Voice activated modular controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10726835-B2
Application number	US-201615389818-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2016
Priority date	Dec 23, 2016
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

A modular controller may be mounted in an opening, such as a standard single wide or double wide electrical junction box, in a wall or other surface. The modular controller may include a power module and a front module. The power module may be mounted in the opening of the surface, and may be configured to provide electrical power to the front module. The front module may be detachably coupleable to the power module. The front module may be configured to receive audio commands, gesture commands, and/or presence input corresponding to a desired action, and may cause the action to be performed by a device of the front module and/or an external device. The front module may include various devices (e.g., components) capable of providing various functionalities, and may be selected for coupling to a power module in a particular location based at least in part on the functionalities.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wall-mounted modular controller comprising:
a power unit configured to couple to a surface of a wall in an environment, the power unit comprising:
a terminal configured to couple to a power source; and
a first connector; and

a front unit configured to detachably couple to the power unit, the front unit comprising:
a second connector configured to couple to the first connector for power transfer;
a microphone array located closer to a first end of the front unit than a second end of the front unit, the second end being opposite to the first end;
at least one loudspeaker located closer to the second end than the first end;
a mechanical switch located between the microphone array and the at least one loudspeaker;
a wireless network interface;
one or more processors; and
one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving, via the microphone array, an audio signal comprising a request for the wall-mounted modular controller to cause an external device in the environment to perform an action;
sending the audio signal to a remote computing device via the wireless network interface, the remote computing device being configured to perform speech processing to identify the external device and the action associated with the audio signal;
receiving, via the wireless network interface, a control signal corresponding to the action, the control signal comprising an identification of the external device; and
sending the control signal to the external device.

2. The wall-mounted modular controller of claim 1 , wherein the power unit comprises a form factor configured to fit in at least one of a single gang or a double gang junction box.

3. The wall-mounted modular controller of claim 1 , wherein the microphone array comprises an adjustable microphone configured to move from a first position to a second position.

4. The wall-mounted modular controller of claim 1 , further comprising another front unit coupled adjacent to the front unit, the other front unit comprising at least one of a display screen or a loudspeaker.

5. A device comprising:
a power unit configured to couple to a surface in an environment and to couple to a power source, the power unit comprising:
a first connector; and
a first attachment mechanism;

a wireless transceiver; and
a front unit configured to detachably couple to the power unit, the front unit comprising:
a second connector configured to couple to and receive power from the first connector;
a second attachment mechanism configured to couple to the first attachment mechanism and engage the power unit and the front unit;
a microphone array located closer to a top end of the front unit than a bottom end of the front unit, the microphone array configured to process an input comprising a command and to generate an audio signal comprising the command;
at least one loudspeaker located closer to the bottom end of the front unit than the top end of the front unit, the at least one loudspeaker configured to output sound; and
an interface configured to receive input, wherein at least a portion of the interface is located between the microphone array and the at least one loudspeaker.

6. The device of claim 5 , the front unit further comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving the audio signal;
sending the audio signal to a remote computing device configured to perform speech processing;
receiving information about an action associated with the input;
receiving information about a second device configured to perform the action; and
causing the second device to perform the action.

7. The device of claim 5 , the front unit further comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
comparing a first word of the audio signal to a wake word stored in a data store;
determining that the first word matches the wake word; and
sending, to the remote computing device, data corresponding to the command, wherein the remote computing device is configured to perform speech processing to identify the action and a second device associated with the action.

8. The device of claim 5 , wherein the microphone array comprises a stationary microphone and an adjustable microphone operably coupled to the front unit, the adjustable microphone being configured to pivot from a first position in which the microphone array has a first width, to a second position in which the microphone array has a second width, the second width being greater than the first width.

9. The device of claim 5 , wherein the microphone array comprises a stationary microphone and an adjustable microphone, the adjustable microphone being configured to pivot from a first position in which a front surface of the adjustable microphone is offset from a front surface of the front unit, to a second position in which the front surface of the adjustable microphone is substantially aligned with the front surface of the front unit.

10. The device of claim 5 , wherein the microphone array comprises one or more adjustable microphones configured to slide or swing on front of the front unit.

11. The device of claim 5 , wherein a front panel of the front unit is configured to fit within an opening of a wallplate, the wallplate comprising an off-the-shelf light switch outer casing.

12. The device of claim 5 , further comprising a second front unit coupled adjacent to the front unit and comprising at least one of a display screen or a loudspeaker.

13. The device of claim 5 , the front unit further comprising a port configured to couple to and power at least one of:
a display;
the at least one loudspeaker;
a camera; or
a motion sensor.

14. The device of claim 5 , wherein one of the first connector or the second connector comprises a floating connector that is configured to move independent of a respective unit to which it is coupled in order to align with the other of the first connector or the second connector.

15. The device of claim 5 , the power unit further comprising a disconnect switch configured to decouple the power unit from the power source.

16. The device of claim 5 , further comprising an input device located further from the top end than the microphone array and further from the bottom end than the at least one loudspeaker.

17. The device of claim 5 , further comprising an external device port located further from the top end than the microphone array and further from the bottom end than the at least one loudspeaker.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the microphone array and the at least one loudspeaker are located on a first side of the front unit and the device port is located on a second side of the front unit.

19. A system comprising:
a power unit;
a wireless transceiver;
a first front unit configured to detachably couple to the power unit, the first front unit comprising:
a microphone array located closer to a top end of the first front unit than a bottom end of the first front unit;
at least one loudspeaker located closer

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Chua Albert John Yu Sam
• Gejji Pushkaraksha
• Canizares Wilfrido Loor
• Cybart Adam Kenneth
• Pance Aleksandar
• Walliser Marc Rene

Classifications

• G06F3/167 Primary

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• Y02B90/20

  Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector (smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00) · CPC title

• H04R1/028

  associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles · CPC title

• Y04S20/14

  Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers · CPC title

• H04R2201/401

  2D or 3D arrays of transducers · CPC title