Wakeword detection using a secondary microphone

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12190865-B2
Application number	US-202117323488-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2021
Priority date	Feb 11, 2019
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

Techniques for capturing spoken user inputs while a device is prevented from capturing such spoken user inputs are described. When a first device becomes incapable of capturing spoken user inputs intended for a system, a second device, for capturing such spoken user inputs, may be identified. The second device may be identified based on the second device being connected to a same vehicle computing system as the first device. The second device may be enabled to capture spoken user inputs, intended for the system, until the first device is again able to capture such spoken user inputs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
determining a first device is connected to a second device;
receiving an indication based at least in part on a change of an operational status of the second device;
in response to the indication and based at least in part on the first device being connected to the second device, disabling wakeword detection by the second device; and
in response to the indication and based at least in part on the first device being connected to the second device, enabling wakeword detection by the first device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first device is connected to the second device comprises determining the first device is connected to the second device via wireless communication.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first device is connected to the second device comprises determining the first device is physically connected to the second device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving audio data captured by the first device; and
determining the audio data is associated with the second device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing an association between a first identifier of the first device and a second identifier of the second device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, after disabling wakeword detection by the second device:
determining the first device is disconnected from the second device; and
in response to determining the first device is disconnected from the second device, enabling wakeword detection by the second device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising, after determining the first device is disconnected from the second device:
deleting an association between a first identifier of the first device and a second identifier of the second device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting, by the first device, speech including a wakeword;
sending, from the first device to the second device, audio data representing the speech; and
causing speech processing to be performed using the audio data.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining the first device is associated with a user profile; and
determining the second device is associated with the user profile.

10. A system comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
determine a first device is connected to a second device;
receive an indication based at least in part on a change of an operational status of the second device;
in response to the indication and based at least in part on the first device being connected to the second device, disabling wakeword detection by the second device; and
in response to the indication and based at least in part on the first device being connected to the second device, enable wakeword detection by the first device.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions that cause the system to determine the first device is connected to the second device comprise instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine the first device is connected to the second device via wireless communication.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions that cause the system to determine the first device is connected to the second device comprise instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine the first device is physically connected to the second device.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
receive audio data captured by the first device; and
determine the audio data is associated with the second device.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
store an association between a first identifier of the first device and a second identifier of the second device.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to, after disabling wakeword detection by the second device:
determine the first device is disconnected from the second device; and
in response to determining the first device is disconnected from the second device, enable wakeword detection by the second device.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to, after determining the first device is disconnected from the second device:
delete an association between a first identifier of the first device and a second identifier of the second device.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
determine the first device is associated with a user profile; and
determine the second device is associated with the user profile.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Mitchell Andrew
• Nagy Gabor

Classifications

• G10L15/22

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

• G10L2015/088

  Word spotting · CPC title

• G10L2015/223

  Execution procedure of a spoken command · CPC title

• G10L15/30

  Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications · CPC title

• G10L15/08 Primary

  Speech classification or search · CPC title