Abstract: A method and apparatus for modifying a user interface. The method comprises receiving user interface data at a client from a first server, receiving modification computer program code at said client, and executing said modification computer program code at said client to modify said user interface data to generate modified user interface data. The modification computer program code can be received from said first server or from a further server.

Abstract: A method of generating a user interface for presentation to a user. The method comprises executing a first application computer program to provide a user interface, executing agent computer program code to interrogate and modify said user interface during execution of said first application computer program, and presenting said modified user interface. The first application computer program may be run on a server, while the modified user interface may be presented to a user at a client connected to said server.

Abstract: Configuring an adaptive microphone array to gather signals from a main lobe of the array, and configuring the array to reduce side interference gathered from sources that are not situated within the main lobe. A memory stores test signals gathered by the array at a plurality of predetermined angular bearings with reference to the array in an anechoic chamber. Signals gathered in real time are processed to provide a preliminary output and preliminary weights. The test signals are retrieved from memory. The preliminary weights are applied to the test signals to provide null steering weights. The null steering weights and the preliminary output are processed to reduce or minimize the amplitude response of the array at the angular orientation.

Abstract: A method for controlling the orientation of a virtual microphone, which is carried out on an electronic device, includes combining and processing signals from a microphone array to create a virtual microphone; receiving data from a sensor of the electronic device; determining, based on the received data, a mode in which the electronic device is being used; and based on the determined mode, directionally orienting the virtual microphone. Possible use modes include a) a stowed use mode, in which the criterion is the electronic device being substantially enclosed by surrounding material; b) a handset (alternately, private) use mode, in which the criterion is the electronic device being held proximate to a user; and c) a handheld (alternately, speakerphone) use mode, in which the criterion is the electronic device being held away from a user.

Abstract: A method for directing messages between a composite user interface and at least one source application. A message is to be directed to a predetermined set of services, each service executes a command specified by the message and the message comprises details of the predetermined set of services. Each service in the predetermined set of services uses said details to determine whether the message should be sent to another service, and if it is determined that the message should be sent to another service transmits the message to an appropriate service.

Abstract: A method for directing messages between a composite user interface and at least one source application. A message is to be directed to a predetermined set of services, each service executes a command specified by the message and the message comprises details of the predetermined set of services. Each service in the predetermined set of services uses said details to determine whether the message should be sent to another service, and if it is determined that the message should be sent to another service transmits the message to an appropriate service.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a group of microphones and a surface compensator that is operatively coupled to switch logic and to a signal conditioner that provides a control channel to voice recognition logic. The surface compensator may detect surfaces in proximity to the apparatus as well as the surface's acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity and may accordingly configure the group of microphones including selecting appropriate signal conditioning and beamforming based on the surface acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity and the orientation of the apparatus. Voice recognition performance is thus improved when microphones are impeded or occluded by proximate surfaces. A group of sensors of the apparatus is used by the surface compensator to detect surfaces and surface type, and to determine apparatus orientation and motion.

Abstract: A method includes detecting a surface in proximity to a mobile device using sensor data and determining an acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity of the surface using the sensor data. The method may further compensate for the acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity by controlling a configurable group of microphones of the mobile device. Compensating for the surface acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity may include beamforming the outputs of the configurable group of microphones to obtain one of an omnidirectional beamform pattern or a directional beamform pattern. An apparatus that performs the method include a configurable group of microphones, a signal conditioner, and a surface compensator. The surface compensator is operative to detect a surface in proximity to the apparatus and determine a surface acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a plurality of audio channels using a plurality of microphone outputs having at least one audio control channel and at least one audio output channel. When a keyword is detected on the audio control channel using voice recognition, adaptive filtering is performed to attenuate the keyword from the audio output channel. An apparatus operative to perform the method includes a plurality of microphones that provide a plurality of audio channels with at least one audio output channel and at least one audio control channel. Voice command recognition logic is operatively coupled to the plurality of microphones to receive the at least one audio control channel. The voice command recognition logic detect keywords on the audio control channel and filter logic with at least one adaptive filter performs adaptive filtering to attenuate the keyword from the at least one audio output channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adapting acoustic processing in a communication device, and capturing at least one acoustic signal using acoustic hardware of the communication device, characterizing an acoustic environment external to the communication device using the at least one captured acoustic signal, adapting acoustic processing within the communication device based on the characterized acoustic environment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting microphone interference includes first and second built-in microphones producing first and second microphone signals. A first filter bank creates first high-frequency-band and first low frequency-band signals from the first microphone signal. A second filter bank creates second high-frequency-band and second low-frequency-hand signals from the second microphone signal. A first measurement calculator determines a high-frequency-band energy value from the first high-frequency-band signal and the second high-frequency-hand signal when the first and second high-frequency-band signals' magnitudes exceeds predetermined thresholds. A second measurement calculator calculates a low-frequency-band energy value from the first low-frequency-band signal and the second low-frequency-band signal when the first and second low-frequency-band signals' magnitudes exceed predetermined thresholds.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus is provided that has a rear-side and a front-side, a first microphone that generates a first signal, and a second microphone that generates a second signal. An automated balance controller generates a balancing signal based on a proximity sensor signal. A processor processes the first and second signals to generate at least one beamformed audio signal, where an audio level difference between a front-side gain and a rear-side gain of the beamformed audio signal is controlled during processing based on the balancing signal.

