Voice input processing method and electronic device for supporting the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11823673-B2
Application number	US-202017092516-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2020
Priority date	Jan 20, 2017
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

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 one or more external electronic devices;
an indicator configured to provide at least one visual indication;
a processor electrically connected with the microphone, the communication circuitry, and the indicator; and
a memory electrically connected with the processor,
wherein the memory stores instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the electronic device to:
receive a first voice input including a first specified word, which is common to the one or more external devices, for waking up the electronic device, through the microphone,
determine whether a signal is received from one of the one or more external electronic devices that corresponds to the first specified word,
based upon determining that the signal is received, and the signal corresponds to the first specified word:
display a first visual indication via the indicator, for distinguishing the electronic device, against one or more visual indications displayed by the one or more external electronic devices, respectively,
receive a second voice input including a second specified word through the microphone, and
if the second specified word corresponds to the electronic device, wake up the electronic device and perform a function corresponding to the second voice input via the electronic device, and

based upon determining that no signal is received from the one or more external devices that corresponds to the first specified word, wake up the electronic device in absence of displaying the first visual indicator.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the memory further includes 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:
configure the first visual indication based on the stored mapping information.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
cause the one of the one or more external electronic devices to display a second visual indication different from the first visual indication by transmitting the signal corresponding to the second voice input.

4. 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.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 ,
wherein the second specified word corresponds to the electronic device when the second specified word corresponds to the at least one color.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
receive information on the first visual indication from a server using the communication circuitry.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores 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.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first specified word corresponds to a wake-up word common to the electronic device and the one or more external electronic device.

11. A voice input processing method of an electronic device, the method comprising:
receiving, via a microphone, a first voice input including a first specified word, which is common to one or more external devices, for waking up the electronic device;
determining, via a processor, whether a signal is received from one of the one or more external electronic devices that corresponds to the first specified word;
based upon determining that the signal is received, and that the signal corresponds to the first specified word:
displaying a first visual indication for distinguishing the electronic device, against one or more visual indications displayed by the one or more external electronic devices, respectively,
receiving, via the microphone, a second voice input including a second specified word, and
based upon detecting the second specified word corresponds to the electronic device, waking up the electronic device, and performing, by the processor, a function corresponding to the second voice input via the electronic device; and

based upon determining that no signal is received from the one or more external devices that corresponds to the first specified word, wake up the electronic device in absence of displaying the first visual indicator.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first visual indication is based on stored mapping information, that maps a type of at least one visual indication to an assignment state of the at least one visual indication, wherein the method further comprises:
configuring the first visual indication based on the stored mapping information.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
causing the one of the one or more external electronic devices to display a second visual indication different from the first visual indication by transmitting the signal corresponding to the second voice input.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a light emitting diode (LED) or a display.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second specified word corresponds to the electronic device when the second specified word corresponds to at least one color.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving information on the first visual indication from a server.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
outputting a voice output corresponding to the first visual indication.

18. The method of claim 11 , 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 a microphone of the electronic device 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.

19. The method of claim 11 , 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.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the fi

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

• G06F1/3231

  Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users · CPC title

• G06F3/167

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

• G10L15/083

  Recognition networks (G10L15/142, G10L15/16 take precedence) · CPC title

• G10L15/26

  Speech to text systems (G10L15/08 takes precedence) · CPC title