Voice input processing method and electronic device supporting same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021151031-A1
Application number	US-202017097046-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 13, 2020
Priority date	Nov 15, 2019
Publication date	May 20, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device and method are disclosed. The electronic device includes a microphone, a speaker and a processor. The processor implements the method, including: receiving a first voice input through the microphone, outputting a response related to a function through the speaker, based on the first voice input, when a second voice input is received through the microphone during output of the response, interrupting the output of the response and continue to receive the second voice input, and executing the function based on content of the received second voice input and content of the response output up to one of: a first time point when the second voice input was initially received, and a second time point when the output of the response was interrupted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device, comprising:
a microphone; a speaker; and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to: receive a first voice input through the microphone; output a response related to a function through the speaker, based on the first voice input; when a second voice input is received through the microphone during output of the response, interrupt the output of the response and continue to receive the second voice input; and execute the function based on content of the received second voice input, and content of the response output up to at least one of: a first time point when the second voice input was initially received, or a second time point when the output of the response was interrupted.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein, when text data generated from the second voice input lacks text data related to the function, the processor is configured to maintain the outputting of the response through the speaker.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the response includes a plurality of optional elements, and
the processor is configured to select a first optional element output prior to the first time point from among the plurality of optional elements for execution of the function.

4 . The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein when a second optional element, of the plurality of optional elements, is being output at the first time point or the second time point, output an audio prompt for selection of one of the first optional element and the second optional element.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the response includes a plurality of optional elements,
wherein the plurality of optional elements are output in a sequence of turns, and wherein the processor is configured select an optional element from among the plurality of optional elements included in the response corresponding to a particular turn in the sequence, when text data generated from the second voice input indicates the particular turn in the sequence.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the response includes a plurality of optional elements, wherein the plurality of optional elements are output in a sequence of turns, and
wherein the processor is configured to: receive, through the microphone, a third voice input at a third time point prior to the first time point, while a first optional element among the plurality of optional elements is output at a designated turn in the sequence of turns; interrupt the output of the response at the third time point; when text data generated from the third voice input indicates a previous turn rather than the designated turn, output a second optional element corresponding to the previous turn in the sequence from among the plurality of optional elements; and when the text data generated from the third voice input indicates a next turn rather than the designated turn, output a third optional element corresponding to the next turn in the sequence from among the plurality of optional elements.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the response includes a request for information related to executing the function, and
wherein the processor is configured to: when text data generated from the second voice input includes the requested information, configure the information using at least a part of the generated text data.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the response includes a request to confirm execution of the function, and
wherein the processor is configured to execute the function when text data generated from the second voice input indicates confirmation of the execution.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein, when text data generated from the second voice input requests execution of a connected function associated with the function, the processor is configured to execute the connected function.

10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to output, through the speaker, an audio prompt request confirmation of whether to continue outputting the response, when insufficient information for execution of the function is acquired.

11 . A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:
receiving a first voice input through a microphone; outputting a response related to a function through a speaker, based on the first voice input; when a second voice input is received through the microphone during output of the response, interrupting the output of the response and continuing to receive the second voice input; and executing the function based on content of the received second voice, and content of the response output up to at least one of: a first time point when the second voice input was initially received, or a second time point when the output of the response was interrupted.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein, when text data generated from the second voice input lacks text data related to the function, the output of the response through the speaker is maintained.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the response includes a plurality of optional elements, the method further comprising:
selecting a first optional element output prior to the first time point from among the plurality of optional elements for execution of the function.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising outputting an audio prompt for selection of one of the first optional element and a second optional element when the second optional element, of the plurality of optional elements, is being output at the first time point or the second time point.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the response includes a plurality of optional elements output in a sequence of turns, the method further comprising:
selecting an optional element from among the plurality of optional elements included in the response corresponding to a particular turn in the sequence, when text data generated from the second voice input indicates the particular turn in the sequence.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the response includes a plurality of optional elements, and the plurality of optional elements are output in a sequence of turns,
the method further comprising: receiving, through the microphone, a third voice input at a third time point prior to the first time point, while a first optional element among the plurality of optional elements is output at a designated turn in the sequence of turns; interrupting output of the response at the third time point; when text data generated from the third voice input indicates a previous turn rather than the designated turn, outputting a second optional element corresponding to the previous turn in the sequence from among the plurality of optional elements; and when the text data generated from the third voice input indicates a next turn rather than the designated turn, outputting a third optional element corresponding to the next turn in the sequence from among the plurality of optional elements.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the response includes a request for information related to executing the function, the method further comprising:
when text data generated from the second voice input includes the requested information, configuring the information using at least a part of the generated text data.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the response includes a request to confirm execution of the function, the method further comprising:
executing the function when text data generated from the second voice input indicate

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choo Heeyoung
• Cho Hyunduk
• Hong Yeseul
• Lee Dayoung
• Lee Boram

Classifications

• G06F3/167 Primary

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

• G10L15/26

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

• G10L15/22

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

• G10L15/222

  Barge in, i.e. overridable guidance for interrupting prompts · CPC title

• G10L15/04 Primary

  Segmentation; Word boundary detection · CPC title