Privacy device for smart speakers
Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for a privacy blocking device configured to prevent receipt, by a listening device, of video and/or audio data until a trigger occurs. A blocker may be configured to prevent receipt of video and/or audio data by one or more microphones and/or one or more cameras of a listening device. The blocker may use the one or more microphones, the one or more cameras, and/or one or more second microphones and/or one or more second cameras to monitor for a trigger. The blocker may process the data. Upon detecting the trigger, the blocker may transmit data to the listening device. For example, the blocker may transmit all or a part of a spoken phrase to the listening device.
1. A method comprising:
jamming a listening device by transmitting, by a blocking device in a blocking mode, a jamming signal toward a microphone of the listening device to prevent the microphone of the listening device from receiving verbal commands from a user, wherein the jamming signal is generated using one or more light sources;
monitoring, by the blocking device, for one or more user inputs;
determining, by the blocking device, that the one or more inputs are associated with a trigger to enter a pass-through mode;
ceasing, based on the determining that the one or more inputs are associated with the trigger to enter a pass-through mode, transmission of the jamming signal; and
allowing, by the blocking device in the pass-through mode, one or more sounds to be received by the microphone of the listening device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the jamming signal comprises non-visible electromagnetic light.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more light sources comprise at least one of:
a light emitting diode (LED);
a fluorescent light bulb;
an incandescent light bulb;
a laser; or
a laser diode.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
focusing the jamming signal on a membrane of the microphone.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the jamming signal comprises a plurality of pulses of light that cause the microphone to detect at least one of white noise, pink noise, and Brownian noise.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting a noise profile based on one or more second sounds detected by a second microphone associated with the blocking device.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the one or more inputs are associated with the trigger further comprises:
processing the one or more inputs using at least one of a speech recognition algorithm and a natural language processing algorithm.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more inputs comprises an audio trigger.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the audio trigger comprises a spoken command.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring for the one or more inputs comprises:
receiving the one or more inputs via a second microphone associated with the blocking device.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring for the one or more inputs comprises:
detecting a change in at least one of a position or an orientation of the blocking device.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more inputs comprises:
capturing the one or more inputs via an image capture device.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing, based on a determination that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed and after the one or more sounds have been received by the microphone, the blocking device to re-enter blocking mode and begin re-transmitting [re-transmission of] the jamming signal toward the microphone.
14. A blocking device comprising:
one or more light sources configured to generate a jamming signal;
one or more processors; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the blocking device to:
jam a listening device by transmitting, in a blocking mode, the jamming signal toward a microphone of the listening device to prevent the microphone of the listening device from receiving verbal commands from a user;
determine that one or more inputs are associated with a trigger to enter a pass-through mode;
cease transmitting the jamming signal based on the determining that the one or more inputs are associated with the trigger to enter the pass-through mode; and
allow, while in the pass-through mode, one or more sounds to be received by the microphone.
15. The blocking device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a lens configured to focus the jamming signal on a membrane of the microphone.
16. The blocking device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a second microphone configured to receive the one or more inputs.
17. The blocking device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a wireless receiver configured to receive the one or more inputs.
18. The blocking device of claim 14 , wherein the one or more inputs are received from a computing device.
19. A system comprising:
a listening device comprising:
one or more inputs, wherein the one or more inputs comprise at least one first microphone and at least one image capture device;
one or more processors; and
a blocking device comprising:
one or more light sources configured to generate a jamming signal;
a second microphone configured to receive one or more sounds;
a processor;
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the blocking device to:
jam a listening device by transmitting, in a blocking mode, the jamming signal toward a microphone of the listening device to prevent the microphone of the listening device from receiving verbal commands from a user;
determine that one or more inputs are associated with a trigger to enter a pass-through mode;
cease transmitting the jamming signal based on the determining that the one or more inputs are associated with the trigger to enter the pass-through mode; and
allow, while in the pass-through mode, one or more sounds to be received by the microphone.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the one or more light sources comprise a predetermined intensity.
21. The system of claim 19 , further comprising:
a fiber optic cable configured to direct light from the one or more light sources to the at least one microphone.
22. The system of claim 19 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the blocking device to:
cause, based on a determination that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed and after the second sounds have been received by the at least one first microphone, the blocking device to re-enter the blocking mode and begin re-transmitting [re-transmission of] the jamming signal toward the at least one microphone of the listening device.