LG Uplus Selects Conexant's AudioSmart Technology to Enable Voice Control in New Smart Home Products

Connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices in smart homes can talk to each other -- but can users talk to them? "Turn on the living room lights." "Find the remote control." "Turn up the volume on the TV." They can when these devices are voice control-enabled. Conexant Systems, Inc. today announced that its high-performance far-field voice input processor system-on-chip (SoC) -- the CX2092x -- has been adopted by LG Uplus for two new smart home products: the tvG Woofer Set Top Box (STB) and the IoT Hub. Hardware and electronics for the new products were designed by LG Electronics. Conexant's CX2092x gives users of these smart products the ability to control them using their voice -- from across the room and at any angle relative to the product's microphones.

STBs are the centerpiece of today's living rooms and, by adding voice control, Conexant is giving users a much faster way to search through an endless amount of content with just a few spoken words. LG Uplus's new, next-generation tvG Woofer STB includes stereo surround sound via an integrated four-channel speaker and two woofers in a single sound plate form factor. This delivers more than six times the sound output of typical systems for an immersive home theater experience.

The new IoT Hub from LG Uplus enables control of and communication with home security systems, thermostats, lights, heating/cooling systems, and more. Leveraging Conexant's technology, which eliminates background noise in real-world environments, users can issue speech commands anytime, from anywhere in the room, without worrying about interference from the typical sounds of a household - including dogs barking and kids playing.

"Consumers are looking for more personal, natural interactions with their connected devices, and Conexant technology is helping us to make that happen," said Geon Yeong Lee, team leader, LG Uplus IPTV Service Team. "Our newest smart home products improve the way our customers interact with their devices and bring the concept of whole-home connectivity to life."

The CX2092x combines an integrated DSP CODEC processor with powerful, efficient voice processing algorithms to create a true distant-speaker voice processing solution for consumer electronics.

Key features of the CX2092x include:

• Fully-integrated Wake-on-Voice solution with embedded third-party speech recognition engine
• Excellent speech recognition hit rate and clear voice quality
• Compatibility with multiple leading speech recognition vendors
• Dual 24 bit ADC and microphone preamp with independent microphone bias supply

According to Saleel Awsare, Conexant senior vice president and general manager, "Voice control is shaping the smart home revolution, and Conexant is leading the charge. Our unique AudioSmart technology does what others can't. It brings accurate voice control that turns everyday appliances into connected products that hear you -- and even recognize your voice -- no matter where you are in the room. LG Uplus's philosophy is to enrich consumers' lives and provide value through innovation. The expansion of their smart home product lineup is proof of that and is a key driver for our existing relationship with them."

LG Uplus also selected Conexant technology for its lineup of STBs introduced last year. This product line marked the first time ever that consumers could use their voices to control their STB from across the living room, without using a remote.

Part of the Conexant Smart Home portfolio, the CX2092x is available in a 60-QFN package. EVKs are currently available to qualified customers and partners for $500. Pricing starts at $5.18 each in 100K quantities. Please visit www.conexant.com for more details.

Last updated: Apr 7, 2020 at 12:11 pm CDT