Do Not Disturb Microphone Control for Voice Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Voice responsive devices often mistakenly activate due to unreliable wake word detection, leading to disruptive and frustrating situations, and users must manually manage microphone settings to preserve privacy and prevent accidental activation.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a Do Not Disturb functionality that allows users to configure a specified time period during which microphones are disabled, requiring an unambiguous trigger, such as pressing a talk button, to enable and process voice commands, thereby preventing accidental device activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If wake word detection is used to trigger microphone activation, then device responsiveness to voice commands is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to false activations
Solution Approach 1:
The system requires a preliminary unambiguous trigger action (such as pressing a physical button or saying a specific wake word) before the microphone becomes fully active and ready to process voice commands. This preliminary action ensures that the device is intentionally activated by the user before listening for commands, preventing false activations while maintaining responsive operation.
2Reliability
If microphones are kept fully on all the time, then voice command processing reliability is improved, but privacy and cost worsen due to continuous listening
Solution Approach 1:
The microphone operation is segmented into different states: a low-power state where the microphone is partially active for ambient wake word detection, and a high-power state where the microphone is fully active for voice command processing. The system transitions between these states based on user-triggered events, allowing reliable voice command processing when needed while minimizing privacy intrusion during normal operation.
3Reliability
If users manually mute/unmute microphones to prevent false activation, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation worsens due to manual management burden
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides self-service functionality through automatic Do Not Disturb mode that activates based on time-of-day settings (such as nighttime hours) without requiring manual user intervention. The system automatically mutes the microphone during designated periods to prevent false activations, eliminating the burden of manual microphone management while maintaining reliable operation during appropriate times.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for enabling Do Not Disturb functionality in voice responsive devices. An example embodiment operates by: enabling an user to configure Do Not Disturb settings for a voice responsive device; while (a) the Do Not Disturb functionality is activated for the voice responsive device, and (b) within a Do Not Disturb time period specified by the Do Not Disturb settings: disabling one or more microphones; receiving an unambiguous trigger; responsive to receiving the unambiguous trigger, enabling the microphone(s); receiving a voice command; and processing the voice command. An example of an unambiguous trigger may be the user pressing a talk button (either a physical or digital button) on a remote control associated with the voice responsive device.