Voice responsive in-wall device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11545171-B2
Application number	US-202017103006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2020
Priority date	Dec 20, 2017
Publication date	Jan 3, 2023
Grant date	Jan 3, 2023

Abstract

Voice responsive in-wall devices are provided. In one example implementation, a power switch includes a housing mountable on or at least partially within a surface. The housing can have a front panel. The power switch can include an interface element disposed on the front panel and operable to receive a user input. The power switch can include a power interrupter operable to control power delivery to the powered load based at least in part on interaction with the interface element. The power switch can include one or more microphones operable to obtain audio input. The power switch can include one or more speakers configured to provide audio output. The power switch can include a communications interface operable to communicate data associated with the audio input over a communication link.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for processing audio data received at a power switch, the method comprising:
obtaining, by one or more microphones of the power switch, audio data in a passive mode;
processing, by one or more processors of the power switch, the audio data to identify a trigger condition;
determining, by the one or more processors, the trigger condition corresponds to an out of band condition;
operating, by the one or more processors, in a response mode in response to determining the trigger condition corresponds to the out of band condition;
selecting, by the one or more processors, at least one control action to implement; and
implementing, by the one or more processors, at least one control action in the response mode,
wherein the control action is controlling, by a power interrupter in electrical communication with the power switch, power delivery to a powered load based at least on the out of band condition,
wherein the trigger condition is specified as a frequency range or pattern of audible sounds,
wherein the trigger condition corresponding to the out of band condition is distinct from an active listening trigger specified for entering the power switch into an active listening mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining, by the one or more processors in the power switch, the active listening trigger condition is an audio prompt command; and
entering the active listening mode when the active listening trigger condition is a prompt command.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein audio data is not recorded in the passive mode.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the trigger condition is an out of band condition comprises:
accessing, by the one or more processors, one or more classifier models stored in one or more memory devices in the power switch;
classifying, by the one or more processors, audio data as the out of band condition based on the classifier model; and
determining, by the one or more processors, the trigger condition corresponds to the out of band condition when the audio data is classified as the out of band condition.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the out of band condition comprises one or more of a smoke alarm, breaking glass, crying baby, barking animal, or siren.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling power delivery to a powered load comprises dimming a light.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling power delivery to a powered load comprises controlling power delivery to a fan.

8. A power switch for controlling a powered load, the power switch comprising:
one or more microphones configured to obtain audio data in a passive mode;
a power interrupter in electrical communication with the power switch, power delivery to a powered load;
one or more processors configured to
process the audio data to identify a trigger condition,
determine the that trigger condition corresponds to an out of band condition,
operate in a response mode in response to determining the trigger condition corresponds to the out of band condition,
select least one control action to implement, and
implement the at least one control action in the response mode,
wherein the control action is controlling, by a power interrupter in electrical communication with the power switch, power delivery to a powered load based at least on the out of band condition,
wherein the trigger condition is specified as a frequency range or pattern of audible sounds,
wherein the trigger condition corresponding to the out of band condition is distinct from an active listening trigger specified for entering the power switch into an active listening mode.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one control action is a distinct out of band condition control action from a control action set including non-distinct control actions and distinct out of band condition control actions.

10. The power switch of claim 9 , the one or more processors further configured to:
determine that the active listening trigger is an audio prompt command; and
enter the active listening mode when the active listening trigger is a prompt command.

11. The power switch of claim 10 , wherein audio data is not recorded in the passive mode.

12. The power switch of claim 9 , the one or more processors further configured to:
access one or more classifier models stored in one or more memory devices in the power switch;
classify audio data as the out of band condition based on the classifier model; and
determine the trigger condition corresponds to the out of band condition when the audio data is classified as the out of band condition.

13. The power switch of claim 9 , wherein the out of band condition comprises one or more of a smoke alarm, breaking glass, crying baby, barking animal, or siren.

14. The power switch of claim 9 , wherein controlling power delivery to a powered load comprises dimming a light.

15. The power switch of claim 9 , wherein controlling power delivery to a powered load comprises controlling power delivery to a fan.

16. The power switch of claim 1 , wherein selecting, by the one or more processors, at least one control action to implement includes selecting a distinct out of band condition control action from a control action set including non-distinct control actions and distinct out of band condition control actions.

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Monteith Shawn
• Tetreault Michael
• Gould Daniel
• Kraus Nicholas

Classifications

• H04R1/04

  Structural association of microphone with electric circuitry therefor (in electric hearing aids H04R25/00) · CPC title

• G10L2015/223

  Execution procedure of a spoken command · CPC title

• H01H2239/054

  Acoustic pick-up, e.g. ultrasonic · CPC title

• G10L25/51 Primary

  for comparison or discrimination · CPC title

• H04R2201/028

  Structural combinations of loudspeakers with built-in power amplifiers, e.g. in the same acoustic enclosure (H04R2499/10 takes precedence; Single (sub)woofer with two or more satellite loudspeakers for mid- and high-frequency band reproduction driven via the (sub)woofer H04R2205/026) · CPC title