Voice recognition system for use with a personal media streaming appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11935534-B2
Application number	US-202217694756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2022
Priority date	May 7, 2018
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

A system and method for voice control of a media playback device is disclosed. The method includes receiving an instruction of a voice command, converting the voice command to text, transmitting the text command to the playback device, and having the playback device execute the command. An instruction may include a command to play a set of audio tracks, and the media playback device plays the set of audio tracks upon receiving the instruction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for playing media content via a voice instruction, the method comprising:
receiving the voice instruction;
determining whether the voice instruction includes a wake phrase;
when the voice instruction includes the wake phrase, sending the voice instruction to a remote server for identification of:
a command portion identifying intent information, and
a parameter portion identifying a preset, the preset being associated with a physical button on a control device;

performing an action associated with the preset based on the intent information;
receiving a second voice instruction having a parameter portion identifying a preset alias;
associating the media content with the preset alias; and
associating the preset alias with the preset, the preset alias providing a shortcut to the media content that is different from the preset, wherein the preset alias is an uttered phrase.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
stop processing the voice instruction when the wake phrase is not identified.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the voice instruction includes the wake phrase is performed on the control device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second voice instruction further includes a command portion having a save request.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
extracting features from the voice instruction; and
comparing the extracted features with a pattern to determine whether the voice instruction includes the wake phrase.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining the voice instruction includes the wake phrase when a difference between the extracted features and the pattern satisfies a threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing the preset alias in a preset table, the preset table including:
preset identifiers each identifying a preset associated with a physical button on the control device;
preset aliases each identifying a shortcut associated with a preset identifier; and
media context identifiers each associated with a preset identifier, each of the media context identifiers grouping one or more media content items for playback.

8. A control device for controlling playback of media content via a voice instruction, the control device comprising:
at least one processing device; and
at least one memory device storing software instructions which, when executed by the at least one processing device, cause the at least one processing device to:
receive the voice instruction;
determine whether the voice instruction includes a wake phrase;
when the voice instruction includes the wake phrase, send the voice instruction to a remote server for identification of:
a command portion identifying intent information, and
a parameter portion identifying a preset, the preset being associated with a physical button on the control device;

perform an action associated with the preset based on the intent information;
receive a second voice instruction having a parameter portion identifying a preset alias;
associate the media content with the preset alias; and
associate the preset alias with the preset, the preset alias providing a shortcut to the media content that is different from the preset, wherein the preset alias is an uttered phrase.

9. The control device of claim 8 , wherein the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processing device, further cause the at least one processing device to:
stop processing the voice instruction when the wake phrase is not identified.

10. The control device of claim 8 , wherein the second voice instruction further includes a command portion having a save request.

11. The control device of claim 8 , wherein the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processing device, further cause the at least one processing device to:
extract features from the voice instruction; and
compare the extracted features with a pattern to determine whether the voice instruction includes the wake phrase.

12. The control device of claim 11 , wherein the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processing device, further cause the at least one processing device to:
determine the voice instruction includes the wake phrase when a difference between the extracted features and the pattern satisfies a threshold.

13. The control device of claim 8 , wherein the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processing device, further cause the at least one processing device to:
store the preset alias in a preset table, the preset table including:
preset identifiers each identifying a preset associated with a physical button on the control device;
preset aliases each identifying a shortcut associated with a preset identifier; and
media context identifiers each associated with a preset identifier, each of the media context identifiers grouping one or more media content items for playback.

14. The control device of claim 8 , further comprising:
one or more physical buttons each associated with a media context that provides a grouping of one or more media content items for playback.

15. The control device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a rotatable control knob for selecting one or more additional media contexts.

16. The control device of claim 8 , further comprising:
a microphone for receiving the voice instruction.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising instructions stored thereon, which, when read and executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to:
receive the voice instruction;
determine whether the voice instruction includes a wake phrase;
when the voice instruction includes the wake phrase, send the voice instruction to a server for identification of:
a command portion identifying intent information, and
a parameter portion identifying a preset, the preset being associated with a physical button on a control device;

perform an action associated with the preset based on the intent information;
receive a second voice instruction having a parameter portion identifying a preset alias;
associate the media content with the preset alias; and
associate the preset alias with the preset, the preset alias providing a shortcut to the media content that is different from the preset, wherein the preset alias is an uttered phrase.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more computing devices to:
stop processing the voice instruction when the wake phrase is not identified.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more computing devices to:
extract features from the voice instruction; and
compare the extracted features with a pattern to determine whether the voice instruction includes the wake phrase.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more computing devices to:
store the preset alias in a preset table, the preset table including:
preset identifiers each identifying a preset associated with a physical button on the control device;
preset aliases each identifying a shortcut associated with a preset identifier; and
media context identifiers each associated with a preset identifier, each of the media context identifiers grouping one or more media content items for playback.

Assignees

• Spotify Ab

Inventors

• Bromand Daniel
• Mitic Richard
• Jurcut Horia
• Thom-Santelli Jennifer
• Cramer Henriette
• Humphreys Karl
• Williams Robert
• Jacobson Kurt
• Lindström Henrik

Classifications

• G10L15/22 Primary

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

• G06F3/165

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title

• G10L15/26

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

• G10L2015/223

  Execution procedure of a spoken command · CPC title

• G06F3/167 Primary

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