US 12,010,487 B2
Privacy device for smart speakers
Thomas Stachura, Edmonton (CA)
Filed by Thomas Stachura, Edmonton (CA)
Filed on May 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/750,598.
Application 17/750,598 is a continuation of application No. 16/785,176, filed on Feb. 7, 2020, granted, now 11,388,516.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/958,305, filed on Jan. 7, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/802,628, filed on Feb. 7, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0286780 A1, Sep. 8, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G10L 15/18 (2013.01); G06F 3/01 (2006.01); G10L 15/08 (2006.01); G10L 15/22 (2006.01); G10L 15/30 (2013.01); G10L 17/24 (2013.01); G10L 25/51 (2013.01); G10L 25/78 (2013.01); H04R 3/00 (2006.01); H04R 5/04 (2006.01); H04R 29/00 (2006.01)
CPC H04R 29/004 (2013.01) [G06F 3/011 (2013.01); G06F 3/017 (2013.01); G10L 15/08 (2013.01); G10L 15/18 (2013.01); G10L 15/22 (2013.01); G10L 15/30 (2013.01); G10L 17/24 (2013.01); G10L 25/51 (2013.01); G10L 25/78 (2013.01); H04R 3/005 (2013.01); H04R 5/04 (2013.01); G10L 2015/088 (2013.01); G10L 2015/223 (2013.01); G10L 2025/783 (2013.01); H04R 2420/00 (2013.01); H04R 2420/01 (2013.01); H04R 2499/11 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
intercepting, by a privacy module configured to replace one or more components of a listening device by being inserted in a communication path between a sensor and a processor of the listening device, signals associated with environmental audio, wherein the privacy module is configured to disrupt the communication path by at least one of: grounding the communication path, shorting the communication path, interrupting the communication path, or cutting the communication path;
storing, in a memory associated with the privacy module, the environmental audio;
determining whether an initial portion of the environmental audio comprises a trigger;
permitting, based on a determination that the initial portion of the environmental audio comprises a trigger, a portion of the environmental audio after the trigger to be received by the processor; and
resuming disruption of the communication path after the portion of the environmental audio after the trigger has been sent to the processor.