Personal audio assistant device and method

Abstract

A personal audio assistant includes comprising a first microphone for capturing audio, a logic circuit coupled to the first microphone for analyzing the captured audio, a communication module coupled to the logic circuit, and a user interaction element. The interaction element is configured to control at least one function or operation among invoking an operation of an electronic device communicatively coupled to the personal audio assistant via the communication module, invoking access to information on a network, invoking delivery of audio content, invoking delivery of text to speech, invoking speech to text processing of email, invoking delivery of text to speech of stock market information, invoking execution of a commercial transaction, invoking delivery of calendaring information, invoking delivery of medication reminders, or invoking access to location information using a GPS system. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A self contained personal audio assistant, configured to identify a set of spoken keywords independent of a wireless connection, comprising:
 a microphone that measures an ambient environment generating an ambient microphone signal;   a speaker;   an interaction element;   a memory having computer instructions, wherein the memory stores keywords, wherein each stored keyword is associated with a voice command; and   a processor, wherein the processor is coupled to the memory, the microphone, the speaker and the interaction element and wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer instructions thereby causing the processor to perform operations comprising:
 analyzing the ambient microphone signal to detect if a user is speaking; 
 if the user is speaking then identifying a spoken keyword from the ambient microphone signal; and 
 matching the spoken keyword with a stored keyword. 
   
     
     
         2 . The personal assistant according to  claim 1 , further including:
 a wireless module.   
     
     
         3 . The personal assistant according to  claim 2 , wherein the wireless module is wirelessly connected to a remote server and wirelessly connected to a database. 
     
     
         4 . The personal assistant according to  claim 3 , wherein the operation further includes:
 matching the spoken keyword to a voice command.   
     
     
         5 . The personal assistant according to  claim 4 , where the voice command is one of a request for an internet search, a navigational command, a weather request, a request to play a video, or a request to play music. 
     
     
         6 . The personal assistant according to  claim 5 , wherein the operation further includes:
 sending the voice command to the remote server.   
     
     
         7 . The personal assistant according to  claim 6 , wherein the operation further includes:
 receiving content from the remote server.   
     
     
         8 . The personal assistant according to  claim 7 , further including:
 a display.   
     
     
         9 . The personal assistant according to  claim 8 , wherein the operation further includes:
 sending the content to the display.   
     
     
         10 . The personal assistant according to  claim 9 , wherein the interaction element is at least one of a pressure or touch sensitive button. 
     
     
         11 . The personal assistant according to  claim 4  wherein the personal assistant is an earphone. 
     
     
         12 . The personal assistant according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a sealing section.   
     
     
         13 . The personal assistant according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 an ear canal microphone.   
     
     
         14 . The personal assistant according to  claim 13 , wherein the operation further includes:
 sending the voice command to the remote server.   
     
     
         15 . The personal assistant according to  claim 14 , wherein the operation further includes:
 receiving content from the remote server.   
     
     
         16 . The personal assistant according to  claim 15 , wherein the operation further includes:
 sending the content to the speaker.   
     
     
         17 . The personal assistant according to  claim 16 , wherein the ear canal microphone generates an ear canal microphone signal. 
     
     
         18 . The personal assistant according to  claim 17 , wherein the operation further includes:
 detecting when a user is speaking by analyzing the ear canal microphone signal.   
     
     
         19 . The personal assistant according to  claim 18 , wherein the operations further includes:
 sending the ear canal microphone signal to the remote server.   
     
     
         20 . The personal assistant according to  claim 18 , wherein the operations further includes:
 sending the ambient microphone signal to the remote server.