Method and system for controlling and/or communicating with a domestic appliance by means of voice commands and text displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current voice control systems for domestic appliances lack accuracy in interpreting voice commands, especially with articulated inputs not limited to predefined words, requiring users to verify replies, which is not fully addressed by existing voice recognition improvements.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that processes voice commands by receiving acoustic signals, generating electric signals, and using multiple processing means to identify queries and requests, providing textual feedback through a visual interface, allowing users to see their queries and responses, and using activation words to initiate voice communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If voice recognition technology is used to interpret articulated voice inputs, then the appliance can handle more natural language commands, but the accuracy of command interpretation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system displays the interpreted command as text on a visual interface (screen) after voice recognition, allowing the user to verify whether the spoken command was correctly interpreted. This feedback mechanism enables the user to confirm or correct the interpretation, thereby resolving the accuracy issue while maintaining versatility in handling articulated voice inputs.
2Ease of operation
If voice commands are used for controlling the appliance, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of command execution deteriorates due to interpretation errors
Solution Approach 1:
The visual display of the interpreted command provides immediate feedback to the user, allowing them to verify accuracy before execution. This enables reliable operation by giving users the opportunity to correct misinterpretations, thus maintaining both ease of operation and reliability.
3Measurement precision
If text display is added to provide feedback on voice interpretation, then the accuracy of command interpretation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The visual interface (screen) already present in modern appliances is utilized for dual purposes: displaying operational status and showing the interpreted voice command text. This multi-functionality approach avoids adding separate dedicated display components, thereby improving interpretation accuracy while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for controlling and/or communicating with a domestic appliance 100 by means of voice command and providing displaying of text is described. Such a method comprises the steps of receiving an acoustic voice signal SV, corresponding to a voice query and/or request phrase uttered by a user and generating a corresponding first electric signal SE representative of the acoustic voice signal SV, by voice receiving means 2 integrated into the domestic appliance 100. The method thus provides generating a query and/or request electric signal SR, representative of the acoustic voice signal SV, by the first processing means 3 integrated in the domestic appliance 10 operationally connected to the aforesaid voice receiving means 2; and of transmitting the aforesaid query and/or request electric signal SR to second processing means 4. The method then provides the following steps by the second processing means 4: processing the aforesaid query and/or request electric signal SR; generating a first text character string C1 corresponding to the user query and/or request identified in the processing step; determining a reply to be provided to the user, based on the identified user query and/or request; and generating a second text character string C2 corresponding to the reply determined by the second processing means 4. Finally, the method comprises the steps of transmitting the first text character string C1 and the second text character string C2 to the first processing means 3 of the domestic appliance; and of displaying both the first text character string C1 and the second text character string C2 by means of a visual interface 5 comprised in the domestic appliance 100, so that the user can read both the user query and/or request, as identified by the second processing means 4, and the reply determined by the second processing means 4. A corresponding system for controlling and/or communicating with a domestic appliance by voice command, and providing displaying of text, and a domestic appliance equipped with the aforementioned functions are further described.