Supporting multiple speech enabled user interface consoles within a motor vehicle
View Patent ↗An in-vehicle system that shares speech processing resources among multiple applications located within a vehicle. The system can include one or more software applications, each associated with different functionally independent in-vehicle consoles. Each application can have a console specific user interface. The system can also include a single in-vehicle speech processing system implemented separately from the in-vehicle consoles. The speech processing system can execute speech processing tasks responsive to requests received from the applications. That is, the in-vehicle speech processing system can provide speech processing capabilities for the applications. The provided speech processing capabilities can include text-to-speech capabilities and speech recognition capabilities.
1. A method for use in a vehicle comprising a plurality of in-vehicle consoles comprising at least a first in-vehicle console and a second in-vehicle console, the method comprising acts, performed via a speech processor, of:
(A) receiving, at the speech processor, a first speech processing request from the first in-vehicle console, wherein the first in-vehicle console comprises a first computer running at least one first speech-enabled application, where the first speech processing request comprises at least one first signal indicative of a first spoken utterance;
(B) processing the first speech processing request to recognize first content in the first spoken utterance and generate a first processing result based, at least in part, on the recognized first content;
(C) sending the first processing result to the first in-vehicle console;
(D) receiving, at the speech processor, a second speech processing request from the second in-vehicle console, wherein the second in-vehicle console comprises a second computer running at least one second speech-enabled application, where the second speech processing request comprises at least one second signal indicative of a second spoken utterance;
(E) processing the second speech processing request to recognize second content in the second spoken utterance and generate a second processing result based, at least in part, on the recognized second content; and
(F) sending the second processing result to the second in-vehicle console;
wherein the first in-vehicle console and second in-vehicle console are configured to be operated independently and simultaneously.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one first speech-enabled application running on the first in-vehicle console is selected from a group consisting of a web browser, a movie player, and a video game.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first in-vehicle console is a removable device.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first in-vehicle console has a dock that allows at least one external device to interoperate with the console.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the at least one external device is selected from a group consisting of a mobile phone, a portable MP3 player, a global positioning system, a personal data assistant, a signature capture device, a computing tablet, a notebook computer, a DVD player, a video gaming unit, a digital camera, and a portable storage device.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first in-vehicle console has a microphone.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first in-vehicle console has a camera.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first processing result is a textual result.
9. A vehicle comprising:
a plurality of in-vehicle consoles comprising at least a first in-vehicle console and a second in-vehicle console configured to be operated independently and simultaneously, wherein the first in-vehicle console comprises a first computer running at least one first speech-enabled application, and wherein the second in-vehicle console comprises a second computer running at least one second speech-enabled application;
a speech processor programmed to service speech requests from the first and second in-vehicle consoles by;
receiving a first speech processing request from the first in-vehicle console, where the first speech processing request comprises at least one first signal indicative of a first spoken utterance;
processing the first speech processing request to recognize first content in the first spoken utterance and generate a first processing result based, at least in part, on the recognized first content; and
sending the first processing result to the first in-vehicle console;
receiving a second speech processing request from the second in-vehicle console, where the second speech processing request comprises at least one second signal indicative of a second spoken utterance;
processing the second speech processing request to recognize second content in the second spoken utterance and generate a second processing result based, at least in part, on the recognized second content; and
sending the second processing result to the second in-vehicle console.
10. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the at least one first speech-enabled application running on the first in-vehicle console is selected from a group consisting of a web browser, a movie player, and a video game.
11. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the first in-vehicle console is a removable device.
12. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the first in-vehicle console has a dock that allows at least one external device to interoperate with the console.
13. The vehicle of claim 12 wherein the at least one external device is selected from a group consisting of a mobile phone, a portable MP3 player, a global positioning system, a personal data assistant, a signature capture device, a computing tablet, a notebook computer, a DVD player, a video gaming unit, a digital camera, and a portable storage device.
14. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the first in-vehicle console has a microphone.
15. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the first in-vehicle console has a camera.
16. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the first in-vehicle console has a display.
17. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the first in-vehicle console and second in-vehicle console are configured to be operated simultaneously by different users.
18. At least one nontransitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with a plurality of instructions that, when executed by at least one speech processor, perform a method comprising:
(A) receiving, at the speech processor, a first speech processing request from a first in-vehicle console, wherein the first in-vehicle console comprises a first computer running at least one first speech-enabled application, where the first speech processing request comprises at least one first signal indicative of a first spoken utterance;
(B) processing the first speech processing request to recognize first content in the first spoken utterance and generate a first processing result based, at least in part, on the recognized first content;
(C) sending the first processing result to the first in-vehicle console;
(D) receiving, at the speech processor, a second speech processing request from a second in-vehicle console, wherein the second in-vehicle console comprises a second computer running at least one second speech-enabled application, where the second speech processing request comprises at least one second signal indicative of a second spoken utterance;
(E) processing the second speech processing request to recognize second content in the second spoken utterance and generate a second processing result based, at least in part, on the recognized second content; and
(F) sending the second processing result to the second in-vehicle console;
wherein the first in-vehicle console and second in-vehicle console are configured to be operated independently and simultaneously.
19. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the at least one first speech-enabled application running on the first in-vehicle console is selected from a group consisting of a web browser, a movie player, and a video game.
20. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the first in-vehicle console has a dock that allows at least one external device to interoperate with the console.
21. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the at least one external device is selected from a group consisting of a mobile phone, a portable MP3 player, a global positioning system, a personal data assistant, a signature capture device, a computing tablet, a notebook computer, a DVD player, a video gaming unit, a digital camera, and a portable storage device.
22. An in-vehicle system comprising:
at least a first console adapted to be operated by a first user;
at least a second console adapted to be operated by a second user; and
a speech processor to receive and process speech requests from the first and second consoles,
wherein the in-vehicle system is configured to service speech requests received simultaneously at the first console and the second console,
wherein the speech processor is configured to:
process a first speech processing request received from the first console and send a first result to the first console, the first result being responsive to the first speech processing request; and
process a second speech processing request received from the second console and send a second result to the second console, the second result being responsive to the second speech processing request; and
wherein the first console and the second console each is configured to run at least one speech-enabled application.
23. The in-vehicle system of claim 22 , wherein the at least one speech-enabled application is selected from a group consisting of: a web browser, a movie player, and a video game.
24. The in-vehicle system of claim 22 , wherein the first console is a removable device.
25. The in-vehicle system of claim 22 , wherein the first console has a dock that allows at least one external device to interoperate with the first console.
26. The in-vehicle system of claim 25 , wherein the at least one external device is selected from a group consisting of: a mobile phone, a portable MP3 player, a global positioning system, a personal data assistant, a signature capture device, a computing tablet, a notebook computer, a DVD player, a video gaming unit, a digital camera, and a portable storage device.
27. The in-vehicle system of claim 22 , the first console further comprising a microphone and the second console further comprising a microphone.
28. A method for use in a vehicle comprising a plurality of in-vehicle consoles comprising at least a first in-vehicle console and a second in-vehicle console, the method comprising acts, performed via a speech processor, of:
(A) receiving, at the speech processor, a first speech processing request from the first in-vehicle console, wherein the first in-vehicle console comprises a first computer running at least one first speech-enabled application, where the first speech processing request comprises at least one first signal indicative of a first spoken utterance;
(B) processing the first speech processing request to recognize first content in the first spoken utterance and generate a first processing result based, at least in part, on the recognized first content;
(C) sending the first processing result to the first in-vehicle console;
(D) receiving, at the speech processor, a second speech processing request from the second in-vehicle console, wherein the second in-vehicle console comprises a second computer running at least one second speech-enabled application, where the second speech processing request comprises at least one second signal indicative of a second spoken utterance;
(E) processing the second speech processing request to recognize second content in the second spoken utterance and generate a second processing result based, at least in part, on the recognized second content; and
(F) sending the second processing result to the second in-vehicle console;
wherein the first in-vehicle console and second in-vehicle console are configured to be operated simultaneously by different users.
29. A vehicle comprising:
a plurality of in-vehicle consoles comprising at least a first in-vehicle console and a second in-vehicle console configured to be operated simultaneously by different users, wherein the first in-vehicle console comprises a first computer running at least one first speech-enabled application, and wherein the second in-vehicle console comprises a second computer running at least one second speech-enabled application;
a speech processor programmed to service speech requests from the first and second in-vehicle consoles by;
receiving a first speech processing request from the first in-vehicle console, where the first speech processing request comprises at least one first signal indicative of a first spoken utterance;
processing the first speech processing request to recognize first content in the first spoken utterance and generate a first processing result based, at least in part, on the recognized first content; and
sending the first processing result to the first in-vehicle console;
receiving a second speech processing request from the second in-vehicle console, where the second speech processing request comprises at least one second signal indicative of a second spoken utterance;
processing the second speech processing request to recognize second content in the second spoken utterance and generate a second processing result based, at least in part, on the recognized second content; and
sending the second processing result to the second in-vehicle console.
30. At least one nontransitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with a plurality of instructions that, when executed by at least one speech processor, perform a method comprising:
(A) receiving, at the speech processor, a first speech processing request from a first in-vehicle console, wherein the first in-vehicle console comprises a first computer running at least one first speech-enabled application, where the first speech processing request comprises at least one first signal indicative of a first spoken utterance;
(B) processing the first speech processing request to recognize first content in the first spoken utterance and generate a first processing result based, at least in part, on the recognized first content;
(C) sending the first processing result to the first in-vehicle console;
(D) receiving, at the speech processor, a second speech processing request from a second in-vehicle console, wherein the second in-vehicle console comprises a second computer running at least one second speech-enabled application, where the second speech processing request comprises at least one second signal indicative of a second spoken utterance;
(E) processing the second speech processing request to recognize second content in the second spoken utterance and generate a second processing result based, at least in part, on the recognized second content; and
(F) sending the second processing result to the second in-vehicle console;
wherein the first in-vehicle console and second in-vehicle console are configured to be operated simultaneously by different users.