Voice input processing method and electronic device for supporting the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10832670-B2
Application number	US-201815869749-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2018
Priority date	Jan 20, 2017
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a microphone, a communication circuitry, an indicator configured to provide at least one visual indication, and a processor configured to be electrically connected with the microphone, the communication circuitry, and the indicator, and a memory. The memory stores instructions, when executed, cause the processor to receive a first voice input through the microphone, perform a first voice recognition for the first voice input, if a first specified word for waking up the electronic device is included in a result of the first voice recognition, display a first visual indication through the indicator, receive a second voice input through the microphone, perform a second voice recognition for the second voice input, and if a second specified word corresponding to the first visual indication is included in a result of the second voice recognition, wake up the electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a microphone configured to receive a voice input;
a communication circuitry configured to communicate with an external electronic device;
an indicator configured to provide at least one visual indication; and
a processor configured to be electrically connected with the microphone, the communication circuitry, and the indicator; and
a memory configured to be electrically connected with the processor,
wherein the memory stores instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:
receive a first voice input through the microphone;
perform a first voice recognition for the first voice input;
if a first specified word, which is common to a plurality of devices, for waking up the electronic device is included in a result of the first voice recognition, display a first visual indication through the indicator for distinguishing the electronic device among the plurality of devices;
receive a second voice input through the microphone;
perform a second voice recognition for the second voice input;
if a second specified word corresponding to the first visual indication is included in a result of the second voice recognition, wake up the electronic device; and
if a signal corresponding to the first specified word is received from the external electronic device located near the electronic device, transmit information about a second visual indication different from the first visual indication to the external electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a light emitting diode (LED) or a display, and
wherein the first visual indication is at least one color displayed by the indicator.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the memory further include mapping information that maps a type of the at least one visual indication to an assignment state of the at least one visual indication, and
wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
determine the first visual indication based on the mapping information.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the signal comprises at least one of information regarding when the external electronic device received the first voice input and a first volume level of the first voice input received by the external electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
adjust a threshold of a volume level for the second voice recognition based on the first volume level of the first voice input included in the signal and a second volume level of the first voice input received through the microphone.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a speaker,
wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
output a voice output corresponding to the first visual indication through the speaker.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor module,
wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
determine at least one of whether a body part of a user is close to the electronic device and whether the body part of the user is in contact with the electronic device, based on sensing information obtained through the sensor module; and
determine whether to wake up the microphone based on the determination that the body part of the user is close to the electronic device or the determination that the body part of the user is in contact with the electronic device.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the memory includes usage history information of a user for the electronic device, and
wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
perform voiceprint identification for the first voice input to identify the user; and
determine whether to wake up the electronic device based on the usage history information of the user.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
determine whether to wake up the electronic device based on whether an instruction corresponding to a function performable by the electronic device is included in the result of the second voice recognition.

10. A voice input processing method of an electronic device, the method comprising:
receiving a first voice input through a microphone;
performing a first voice recognition for the first voice input;
if a first specified word, which is common to a plurality of devices, for waking up the electronic device is included in a result of the first voice recognition, displaying an indication for distinguishing the electronic device among the plurality of devices through the indicator;
receiving a second voice input through the microphone;
performing a second voice recognition for the second voice input;
if a second specified word corresponding to the indication is included in a result of the second voice recognition, waking up the electronic device; and
if a signal corresponding to the first specified word is received from an external electronic device located near the electronic device, transmitting information about another indication different from the indication to the external electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
verifying mapping information that maps a type of at least one indication to an assignment state of the at least one indication which are stored in a memory of the electronic device; and
determining the indication based on the mapping information.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
adjusting a threshold of a volume level for the second voice recognition based on a first volume level of the first voice input received in the external electronic device included in the signal and a second volume level of the first voice input received through the microphone.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining at least one of whether a body part of a user is close to the electronic device and whether the body part of the user is in contact with the electronic device, based on sensing information obtained through a sensor module of the electronic device; and
determining whether to wake up the microphone based on the determination that the body part of the user is close to the electronic device or the determination that the body part of the user is in contact with the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
performing voiceprint identification for the first voice input to identify a user; and
determining whether to wake up the electronic device based on usage history information of the user, the usage history information being stored in a memory of the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining whether to wake up the electronic device based on whether an instruction corresponding to a function performable by the electronic device is included in the result of the second voice recognition.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park No Joon
• Lee Hyo Jung
• Park Jun Hyung
• Lee Tae Hee
• Kim Geon Soo
• Kim Han Jib
• Jeon Yong Joon

Classifications

• G10L15/22 Primary

  Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue · CPC title

• G10L2015/221

  Announcement of recognition results · CPC title

• G06F1/3228

  Monitoring task completion, e.g. by use of idle timers, stop commands or wait commands · CPC title

• G10L2015/225

  Feedback of the input speech · CPC title

• G06F3/16

  Sound input; Sound output (speech processing G10L) · CPC title