Electronic apparatus and controlling method thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing voice recognition systems activate multiple electronic devices simultaneously when a user utters a trigger word due to shared trigger words and varying hardware performance, leading to incorrect device activation and ambient noise issues.
Innovation Solution
An electronic apparatus that estimates the user's voice utterance location by sharing location and direction information with other devices, activating the voice recognition function of the closest device based on sound pressure and distance, using a processor to identify the trigger voice, share direction information, and determine the optimal device for activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple electronic apparatuses use the same trigger word for voice recognition activation, then the user can activate voice recognition from any location in the space, but multiple apparatuses may be activated simultaneously causing incorrect activation and ambient noise issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sound pressure feedback from the microphone to determine which apparatus should activate voice recognition. The apparatus that detects the highest sound pressure level from the trigger word activates the voice recognition function, while other apparatuses remain inactive. This feedback mechanism ensures that only the nearest apparatus responds to the user's voice command.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the activation parameter from a simple trigger word detection to a composite parameter that includes sound pressure level and spatial position. By incorporating sound pressure as an additional parameter, the system can distinguish which apparatus is closest to the user and should activate voice recognition, resolving the contradiction between versatility and reliability.
2Measurement precision
If the voice recognition function is activated based on highest input sound pressure, then the nearest apparatus to the user is activated, but apparatus other than the nearest one may be activated due to hardware performance differences and ambient noise
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors sound pressure levels from the microphone and uses this feedback to determine activation. By comparing the sound pressure levels detected by multiple apparatuses, the system can identify which apparatus is truly closest to the user, compensating for hardware variations and ambient noise through comparative measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an equipotential condition by having all apparatuses use the same trigger word and activation criteria. This ensures that under normal conditions (same hardware performance), all apparatuses would activate simultaneously. The sound pressure differentiation then breaks this equipotential state, allowing the nearest apparatus to be identified and activated while others remain inactive.
3Ease of operation
If all electronic apparatuses monitor for trigger words continuously, then voice recognition can be activated from any location, but energy is consumed by all apparatuses even when not needed
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sound pressure level feedback to determine which apparatus should activate the full voice recognition function. Only the apparatus that detects the highest sound pressure level activates voice recognition, while other apparatuses remain in a low-power monitoring state or deactivate their voice recognition processors, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining ease of operation.
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
Ensures accurate activation of the voice recognition function on the nearest device, enhancing user convenience by preventing simultaneous activations and improving service accuracy by prioritizing devices based on proximity and sound pressure.
Implementation Method 1
a microphone configured to detect sound using a plurality of channels
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic apparatus and a controlling method thereof are provided. The electronic apparatus includes a communication interface configured to communicate with other electronic apparatuses, a memory configured to store location information of the electronic apparatus and the other electronic apparatuses, a microphone configured to detect sound using a plurality of channels, and a processor configured to, based on a voice recognition function being activated, perform a voice recognition operation regarding a user's uttered voice received through the microphone, based on a trigger voice being identified through the microphone, identify an utterance direction of the trigger voice, control the communication interface to share the identified utterance direction with the other electronic apparatuses, estimate an utterance location based on information regarding the utterance direction received from the other electronic apparatuses and the identified utterance direction, and activate a voice recognition function based on the stored location information and the estimated utterance location.