Smart Speaker Privacy Sleeve With Switchable Acoustic Masking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smart speaker devices may compromise user privacy by allowing unauthorized recording of conversations, even when the microphone is deactivated, due to potential covert listening by the device itself or unauthorized parties.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an audible interference device that can be placed near the smart speaker's microphone, toggling between 'deaf mode' to prevent intelligible speech reception and 'listening mode' to allow interaction, using a noise barrier or powered noise cancelling/masking speaker to inhibit or enable speech recognition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the smart speaker continuously listens for voice commands, then the ease of operation is improved, but user privacy is compromised due to potential surreptitious recording
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic toggling of the microphone between active and inactive states. The system alternates between periods of listening (when voice commands are needed) and periods of silence (when privacy is prioritized), thereby achieving both ease of operation and privacy protection through time-based segmentation of the listening function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different operational states to the microphone component - sometimes active for receiving commands, sometimes inactive for privacy protection. This local quality change allows the same component to serve different functions at different times, resolving the contradiction between continuous listening and privacy.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the microphone is deactivated to prevent surreptitious listening, then privacy is improved, but the ability to interact with the smart speaker is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system periodically switches the microphone between deactivated (privacy mode) and activated (interaction mode) states. This periodic action ensures that the microphone is protected from surreptitious listening while still allowing legitimate user interaction at designated times.
Solution Approach 2:
The microphone's operational state is made dynamic rather than static. It transitions between deactivated and activated states based on operational needs, allowing the system to adapt between privacy protection and interaction capability rather than being fixed in one state.
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
Effectively prevents both surreptitious and desired listening by the smart speaker, ensuring user privacy by selectively rendering the device 'deaf' when needed, while allowing interaction when desired.
Implementation Method 1
activating and deactivating a powered noise cancelling/masking speaker on the device
Implementation Method 2
placing a jacket over at least a portion of the smart speaker wherein the jacket is configured and arranged to inhibit reception of intelligible speech by the microphone
Data Source
AI summary
A method of selectively preventing surreptitious listening by a smart speaker by placing an audible interference device into physical proximity with the microphone(s) on the smart speaker, and whenever ensured privacy is desired toggling a feature on the audible interference device from a listening mode, wherein the device allows the microphone to receive and the smart speaker to interact with intelligible speech from the surrounding environment, and a deaf mode wherein the device inhibits reception of intelligible speech by the microphone and thereby prevents both desired and surreptitious listening by the smart speaker.