Method and Device For Command Phrase Validation

Abstract

A method on a mobile device for a wireless network is described. An audio input is monitored for a trigger phrase spoken by a user of the mobile device. A command phrase spoken by the user after the trigger phrase is buffered. The command phrase corresponds to a call command and a call parameter. A set of target contacts associated with the mobile device is selected based on respective voice validation scores and respective contact confidence scores. The respective voice validation scores are based on the call parameter. The respective contact confidence scores are based on a user context associated with the user. A call to a priority contact of the set of target contacts is automatically placed if the voice validation score of the priority contact meets a validation threshold and the contact confidence score of the priority contact meets a confidence threshold.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method in a mobile device, the method comprising:
 monitoring an audio input for a trigger phrase spoken by a user of the mobile device;   buffering a command phrase spoken by the user after the trigger phrase, wherein the command phrase corresponds to a call command and a call parameter;   selecting a set of target contacts associated with the mobile device based on respective voice validation scores and respective contact confidence scores, wherein the respective voice validation scores are based on the call parameter, wherein the respective contact confidence scores are based on a user context associated with the user;   automatically placing a call to a priority contact of the set of target contacts if
 the voice validation score of the priority contact meets a validation threshold and 
 the contact confidence score of the priority contact meets a confidence threshold. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein monitoring the audio input comprises:
 automatically monitoring the audio input in a low power mode of the mobile device; 
 waking the mobile device from the low power mode upon detection of the trigger phrase; and 
 buffering the command phrase while the mobile device wakes from the low power mode. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selecting the set of target contacts comprises:
 generating a set of voice validation scores that correspond to a set of call contacts associated with the mobile device based on the command phrase; 
 selecting the set of target contacts, from the set of call contacts, with a voice validation score within a selected range of a highest voice validation score of the set of voice validation scores. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein generating the set of voice validation scores comprises:
 providing the set of call contacts to a voice recognition engine; 
 providing the call parameter to the voice recognition engine; 
 receiving the set of voice validation scores from the voice recognition engine, wherein each voice validation score of the set of voice validation scores indicates a detection likelihood of the corresponding call contact within the call parameter. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 generating a set of contact confidence scores, that correspond to target contacts of the set of target contacts, based on the user context associated with the user, wherein the user context comprises at least one of a recency of last communication, frequency of communication, placement on a favorites list by the user, relation to a calendar event or appointment for the user; 
 selecting respective phone numbers for the set of target contacts. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein automatically placing the call to the priority contact comprises:
 determining whether only a single contact of the set of target contacts has a voice validation score that meets the validation threshold and a contact confidence score that meets the confidence threshold; and 
 automatically placing the call to the phone number for the single contact. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 selecting a set of phone numbers that correspond to a single contact of the set of target contacts if the set of target contacts has only the single contact; 
 automatically placing the call to a single phone number if
 the single contact has only the single phone number and 
 the voice validation score of the single contact meets the validation threshold and 
 the contact confidence score of the single contact meets the confidence threshold; 
 
 prompting the user to enter the single phone number if the single contact has only the single phone number but the voice validation score of the single contact does not meet the validation threshold or the contact confidence score of the single contact does not meet the confidence threshold. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 sorting the set of target contacts based on the set of contact confidence scores and the set of voice validation scores; 
 prompting the user to select a contact from the set of target contacts if the set of target contacts has more than one target contact. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising validating the call command based on an audio length of the command phrase. 
     
     
         10 . A method in a mobile device, the method comprising:
 monitoring an audio input for a trigger phrase spoken by a user of the mobile device;   buffering a command phrase spoken by the user after the trigger phrase, wherein the command phrase corresponds to a call command and a call parameter;   validating a plurality of numeric digits detected in the call parameter as a phone number against a predetermined phone numbering plan;   automatically placing a call to the phone number if the phone number is validated.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein monitoring the audio input comprises:
 automatically monitoring the audio input in a low power mode of the mobile device; 
 waking the mobile device from the low power mode upon detection of the trigger phrase; 
 buffering the command phrase while the mobile device wakes from the low power mode. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising analyzing the command phrase with a voice command engine if the plurality of numeric digits is not validated as a phone number. 
     
     
         13 . A mobile device for a wireless network, the mobile device comprising:
 a non-transitory memory;   a processor configured to retrieve instructions from the memory;   wherein:   the mobile device is configured to monitor an audio input for a trigger phrase spoken by a user of the mobile device;   the mobile device is configured to buffer a command phrase spoken by the user after the trigger phrase, wherein the command phrase corresponds to a call command and a call parameter;   the mobile device is configured to select a set of target contacts associated with the mobile device based on respective voice validation scores and respective contact confidence scores, wherein the respective voice validation scores are based on the call parameter, wherein the respective contact confidence scores are based on a user context associated with the user;   the mobile device is configured to automatically place a call to a priority contact of the set of target contacts if
 the voice validation score of the priority contact meets a validation threshold and 
 the contact confidence score of the priority contact meets a confidence threshold. 
   
     
     
         14 . The mobile device of  claim 13  wherein the mobile device is configured to automatically monitor the audio input in a low power mode of the mobile device;
 wherein the mobile device is configured to wake the mobile device from the low power mode upon detection of the trigger phrase; and 
 wherein the mobile device is configured to buffer the command phrase while the mobile device wakes from the low power mode. 
 
     
     
         15 . The mobile device of  claim 13  wherein the mobile device is configured to generate a set of voice validation scores that correspond to a set of call contacts associated with the mobile device based on the command phrase;
 wherein the mobile device is configured to select the set of target contacts, from the set of call contacts, with a voice validation score within a selected range of a highest voice validation score of the set of voice validation scores. 
 
     
     
         16 . The mobile device of  claim 15  wherein the mobile device is configured to provide the set of call contacts to a voice recognition engine;
 wherein the mobile device is configured to provide the call parameter to the voice recognition engine; 
 wherein the mobile device is configured to receive the set of voice validation scores from the voice recognition engine, wherein each voice validation score of the set of voice validation scores indicates a detection likelihood of the corresponding call contact within the call parameter. 
 
     
     
         17 . The mobile device of  claim 15  wherein the mobile device is configured to generate a set of contact confidence scores, that correspond to target contacts of the set of target contacts, based on the user context associated with the user, wherein the user context comprises at least one of a call history or a favorite contact list;
 wherein the mobile device is configured to select respective phone numbers for the set of target contacts. 
 
     
     
         18 . The mobile device of  claim 17  wherein the mobile device is configured to determine whether only a single contact of the set of target contacts has a voice validation score that meets the validation threshold and a contact confidence score that meets the confidence threshold; and
 wherein the mobile device is configured to automatically place the call to the phone number for the single contact. 
 
     
     
         19 . The mobile device of  claim 17  wherein the mobile device is configured to select a set of phone numbers that correspond to a single contact of the set of target contacts if the set of target contacts has only the single contact;
 wherein the mobile device is configured to automatically place the call to a single phone number if
 the single contact has only the single phone number and 
 the voice validation score of the single contact meets the validation threshold and 
 the contact confidence score of the single contact meets the confidence threshold; 
 
 wherein the mobile device is configured to prompt the user to place the call to the single phone number if the single contact has only the single phone number but the voice validation score of the single contact does not meet the validation threshold or the contact confidence score of the single contact does not meet the confidence threshold. 
 
     
     
         20 . The mobile device of  claim 17  wherein the mobile device is configured to sort the set of target contacts based on the set of contact confidence scores and the set of voice validation scores;
 wherein the mobile device is configured to prompt the user to select a contact from the set of target contacts if the set of target contacts has more than one target contact.