Touch sensing means enabling voice control of a voice controlled apparatus

摘要

Voice controlled apparatus 14 is enabled for voice control by a touch sensor 16 when touched by a user 10. A microphone 15 feeds a speech recognition unit 17 adapted to recognise a small vocabulary of command words associated with the apparatus. Upon a user 10 touching the touch sensor 16 the speech recognition unit is enabled to receive and interpret voice commands from the user. This enablement may only exist while the sensor is touched and may be extended for a short period after touching ceases. Speech recognition unit 17 may also remain enabled after the user ceases touching the sensor 16 if voice commands continue without breaks longer than a predetermined duration.