IP Library Granted Patent US 11,250,861
Granted Patent B2
US 11,250,861 · App. 16/505,043 · Granted Feb 15, 2022

Audio input filtering based on user verification

Inventors: John Weldon Nicholson (Cary, NC); Howard Locker (Cary, NC); Daryl Cromer (Raleigh, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
G10L17/22G06F3/165G10L17/00G10L17/04G10L17/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,250,861
App. No.
16/505,043
Granted
Feb 15, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

One embodiment provides a method, including: detecting, using an audio capture device associated with an information handling device, audible input; determining, using a processor, whether the audible input is associated with an authorized user; and performing, responsive to determining that the audible input is not associated with the authorized user, a silencing action associated with the audio capture device. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Claims (52)

1. A method to reduce the presence of identified background noise, comprising:

detecting, using an audio capture device associated with an information handling device, audible input;

determining, using a processor, whether the audible input is associated with an authorized user or is associated with a noise produced by another source, wherein the determining comprises:

capturing, using an image capture device associated with the information handling device and during detection of the audible input, at least one image;

ascertaining, using the at least one image and by comparison to a database of authorized users, whether the authorized user is present in the at least one image;

identifying, responsive to ascertaining that the authorized user is present in the at least one image, whether a visual aspect of the at least one image corresponds to an audio-providing context;

determining that the detected audible input is not provided by the authorized user responsive to identifying that the visual aspect of the at least one image does not correspond to the audio-providing context; and

performing, responsive to determining that the audible input is not associated with the authorized user but instead is associated with the noise produced by another source, a silencing action associated with the audio capture device to prevent transmission of the noise produced by another source.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises:

accessing a database comprising a voiceprint associated with the authorized user; and

determining whether the audible input shares a predetermined level of similarity with the voiceprint.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising training the voiceprint with voice input provided to a voice-based application.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the training comprises:

capturing at least one characteristic of the voice input; and

updating the voiceprint with the at least one characteristic.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises:

accessing a database comprising a plurality of sound signatures associated with at least one non-human sound source; and

determining whether the audible input shares a predetermined level of similarity with at least one sound signature in the plurality of sound signatures.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing the silencing action comprises providing a notification to the authorized user.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the notification comprises a suggestion to mute the audio capture device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing the silencing action comprises automatically muting the audio capture device.

9. An information handling device for reducing the presence of identified background noise, comprising:

an audio capture device;

a processor;

a memory device that stores instructions executable by the processor to:

detect audible input;

determine whether the audible input is associated with an authorized user or is associated with a noise produced by another source, wherein the instructions executable by the processor to determine comprise instructions executable by the processor to:

capture, using an image capture device associated with the information handling device and during detection of the audible input, at least one image;

ascertain, using the at least one image and by comparison to a database of authorized users, whether the authorized user is present in the at least one image;

identify, responsive to ascertaining that the authorized user is present in the at least one image, whether a visual aspect of the at least one image corresponds to an audio-providing context;

determine that the detected audible input is not provided by the authorized user responsive to identifying that the visual aspect of the at least one image does not correspond to the audio-providing context; and

perform, responsive to determining that the audible input is not associated with the authorized user but instead is associated with the noise produced by another source, a silencing action associated with the audio capture device to prevent transmission of the noise produced by another source.

10. The information handling device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to determine comprise instructions executable by the processor to:

access a database comprising a voiceprint associated with the authorized user; and

determine whether the audible input shares a predetermined level of similarity with the voiceprint.

11. The information handling device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to train the voiceprint with voice input provided to a voice-based application.

12. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to train comprise instructions executable by the processor to:

capture at least one characteristic of the voice input; and

update the voiceprint with the at least one characteristic.

13. The information handling device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to determine comprise instructions executable by the processor to:

access a database comprising a plurality of sound signatures associated with at least one non-human sound source; and

determine whether the audible input shares a predetermined level of similarity with at least one sound signature in the plurality of sound signatures.

14. The information handling device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to perform the silencing action comprise instructions executable by the processor to provide a notification to the authorized user.

15. The information handling device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to perform the silencing action comprise instructions executable by the processor to automatically mute the audio capture device.

16. A product for reducing the presence of identified background noise comprising a storage device that stores code that when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

detect an audible input via an audio capture device;

determine whether the audible input is associated with an authorized user or is associated with a noise produced by another source,

capture, during detection of the audible input, at least one image;

ascertain, using the at least one image and by comparison to a database of authorized users, whether the authorized user is present in the at least one image;

identify, responsive to ascertaining that the authorized user is present in the at least one image, whether a visual aspect of the at least one image corresponds to an audio-providing context;

determine that the detected audible input is not provided by the authorized user responsive to identifying that the visual aspect of the at least one image does not correspond to the audio-providing context; and

performing, responsive to determining that the audible input is not associated with the authorized user but instead is associated with the noise produced by another source, a silencing action associated with the audio capture device to prevent transmission of the noise produced by another source.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2025
From: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 070269/0092 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2025
From: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD.
To: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 070269/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2019
From: NICHOLSON, JOHN WELDON; LOCKER, HOWARD; CROMER, DARYL
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 049690/0711 →
Continuity (1)
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