Apple Patent Reveals Voice Commands Coming to iPod, iPhone Apple TV

Apple Patent Reveals Voice Commands Coming to iPod, iPhone & Apple TV

On October 9, 2008, the US Patent & Trademark Office published an Apple patent application relating to voice activation technology that is being developed for the iPod, iPhone and Apple TV. The patent notes that the voice activation system could be robust and context sensitive. The voice activation can also be utilized without any preparatory user action with respect to the portable electronic device. The patent presents examples of voice commands relating to music, business meetings or calendar events, iPhone camera controls, various voicemail commands and more.

Voice-to-Command Analyzer and Macro Manager

Apple's patent FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an iPhone which is presented here as device 200. Device 200 isn't limited to being an iPhone however and could be an iPod, iPod touch, a portable gaming player, portable workout manager and the like, according to the patent.

The point of FIG.2 is to illustrate that the iPhone and/or device 200, could be controlled by voice control or command. In this regard, device 200 includes voice-to-command analyzer 216. Voice-to-command analyzer 216 operates to receive an audio input from a user via a microphone, shown here as box 218. The Voice-to-command analyzer can then analyze the audio input to determine whether it is requesting execution of a particular one of a set of predetermined commands or a particular one of a set of predetermined macros.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, device 200 can also include data store 220. The data store could store a plurality of commands or macros as well as other data. These commands or macros are eligible to be executed by device 200 when requested by a voice input. Similarly, voice-to-command analyzer 216 can determine whether the voice input corresponds to a macro from a set of available macros stored in data store. The macros can be considered groups or sets of commands which are arranged in a particular sequence. A macro manager can couple to the voice-to-command analyzer so that when the voice input corresponds to a macro, the macro manager can manage the performance of the macro, which involves a plurality of commands operated in a particular sequence.

Three Voice Command Examples

1 - iPod – Music: Apple's patent FIG. 7A illustrates exemplary menu 700 suitable for use on an iPhone, iPod or anything that device 200 is to eventually be. While menu 700 is being displayed, a user can request to play a particular media item. For example, the user might provide an audio input, namely, a voice command, by announcing the phrase "play irreplaceable". Here, the electronic device would recognize that the first portion "play" is a command that is supported and the second term "irreplaceable" is the name of a song available to be played at the electronic device. As another example, the user could provide an audio input, namely, a voice command, by announcing the phrase "play 06", which could be the user requesting to play a playlist denoted as "summer '06" and available at the media device.

As still another example, the user could provide an audio input, namely, a voice command, by announcing one of the menu items of the menu 700 (or perhaps even a nested menu) which could affect a selection of such item. For example, the menu items could be categories, classifications, groupings, media items, device settings, device functions, and the like. The menu 700 can represent one menu of a series of nested or hierarchical menus, which can also be navigated or traversed by voice commands.

2 - Calendar – Meeting Reminder Notification: Apple's patent FIG. 7B illustrates display region 720 of a display device associated with an electronic device according to one embodiment of the invention. The Display region includes meeting reminder notification 722. The meeting reminder notification can be displayed on at least a portion of display region. In this example, meeting reminder notification 722 informs the user that a meeting to which they are scheduled starts in "15 minutes" at building "IL1, Room 1." In this context, the available commands available to the user can pertain to permitted interaction with the electronic device in response to the meeting reminder. For example, the acceptable commands can be "clear" or "close" which requests that the electronic device close meeting reminder notification. Another example is the command "tell" which can respond to the meeting attendees with a message. For example, "tell everyone I will be 10 minutes late" which will be understood by the electronic device as a request to send a text message or email to all attendees of the meeting that the user will be ten (10) minutes late to the meeting.

3 – Camera Controls: apple's patent FIG. 7C is an illustration of exemplary camera window 740 of a display device associated with an electronic device according to one embodiment of the invention. The camera window is displayed on the display device when the electronic device has been placed in a camera mode. While in the camera mode, the available commands can be specific to likely camera operations. For example, in the camera mode, likely camera operations include taking pictures, deleting pictures, saving pictures, etc. Available commands in the camera mode can also include macros. As an example, a macro can be triggered when an audio input is a command requesting that a current picture be taken. As an example, a macro can cause the picture to be taken, cause the picture to be saved in memory, and cause the picture to be uploaded. Although the electronic device is voice-activated, in some embodiments, the electronic device also supports the use of non-voice-activated techniques to provide user input. For example, camera window 740 can include soft buttons 742-746 for which the user can provide user input. Soft buttons 742-746 can be activated using a keypad.

