# US 11,445,315 B2 · Privacy device for smart speakers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,445,315 B2 - Document ID: US11445315B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/881,101 - 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/US11445315B2 ## 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: jamming a listening device by transmitting, by a blocking device in a blocking mode, a jamming signal toward a microphone of the listening device to prevent the microphone of the listening device from receiving verbal commands from a user, wherein the jamming signal is generated using one or more light sources; monitoring, by the blocking device, for one or more user inputs; determining, by the blocking device, that the one or more inputs are associated with a trigger to enter a pass-through mode; ceasing, based on the determining that the one or more inputs are associated with the trigger to enter a pass-through mode, transmission of the jamming signal; and allowing, by the blocking device in the pass-through mode, one or more sounds to be received by the microphone of the listening device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the jamming signal comprises non-visible electromagnetic light. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources comprise at least one of: a light emitting diode (LED); a fluorescent light bulb; an incandescent light bulb; a laser; or a laser diode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: focusing the jamming signal on a membrane of the microphone. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the jamming signal comprises a plurality of pulses of light that cause the microphone to detect at least one of white noise, pink noise, and Brownian noise. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: selecting a noise profile based on one or more second sounds detected by a second microphone associated with the blocking device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the one or more inputs are associated with the trigger further comprises: processing the one or more inputs using at least one of a speech recognition algorithm and a natural language processing algorithm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more inputs comprises an audio trigger. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the audio trigger comprises a spoken command. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring for the one or more inputs comprises: receiving the one or more inputs via a second microphone associated with the blocking device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring for the one or more inputs comprises: detecting a change in at least one of a position or an orientation of the blocking device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more inputs comprises: capturing the one or more inputs via an image capture device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: causing, based on a determination that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed and after the one or more sounds have been received by the microphone, the blocking device to re-enter blocking mode and begin re-transmitting [re-transmission of] the jamming signal toward the microphone. ### Claim 14 A blocking device comprising: one or more light sources configured to generate a jamming signal; one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the blocking device to: jam a listening device by transmitting, in a blocking mode, the jamming signal toward a microphone of the listening device to prevent the microphone of the listening device from receiving verbal commands from a user; determine that one or more inputs are associated with a trigger to enter a pass-through mode; cease transmitting the jamming signal based on the determining that the one or more inputs are associated with the trigger to enter the pass-through mode; and allow, while in the pass-through mode, one or more sounds to be received by the microphone. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The blocking device of claim 14, further comprising: a lens configured to focus the jamming signal on a membrane of the microphone. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The blocking device of claim 14, further comprising: a second microphone configured to receive the one or more inputs. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The blocking device of claim 14, further comprising: a wireless receiver configured to receive the one or more inputs. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The blocking device of claim 14, wherein the one or more inputs are received from a computing device. ### Claim 19 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 processors; and a blocking device comprising: one or more light sources configured to generate a jamming signal; a second microphone configured to receive one or more sounds; a processor; memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the blocking device to: jam a listening device by transmitting, in a blocking mode, the jamming signal toward a microphone of the listening device to prevent the microphone of the listening device from receiving verbal commands from a user; determine that one or more inputs are associated with a trigger to enter a pass-through mode; cease transmitting the jamming signal based on the determining that the one or more inputs are associated with the trigger to enter the pass-through mode; and allow, while in the pass-through mode, one or more sounds to be received by the microphone. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more light sources comprise a predetermined intensity. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, further comprising: a fiber optic cable configured to direct light from the one or more light sources to the at least one microphone. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the blocking device to: cause, based on a determination that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed and after the second sounds have been received by the at least one first microphone, the blocking device to re-enter the blocking mode and begin re-transmitting [re-transmission of] the jamming signal toward the at least one microphone of the listening device.