US 9,754,588 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for voice control user interface with discreet operating mode

AssigneeMotorola Mobility LLC

InventorsBoby Iyer, Kevin O Foy

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An electronic device includes a voice control interface engine operative in a first mode to receive a speech command, through a microphone, from a first distance and produce, through a loudspeaker and in response to the speech command, an audible output at a first output level. One or more processors are operable with one or more proximity sensors to detect objects proximately located with a housing of the electronic device. Where there are none, a timer can be initiated. Upon expiration of the timer, the one or more processors can then transition the voice control interface engine to a second mode operative to receive the speech command from a second distance and produce, in response to the speech command, the audible output at a second output level, where the second distance is greater than the first distance and the second output level is greater than the first output level.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

operating a voice control interface engine of an electronic device in a first mode operative to receive a speech command from a first distance and produce, in response to the speech command, an audible output at a first output level;
monitoring, with one or more processors of the electronic device, one or more proximity sensors to detect an object proximately located with a housing of the electronic device while operating the voice control interface engine in the first mode;
detecting, by the one or more processors from the one or more proximity sensors, removal of the object from the housing of the electronic device;
upon detecting removal of the object, initiating a timer with the one or more processors;
and
upon expiration of the timer, causing, with the one or more processors, the voice control interface engine to transition to a second mode operative to receive the speech command from a second distance and produce, in response to the speech command, the audible output at a second output level;
the second distance greater than the first distance and the second output level greater than the first output level.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/810,892Filed 28 Jul 2015 · continuation in part
Priority: 26 Feb 2015
Published: US 2016/0253149 A11 Sep 2016
Granted: 5 Sep 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G10L 15/22
Speech recognition: procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
G06F 3/017
Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer: gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a…
G06F 3/167
Sound input; Sound output: audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
H04M 1/72454
With means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions: according to context-related or environment-related…

Family

Application14/631,924Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 26 Feb 2015
US 2016/0253998 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Sep 2016
US 2016/0253149 A1Published application
US 9,489,172 B2Related patent
US 9,754,588 B2This patent

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