Voice Command Offloading to User Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Connected devices lack efficient voice command processing capabilities due to power efficiency concerns and excessive processing hardware requirements, making it impractical to install rich user interfaces like touch screens on all devices.

Innovation Solution

Offloading voice command processing from connected devices to user devices such as mobile phones or tablets, which interpret voice commands and communicate directly with connected devices, eliminating the need for processing hardware on each device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If voice command processing is implemented on connected devices, then voice interface capability is improved, but device complexity and processing hardware requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoice interface capabilityVSAvoidprocessing hardware requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the voice command processing function from the connected device and relocates it to a gateway device or server. The connected device only needs to capture audio and transmit it, while the complex speech recognition and interpretation occur externally, reducing the processing hardware burden on individual connected devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a gateway device or server as an intermediary between the connected device and the voice command processing system. This intermediary handles the computationally intensive tasks of speech recognition and command interpretation, allowing connected devices to maintain simplicity while still providing voice interface capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If rich user interfaces are added to connected devices, then user interaction capability is improved, but manufacturing cost and device complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interaction capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the gateway device or server a universal platform that can control multiple different types of connected devices through a single interface. This eliminates the need for each device to have its own specialized rich user interface, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining versatile user interaction capabilities across the entire system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If processing capabilities are expanded in connected devices, then functionality is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts power-intensive processing functions from battery-operated or low-power connected devices and relocates them to always-on gateway devices or servers with unlimited power supply. This allows the connected devices to maintain enhanced functionality through cloud-based processing without increasing their own power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS10275214B2Connected device voice command support

Publication Date: 2019.04.30 INTEL CORP

AI summary

Systems and techniques for connected device voice command support are described herein. A voice command may be received from a user. A set of connected devices proximate to the user may be identified. The voice command may be transformed into a command for the set of connected devices. The command may be communicated to the set of connected devices.