Shared Speech-Enabled Device Calling via Voice-Authenticated Number Selection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Speech-enabled devices often lack the ability to associate a caller number with calls, leading to unrecognized numbers and reduced efficiency in placing calls, especially when shared by multiple users.

Innovation Solution

A speech-enabled device associates a personal voice number with a user by voice recognition and authentication, allowing known users to place calls with their registered numbers and anonymous or temporary numbers for unknown users, while enabling hands-free interaction during calls.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a speech-enabled device places calls without associating a caller number, then the device can operate anonymously, but the call efficiency decreases because recipients may not recognize the number and are less likely to answer

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecall answer rateVSAvoidcaller number association mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs voice recognition and authentication to determine the speaker's identity and associate the appropriate caller number without manual intervention. The speech-enabled device self-services the caller number association by listening to the user's voice, comparing it against registered voices, and automatically selecting the correct number from the database.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Voice profiles and associated caller numbers are pre-registered in the database before actual use. When a user speaks, the system compares their voice against these pre-existing profiles to quickly determine identity and retrieve the appropriate caller number, eliminating the need for real-time registration or manual number selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If a speech-enabled device uses a single fixed caller number, then the device structure is simple, but the adaptability decreases when multiple users share the device

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulti-user supportVSAvoidvoice recognition and number selection system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The speech-enabled device incorporates a universal voice recognition system that can identify multiple different users and retrieve their respective caller numbers from a database. This multi-functional capability allows the same device to serve multiple users with different identities, making the system adaptable to various users without requiring separate devices or manual configuration for each user.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The caller number is not fixed but dynamically selected based on the speaker's voice identity. The system continuously adapts which caller number to use by performing real-time voice recognition and authentication, allowing the caller number to change depending on who is speaking, thus providing dynamic adaptability for multi-user scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the speech-enabled device blocks portions of utterances during calls, then the user experience improves by preventing unintended transmissions, but the information transmission efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication securityVSAvoidblocked utterance content
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback to the user about what portions of their utterance are being blocked before transmission occurs. By monitoring the utterance in real-time and identifying sensitive or unintended content, the system can alert the user and prevent transmission of inappropriate information, ensuring communication security while maintaining user awareness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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

Enhances call efficiency and security by ensuring recognized users' numbers are used, increasing answer rates and providing a better hands-free experience with secure and efficient call handling.

Implementation Method 1

the speech-enabled device may recognize or otherwise authenticate John then access John's contact records to determine a phone number for 'Dad'

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVoice recognition:

Data Source

PatentEP3920180B1Handling calls on a shared speech-enabled device
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP3920180B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3920180B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3920180B1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

In some implementations, an utterance that requests a voice call is received, the utterance is classified as spoken by a particular known user, the particular known user is determined to be associated with a personal voice number, and in response to determining that the particular known user is associated with a personal voice number, the voice call is initiated with the personal voice number.