Abstract: A method of operation beamforms a plurality of microphone outputs to obtain a plurality of virtual microphone audio channels with at least one audio output channel and at least one audio control channel. The method performs voice recognition on the audio control channel to detect voice commands for controlling audio output channel attributes, and adjusts an audio channel attribute in response to detecting a voice command. Adjusting an attribute of the audio channel may be accomplished by, for example, controlling one or more parameters of an adjustable beamformer. The detected voice commands for controlling audio channel attributes may include voice commands for controlling audio sensitivity zooming, panning in a specified direction, focusing on a specified direction, blocking a specified direction, mixing a narrator's voice, blocking a narrator's voice, or reducing background noise. An apparatus that performs the method of operation is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a plurality of audio channels using a plurality of microphone outputs having at least one audio control channel and at least one audio output channel. When a keyword is detected on the audio control channel using voice recognition, adaptive filtering is performed to attenuate the keyword from the audio output channel. An apparatus operative to perform the method includes a plurality of microphones that provide a plurality of audio channels with at least one audio output channel and at least one audio control channel. Voice command recognition logic is operatively coupled to the plurality of microphones to receive the at least one audio control channel. The voice command recognition logic detect keywords on the audio control channel and filter logic with at least one adaptive filter performs adaptive filtering to attenuate the keyword from the at least one audio output channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a motion environment profile to adapt voice recognition processing includes a device receiving an acoustic signal including a speech signal, which is provided to a voice recognition module. The method also includes determining a motion profile for the device, determining a temperature profile for the device, and determining a noise profile for the acoustic signal. The method further includes determining, from the motion, temperature, and noise profiles, a motion environment profile for the device and adapting voice recognition processing for the speech signal based on the motion environment profile.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adapting acoustic processing in a communication device, and capturing at least one acoustic signal using acoustic hardware of the communication device, characterizing an acoustic environment external to the communication device using the at least one captured acoustic signal, adapting acoustic processing within the communication device based on the characterized acoustic environment.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a speech sample from a pre-processing front-end of a first device, identifying at least one condition, and selecting a voice recognition speech model from a database of speech models, the selected voice recognition speech model trained under the at least one condition. The method may include performing voice recognition on the speech sample using the selected speech model. A device includes a microphone signal pre-processing front end and operating-environment logic, operatively coupled to the pre-processing front end. The operating-environment logic is operative to identify at least one condition. A voice recognition configuration selector is operatively coupled to the operating-environment logic, and is operative to receive information related to the at least one condition from the operating-environment logic and to provide voice recognition logic with an identifier for a voice recognition speech model trained under the at least one condition.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a group of microphones and a surface compensator that is operatively coupled to switch logic and to a signal conditioner that provides a control channel to voice recognition logic. The surface compensator may detect surfaces in proximity to the apparatus as well as the surface's acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity and may accordingly configure the group of microphones including selecting appropriate signal conditioning and beamforming based on the surface acoustic reflectivity or acoustic absorptivity and the orientation of the apparatus. Voice recognition performance is thus improved when microphones are impeded or occluded by proximate surfaces. A group of sensors of the apparatus is used by the surface compensator to detect surfaces and surface type, and to determine apparatus orientation and motion.

Abstract: One method of operation includes beamforming a plurality of microphone outputs to obtain a plurality of virtual microphone audio channels. Each virtual microphone audio channel corresponds to a beamform. The virtual microphone audio channels include at least one voice channel and at least one noise channel. The method includes performing voice activity detection on the at least one voice channel and adjusting a corresponding voice beamform until voice activity detection indicates that voice is present on the at least one voice channel. Another method beamforms the plurality of microphone outputs to obtain a plurality of virtual microphone audio channels, where each virtual microphone audio channel corresponds to a beamform, and with at least one voice channel and at least one noise channel. The method performs voice recognition on the at least one voice channel and adjusts the corresponding voice beamform to improve a voice recognition confidence metric.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for voice recognition performed in a voice recognition block comprising a plurality of voice recognition stages. The method includes receiving a first plurality of voice inputs, corresponding to a first phrase, into a first voice recognition stage of the plurality of voice recognition stages, wherein multiple ones of the voice recognition stages includes a plurality of voice recognition modules and multiples ones of the voice recognition stages perform a different type of voice recognition processing, wherein the first voice recognition stage processes the first plurality of voice inputs to generate a first plurality of outputs for receipt by a subsequent voice recognition stage. The method further includes, receiving by each subsequent voice recognition stage a plurality of outputs from a preceding voice recognition stage, wherein a plurality of final outputs is generated by a final voice recognition stage from which to approximate the first phrase.