Voice Assistant Trigger Phrase Bypass via Proximity Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic devices require a trigger phrase to activate voice assistant features, which can disrupt the seamless user experience, especially in situations where users want to retrieve information quickly without manual intervention.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating physical and environmental sensors that detect predefined operating conditions, such as proximity to the user's head or mouth, to bypass the trigger phrase requirement, allowing voice commands to be executed without prior activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a trigger phrase is required to activate voice assistant, then voice control can be precisely activated, but user interaction becomes less seamless and requires additional manual steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the trigger phrase continuously in the background, so when the user speaks the command, the activation condition is already met, eliminating the need for explicit trigger phrase repetition and creating seamless interaction
Solution Approach 2:
The voice assistant system automatically detects and activates itself based on environmental conditions and audio input, without requiring manual user intervention to initiate the trigger phrase, making the system self-activating and more intuitive
2Productivity
If trigger phrase activation is used, then voice assistant can be precisely controlled, but information retrieval time increases due to additional activation steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors for trigger phrases in advance, so when the user speaks their command, the activation is already prepared and can be executed immediately without waiting for manual trigger phrase input, significantly reducing response time
Solution Approach 2:
The voice assistant maintains continuous listening and detection capability in the background, ensuring that the system is always ready to execute commands without interruption or delay, eliminating the pause between activation and execution
3Adaptability or versatility
If sensor-based bypass is implemented, then voice control accessibility is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses existing multi-functional sensors (microphone for audio, proximity sensor for distance, ambient light sensor for lighting conditions) to serve multiple purposes: detecting trigger phrases, determining user proximity, and identifying environmental conditions, thereby avoiding additional specialized sensors
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of existing sensors dynamically based on detected conditions, such as adjusting microphone sensitivity based on ambient noise levels or proximity sensor threshold based on detected distance, allowing adaptability without additional hardware
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device includes an audio capture device receiving audio input. The electronic device includes one or more processors, operable with the audio capture device, and configured to execute a control operation in response to a device command preceded by a trigger phrase identified in the audio input when in a first mode of operation. The one or more processors transition from the first mode of operation to a second mode of operation in response to detecting a predefined operating condition of the electronic device. In the second mode of operation, the one or more processors execute the control operation without requiring the trigger phrase to precede the device command.