Voice activated switch method and apparatus

A wall switch device for placement in a standard wall switch receptacle area, the wall switch device for switching standard utility AC to an AC circuit said wall switch device comprising:

• a power circuit having means for producing a plurality of operating voltages for said wall switch device from the standard utility AC;
• a microphone circuit having means for producing electrical signals in response to a plurality of sounds comprising background sounds and a plurality of valid speech commands;
• a filter circuit having means for filtering said electrical signals, said filter circuit producing filtered electrical signals having frequencies within a frequency range of the plurality of valid speech commands;
• a controller circuit comprising:
• a detection means for detecting a sequence of valid speech commands from the plurality of valid speech commands, said microcontroller having a plurality of inputs comprising the filtered electrical signals and a plurality of outputs comprising at least one control signal for controlling a switching means;
• and
• at least one indicator connected to said detection means for prompting said user to utter a next valid speech command in the sequence of valid speech commands;
• said switching means for connecting said standard utility AC to said AC circuit upon detection of said sequence of valid speech commands;
• and
• a manual control input circuit for manually controlling said switching means.

A device for switching standard utility AC to an electrical appliance, the device comprising:

• a switching circuit comprising:
• a microphone circuit for receiving sounds and converting said sounds into electrical signals, said microphone circuit having an input amplifier for amplifying said electrical signals, and a band pass filter for filtering sounds outside a frequency range of speech, said band pass filter outputting a filtered signal;
• means for producing at least one ambient level signal from said filtered signal;
• a processor circuit having an input of said at least one ambient level signal, said processor circuit comprising:
• means for producing at least one AC control output signal upon recognition of said valid speech command of a set of valid speech commands;
• at least one indicator controlled by the processor circuit for prompting the user to utter said valid speech command;
• a power circuit for supplying digital and analog power to an AC switch, said power circuit having an AC input of said standard utility AC;
• and
• said AC switch controlled by the AC control output signal for connecting the standard utility AC to the electrical device;
• and
• a portable frame for holding said switching circuit.

A method for controlling an AC switch using speech recognition, said AC switch having an input of standard utility AC, and an AC receptacle for accepting a standard AC plug of an electrical device, said method comprising the steps of:

• accepting environmental sounds and speech sounds;
• converting said environmental sounds and speech sounds into a plurality of electrical signals;
• filtering said plurality of electrical signals that are outside a range of speech to produce at least one filtered electrical signal having a decibel level;
• setting a threshold level;
• waiting for a pre-set time period during which said threshold level is above said decibel level of said at least one filtered electrical signal;
• accepting said at least one filtered electrical signal having said decibel level above said threshold level;
• comparing said at least one filtered electrical signal with a predetermined set of speech sounds;
• if the at least one filtered electrical signal matches a valid speech sound of the predetermined set of speech sounds, then prompting a user to utter a second speech sound from the predetermined set of speech sounds;
• and
• producing at least one output signal when said second speech sound matches said predetermined set of speech sounds;
• wherein said at least one output signal controls a switching circuit for switching the standard utility AC to the plug of the electrical device.

A portable switch device for switching standard utility AC to an electrical device in response to a plurality of valid speech commands, the portable switch device having a standard AC plug for connection to a standard AC wall receptacle, and a standard AC receptacle for accepting a plug of the electrical device, said portable switch device comprising:

• a power circuit having means for producing a plurality of operating voltages for said portable switch device from the standard utility AC;
• a microphone circuit for receiving a plurality of sounds comprising background sounds and the plurality of valid speech commands;
• a filter circuit having means for filtering said plurality of sounds having frequencies within a frequency range of the plurality of valid speech commands;
• a controller circuit comprising:
• a detection means for detecting a valid speech command of the plurality of valid speech commands, said controller circuit having a plurality of inputs comprising the filtered electrical signals and a plurality of outputs comprising at least one control signal for controlling a switching means;
• a mode determination means for operating said controller circuit in a mode of operation of a plurality of modes of operation in response to a mode command of the plurality of valid speech commands;
• the switching means for connecting said standard utility AC to said electrical device;
• and
• at least one indicator connected to and controlled by said controller circuit, said at least one indicator for prompting said user to utter said valid speech command.