Voice verifying system and voice verifying method which can determine if voice signal is valid or not

A voice verifying system, which comprises: a microphone, which is always turned on to output at least one input audio signal; a speech determining device, for determining if the input audio signal is valid or not according to a reference value, wherein the speech determining device passes the input audio signal if the input audio signal is valid; and a verifying module, for verifying a speech signal generated from the input audio signal and for outputting a device activating signal to activate a target device if the speech signal matches a predetermined rule; and a reference value generating device, for generating the reference value according to speech signal information from the verifying module.

BACKGROUND

A voice verifying system is always applied to a portable electronic apparatus such as a GPS or a mobile phone, such that a user can use a voice command (i.e. a speech signal) to activate the portable electronic device or to control the portable electronic device to perform some function. However, in order to receive the voice, a microphone of the portable electronic device needs to be always turned on to receive the voice. Also, a verifying module of the portable electronic device is always turned on in order to verify the received voice. Therefore, the power consumption for the voice verifying system of related art is high.

SUMMARY

One objective of the present application is to provide a voice verifying system that can adjust the standard for determining if the input audio signal is valid and turns on at least one device according to the input audio signal.

Another objective of the present application is to provide a voice verifying method that can adjust the standard for determining if the input audio signal is valid and turns on at least one device according to the input audio signal.

One embodiment of the present invention discloses a voice verifying system, which comprises: a microphone, which is always turned on to output at least one input audio signal; a speech determining device, for determining if the input audio signal is valid or not according to a reference value, wherein the speech determining device passes the input audio signal if the input audio signal is valid; and a verifying module, for verifying a speech signal generated from the input audio signal and for outputting a device activating signal to activate a target device if the speech signal matches a predetermined rule; and a reference value generating device, for generating the reference value according to speech signal information from the verifying module.

Another embodiment of the present invention discloses a voice verifying method, comprising: always turning on a microphone to output at least one input audio signal; determining if the input audio signal is valid or not according to a reference value, and passing the input audio signal to be a speech signal if the input audio signal is valid; and verifying the speech signal generated from the input audio signal by a predetermined rule, and outputting a device activating signal to activate a target device if the speech signal matches the predetermined rule; generating the reference value according to speech signal information generated from a verifying result.

In view of above-mentioned embodiments, the standard for determining if the input audio signal is valid can be adjusted according to at least one factor, and at least one device in the system is turned off (or in the sleep mode) until receives the input audio signal. By this way, the power efficiency can be optimized.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a block diagram for a voice verifying system according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown inFIG. 1, the voice verifying system100comprises a microphone101, a speech determining device103, a verifying module105, a reference value generating device107and an environment sensor109. The operations for the devices in the voice verifying system100can be controlled by a control unit102, which can be excluded from the voice verifying system102. For example, a processor for a mobile phone that the voice verifying system100is provided in can be utilized to control the voice verifying system100as well.

The microphone101is always turned on and transmits a input audio signal VS to the speech determining device103. The speech determining device103determines if the input audio signal VS is valid or not according to a reference value RV, and outputs the input audio signal VS if the input audio signal VS is valid. For more detail, the microphone101may transmits undesired input audio signals besides the speech signal SS to the speech determining device103, and the speech determining device103blocks/filters the undesired input audio signals and passes the speech signal SS. In one embodiment, at least one of the verifying module105, the reference value generating device107and the environment sensor109is initially turned off (or in the sleep mode) and is turned on if the speech determining device103outputs the speech signal SS to the verifying module105. The at least one of the verifying module105, the reference value generating device107and the environment sensor109keeps non-active if the speech determining device103does not output the speech signal SS to the verifying module105.

