Noise Mitigation for a Voice Interface Device

Abstract

A method at an electronic device with one or more microphones and a speaker, the electronic device configured to be responsive to any of a plurality of affordances including a voice-based affordance, includes determining background noise of an environment associated with the electronic device, and before detecting the voice-based affordance: determining whether the background noise would interfere with recognition of the hotword in voice inputs detected by the electronic device, and if so, indicating to a user to use an affordance other than the voice-based affordance.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method of determining a leader device of multiple electronic devices, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 detecting, by a microphone of an electronic device of the multiple electronic devices, a voice input;   determining, by a processor, a quality score for the voice input that was detected;   accessing, by the processor, an additional quality score for the voice input that was detected by an additional electronic device of the multiple electronic devices;   determining, based on the quality score and the additional quality score, that the electronic device is the leader device; and   based on the determining that the electronic device is the leader device, outputting, by the electronic device, a response to the voice input.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein determining that the electronic device is the leader device comprises:
 determining that the quality score is higher than the additional quality score.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein accessing the additional quality score comprises:
 receiving the additional quality score from the additional electronic device.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 communicating, by the electronic device, the quality score to the additional electronic device.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the electronic device is connected to the additional electronic device via a local network, and wherein communicating the quality score comprises:
 communicating, by the electronic device, the quality score to the additional electronic device via the local network.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein outputting the response to the voice input comprises:
 outputting, by the electronic device, an audible response or a visual response to the voice input.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the additional electronic device foregoes outputting an additional response to the voice input. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 transmitting, to a server, the voice input or a processed version of the voice input, wherein the server generates the response to the voice input based on the voice input or the processed version of the voice input; and   receiving, from the server, the response to the voice input.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is incorporated in the electronic device. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the quality score for the voice input comprises:
 determining, by the processor, the quality score for the voice input that was detected based on at least one of: a loudness or amplitude of the voice input, a presence or absence of noise in the voice input, a presence or absence of distortion in the voice input, or a frequency profile of the voice input.   
     
     
         12 . An electronic device comprising:
 a microphone;   an output device; and   a processor interfacing with the microphone and the output device, and configured to:
 receive, from the microphone, a voice input detected by the microphone, 
 determine a quality score for the voice input that was detected by the microphone, 
 access an additional quality score for the voice input that was detected by an additional electronic device, 
 determine, based on the quality score and the additional quality score, that the electronic device is a leader device, and 
 based on the determining that the electronic device is the leader device, cause the output device to output a response to the voice input. 
   
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 12 , wherein to determine that the electronic device is the leader device, the processor is configured to:
 determine that the quality score is higher than the additional quality score.   
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a network interface;   
       wherein to access the additional quality score, the processor is configured to:
 receive, via the network interface, the additional quality score from the additional electronic device. 
 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device of  claim 12 , wherein the output device outputs the response to the voice input as an audible response or a visual response. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic device of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a network interface;   
       wherein the processor is further configured to:
 transmit, to a server via the network interface, the voice input or a processed version of the voice input, wherein the server generates the response to the voice input based on the voice input or the processed version of the voice input, and 
 receive, from the server via the network interface, the response to the voice input. 
 
     
     
         17 . The electronic device of  claim 12 , wherein the processor determines the quality score for the voice input based on at least one of: a loudness or amplitude of the voice input, a presence or absence of noise in the voice input, a presence or absence of distortion in the voice input, or a frequency profile of the voice input. 
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which, when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:
 detecting, by a microphone, a voice input;   determining a quality score for the voice input that was detected;   accessing an additional quality score for the voice input that was detected by an additional electronic device;   determining, based on the quality score and the additional quality score, that the electronic device is the leader device; and   based on the determining that the electronic device is the leader device, outputting, by the electronic device, a response to the voice input.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein determining that the electronic device is the leader device comprises:
 determining that the quality score is higher than the additional quality score.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein accessing the additional quality score comprises:
 receiving the additional quality score from the additional electronic device.   
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions which, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform operations further comprising:
 transmitting, to a server, the voice input or a processed version of the voice input, wherein the server generates the response to the voice input based on the voice input or the processed version of the voice input; and   receiving, from the server, the response to the voice input.