Electronic device and controlling method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11227597-B2
Application number	US-202016748238-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2020
Priority date	Jan 21, 2019
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

An electronic device for performing a voice recognition and a controlling method are provided. The method includes receiving a plurality of voice signals and a metadata signal in a non-audible frequency band regarding at least one of the plurality of voice signals, through the plurality of microphones, obtaining direction information and frequency band information regarding each of the plurality of voice signals and the metadata signal, identifying the plurality of voice signals and the metadata signal, respectively, based on the direction information and the frequency band information, identifying a voice signal of which direction information is same as direction information of the metadata signal and a voice signal of which direction information is different from direction information of the metadata signal, respectively, among the plurality of voice signals, and performing a voice recognition based on the voice signal of which direction information is different from the direction information of the metadata signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a plurality of microphones;
a memory including at least one command; and
a processor configured to:
execute the at least one command,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive a plurality of voice signals and a metadata signal in a non-audible frequency band regarding at least one of the plurality of voice signals, through the plurality of microphones,
obtain direction information and frequency band information regarding each of the plurality of voice signals and the metadata signal,
identify the plurality of voice signals and the metadata signal, respectively, based on the direction information and the frequency band information,
identify a voice signal of which direction information is same as direction information of the metadata signal and a voice signal of which direction information is different from direction information of the metadata signal, respectively, among the plurality of voice signals, and
perform a voice recognition based on the voice signal of which direction information is different from direction information of the metadata signal.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the voice signal of which direction information is different from direction information of the metadata signal among the plurality of voice signals is a voice signal according to a voice of a user,
wherein the voice signal of which direction information is same as direction information of the metadata signal among the plurality of voice signals is a voice signal output by an external device, and
wherein the metadata signal includes information related to an identification of the external device.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive the metadata signal periodically from the external device, and
obtain and store direction information regarding the external device based on the metadata signal.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
identify the voice signal of which direction information is same as direction information of the external device and the voice signal of which direction information is different from direction information of the external device, respectively, among the plurality of voice signals, based on direction information regarding the external device, and
perform the voice recognition based on the voice signal of which direction information is different from direction information of the external device.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , further comprising:
an inputter including a circuit,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
register at least one external device as a registration device according to a user command input through the inputter, and
based on the external device being included in at least one external device registered as the registration device, perform the voice recognition based on the voice signal of which direction information is same as direction information of the external device.

6. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
obtain information on a relative location of the electronic device and the external device based on direction information regarding the external device, and
determine a distance between the electronic device and a location where at least one voice signal is generated and a distance between the external device and a location where the at least one voice signal is generated, respectively, based on direction information on the at least one voice signal among the plurality of voice signals and information on the relative location of the electronic device and the external device.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a communicator including a circuit,
wherein the processor is further configured to, based on the distance between the electronic device and the location where the at least one voice signal is generated being determined to be shorter than the distance between the external device and the location where the at least one voice signal is generated:
transmit confirmation response information that the electronic device will perform the voice recognition based on the at least one voice signal to the external device through the communicator, and
perform the voice recognition based on the at least one voice signal.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
in response to identifying that the distance between the electronic device and the location where the at least one voice signal is generated is longer than the distance between the external device and the location where the at least one voice signal is generated, and confirmation response information that the external device performs the voice recognition based on the at least one voice signal is not received from the external device through the communicator for a predetermined time, perform the voice recognition based on the at least one voice signal.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an outputter including a circuit,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
insert the metadata signal including information related to an identification of the electronic device into an obtained voice signal periodically, and
output the voice signal to which the metadata signal is inserted, through the outputter.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
based on the plurality of voice signals and the metadata signal being mixed and received, divide the plurality of voice signals and the metadata signal using a blind source separation (BSS) technique, and
obtain direction information regarding each of the plurality of voice signals and the metadata signal using a direction of arrival (DOA) technique using the plurality of microphones.

11. A controlling method of an electronic device, the method comprising:
receiving a plurality of voice signals and a metadata signal in a non-audible frequency band regarding at least one of the plurality of voice signals, through a plurality of microphones of the electronic device;
obtaining direction information and frequency band information regarding each of the plurality of voice signals and the metadata signal;
identifying the plurality of voice signals and the metadata signal, respectively, based on the direction information and the frequency band information;
identifying a voice signal of which direction information is same as direction information of the metadata signal and a voice signal of which direction information is different from direction information of the metadata signal, respectively, among the plurality of voice signals; and
performing a voice recognition based on the voice signal of which direction information is different from the direction information of the metadata signal.

12. The method of claim 11 ,
wherein the voice signal of which direction information is different from direction information of the metadata signal among the plurality of voice signals is a voice signal according to a voice of a user;
wherein the voice signal of which direction information is same as direction information of the metadata signal among the plurality of voice signals is a voice signal output by an external device; and
wherein the metadata signal includes information related to an identification of the external device.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
receiving the metadata signal periodically from the external device; and
obtaining and storing direction information regarding the external dev

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Hyunkook
• Kim Taeyoung
• Cho Sunghee

Classifications

• H04R3/005

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

• G10L2015/225

  Feedback of the input speech · CPC title

• G10L21/0272

  Voice signal separating · CPC title

• G10L2015/226

  using non-speech characteristics · CPC title

• G10L15/22 Primary

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