The verifying module105receives the speech signal SS and determines if the speech signal SS matches a predetermined rule. Also, the verifying module105outputs a device activating signal AS if the speech signal SS matches the predetermined rule and does not output the device activating signal AS if the speech signal SS does not match the predetermined rule. In one embodiment, the predetermined rule is: if the speech signal SS matches a specific command. The specific command can be, for example, “play music”, “play video”, or “call xxx” (xxx can be anyone's name), and the verifying module105can be provided in a mobile phone. Alternatively, the predetermined rule can be: if the speech signal SS belongs to a specific person. The voice data for the specific person can be pre-recorded in the verifying module105such that the verifying module105can identify if the speech signal SS belongs to the specific person. However, please note the predetermined rule is not limited to above-mentioned examples.

As above-mentioned, the verifying module105outputs the device activating signal AS if the speech signal SS matches the predetermined rule. The device activating signal AS is utilized to activate a target device111. The target device111can be other devices for the apparatus that the voice verifying system100is provided in. For example, the voice verifying system100is provided in a mobile phone and the target device111is a display which is in a sleep mode until receives the device activating signal AS. Alternatively, in another example the voice verifying system100is provided in a GPS apparatus and the target device111is a navigating module which is not turned on and does not perform any navigating function until receives the device activating signal AS. Additionally, the target device111can be a main processor for the apparatus that the voice verifying system100is provided in. Therefore, if the main CPU is initially turned off (or in the sleep mode) and is only activated by the device activating signal AS, the power consumption can be greatly reduced.

The environment sensor109senses environment surrounding the environment sensor109to generate at least one environment parameter EI to the reference value generating device107. The reference value generating device107generates the reference value RV according to the environment parameter EI. The environment parameter EI comprises at least one of following parameters: a noise level parameter, a motion parameter, a temperature parameter and a location parameter. The noise level parameter indicates the noise situation surrounding the voice verifying system100. The motion parameter indicates if the voice verifying system100moves, and how fast does it move. The temperature parameter indicates the temperature for the environment surrounding the voice verifying system100. The location parameter indicates the location of the voice verifying system100.

The noise level may affect the identifying accuracy for the speech signal. Also, the motion parameter or the location parameter can indicate if the user is in the car or in a meeting room, or the user is running, walking, sitting. The temperature may affect the input audio signal. Therefore, all these parameters need different standards such that the input audio signal can be accordingly determined to be valid or not, therefore the reference value RV should be accordingly adjusted.

The environment sensor109can be different kinds of sensors to sense the above-mentioned parameters. For example, the environment sensor109can comprise a noise sensor to sense the noise level. Also, the environment sensor109can comprise a motion sensor such as a G sensor to sense the motion parameter. Alternatively, the environment sensor109can comprise an image capture device such as a glass can capture image for identifying the location, thereby generates the location parameter. Additionally, the environment sensor109can comprise a temperature sensor to sense the temperature. The above-mentioned sensors can be independent sensors or combined together to form a virtual sensor.

Besides the above mentioned parameters, the reference value generating device107may further refer to the microphone sensitivity parameter to generate the reference value RV. The microphone sensitivity parameter indicates the sensitivity of the microphone101, which affects the input audio signal VS. For example, if the microphone sensitivity is high, the microphone outputs a input audio signal containing voice for a large region, thus the noise component and the speech component are both high. On the contrary, if the microphone sensitivity is low, the microphone outputs a input audio signal containing voice for a small region, thus the noise component and the speech component are both low. Therefore, different standards for determining the input audio signal s are valid or not are needed. Therefore, the reference value RV should be updated according to the microphone sensitivity parameter.

In one embodiment, the verifying module105computes the speech signal SS to acquire speech signal information SSI of the speech signal SS and transmits the speech signal information SSI to the reference value generating device103. The reference value generating device103generates the reference value RV according to the environment parameter EI and the speech signal information SSI. The information of the speech signal comprises at least one of following information: a noise type of the speech signal, a signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the speech signal, a time duration that the speech determining device does not determine that the speech signal exists (i.e. a silent time duration). Either the noise type or the SNR of the speech signal affects the determining of the speech signal. Also, the silent time duration indicates the possibility that the reference value RV is improper for current situation. For example, if the silent time duration is too long, it may indicates the reference value RV is too strict such that the speech signal can not be identified. On the contrary, if the silent time duration is too short, it may indicates the reference value RV is too loose such that the input audio signal which is not the speech signal is also wrongly determined to be the speech signal.

