Acoustic Sensory Network for Targeted Audio Command Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current home control systems face issues with inoperativeness, false positives, and privacy concerns due to the imprecision of speech-based control systems, particularly in distinguishing intended commands among multiple devices and handling noise and ambient audio.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses time and date stamping of audible commands, combined with speech recognition algorithms, to determine which controllable device an audio command is directed towards, by comparing the timestamps and amplitudes received by multiple electronic devices and applying noise reduction processing to enhance command clarity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If speech-based control systems are used to control controllable devices, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to misinterpretation of audible commands
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the audible command processing by having multiple electronic devices independently receive and process the same audible command, then compares their respective measurements (amplitudes and time stamps) to determine the intended target device, thereby improving measurement precision through distributed segmentation
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by having each electronic device report its measured amplitude and time stamp to a central controller, which uses this feedback information to compare measurements and accurately determine which device the command was intended for, resolving the precision issue
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple electronic devices receive audible commands, then adaptability is improved, but false positives increase due to collocation issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by having each electronic device independently measure the audible command's amplitude and time stamp before the central controller makes the final determination, allowing early identification of the intended target and preventing false positives
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses partial action by having only the device with the earliest time stamp and/or highest amplitude measurement act on the command, while other devices that also detected the command remain inactive, thus avoiding false positives while maintaining adaptability
3Productivity
If speech recognition systems are used, then productivity is improved through automated control, but loss of information occurs due to noise and ambient audio interference
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by having each electronic device independently measure the local acoustic environment and determine its own amplitude measurement of the audible command, allowing the system to account for local noise conditions and preserve accurate information about the intended command
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for determining which controllable device an audible command is directed towards, the method comprising: receiving at each of two or more controlling devices the audible command signal, the audible command being directed to control at least one of two or more controllable devices controlled by a respective one of the two or more controlling devices; digitizing each of the received audible command signals; attaching a unique identifier to each digitized audible command so as to uniquely correlate it to a respective controlling device; determining a magnitude of each of the digitized audible command; determining a digitized audible command with the greatest magnitude, and further determining to which controlling device the audible command is directed to on the basis of the unique identifier associated with the digitized audible command with the greatest magnitude; performing speech recognition on the digitized audible command with the greatest magnitude; and forwarding a command to the controlling device corresponding to the digitized audible command with the greatest magnitude, the command corresponding to the audible command that can be implemented on the controllable device controlled by the controlling device.