Voice Controlled Device Authentication via Multi-Sensor Presence Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing voice-controlled devices face issues with unintentional activation and lack of security, as they can recognize voice commands from users not present or unauthorized individuals, leading to frustration and potential safety risks, especially in environments with multiple users.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a multi-sensor system that determines the presence of a live human user before executing voice commands, using a combination of sensors such as motion, temperature, and video verification to ensure authentication and authorization, thereby preventing unintentional control and unauthorized access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If voice control is implemented without additional authentication mechanisms, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to unintentional activation and unauthorized access

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevoice control operationVSAvoidauthentication accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple authentication mechanisms (voice recognition, motion detection, temperature sensing, video verification) into a unified authentication system. This merging allows the system to maintain ease of voice-based operation while improving reliability through multi-factor verification, resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and authentication accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary authentication checks using motion sensors, temperature sensors, and video verification before processing voice commands. This preliminary action ensures that only authenticated users can activate voice control, preventing unintentional activation and unauthorized access while maintaining the ease of voice-based operation for authenticated users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If multiple sensor types are integrated for authentication, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication securityVSAvoidmulti-sensor system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal authentication platform that can work with multiple sensor types (voice, motion, temperature, video) but only activates the sensors necessary for each specific authentication scenario. This multi-functionality approach allows the system to achieve high reliability through diverse authentication methods while managing device complexity by selectively activating only the required sensors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a tiered authentication approach where not all sensor types are activated simultaneously or for all commands. Instead, the system applies partial authentication (using only necessary sensors) for low-risk operations and excessive authentication (using all available sensors) for high-risk operations, balancing reliability improvements with complexity management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2801972B1User authentication of voice controlled devices
Publication Date: 2018.01.31 HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC
  • EP2801972B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2801972B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2801972B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, systems, and devices are described herein. One method can include receiving a voice command from a user at a voice controlled device, determining a presence of the user to the device using a sensor, converting the voice command to a device specific command, and performing the device specific command using the device in response to the determined presence.