Voice Control Lighting Feedback for Utility Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current voice control systems for home utilities lack real-time feedback to users, making it difficult for them to understand the processing status of voice commands, especially as these systems become more integrated into the environment, reducing the effectiveness of on-device user feedback.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses speech recognition to control utilities by providing feedback through a lighting system, where the lighting is controlled to indicate the processing status of voice commands in real-time, including acknowledging recognized elements, indicating errors, and previewing effects, with the feedback location determined based on the user's location and the capabilities of the luminaires.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If voice control systems become more integrated into the environment, then system invisibility and seamless integration are improved, but user feedback capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a lighting system as an intermediary feedback mechanism between the voice control system and the user. When voice commands are processed, the lighting system provides visual feedback (such as changing color or intensity) to indicate command status, thereby maintaining user awareness despite the system's integrated and invisible nature.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback loop where the lighting system continuously provides visual information about the voice command processing state. This feedback mechanism ensures that users remain informed about system status even as the voice control system becomes more seamlessly integrated into the environment.
2Reliability
If voice commands are processed only after completion, then processing accuracy is improved, but user waiting time and lack of real-time status information increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing visual feedback through the lighting system during the voice command processing period. The lighting changes occur while the system is still processing the command, giving users real-time status information without requiring them to wait for complete processing before receiving any feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system provides continuous feedback during the command processing period, transitioning through different visual states that indicate various processing stages. This maintains user engagement and reduces perceived waiting time while the system completes its accurate processing in the background.
3Loss of information
If traditional on-device feedback methods are used, then user awareness of command status is improved, but device complexity and feedback limitation to specific devices increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the lighting system multi-functional by having it serve both its primary illumination purpose and a secondary feedback function for voice command status. This universal approach eliminates the need for dedicated feedback devices, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive status awareness across the environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the feedback function with the existing lighting infrastructure rather than adding separate feedback devices. By combining command status indication with ambient lighting, the system reduces device complexity while ensuring users can receive feedback regardless of their location in the environment.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of using speech recognition to control a utility, comprising: receiving a speech command spoken by a user and captured by at least one microphone; processing the speech command in order to automatically recognize and enact an intention of the user in each of a sequence of spoken elements in the command, the elements having an order from first to last in time, with at least one of the elements indicating an intention of the user to control the utility and a further one or more of the elements each specifying a respective parameter of the control intended by the user; and after the speaking of the first element in the voice command but prior to enacting the last element of the command, controlling illumination emitted by one or more luminaires of a lighting system to provide feedback to the user regarding the processing of the speech command, wherein the utility comprises one of: heating, air conditioning, ventilation, a window treatment, or play-out of media from an entertainment system.