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SamsungGranted patentAudio & voiceInterest 6/10

Samsung patents voice activation that gets more sensitive to loud noises

Samsung has been granted a patent for a method that helps electronic devices detect wake-up words like 'Hey Siri' or 'Bixby' more reliably. The system uses two layers of software to check if a sound is the correct command, and it automatically lowers the strictness of this check if it detects specific loud background noises.

Why it mattersThis could make voice assistants more responsive in noisy environments like busy streets or loud rooms, reducing the need to repeat commands.

In the filing’s own words

An electronic device includes a microphone; at least one memory storing a wake-up word detection model; and at least one processor configured to: obtain a sound signal received through the microphone, input the sound signal into the wake-up word detection model, obtain, as an output of the wake-up word detection model, one or more first probability scores corresponding to one or more sections of the sound signal, wherein each first probability score of the one or more first probability scores represents a probability that a corresponding section of the one or more sections of the sound signal corresponds to a wake-up word, identify a first section of the sound signal, among the one or more sections of the sound signal, that corresponds to a first probability score, among the one or more first probability scores, that exceeds a first threshold value, and based on identifying a predetermined acoustic signal in the sound signal, reduce the first threshold value.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. An electronic device comprising: a microphone; at least one memory storing a wake-up word detection model, a wake-up word verification model, and one or more instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the one or more instructions, wherein the one or more instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to: obtain a sound signal received through the microphone, input the sound signal into the wake-up word detection model, obtain, as an output of the wake-up word detection model, one or more first probability scores corresponding to one or more sections of the sound signal, wherein each first probability score of the one or more first probability scores represents a probability that a corresponding section of the one or more sections of the sound signal corresponds to a wake-up word, identify a first section of the sound signal, among the one or more sections of the sound signal, that corresponds to a first probability score, among the one or more first probability scores, that exceeds a first threshold value, based on identifying the first section of the sound signal, input the first section of the sound signal into the wake-up word verification model, and obtain, as an output of the wake-up word verification model, a second probability score corresponding to the first section of the sound signal and representing a probability that the first section of the sound signal corresponds to a wake-up word, based on the second probability score corresponding to the first section of the sound signal exceeding a second threshold value, execute a function corresponding to voice recognition, and based on identifying a predetermined acoustic signal in the sound signal, reduce the second threshold value.

Facts

Company
Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.)
Official title
Electronic device and control method thereof
Patent number
US12744034B2
Application number
18420338
Filed
Jan 23, 2024
Granted
Sep 22, 2026
Inventors
7
Claims
14

Classified under

G10L 15/20 Physics & computingG06F 3/167 Physics & computingG10L 15/083 Physics & computingG10L 15/22 Physics & computingG10L 2015/088 Physics & computingG10L 2015/223 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.