# US 11,445,300 B2 · Privacy device for smart speakers

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- Number: US 11,445,300 B2
- Document ID: US11445300B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/881,090
- Filed: 2020-05-22
- Published: 2020-09-10
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-02-07
- Applicants: Thomas Stachura
- Inventors: Thomas Stachura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11445300B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback}
- H04R 29/004: {for microphones (H04R29/007 takes precedence)}
- G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)}
- G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)}
- G10L 15/08: Speech classification or search
- G10L 15/18: using natural language modelling
- G10L 15/22: Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
- G10L 15/30: Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
- G10L 17/24: the user being prompted to utter a password or a predefined phrase
- G10L 25/51: for comparison or discrimination
- G10L 25/78: Detection of presence or absence of voice signals (switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10)
- H04K 1/02: by adding a second signal to make the desired signal unintelligible
- H04K 3/41: {characterized by the control of the jamming activation or deactivation time (control of jamming activation and deactivation time only for the purpose of alternating between jamming mode and target monitoring mode H04K3/45)}
- H04K 3/45: {characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"}
- H04K 3/46: {characterized in that the jamming signal is produced by retransmitting a received signal, after delay or processing}
- H04K 3/65: {using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal}
- H04K 3/68: {using passive jamming, e.g. by shielding or reflection (shielding of apparatus or components against electric or magnetic field H05K9/00)}
- H04K 3/822: {by detecting the presence of a surveillance, interception or detection}
- H04K 3/825: {by jamming}
- H04R 3/005: {for combining the signals of two or more microphones (specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)}
- H04R 5/04: Circuit arrangements, {e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments (combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S)}
- G10L 2015/088: {Word spotting}
- G10L 2015/223: {Execution procedure of a spoken command}
- G10L 2025/783: {based on threshold decision}
- H04K 2203/12: for acoustic communication
- H04K 2203/14: for the transfer of light or images, e.g. for video-surveillance, for television or from a computer screen
- H04R 2420/00: Details of connection covered by H04R, not provided for in its groups
- H04R 2420/01: Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers
- H04R 2499/11: Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)
- G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING
- H04K: SECRET COMMUNICATION; JAMMING OF COMMUNICATION

## Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for a privacy blocking device configured to prevent receipt, by a listening device, of video and/or audio data until a trigger occurs. A blocker may be configured to prevent receipt of video and/or audio data by one or more microphones and/or one or more cameras of a listening device. The blocker may use the one or more microphones, the one or more cameras, and/or one or more second microphones and/or one or more second cameras to monitor for a trigger. The blocker may process the data. Upon detecting the trigger, the blocker may transmit data to the listening device. For example, the blocker may transmit all or a part of a spoken phrase to the listening device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
monitoring, by a blocking device, one or more first sounds via a first microphone;
determining, by the blocking device, that the one or more first sounds are associated with an audio trigger;
deactivating, based on a determination that the one or more first sounds are associated with the audio trigger, a mute functionality of a listening device, wherein deactivating the mute functionality of the listening device comprises actuating, by a mechanical actuator of the blocking device, a physical control of the listening device that controls the mute functionality of the listening device; and
re-activating, based on a determination that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed, the mute functionality of the listening device, wherein re-activating the mute functionality of the listening device further comprises actuating, by the mechanical actuator of the blocking device, the mute functionality on of the listening device, wherein the mute functionality of the listening device, when activated, prevents a second microphone, belonging to the listening device, from processing received sounds.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the one or more first sounds are associated with the audio trigger further comprises:
determining that the one or more first sounds did not originate from a speaker associated with the listening device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
monitoring, by the blocking device, one or more second sounds via the first microphone;
determining, by the blocking device, that the one or more second sounds are associated with a second audio trigger; and
actuating, based on a determination that the one or more second sounds are associated with the second audio trigger and using the mechanical actuator, the physical control of the listening device that controls the mute functionality of the listening device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the second audio trigger is different from the audio trigger.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the physical control comprises at least one of:
a button;
a switch;
a slider; or
touch sensor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the one or more first sounds are associated with the audio trigger further comprises:
processing the one or more first sounds using at least one of a speech recognition algorithm or a natural language processing algorithm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the audio trigger comprises a spoken command.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising:
ignoring, by the blocking device, audio originating from the listening device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the blocking device and the first microphone are part of a module installed in the listening device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
monitoring the listening device to confirm that the listening device has been activated.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein monitoring comprises detecting at least one of a light from the listening device or a sound from the listening device.

### Claim 12

A blocking device comprising:
a first microphone configured to receive one or more sounds;
a mechanical actuator;
one or more processors; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the blocking device to:
monitor one or more first sounds via the first microphone;
determine that the one or more first sounds are associated with an audio trigger;
deactivate, based on a determination that the one or more first sounds are associated with the audio trigger, a mute functionality of a listening device, wherein deactivating the mute functionality of the listening device comprises actuating, using the mechanical actuator, a physical control of the listening device that controls the mute functionality of the listening device; and
re-activate the mute functionality of the listening device based on a detecting one or more second sounds associated with the audio trigger, wherein re-activating the mute functionality of the listening device further comprises actuating the mute functionality of the listening device, wherein the mute functionality of the listening device, when activated, prevents a second microphone, belonging to the listening device, from processing received sounds.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The blocking device of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the blocking device to:
process the one or more first sounds using at least one of a speech recognition algorithm or a natural language processing algorithm when determining that the one or more first sounds are associated with the audio trigger.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The blocking device of claim 12, wherein the blocking device draws power from the listening device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The blocking device of claim 12, further comprising:
an optical sensor configured to detect a gesture input associated with activating the mute functionality on the listening device.

### Claim 16

A system comprising:
a listening device comprising:
one or more inputs, wherein the one or more inputs comprise at least one first microphone and at least one image capture device;
one or more first processors; and
a blocking device comprising:
a second microphone configured to receive one or more sounds;
a mechanical actuator;
one or more second processors; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more second processors, cause the blocking device to:
monitor one or more first sounds via the second microphone;
determine that the one or more first sounds are associated with an audio trigger;
deactivate, based on a determination that the one or more first sounds are associated with the audio trigger, a mute functionality of the listening device, wherein deactivating the mute functionality of the listening device comprises actuating, using the mechanical actuator, a physical control of the listening device that controls the mute functionality of the listening device; and
re-activate the mute functionality of the listening device based on a determination that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed, wherein re-activating the mute functionality of the listening device further comprises actuating the mute functionality of the listening device, wherein the mute functionality of the listening device, when activated, prevents the one or more inputs from processing received sounds, images, or video.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more second processors, cause the blocking device to:
determine that the one or more first sounds did not originate from a speaker associated with the listening device when determining that the one or more first sounds are associated with the audio trigger.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more second processors, cause the blocking device to:
monitor one or more second sounds via the second microphone;
determine that the one or more second sounds are associated with a second audio trigger; and
actuate, using the mechanical actuator, the physical control of the listening device that controls the mute functionality of the listening device based on a determination that the one or more second sounds are associated with the second audio trigger.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the second audio trigger is different from the audio trigger.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, further comprising:
an image capture device configured to detect a gesture input that activates the mute functionality on the listening device.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the mechanical actuator comprises a robotic button pusher.

### Claim 22 (depends on 12)

The blocking device of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the blocking device to:
determine that the one or more first sounds did not originate from a speaker associated with the listening device when determining that the one or more first sounds are associated with the audio trigger.