Lighting centric indoor location based service with speech-based user interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10547936-B2
Application number	US-201715631441-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2017
Priority date	Jun 23, 2017
Publication date	Jan 28, 2020
Grant date	Jan 28, 2020

Abstract

The examples relate to implementations of apparatuses, such as lighting devices, and a system that uses a speech-based user interface to provide speech-based navigation services. The speech-based user interface provides navigation instructions that direct a person to the location of an item within a premises. The person interacts with a speech-based apparatus to receive the navigation instructions as speech-based directions through the premises from a specified location to the item location, or as static navigation instructions enabling the person to navigate from the specified location to the item location. A directional microphone and a controllable speaker receive audio inputs from and output audio outputs to a specified location or subarea of the premises to a person using the speech-based user interface. The audio outputs are directed to the person in the subarea of the premises, and have a higher amplitude within the subarea than outside the subarea of the premises.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a general illumination light source configured to emit general illumination light for illuminating a space of a premises;
a person detection sensor responsive to a person in a specified location of a vicinity of the apparatus;
a speech-based user interface, comprising:
a microphone with an audio coder that detects speech-related audio inputs from a source of speech; and
a controllable speaker with an audio decoder, the speaker being configured to output an audio message in a specified direction toward the source of speech;
a communication interface configured to be coupled to a data network and an application server;
a memory storing programming instructions;
a processor, coupled to the general illumination light source, the audio coder, the audio decoder, the communication interface, and the memory, wherein the processor upon executing the programming instructions stored in the memory configures the apparatus to perform functions, including the functions to:
enable the microphone and audio coder in response to a signal generated by the person detection sensor;
output an audio greeting or prompt via the controllable speaker;
initiate a record and coded data collection process by the microphone and audio coder for the detected audio inputs of a user of the interface at the specified location beneath the apparatus;
receive coded data from the audio coder,
forward, via the communication interface, the coded data to a natural language processing service for recognition of the coded data;
obtain a recognition result, via the communication interface, from the natural language processing service;
process the recognition result to provide an item identifier of an item corresponding to the coded data and located within the premises of the light source;
forward the item identifier, via the communication interface, to an application server;
obtain a location of the identified item in the premises and navigation-related information to the location of the item within the space illuminated by the light source, via the communication interface, from the application server; and
encode the obtained location of the identified item and navigation-related information for guidance to the location of the item into an inquiry response for output to the user of the interface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform the function to:
forward the encoded inquiry response to the decoder to drive the speaker; and
generate by the speaker audio information based on the encoded inquiry response, the generated audio information conveying the location of the identified item in the premises and navigation-related information, wherein:
the generated audio information is directed to the specified location, and
has an amplitude higher within the specified location than outside the specified location.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the generated audio information includes audio directions based on the navigation-related information, the audio directions including navigation instructions that describe a path through the premises to the identified item location.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the person detection sensor is coupled to the processor, and
the person detection sensor is one or more of an ultrasonic device, a wireless RF device, or an infrared sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to:
in response to receiving a person detection signal, generate a prompt from the speaker as to whether the detected person wants the encoded inquiry response output as a voice message from the speaker or to a mobile device via a radio frequency transceiver.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
in response to receiving the signal generated by the person detection sensor, alter a characteristic of the general illumination light emitted by the general illumination light source, the altered general illumination light characteristic indicating the location of the apparatus in the space.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the microphone comprises:
a primary hypercardioid microphone that is a directional microphone, and
an array of secondary microphones coupled about an exterior of the apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises:
a radio frequency transceiver configured to communicate with a mobile device in the specified location; and
wherein the processor is further configured to perform a function to:
provide via the radio frequency transceiver static indoor navigation instructions to the mobile device, the static indoor navigation based on a map of the premises, the location of the apparatus within the premises, and the location of the identified item.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the radio frequency transceiver is coupled to an antenna, and the radio frequency transceiver is configured to emit signals at a power setting at which the power of the emitted signals is higher in the specified location than outside the specified location.

10. A method, comprising:
enabling a directional microphone of a speech-based user interface in response to a signal generated by detection of a sound in a subarea defined beneath a lighting device in an area in which the lighting device is located, the speech-based user interface incorporated in the lighting device;
processing the detected sound to identify speech-related sound from the subarea;
outputting, via a speaker of the speech-based user interface, a speech prompt, the speech prompt audible to a person within the subarea, wherein the speech prompt is output from the speaker as speech that has an audio amplitude higher within the subarea than outside the subarea;
upon receipt by the directional microphone of a spoken request from the person that is responsive to the speech prompt, initiating a voice recognition process based on the spoken request of the person, wherein the spoken request includes an item identifier of an item located within a premises of the lighting device;
in response to an output result of the voice recognition process processing the spoken request including the item identifier, accessing a database containing a location of the item within the premises of the lighting device and corresponding to the item identifier; and
based on information in the database, providing, via a speaker of the speech-based user interface, navigation instructions to the location of the item corresponding to the item identifier and spoken request of the person to enable traversal by the person from the subarea defined beneath the lighting device to the location of the item within the premises of the lighting device, wherein the navigation instructions are provided as speech that has an audio amplitude higher within the subarea than outside the subarea.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the enabling of the directional microphone of the speech-based user interface is in response to continued detection of person's presence in the subarea.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein processing the detected sound to identify speech in the detected sound, comprises:
applying a source separation audio process to the detected sound to identify only speech,
obtaining speech data related to the identified speech;
selecting data related to the spoken prompt, and
forwarding the selected data to a processor for delivery to the audio output device.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein providing navigation instructions enabling traversal by the person from the subarea to the location of the item within the premi

Assignees

• Abl Ip Holding Llc

Inventors

• Nagel Vernon J
• Kastee Jenish S
• Rains Jr Jack C
• Hixon Nathaniel W
• Baker Youssef F
• Megginson Daniel M
• White Sean P
• Eegholm Niels G

Classifications

• H04R1/34 Primary

  by using a single transducer with sound reflecting, diffracting, directing or guiding means {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/402)} · CPC title

• H04R1/406

  microphones · CPC title

• H04R1/403

  loud-speakers · CPC title

• H04R2201/401

  2D or 3D arrays of transducers · CPC title

• H04R3/005

  for combining the signals of two or more microphones (specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407) · CPC title