Selective transmission of voice data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9953643-B2
Application number	US-97718410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2010
Priority date	Dec 23, 2010
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods that provide for voice command devices that receive sound but do not transfer the voice data beyond the system unless certain voice-filtering criteria have been met are described herein. In addition, embodiments provide devices that support voice command operation while external voice data transmission is in mute operation mode. As such, devices according to embodiments may process voice data locally responsive to the voice data matching voice-filtering criteria. Furthermore, systems and methods are described herein involving voice command devices that capture sound and analyze it in real-time on a word-by-word basis and decide whether to handle the voice data locally, transmit it externally, or both.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
one or more processors;
a system memory operatively coupled to the one or more processors storing instructions executable by the processor to:
receive voice data obtained by a sound receiver;
determine whether the voice data corresponds with one or more local voice criteria, wherein the one or more local voice criteria comprises a sound characteristic of the voice data other than a predetermined command;
filter at least one word included in the voice data, based on the sound characteristic, such that it is not transmitted externally, wherein the at least one word corresponds to the one or more local voice criteria;
automatically process the filtered at least one word locally to perform a corresponding function associated with the filtered at least one word; and
provide, on a display screen, an indication of whether the voice data is being handled locally or transmitted externally, wherein the indication comprises displaying at least one icon on the display screen, wherein the at least one icon is associated with a first color and shape when the voice data is being handled locally and a second, different, color and shape when the voice data is being transmitted externally.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein responsive to the voice data not corresponding to the one or more local voice criteria the voice data is transmitted externally.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more local . voice criteria comprise a predetermined set of words.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more local voice criteria comprise a pitch of the voice data.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more local voice criteria comprise one or more non-conversational pauses in the voice data.

6. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a voice data buffer that buffers received voice data prior to analysis.

7. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more system voice commands that invoke system functions.

8. The system according to claim 7 , further comprising instructions executable by the processor to handle the voice data that is not transmitted locally, wherein handling the voice data locally comprises processing the voice data as the one or more system voice commands.

9. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a mute control that provides a mute operation mode;
wherein responsive to the mute operation mode being enabled:
the voice data is handled locally; and
the voice data is not transmitted externally.

10. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a display screen that displays feedback about the voice data;
wherein feedback is selected from the group consisting of: an indication of whether the sound receiver is receiving voice data, an indication of whether the voice data is being handled locally or transmitted externally, and an indication of whether one or more voice commands have been activated.

11. A method comprising:
receiving voice data at a sound receiver;
determining, using a processor, whether the voice data corresponds with one or more local voice criteria, wherein the one or more local voice criteria comprises a sound characteristic of the voice data other than a predetermined command;
filtering at least one word included in the voice data based on the sound characteristic such that it is not transmitted externally, wherein the at least one word corresponds to the one or more local voice criteria;
automatically process the filtered at least one word locally to perform a corresponding function associated with the filtered at least one word; and
providing, on a display screen, an indication of whether the voice data is being handled locally or transmitted externally, wherein the indication comprises displaying at least one icon on the display screen, wherein the at least one icon is associated with a first color and shape when the voice data is being handled locally and a second, different, color and shape when the voice data is being transmitted externally.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein responsive to the voice data not corresponding to the one or more local voice criteria the voice data is transmitted externally.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the one or more local voice criteria comprise a predetermined set of words.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the one or more local voice criteria comprise a pitch of the voice data.

15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the one or more local voice criteria comprise one or more non-conversational pauses in the voice data.

16. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising a voice data buffer that buffers received voice data prior to analysis.

17. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising one or more system voice commands that invoke system functions.

18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising handling locally the voice data that is not transmitted externally, wherein handling the voice data locally comprises processing the voice data as the one or more system voice commands.

19. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a mute control that provides a mute operation mode;
wherein responsive to the mute operation mode being enabled:
the voice data is handled locally; and
the voice data is not transmitted externally.

20. A computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage device having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code being executable by a processor and comprising:
computer readable program code that receives voice data at a sound receiver;
computer readable program code that determines whether the voice data corresponds with one or more local voice criteria, wherein the one or more local voice criteria comprises a sound characteristic of the voice data other than a predetermined command;
computer readable program code that filters at least one word included in the voice data based on the sound characteristic such that it is not transmitted externally, wherein the at least one word corresponds to the one or more local voice criteria;
computer readable program code automatically that processes the filtered at least one word locally to perform a corresponding function associated with the filtered at least one word; and
computer readable program code that provides an indication of whether the voice data is being handled locally or transmitted externally, wherein the indication comprises displaying at least one icon on a display screen, wherein the at least one icon is associated with a first color and shape when the voice data is being handled locally and a second, different, color and shape when the voice data is being transmitted externally.

Assignees

• Locker Howard
• Cromer Daryl
• Kelso Scott Edwards
• Stewart Aaron Michael
• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Locker Howard
• Cromer Daryl
• Kelso Scott Edwards
• Stewart Aaron Michael

Classifications

• G10L15/22 Primary

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