Data processing: speech signal processing – linguistics – language – Speech signal processing – Application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-06
2001-05-08
Hudspeth, David (Department: 2741)
Data processing: speech signal processing, linguistics, language
Speech signal processing
Application
C704S271000, C704S270000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230137
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a household appliance, in particular an electrically operated household appliance.
In household appliances, power is supplied to the electrical load or loads by mechanical actuators or control elements. The mechanical actuators or operating elements are located in the household appliance, so that the operator has to be at the location of the household appliance in order to actuate the operating elements. The operator therefore has to interrupt his current work and, if necessary, has to clean and to dry his hands. Furthermore, the actuation of household appliances often proves to be relatively troublesome for the disabled. A product for the rehabilitation sector is already known under the name “SICARE pilot” (available from the software vendor evosoft Softwarevertrieb GmbH, D-90411 Nuremberg/Germany), which includes a mobile device which converts spoken commands into signals. The signals are output by an infrared transmitter, for example for the control of television sets, video recorders, hi-fi systems, telephone and lighting, by radio transmitters, for example for the control of house doors, lifts, call and alarm systems, or by wire-bound interfaces, for example for the control of electrically driven wheelchairs and motor-adjustable beds. The known product, which is intended for physically disabled persons, permits the storage of a maximum of 64 commands. The mobile device transmits the command for the desired action, for example “television on” automatically to the appropriate device via the previously selected interface. Each individual instruction can address a number of devices at the same time. The known product is trained to the individual speech pattern of one person, and therefore implements speaker-dependent speech recognition. Ideally, other persons are not capable of generating signals which control the devices from spoken commands. In the known product, the speech recognition is implemented by predefined words (e.g. “house”, “light”, “four”, “minus”) which must be spoken in accordance with a menu tree having a number of branches, however it is possible for the individual words to be spoken at any desired time interval. If, because of an indisposition of the physically disabled person, the speech input is aborted prematurely, it is possible that individual words, which are, for example, generated by a radio or television set and which are provided in the branch of the menu tree, which is to be dealt with after the speech input was aborted, can cause signals to be generated which control one or more devices. Such an inadvertent control of one or more devices, for example a wheelchair, can endanger the physically disabled person.
The German patent document DE 38 03 220 discloses a household appliance having a program switching device. A phonetic control device is configured in such a way that code words or their speech pattern signals no longer called up or not called up for a long time are deleted from a speech pattern memory.
The European patent document EP 0 031 144 discloses a heating appliance having a device for recognizing speech and having a device for generating artificial speech signals. In this heating appliance, a first speech recognition step (m-
1
) is carried out, and is followed by a step (m-
2
), in which an artificial speech signal is produced, which is further followed by a second speech recognition step (m-
3
).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a household appliance which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known appliances of this general type and which provides a simple, reliable, and rapid speech-controlled operation for the household appliance.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a household appliance configuration, including a household appliance, in particular an electrically operated household appliance, having operating functions and/or components, such as electrical load components; a first device, connected to the household appliance, for inputting at least two speech signals designating the operating functions and/or components of the household appliance; a second device, operatively connected to the first device, for recognizing the operating functions and/or components designated by the speech signals; and a third device, operatively connected to the second device, for converting the speech signals, after being recognized, into a given control command to operate the household appliance, the third device producing the given control command only when the speech signals are input in a sequence defined by a menu tree; and a controller having a control program and being assigned to at least one of the first, second, and third devices, the control program operating such that the speech signals, being input in a direct succession for selecting the operating functions and/or the components, cause a formation of the given control command only when the speech signals are separated in time by not more than a respective given first time period, the respective given first time period being a respective pause period, and are input within a respective given second time period.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the controller is configured for carrying out a speaker-independent speech signal recognition or, alternatively, a speaker-dependent speech signal recognition.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the first device is disposed separated from the household appliance and may in particular be integrated into a portable telephone terminal.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the first device has at least one microphone and is installed on a holding element, which damps structure-borne sound.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the first device includes an electric filter damping oscillations of frequencies below approximately 100 hertz and/or above approximately 5 kilohertz.
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the first, second, and third devices are a provided in place of mechanical operating elements for inputting control commands when actuated or in addition to the mechanical operating elements.
With the objects of the invention in view there is also provided, a household appliance system, including a household appliance having operating functions and/or components, such as electrical load components; a first device for inputting at least two speech signals designating the operating functions and/or the components of the household appliance; a second device, operatively connected to the first device, for recognizing the operating functions and/or the components designated by the speech signals; a third device, operatively connected to the second device, for converting the speech signals, after being recognized, into a given control command to operate the household appliance, the third device producing the given control command only when the speech signals are input in a sequence defined by a menu tree; and a central computer connected to the household appliance, at least one of the first, second, and third devices being assigned to the central computer, the first, second, and third devices being configured such that the speech signals, being input in a direct succession for selecting the operating functions and/or components of the household appliance, cause a formation of the given control command only when the speech signals are separated in time by not more than a respective given first time period and are input within a respective given second time period, the central computer being connectable to further household appliances.
With the objects of the invention in view there is further provided, in combination with a household appliance having components and operating functions, a speech-activated device including a first device for inputting at least two speech signals designating at least one of the components and operating functions o
Has Uwe
Ziegler Felicitas
Abebe Daniel
BSH Bosch und Siemens Haus-geraete GmbH
Greenberg Laurence A.
Hudspeth David
Lerner Herbert L.
LandOfFree
Household appliance, in particular an electrically operated... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Household appliance, in particular an electrically operated..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Household appliance, in particular an electrically operated... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2545345