Voice-activated vehicle lighting control hub

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018174581-A1
Application number	US-201615383148-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 19, 2016
Priority date	Dec 19, 2016
Publication date	Jun 21, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A voice-activated lighting control hub allows a vehicle operator to activate and adjust one or more lighting devices associated with the vehicle through verbal instructions. The voice-activating lighting control hub receives and interprets the verbal instructions, generates a control signal, and wirelessly transmits the control signal to a receiver associated with the lighting device in question. The voice-activated lighting control hub also provides spoken feedback to the vehicle operator through a speaker.

First claim

1 . A voice-activated lighting control hub, comprising:
a voice acquisition unit comprising a microphone; a speech recognition unit comprising a processor and a computer-readable memory storing instructions for execution by the processor; a wireless communication unit; and a power management unit configured to provide power to at least the speech recognition unit in a first low-power sleep mode and in a second operational mode, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
recognize an input;
exit the first low-power sleep mode and enter the second operational mode;
process, with the speech recognition unit, a spoken order received via the voice acquisition unit;
generate a signal responsive to the processed order, the signal corresponding to a command to change a status of a lighting device; and transmit the signal via the wireless communication unit.

2 . The voice-activated lighting control hub of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface and a speaker, and wherein the input is received via the user interface, and further wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to cause the speaker to play a prompt in response to the input.

3 . The voice-activated lighting control hub of claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to cause the speaker to describe a present status of a lighting device after transmission of the signal via the wireless communication unit.

4 . The voice-activated lighting control hub of claim 1 , wherein instructions further comprise identifying, based on the spoken order, a selected lighting device from among a plurality of lighting devices that are controllable using the voice-activated lighting control hub, and further wherein the command to change a status of a lighting device is a command to change a status of the selected lighting device.

5 . The voice-activated lighting control hub of claim 4 , wherein the status corresponds to one of a power state of the lighting device, a color of light generated by the lighting device, a flashing sequence of the lighting device, a position of the lighting device, and an orientation of the lighting device.

6 . The voice-activated lighting control hub of claim 1 , wherein the voice acquisition unit further comprises an analog-to-digital converter.

7 . The voice-activated lighting control hub of claim 1 , wherein the power management unit comprises a 12-volt adapter for connection of the voice-activated lighting control hub to a 12-volt power receptacle.

8 . The voice-activated lighting control hub of claim 2 , wherein the user interface comprises a touch key.

9 . The voice-activated lighting control hub of claim 2 , wherein the user interface comprises an LED indicator, and further wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:
provide an indication, via the LED indicator, that the voice-activated lighting control hub is in the second operational mode.

10 . A method of controlling a lighting device of a vehicle using a voice-activated lighting control hub, the method comprising:
prompting, via a speaker and based on a first signal from a processor, a user to provide a first input; receiving, via a microphone, the first input from the user; identifying a lighting device corresponding to the first input; providing, via the speaker and based on a second signal from the processor, at least one option for the lighting device; receiving, via the microphone, the option selection; generating a control signal based on the option selection; transmitting the control signal via a wireless transceiver; and receiving, via the wireless transceiver, a confirmation signal in response to the control signal.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the prompting and the providing comprise playing a computer-generated voice via the speaker.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the identifying comprises identifying a selected lighting device from among a plurality of lighting devices controllable using the voice-activated lighting control hub.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one option corresponds to one or more of a power state of the lighting device, a color of light generated by the lighting device, a flashing sequence of the lighting device, a position of the lighting device, and an orientation of the lighting device.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
initiating a countdown timer after receipt of the confirmation signal; and entering a low-power state if another input is not received via the microphone prior to expiration of the countdown timer.

15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving an initial input via a user interface; and exiting a low-power state in response to the initial input.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the user interface comprises a touch key.

17 . A voice-activated control system for a vehicle, comprising:
a hub comprising:
a processor;
a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions for execution by the processor;
a voice acquisition unit comprising a microphone; and
a first wireless transceiver; and
a receiver comprising:
a microcontroller;
a second wireless transceiver; and
a lighting device interface,
wherein the instructions for execution by the processor, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
receive, via the voice acquisition unit, a verbal instruction to adjust a setting of a lighting device connected to the lighting device interface;
generate a control signal, based on the verbal instruction, for causing the setting of the lighting device to be adjusted; and
cause the first wireless transceiver to transmit the control signal to the second wireless transceiver.

18 . The voice-activated control system of claim 17 , wherein the hub further comprises a speaker, and wherein the instructions for execution by the processor, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:
generate a second signal for causing the speaker to play a computer-generated voice that identifies at least one option for the lighting device.

19 . The voice-activated control system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one option corresponds to one or more of a power state of the lighting device, a color of light generated by the lighting device, a flashing sequence of the lighting device, a position of the lighting device, and an orientation of the lighting device.

20 . The voice-activated control system of claim 17 , wherein the microcontroller comprises a second processor and a second non-transitory computer-readable memory storing second instructions for execution by the second processor, wherein the second instructions, when executed by the second processor, cause the second processor to:
receive the control signal via the second wireless transceiver; send, via the lighting device interface, a command signal based on the control signal; and transmit a confirmation signal via the second wireless transceiver, wherein the confirmation signal comprises a present status of a lighting device connected to the lighting device interface.

Assignees

• Pilot Inc

Inventors

• Wang Calvin Shiening

Classifications

• H05B47/12

  by detecting audible sound · CPC title

• G10L15/22 Primary

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

• G10L2015/223

  Execution procedure of a spoken command · CPC title

• G10L13/02

  Methods for producing synthetic speech; Speech synthesisers · CPC title

• G06F3/167

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