# US 2014/0152816 A1 · System. apparatus, and method for interfacing workflow instructions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0152816 A1 - Document ID: US20140152816A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/690,499 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Gary Lawrence Pratt; Judy Ann Johnston - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152816A1 ## CPC - G10L 15/26: Speech to text systems (G10L15/08 takes precedence) - G10L 13/08: Text analysis or generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text, e.g. grapheme to phoneme translation, prosody generation or stress or intonation determination - G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING ## Abstract A system, method, and apparatus for interfacing an operating management system with an operator is provided. The system provides a processor configured to execute workflow instructions; and an operator device in communication with the processor. The processor is configured to execute commands which convert the workflow instructions from a text command into an audible command and transmit the audible command to the operator device and the operator device is configured to receive the audible command, and is further configured to transmit an operator response to the processor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for interfacing an operating management system with an operator, the system comprising: a processor configured to execute workflow instructions; and an operator device in communication with the processor; wherein the processor is further configured to execute commands which convert the workflow instructions from a text command into an audible command and transmit the audible command to the operator device; and wherein the operator device is configured to receive the audible command, and is further configured to transmit an operator response to the processor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a network in communication with the processor and the operator device, wherein the network is configured to transfer the audible workflow instructions from the processor to the operator device in real-time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is disposed in a computer processing unit, the computer processing unit comprising: random access memory and read only memory having preloaded software, wherein the preloaded software comprises: text to speech software; speech to text software; and manufacturing workflow software. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the workflow software comprises the workflow instruction, and wherein the workflow instructions comprise a series of consecutive workflow instructions transmittable by the processor in series. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, between each of the series of workflow instructions, await a response from the operator device, and if received, transmit a next workflow instruction in the series of workflow instructions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface in communication with the processor and configured to graphically display the workflow commands. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operator device comprises a headset to be work by the operator, the headset comprising: a microphone configured to collect the operator response; and a wireless receiver for communicative coupling with the computer processing unit and configured to transmit the operator response to the processor either directly or through the network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the headset further comprises: operator device control touch controls; and a monocular, semi-transparent, or wearable retina image display (RID) eye-glass monitor configured to provide the operator with visual workflow instructions and supplemental visual information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the headset further comprises: a camera configured to capture images of at least a workflow step, and configured to send the photograph to the CPU for archiving. ### Claim 10 An operator device for interfacing an operating management system with an operator, the device comprising: a processor configured to execute workflow instructions; and an acoustic transducer in communication with the processor; wherein the processor is further configured to execute commands which convert the workflow instructions from a text command into an audible command and transmit the audible command to the operator; and wherein the acoustic transducer is configured to receive an audible operator response and transmit the operator response to the processor for conversion to text. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The operator device of claim 10, wherein the processer comprises: text to speech software; speech to text software; manufacturing workflow software; and recording and playback software. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The operator device of claim 10, wherein the operator device is configured to transmit the text over a network to a central processing unit. ### Claim 13 The operator device 10, wherein the operator device comprises a headset to be worn by the operator, the headset comprising: a microphone configured to collect the operator response; a speaker configured to communicate an auditory response to the operator; and a wireless receiver for communicative coupling with the processor and configured to transmit the operator response to the processor either directly or through the network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The operator device of claim 10, further comprising: operator device control touch controls; and a monocular, semitransparent, wearable retina image display (RID) eye-glass monitor configured to provide the operator with visual workflow instructions and supplemental visual information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The operator device of claim 10, further comprises: a camera configured to capture images of at least a workflow step of the workflow instructions, and configured to: send the photograph to the processor for archiving; and perform computerized inspection. ### Claim 16 A method for interfacing a workflow management system with an operator, the method executable by a processor, the method comprising: executing workflow instructions using the processor; audibly transmitting the workflow commands to an operator device; receiving the audible workflow commands at the operator device; transmitting an operator response to the processor; and converting the operator response to text. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising queing the workflow commands using the operator device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the workflow commands are executed using preloaded software. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting the workflow commands to the operator audibly comprises, before transmission, executing text to speech software on the workflow commands. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the audible commands at the operator comprises providing a headset to the operator. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein upon completion of the workflow command, the step of transmitting the operator response occurs, and wherein the operator response is an audible response. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein converting the operator response to text comprises providing preloaded speech to text software. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to: confirm the workflow command has been executed properly; in an event the workflow command has not been executed properly; transmit the workflow command to the operator with a previous workflow command and an error command. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein communications and transmissions occur wirelessly. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising a network in communication with the processor and the operator device, wherein the network is configured to transfer the audible workflow instructions from the processor the operator device in real time. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising providing a graphical user interface in communication with the processor and configured to graphically display the workflow commands. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the workflow software comprises the workflow instruction, and wherein the workflow instructions comprise a series of consecutive workflow instructions, wherein the processor is configured to audibly transmit the workflow instructions in series. ### Claim 28 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: awaiting a response from the operator device; and if received, transmitting a next workflow workfiow commands of a series of workflow commands. ### Claim 29 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting an operator response to the processor comprises providing a headset to be worked by the operator, the headset comprising: a microphone configured to collect the operator response; and a wireless receiver for communicative coupling with the computer processing unit and configured to transmit the operator response to the processor either directly or through the network.