In another embodiment, the voice verifying system100further comprises a timer113to control the time duration that the reference value generating device107generates a new reference value RV.

Briefly speaking, the voice verifying system100updates the standard (i.e. the reference value RV) for determining if the input audio signal VS is valid or not(ex. the input audio signal VS is the speech signal SS or not) according to at least one of the environment parameter EI, the speech signal information SSI, and the microphone sensitivity parameter. After that, at least one of the verifying module105, a reference value generating device107and an environment sensor109which is initially turned off (or in the sleep mode will be turned on if the speech determining device103determines the input audio signal VS is valid and outputs the speech signal SS to the verifying module105. Also, the target device111is not activated until receives the device activating signal AS. Therefore, the power consumption for the apparatus utilizing the voice verifying system according to the present application can be reduced.

Many devices can be applied as the speech determining device303. In the embodiment of FIG.2, a comparator201can be applied as the speech determining device103in FIG.1. The comparator201comprises two input terminals respectively receiving the input audio signal VS and the reference value RV. The comparator201compares energy level or energy difference of the input audio signal VS with the reference value RV. The speech determining device103determines the input audio signal VS is valid (ex. the input audio signal VS is the speech signal SS) if the energy level or energy difference of the input audio signal VS exceeds the reference value RV. On the contrary, the speech determining device103determines the input audio signal VS is invalid (ex. the input audio signal VS is not a speech signal SS)if the energy level or energy difference of the input audio signal VS is less than the reference value RV

As above-mentioned description, the reference value RV can be generated according to various kinds of parameters, thus the reference value RV can be adjusted corresponding to various situations such that the standard for determining the speech signal can be adjusted to be loose or strict. For example, if the environment parameter EI indicates at least one of following situation the voice verifying system does not move, the voice verifying system is hold in a hand of an user (ex. a mobile phone comprising the voice verifying system is hold in a hand of an user), and the voice verifying system is in a moving car, then the reference value generating device107decreases the reference value RV. If the voice verifying system is in any one of the above-mentioned situations, the user may want to use the voice control function, thus the reference value RV is decreased such that the comparator can easily pass the speech signal to activate other devices. On the contrary, in other situations the user rarely uses the voice control function such that the reference value RV is adjusted to be high thereby the comparator can block most input audio signal. By this way other devices can keep non-activated to save power. In another example, the reference value RV is increased if the voice verifying system is put in a pack. The user rarely utilizes the voice control function if the voice verifying system is put in a pack (ex. a mobile phone comprising the voice verifying system is put in a pack), thus the reference value RV is increased such that other devices can keep non-activated to save power. Please note the above-mentioned situations are only for example and do not mean to limit the scope of the present invention.

In one embodiment, the microphone is a digital microphone, thus the input audio signal VS output from the microphone101and the speech signal SS are all digital. However, the input audio signal VS outputted from the microphone101and the speech signal SS can also be an analog signal. In another embodiment, the micro phone is an analog microphone and an analog to digital converter can be further comprised in the voice verifying system.

FIG. 3is a block diagram for a voice verifying system300according to another embodiment of the present application. The same as the embodiment inFIG. 1, the voice verifying system300also comprises the speech determining device303, a verifying module305, a reference value generating device307, and an environment sensor309. However, the voice verifying system300comprises an analog microphone301rather than the microphone101in the embodiment ofFIG. 1. Therefore, the voice verifying system300further comprises an ADC313provided between the analog microphone301and the verifying module305. Please note inFIG. 3the ADC313is located behind the speech determining device303. However, in another embodiment the ADC can be located in front of the speech determining device.

Therefore, the operation for the voice verifying system300has some difference from which of the voice verifying system100when the microphone101is a digital microphone. For the voice verifying system100, the microphone101outputs a digital input audio signal VS to the speech determining device103. The speech determining device103determines if the digital input audio signal VS is a digital speech signal SS and passes the digital speech signal SS to the verifying module105according to the reference value RV.

