyword and prior to determining not to activate the target application. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the electronic device comprises a mobile device. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the sensor data comprises data from a contact sensor. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the sensor data comprises data from an accelerometer or motion sensor. ### Claim 31 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the sensor data comprises data from a location sensor. ### Claim 32 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the sensor data comprises data from an illumination sensor. ### Claim 33 An apparatus comprising: a memory; and one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to: receive a first input sound stream including an activation keyword for activating a target application and a first speech command portion that follows the activation keyword; detect the activation keyword from the first input sound stream; process the first speech command portion to determine whether to activate the target application; generating sensor data indicative of an environment where the device is located using one or more context sensors in the electronic device; and responsive to a determination, based on the processing of the first speech command portion, that the target application is not to be activated, detect the activation keyword from a second input sound stream that further includes a second speech command portion; process the second speech command portion to determine whether to activate the target application; and activate the target application based on the processing of the second speech command portion and the sensor data. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising: a decoder coupled to the one or more processors, the decoder configured to decode an encoded audio signal. ### Claim 35 (depends on 33) The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the determination of whether to activate the target application is based on sound characteristics of the first speech command portion. ### Claim 36 (depends on 33) The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: extract sound characteristics of speech in the first speech command portion; and compare the extracted sound characteristics to sound characteristics indicative of a particular speaker. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine not to activate the target application responsive to the comparison indicating that the speech in the first speech command portion is not indicative of the particular speaker. ### Claim 38 (depends on 33) The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to initiate loading of the target application from a storage unit responsive to detection of the activation keyword and prior to a determination not to activate the target application. ### Claim 39 (depends on 33) The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising: an antenna; and a receiver coupled to the antenna and configured to receive an encoded audio signal. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising a demodulator coupled to the receiver, the demodulator configured to demodulate the encoded audio signal. ### Claim 41 (depends on 33) The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the memory and the one or more processors are integrated into a mobile device. ### Claim 42 (depends on 33) The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a transmitter coupled to the one or more processors. ### Claim 43 (depends on 33) The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the sensor data comprises data from a contact sensor.