Not to be outdone by the rumors that Apple's iTV will (eventually) arrive with a built-in Siri of its own, Google has filed for a patent for a voice-based remote control that would tie into Google TV, according to Patently Apple.

While users would reportedly speak directly to the iTV, Google's plan uses an Android phone or tablet as the intermediary, which would make it more useful for all of the non-iTVs in the world. It would also use Google's cloud services so the user could control multiple devices in the home -- you would specify a device (like "television") before issuing commands.

One cool feature the patent filing describes is the ability to tell your mobile Android device remotely to turn on your set and put on a certain channel so it's ready to go when you get home. One example of how the controls would work details a user asking "When is Seinfeld on?" and then the TV would display a schedule of the next episodes available for viewing.

The patent was filed in September of last year, so there are obviously no details as to when this technology will see the light of day in Google's rapidly developing Android home-based ecosystem. But with the iTV supposedly on the way, and Samsung working on its own voice-based remote, the answer could be sooner rather than later.

[Image: Patently Apple]