Voice Audio Output Adjustment for Accurate Speech Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Background noise and other audio signals can hinder the accuracy of automatic speech recognition (ASR) in voice-controlled devices, making it difficult for them to identify voice commands effectively.
Innovation Solution
A voice-controlled device alters its audio output by attenuating, pausing, or modifying the audio signal based on predefined phrases spoken by the user, increasing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to improve speech recognition accuracy. This is achieved by determining user proximity, direction, and preferences, and adjusting the audio output accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If audio output is maintained at normal levels, then entertainment functionality is preserved, but speech recognition accuracy deteriorates due to background noise interference
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of user presence and intent before the speech recognition process begins. By detecting predefined phrases or user presence in advance, the system proactively adjusts audio output levels to create optimal conditions for accurate speech recognition, preventing noise interference before it degrades recognition accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The audio output system dynamically adjusts its characteristics (volume, pause, modification) based on real-time detection of user presence and speech patterns. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize speech recognition conditions while maintaining entertainment functionality when users are not present, resolving the contradiction between reliable recognition and noise interference
2Measurement precision
If audio output is attenuated or paused to improve speech recognition, then speech recognition accuracy improves, but entertainment experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors audio signals for predefined phrases and user presence, using this feedback to intelligently control audio output adjustments. When user speech is detected, the system provides feedback to pause or attenuate entertainment audio, ensuring accurate voice command recognition while automatically resuming entertainment functionality when users are not present
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes audio output parameters (volume level, pause state, frequency modification) based on detected user presence and speech characteristics. These parameter adjustments are temporary and context-dependent, allowing the system to improve voice command identification accuracy while minimizing disruption to the overall entertainment experience
3Reliability
If users speak louder to overcome background noise, then speech recognition accuracy improves, but user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by attenuating or pausing background entertainment audio before the user needs to speak. This preemptive noise reduction eliminates the need for users to increase their voice volume, maintaining both high speech recognition reliability and user interaction comfort without requiring users to yell over background noise
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for altering audio being output by a voice-controlled device, or another device, to enable more accurate automatic speech recognition (ASR) by the voice-controlled device. For instance, a voice-controlled device may output audio within an environment using a speaker of the device. While outputting the audio, a microphone of the device may capture sound within the environment and may generate an audio signal based on the captured sound. The device may then analyze the audio signal to identify speech of a user within the signal, with the speech indicating that the user is going to provide a subsequent command to the device. Thereafter, the device may alter the output of the audio (e.g., attenuate the audio, pause the audio, switch from stereo to mono, etc.) to facilitate speech recognition of the user's subsequent command.