US 11,545,171 B2Granted

Voice responsive in-wall device

AssigneeHubbell Incorporated

InventorsShawn Monteith, Michael Tetreault, Daniel Gould, Nicholas Kraus

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Abstract

Voice responsive in-wall devices are provided. In one example implementation, a power switch includes a housing mountable on or at least partially within a surface. The housing can have a front panel. The power switch can include an interface element disposed on the front panel and operable to receive a user input. The power switch can include a power interrupter operable to control power delivery to the powered load based at least in part on interaction with the interface element. The power switch can include one or more microphones operable to obtain audio input. The power switch can include one or more speakers configured to provide audio output. The power switch can include a communications interface operable to communicate data associated with the audio input over a communication link.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method for processing audio data received at a power switch, the method comprising:

obtaining, by one or more microphones of the power switch, audio data in a passive mode;
processing, by one or more processors of the power switch, the audio data to identify a trigger condition;
determining, by the one or more processors, the trigger condition corresponds to an out of band condition;
operating, by the one or more processors, in a response mode in response to determining the trigger condition corresponds to the out of band condition;
selecting, by the one or more processors, at least one control action to implement;
and
implementing, by the one or more processors, at least one control action in the response mode,
wherein the control action is controlling, by a power interrupter in electrical communication with the power switch, power delivery to a powered load based at least on the out of band condition,
wherein the trigger condition is specified as a frequency range or pattern of audible sounds,
wherein the trigger condition corresponding to the out of band condition is distinct from an active listening trigger specified for entering the power switch into an active listening mode.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/103,006Filed 24 Nov 2020 · division
Priority: 20 Dec 2017
Published: US 2021/0082455 A118 Mar 2021
Granted: 3 Jan 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

G10L 15/22
Speech recognition: procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
G10L 25/51
Specially adapted for particular use: for comparison or discrimination
H01H 23/02
Tumbler or rocker switches, i.e. switches characterised by being operated by rocking an operating member in the form of a rocker button: details
H04R 1/025
Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein: arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture

Family

Application62/608,107Us provisional application · filed 20 Dec 2017
Application62/640,274Us provisional application · filed 8 Mar 2018
Application62/673,229Us provisional application · filed 18 May 2018
Application16/225,249Parent of this division · filed 19 Dec 2018
US 2021/0082455 A1Pre-grant publication · published 18 Mar 2021
US 10,847,174 B2Parent of this division
US 2019/0189147 A1Published application
US 11,545,171 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.