US 6,606,280 B1 · Voice-operated remote control

Abstract

This disclosure provides a voice-operated remote control intended to replace multiple entertainment system remotes, and it preferably includes two parts, a base unit and a remote (or table-top) unit. During normal operation, the base unit receives each electronic speaker driver signal from a stereo receiver or other sound source and uses speaker-specific transfer functions to generate an “audio mimic signal” which accounts for room acoustics and circuitry distortions. This signal is then subtracted from detected sound and a residual is used to detect spoken commands. In response to spoken commands, learned IR commands are transmitted by the base unit to the remote unit, which then repeats these commands, directing them toward the appropriate entertainment system. Learning of room acoustics and of IR and spoken commands are each performed in discrete modes. During a speaker learning mode, the base unit causes each speaker in turn to generate a test pattern which is measured via microphone and used to develop a speaker-specific transfer function. During a command learning mode, a user speaks each command (e.g., “TV on,” “Tape Off,” “louder,” etc) several times into the remote unit until that spoken command is “learned” and recognizable.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A voice-operated remote control adapted for use with at least one entertainment system providing at least one electronic speaker signal corresponding to a channel of audio sound, comprising:

circuitry that receives an electronic speaker signal and generates therefrom an audio mimic signal;
a microphone that produces an output from received sound,
a filtration system that uses the audio mimic signal to subtract at least one channel of audio sound from the output to thereby create a residual,
a recognition processing system that monitors the residual to detect at least one spoken command and responsively associates each spoken command with at least one control command to be transmitted to an entertainment system, and
a mechanism that wirelessly transmits to an entertainment system at least one control command.

2 more elements

An improvement in an infrared remote control intended for use with one or more entertainment systems, said improvement comprising:

a sound detector that detects sound;
a memory that stores a plurality of infrared commands, each infrared command associated with at least one of a plurality of spoken commands;
a filtration module that filters audio-speaker sound from detected sound;
a recognition module that monitors filtered sound from the filtration module to detect a spoken command;
and
a mechanism that transmits to an entertainment system via an infrared remote control signal at least one control command associated with a detected spoken command.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Voice-operated remote control

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Voice-operated remote control

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21