# US 9,883,023 B2 · Privacy mode detection and response over voice activated interface > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,883,023 B2 - Document ID: US9883023B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/493,900 - Filed: 2017-04-21 - Published: 2017-12-21 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-16 - Assignees: Motorola Mobility LLC - Applicants: Motorola Mobility LLC - Inventors: Adrian M. Schuster; Rajib Acharya; Roger W. Ady; Plamen A. Ivanov; Mark A. Jasiuk; Dusan Macho Cierna; Robert Zurek - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9883023B2 ## CPC - H04M 1/72454: according to context-related or environment-related conditions - G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path} - G10L 25/24: the extracted parameters being the cepstrum - H04M 1/605: {involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user} - G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)} - G06V 40/174: {Facial expression recognition} - G10L 25/93: Discriminating between voiced and unvoiced parts of speech signals (G10L25/90 takes precedence) - H04M 2203/251: where a voice mode or a visual mode can be used interchangeably - H04M 2203/609: Secret communication - H04M 2250/12: including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion - H04M 2250/52: including functional features of a camera - H04M 2250/74: with voice recognition means - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract A portable electronic communication device includes a user input receiver, one or more user outputs, and a processor programmed to receive user input from the user input receiver and to determine based on the user input whether the user desires the device to enter a private mode. The device alters communications from the device via the one or more user outputs while in the private mode, and enters the private mode if the user input indicates that the user desires the device to enter the private mode. While in the private mode, the device may alter the manner in which it communicates to the user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A portable electronic communication device comprising: an input receiver configured to receive an input; one or more outputs; and a processor programmed to receive input from the input receiver and to determine whether the received input indicate a desire for the device to enter a private mode, wherein the device alters communications from the device via the one or more outputs while in the private mode, and to enter the private mode if the received input indicates a desire for the device to enter a private mode, and wherein the one or more user outputs include an audio speaker, and wherein altering communications from the device comprises reducing a volume at which the device plays an audible communication via the audio speaker. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the input receiver is a microphone. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the step of determining whether the received input indicate a desire for the device to enter a private mode comprises determining whether the input is whispered. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 2, wherein determining whether the received input is whispered comprises applying a cepstral analysis to the received input. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the input receiver is a camera. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the step of determining whether the received input indicate a desire for the device to enter a private mode comprises detecting a facial expression indicative of confidentiality. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the input receiver is a proximity sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 7, wherein the step of determining whether the received input indicate a desire for the device to enter a private mode comprises detecting a human presence within a predetermined threshold distance of the device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the one or more outputs further include a display screen, and wherein altering communications from the device comprises conveying an otherwise audible communication via the display screen rather than the audio speaker. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving input at the device comprises receiving input from a proximity sensor indicative of a proximity of a human to the device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein determining whether the input is indicative of an intent for the device to enter a private mode comprises determining that the human is within a predetermined threshold distance of the device. ### Claim 12 A method for controlling a mode of a portable electronic communication device comprising: receiving input at the device; determining whether the input is indicative of an intent for the device to enter a private mode; entering the private mode at the device if the user input indicates an intent for the device to enter the private mode; and while in the private mode, altering a manner in which the device communicates, wherein altering a manner in which the device communicates comprises one of reducing a volume at which the device plays an audible communication and conveying an otherwise audible communication via a visible user interface instead. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method in accordance with claim 12, wherein receiving input at the device comprises receiving an audible utterance at a microphone. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method in accordance with claim 13, wherein determining whether the input is indicative of an intent for the device to enter a private mode comprises determining whether the input is whispered. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein determining whether the input is whispered comprises applying a cepstral analysis to the input. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method in accordance with claim 12, wherein receiving input at the device comprises receiving an image from a camera associated with the device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein determining whether the input is indicative of an intent for the device to enter a private mode comprises detecting a facial expression indicative of confidentiality. ### Claim 18 A method of communicating from a portable electronic device to a user of the device comprising: detecting an utterance; determining whether the utterance is a whispered utterance; and altering communications from the device if the utterance is a whispered utterance, such that otherwise audible communications from the device are played at reduced volume or are displayed and not audibly played.