For the voice verifying system300, the analog microphone301outputs an analog input audio signal AVS to the speech determining device303. The speech determining device303determines if the analog input audio signal AVS is valid or not according to the reference value RV (ex. if the analog input audio signal AVS is an analog speech signal ASS) and passes the analog speech signal ASS to the ADC313if the analog input audio signal AVS is valid. The ADC313converts the analog speech signal ASS to a speech signal SS and transmits the speech signal SS to the verifying module305.

Additionally, for the voice verifying system100, at least one of the verifying module105, a reference value generating device107and an environment sensor109is initially turned off (or in the sleep mode) and is turned on if the speech determining device103outputs the digital speech signal SS to the verifying module105. For the voice verifying system300, at least one of the verifying module305, the reference value generating device307and the environment sensor309and the ADC313is initially turned off (or in the sleep mode) and is turned on if the speech determining device303outputs the analog speech signal ASS. By this way, the power consumption can be further reduced since the ADC can be initially turned off or in the sleep mode.

The operations for the verifying module305, the reference value generating device307, and the environment sensor309inFIG. 3are similar with which of the verifying module105, the reference value generating device107, and the environment sensor109inFIG. 1, thus are omitted for brevity here. Also, the voice verifying system300can also comprise the control unit102and the timer113inFIG. 2. Furthermore, the comparator inFIG. 2can also be applied as the speech determining device303inFIG. 3.

As above-mentioned, in another embodiment that the ADC313can be located in front of the speech determining device303. In such embodiment, the analog input audio signal received by the analog microphone is transferred to a digital input audio signal first via the ADC, thus the speech determining device303receives the digital input audio signal rather then the analog input audio signal AVS described above. Additionally, in such embodiment the ADC can be a low power ADC to save power consumption. In such embodiment, operations of the speech determining device, the verifying module, the reference value generating device and the environment sensor are the same as which of FIG.1with a digital input audio signal VS, thus are omitted for brevity here.

FIG.4is a block diagram illustrating an example for detail structures for the verifying module illustrated in FIG.1-FIG.3. As shown in FIG.4, the verifying module400(i.e. the verifying module105,305in FIG.1and FIG.3) comprises a voice detecting device401, a command/speaker verifying device403, and an information generator405. The voice detecting device401detects input audio signal (i.e. the above mentioned analog speech signal or digital speech signal). The command/speaker verifying device403verifies if the command or the person generates the speech signal is valid or not (i.e. determines if the speech signal matches a predetermined rule or not) and the verifying module400outputs the above-mentioned device activating signal AS if the speech signal is valid. The information generator generates the information for the speech signal EI. However, please note the structure for the verifying module is not limited to the example in FIG.4.

In view of above-mentioned embodiments, a voice verifying method applied to a voice verifying system as shown inFIG. 5can be acquired, which comprises the following steps:

Always turn on a microphone to output at least one input audio signal.

Determine if the input audio signal is valid or not according to a reference value. If yes, go to step505. If not, go to step515to block the input audio signal.

Pass the input audio signal to a verifying module.

Utilize the verifying module to determine if the speech signal matches a predetermined rule, and utilizing the verifying module to output a device activating signal for activating a target device if the speech signal matches the predetermined rule.

Utilize an environment sensor to sense environment surrounding the environment sensor to generate at least one environment parameter.

Utilize a reference value generating device to generate the reference value according to the environment parameter.

Initially turn off at least one of the verifying module, the environment sensor and the reference value generating device and turn on at least one of the verifying module, the environment sensor and the reference value generating device if the input audio signal is determined to be valid and is passed in the previous steps.(or control them to be in the sleep mode). The at least one of the verifying module, the environment sensor and the reference value generating device keeps non active if the verifying module does not receive the speech signal.

Block/filter the input audio signal.

In view of above-mentioned embodiments, the standard for determining if the speech signal exists can be adjusted according to at least one factor, and at least one device in the system is turned off until receives the speech signal . By this way, the power efficiency can be optimized.