Local Activation Trigger Processing for Low-Latency Voice Commands

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing utterance-based user interfaces face challenges with resource inefficiency and privacy concerns due to continuous speech analysis, and reliance on remote servers introduces delays and connectivity issues.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an activation trigger engine to detect and execute command-type triggers locally, reducing the need for extensive speech analysis and minimizing data transmission, while allowing for efficient and secure processing of user commands.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If speech analysis is performed continuously to enable immediate command execution, then responsiveness is improved, but resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveresponsivenessVSAvoidresource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments speech processing into two distinct paths: a low-resource activation trigger detection path that runs continuously, and a high-resource full speech analysis path that is activated only when needed. This segmentation allows the system to maintain responsiveness through continuous monitoring while conserving resources by limiting full analysis to specific trigger events.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of continuous full speech analysis, the system employs periodic activation based on detected triggers. The activation trigger engine continuously monitors audio input for specific trigger phrases, and only initiates full speech analysis when these triggers are detected, creating a periodic rather than continuous processing rhythm that reduces overall resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Measurement precision

If all audio input is processed through speech analysis to ensure accurate command recognition, then recognition accuracy is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecognition accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary filtering by detecting activation triggers before initiating full speech analysis. This preliminary action identifies and flags specific audio segments that contain meaningful commands, allowing the system to skip full analysis of non-trigger audio and focus computational resources only on segments requiring detailed processing, thereby reducing overall processing time while maintaining accuracy for relevant commands.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Use of energy by moving object

If speech analysis is offloaded to a remote server to conserve local computing resources, then device resource efficiency is improved, but network dependency and latency are introduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice resource efficiencyVSAvoidnetwork dependency

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The device performs self-service by executing activation trigger detection and command recognition locally without requiring remote server assistance. The activation trigger engine and command recognition system are implemented locally on the device, enabling it to autonomously detect triggers and execute associated commands, thereby eliminating network dependency while still allowing optional cloud processing for more complex speech analysis tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Adaptability or versatility

If continuous speech analysis is performed to capture all user commands, then command detection capability is improved, but user privacy is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommand detection capabilityVSAvoidprivacy concerns

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and processes only specific trigger-related audio segments rather than analyzing all continuous audio input. By focusing computational resources exclusively on audio segments containing detected activation triggers, the system minimizes the amount of user data that is processed and potentially transmitted, thereby reducing privacy risks while maintaining effective command detection capability for relevant utterances.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12525238B2Activation trigger processing

Publication Date: 2026.01.13 SPOTIFY

AI summary

Utterance-based user interfaces can include activation trigger processing techniques for detecting activation triggers and causing execution of certain commands associated with particular command pattern activation triggers without waiting for output from a separate speech processing engine. The activation trigger processing techniques can also detect speech analysis patterns and selectively activate a speech processing engine.