Exemplary iPhone Graphical User Interfaces

Incoming Call: Apple's patent FIG. 8A illustrated exemplary graphical user interface (GUI) 800 for an incoming call. GUI 800 is a representative display screen concerning an incoming call from a caller ("Jim Jones") as provided in upper portion 802 of GUI 800. Lower portion 804 of GUI 800 can display some or all of the available commands that can be spoken by a user to initiate the corresponding actions at the electronic device. As shown in FIG. 8A, the exemplary available commands with respect to the particular context of the GUI 800 can include "Answer" or "Voicemail" (or its abbreviated form "VM").

Voicemail Notification: Apple's patent FIG. 8B illustrates exemplary GUI 810 for a voicemail notification. GUI 810 is a representative display screen concerning voicemail available for a user of the electronic device. In upper portion 812 of GUI 810, the user can be informed that there are new voice messages awaiting their review. For example, as shown in FIG. 8B, the user is informed that there are two new voice messages. Lower portion 814 of GUI 810 can display some or all of the available commands that can be spoken by a user to initiate the corresponding actions at the electronic device. In FIG. 8B, the exemplary available commands illustrated in lower portion 814 can include "Play voicemail" and "Show details".

Voicemail Review: Apple's patent FIG. 8C illustrated exemplary GUI 820 for voicemail review. GUI 820 is a representative display screen for reviewing voicemail at the electronic device. In upper portion 822 of GUI 820, description information pertaining to a voicemail that can be reviewed is provided. In the example illustrated in FIG. 8C, the information concerning the voicemail specifies the caller name, date, time and duration for the voicemail. Lower portion 824 can display some or all exemplary available commands that can be spoken by a user to initiate action at the electronic device. In particular, lower portion 824 indicates that the exemplary available commands can include "Play voicemail", "Delete voicemail", "Forward to [contact]", or "Next". The forward command can specify to forward the voicemail to another person known to the electronic device or another device. For example, the user could provide the command "Forward to Bob" which would be understood by the electronic device to forward the voicemail to Bob, who is a known contact (e.g., address book) of the user. As another example, the user could provide the command "Forward to my computer" which would be understood by the electronic device to forward the voicemail from their portable electronic device (or its associated supporting server) to the user's computer (personal computer).

Voicemail Commands: Apple's patent FIG. 8D illustrates exemplary GUI 830 for playing of a voicemail. GUI 830 is a representative display screen for playing voicemail at the electronic device. In particular, lower portion 834 indicates that the available voice commands can include "Delete voicemail", "Forward to [contact]", "Text reply [Msg]". The text reply command can specify to send a reply text message to another person known to the electronic device or another device. For example, the spoken phrase could be "Text reply meet you at noon for lunch," which causes a text message "meet you at noon for lunch" to be sent to Jim, who is the sender of the message being replied to.

Voice Commands for Apple TV

Apple's patent FIG. 9E is a block diagram of local environment 950 according to one embodiment of the invention. Local environment 950 can pertain to an automobile environment, a home environment, an office environment or other relatively constrained local environment. Within local environment 950, portable electronic device 952 can interact with media system 954. Media system 954 can pertain to a television system, a home stereo, a personal computer, and the like. Media system 954 can also be referred to as a home entertainment system. Accessory device 956 can also be provided in local environment 950. Portable electronic device 952 can include microphone 958 and speaker 960. Speaker 960 can be used to output audio sound (audio output) to the user. For example, the audio output can pertain to a voice call or media output. Microphone 958 can be utilized to pick up voice commands that are used by portable electronic device 950 or media system 954. Accessory device 956 can also include microphone 962 to pick up voice commands. Such voice commands can be supplied to media system 954 which, in turn, can supply them to portable electronic device 952, or the voice commands can be directly provided from accessory device 956 to portable electronic device 952. Accessory device 956 can also include wireless module 964. Wireless module 964 can permit accessory device 956 to wirelessly communicate to wireless headset 966. The wireless protocol being utilized between wireless headset 966 and wireless module 964 can pertain to Bluetooth technology or other short range wireless technology. Headset 966 can receive and/or output audio from/to media system 954 or portable electronic device 952. Accessory device 956 could also include a speaker (not shown) to provide audio output.

One of the inventors of today's patent 20080248797 is Dan Freeman, Manager of Audio Hardware Department at Apple Inc.

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Posted by Jack Purcher on October 09, 2008 at 06:48 PM in 1A. Patent Applications, Apple TV | Permalink | Comments (0)