Global speech user interface

• US 10,257,576 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2016
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Promptu Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Promptu Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Jordan, Adam, Maddux, Scott Lynn, Plowman, Tim, Stanbach, Victoria, Williams, Jody
• Primary Examiner(s): Monshi, Samira
• Application Number:
  US15/392,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20170111702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0271 Personalized advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/221 Announcement of recognition results
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/06 Transformation of speech into a non-audible representation, e.g. speech visualisation or speech processing for tactile aids G10L15/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/475 End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 : using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 : for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 : for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 : End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game

Abstract

A global speech user interface (GSUI) comprises an input system to receive a user'"'"'s spoken command, a feedback system along with a set of feedback overlays to give the user information on the progress of his spoken requests, a set of visual cues on the television screen to help the user understand what he can say, a help system, and a model for navigation among applications. The interface is extensible to make it easy to add new applications.

Claims

1. A system for enabling a user to select media content in an entertainment environment, said system comprising:

a remote control device comprising;

a set of user activated keys adapted to execute functions of the entertainment environment;

a microphone for receiving user speech;

coupled to the microphone, a speech activation circuit adapted to enable a speech signal; and

coupled to the speech activation circuit, a transmitter adapted to transmit the speech signal from the remote control device;

coupled to the remote control device, a speech engine comprising a speech recognizer configured to receive the speech signal, an application wrapper configured to recognize substantive meaning embodied in the speech signal, and output commands for enabling selection of media content when substantive meaning is recognized; and

coupled to the speech engine, a media content controller configured to receive commands representing the recognized substantive meaning, to select media content, and to use selected media content in the entertainment environment;

wherein;

every function that can be executed by activation of the user activated keys can also be executed by the speech engine in response to the recognized substantive meaning;

the speech engine provides user visual indications responsive to the speech signal; and

the user visual indications comprise at least one overlay on a display screen, said overlay from the group of items consisting of;

a dialog box;

a list of context-sensitive spoken commands;

a list of digital cable services available to the user.

2. A system for enabling a user to select media content in an entertainment environment said system comprising:

a remote control device comprising;

a set of user activated keys adapted to execute functions of the entertainment environment;

a microphone for receiving user speech;

coupled to the microphone, a speech activation circuit adapted to enable a speech signal; and

coupled to the speech activation circuit a transmitter adapted to transmit the speech signal from the remote control device;

coupled to the remote control device, a speech engine comprising a speech recognizer configured to receive the speech signal, an application wrapper configured to recognize substantive meaning embodied in the speech signal, and output commands for enabling selection of media content when substantive meaning is recognized; and

coupled to the speech engine, a media content controller configured to receive commands representing the recognized substantive meaning, to select media content, and to use selected media content in the entertainment environment;

wherein;

every function that can be executed by activation of the user activated keys can also be executed by the speech engine in response to the recognized substantive meaning; and

the application wrapper provides a binary indication denoting whether or not substantive meaning has been successfully recognized in the speech signal.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the indication is a visual indication.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the visual indication comprises text.

5. A method for selecting media content in an entertainment environment, said method comprising:

receiving user speech and generating a speech signal in response to the user speech;

determining and displaying a user feedback message corresponding to the generated speech signal; and

selecting and using media content in the entertainment environment based upon the generated speech signal;

wherein;

the feedback message comprises one of three levels, the three levels corresponding to progressively more detailed feedback imparted to the user, said three levels presented to the user based upon sequentially occurring first, second, and third unsuccessful speech recognitions, respectively.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

a microphone is activated by the user prior to the step of receiving user speech; and

said three levels are presented to the user in time succession.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of performing speech recognition on the generated speech signal.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of selecting and using media content comprises determining media content using the generated speech signal when user speech is substantively recognized within the generated speech signal.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the feedback message indicates that a recognition issue was encountered with the speech signal.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the first level comprises a question mark;

the second level comprises a text message and a link to a help facility; and

the third level comprises more help to the user than the second level.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the feedback message comprises a visual indication.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the visual indication comprises a list of possible matches associated with the generated speech signal.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the visual indication comprises at least one overlay on a display screen.

14. A system for selecting media content in an entertainment environment, said system comprising:

means for receiving user speech and for generating a speech signal in response to the user speech;

coupled to the receiving and generating means, means for determining substantive meaning from the generated speech signal, and for displaying on a user display two distinct categories of feedback messages corresponding to the generated speech signal, where the two categories correspond to two distinct types of problems; and

coupled to the determining and displaying means, means for selecting and using media content in the entertainment environment based upon the generated speech signal, wherein;

the first category comprises a recognition feedback message informing the user of a problem with recognizing substantive meaning; and

the second category comprises an application feedback message informing the user regarding issues with selection and use of media content.