Smart Speaker Noise Period Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smart speakers struggle to detect voice commands in environments with excessive background noise, particularly when placed near media content players like televisions, where loud content can drown out user commands.
Innovation Solution
The system provides a computer-based process that determines periods of excessive noise from nearby media players by accessing a timeline of volume levels. It then alerts users to these periods, allowing them to delay or repeat voice commands until the noise subsides.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If smart speakers are placed near media players for convenient access, then ease of operation is improved, but voice command detection accuracy deteriorates due to background noise
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the audio environment by accessing the media player's timeline data to identify periods of excessive noise before the user issues a voice command. This allows the system to proactively determine when the microphone will be unable to accurately detect commands and communicate this information to the user in advance, enabling them to time their commands appropriately.
2Speed
If smart speakers continuously monitor for voice commands, then responsiveness is improved, but false detections increase in noisy environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback to the user about the current audio environment by communicating identified periods of excessive noise. This feedback loop allows users to adjust their behavior by timing their voice commands to coincide with periods when the environment is suitable for accurate detection, thereby improving overall system reliability without sacrificing responsiveness during appropriate periods.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for determining periods of excessive noise for smart speaker voice commands. An electronic timeline of volume levels of currently playing content is made available to a smart speaker. From this timeline, periods of high content volume are determined, and the smart speaker alerts users during periods of high volume, requesting that they wait until the high-volume period has passed before issuing voice commands. In this manner, the smart speaker helps prevent voice commands that may not be detected, or may be detected inaccurately, due to the noise of the content currently being played.