Voice Command Relay Devices for Expanded Assistant Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing voice assistants have limited coverage area and require multiple standalone devices due to their resource-intensive nature, limiting their use to expensive electronics and restricting the number of simultaneous voice links.
Innovation Solution
A wireless network with relay devices that receive and relay voice commands to a voice assistant, allowing multiple devices to communicate wirelessly and process commands efficiently, even from different sources, using a combination of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple standalone voice assistants are deployed to expand coverage area, then voice assistant coverage area is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the voice assistant functionality into separate components: voice trigger detection is segmented and distributed to multiple source nodes (smartphones, speakers, wearables), while full voice command processing is centralized in a single voice assistant. This segmentation allows coverage expansion without requiring every node to be a complete voice assistant, reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a multi-dimensional communication architecture using both Bluetooth (for direct voice links) and Wi-Fi (for relay communication). This adds a spatial dimension to voice assistant coverage by allowing voice commands to travel indirectly through relay nodes, effectively expanding coverage area without proportionally increasing the number of standalone voice assistants.
2Device complexity
If Bluetooth protocol is used for voice link, then resource requirements are reduced, but number of simultaneous voice links is limited to one-to-one
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces Wi-Fi communication as an intermediary layer between source nodes and the voice assistant. While Bluetooth maintains its simple one-to-one voice links for resource efficiency, the Wi-Fi network enables multiple source nodes to simultaneously communicate with the single voice assistant by relaying their commands through the network infrastructure, thus resolving the limitation on simultaneous connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements multi-functionality by allowing source nodes to operate in dual modes: direct Bluetooth voice links for simple communication, and Wi-Fi relay communication for expanded connectivity. This universal approach enables the same source nodes to adaptively use either communication path based on network conditions and requirements, increasing versatility without sacrificing resource efficiency.
3Device complexity
If Bluetooth voice link is established for voice command transfer, then resource consumption is reduced, but coverage area expansion is limited by maximum Bluetooth range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a relay dimension to the communication architecture by introducing intermediate Wi-Fi nodes that can forward voice commands from source nodes to the voice assistant. This allows voice commands to traverse beyond the limited Bluetooth range by hopping through the Wi-Fi network infrastructure, effectively expanding coverage area while source nodes continue to use resource-efficient Bluetooth for their local communication.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a voice assistant (40) comprising a processing circuit (42) and a wireless communication unit (41) for connecting to a wireless network (10), said wireless network comprising a plurality of network nodes mutually connected by wireless links, wherein said voice assistant (40) is configured to: - receive, by the wireless communication unit (41), at least two input signals, each input signal comprising a voice command received by a microphone of a source node (20) of the wireless network (10); - determine, by the processing circuit (42), whether the voice commands of said input signals correspond to a same request issued by a single user; - if said voice commands correspond to a same request issued by a single user: determine a single response to the voice commands based on at least one of said voice commands; - if said voice commands correspond to different requests: determine a response for each different voice command. The present disclosure relates also to a method for processing voice commands and a wireless network.