Digital Personal Assistant Blocking Signals for False Voice Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital personal assistant (DPA) devices are often spuriously triggered by environmental speech, leading to annoyance and embarrassment, and existing voice recognition software to prevent this is costly and difficult to manage.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses a DPA sound filter application to identify a determined sound and receive a block signal, such as an ultrasonic tone, to prevent a response when the block signal is not present, thereby distinguishing between human and environmental sounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If voice recognition software is used to prevent spurious triggering, then the DPA device can distinguish human speech from environmental speech, but the system becomes expensive and difficult to manage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of a block signal generator (attached to audio sources) and a block signal detector (in the DPA device). This intermediary mechanism mediates between the audio source and the DPA device, allowing the DPA to receive information about environmental speech without requiring complex voice recognition software. The block signal acts as a mediator that conveys the presence of environmental speech to the DPA device in a simple, detectable form.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the DPA device responds to all detected sounds, then it provides comprehensive voice assistance, but it causes annoyance and embarrassment due to spurious triggering by environmental speech
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by having the block signal generator proactively generate block signals in response to environmental speech before the DPA device can mistakenly respond. This preliminary action prevents the harmful effect of spurious triggering by counteracting the activation trigger with a blocking signal that the DPA device detects and acts upon to suppress the unwanted response.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively prevents unwanted voice activations by DPA devices, reducing annoyance and eliminating the need for expensive voice recognition software, while allowing intended responses when the block signal is absent.
Implementation Method 1
the block signal is an ultrasonic block tone between 0-20Hz or 20-50KHz
Data Source
AI summary
A system for preventing a voice activated response by a digital personal is provided. The system includes a digital personal assistant that has a memory storing program instructions. The system also includes one or more processors that, when executing the program instructions, are configured to identify an audible instruction based on a determined sound, and receive a block signal accompanying the determined sound. The one or more processors are also configured to prevent a response to the determined sound based on the block signal.