Context-Aware Voice Analysis for Terminal Function Restriction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face inconvenience in temporarily restricting terminal functions, such as alarm blocking, when the device is handed over to another person, as existing methods require specific user settings.

Innovation Solution

A method and terminal that utilize context awareness through voice analysis to automatically restrict functions when the terminal is used by someone other than the owner, by analyzing pitch, formant, and amplitude of sensed voices to recognize the user and perform control operations like locking, blocking, or data deletion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If user directly sets function restriction using setting function, then function restriction is achieved, but user convenience deteriorates due to need for manual configuration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunction restrictionVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary voice analysis to identify the owner's voice characteristics and stores them for future recognition. This preliminary action enables automatic function restriction without requiring manual configuration at the moment of handover, resolving the contradiction between reliable function restriction and user convenience

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal automatically detects when it is being used by someone other than the owner through voice analysis and autonomously applies function restrictions. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for manual user intervention while maintaining reliable function restriction, thereby improving user convenience

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If terminal automatically restricts functions when handed over, then user convenience is improved, but system complexity increases due to voice analysis requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical operations (physically handing over the device with conscious restriction) with an acoustic field-based system (voice analysis and automatic recognition). This substitution maintains user convenience while managing system complexity through software-based voice characteristic analysis rather than complex hardware modifications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Extent of automation

If voice analysis is performed to recognize context, then automatic control is achieved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic controlVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary voice analysis during the calling function to establish baseline voice characteristics before the handover scenario occurs. This preliminary processing reduces the computational burden during actual automatic control scenarios, minimizing processing time delays while maintaining high extent of automation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10811016B2Method of controlling terminal using context awareness and terminal thereof

Publication Date: 2020.10.20 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A method of controlling a terminal is provided. The method includes analyzing a sensed voice when a voice is sensed, recognizing a context based a result of the analysis, and performing a predetermined control operation based on the recognized context.