Pausing synthesized speech output from a voice-controlled device

A voice-controlled device for controlling synthesized speech output, the computer system comprising:

• a processor device;
• and
• a memory operably coupled to the processor device and storing computer-executable instructions causing:
• recognizing speech input is being received;
• outputting synthesized speech based on the speech input;
• capturing audio input while outputting synthesized speech based on the speech input;
• in response to the captured audio is recognized as speech, pausing the outputting of synthesized speech;
• and
• in response to the captured audio is not recognized as speech and above a settable background noise threshold, then pausing the outputting of synthesized speech.

A computer program product for controlling synthesized speech output, the computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium readable by a processing device and storing program instructions for execution by the processing device, said program instructions comprising:
• recognizing speech input is being received;
• outputting synthesized speech based on the speech input;
• capturing audio input while outputting synthesized speech based on the speech input;
• in response to the captured audio is recognized as speech, pausing the outputting of synthesized speech;
• and
• in response to the captured audio is not recognized as speech and above a settable background noise threshold, then pausing the outputting of synthesized speech.