Voice menu system

• US 20050015254A1
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Beaman, Alexander B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,757,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/228 of application context

Abstract

A voice menu system is disclosed. The present invention generally allows for updateable audio menus. Although a device might have some pre-packaged menu components, other menu components can be received from a server. Each menu component, regardless of whether it is original or received from the server, has an associated voiced name. When a user highlights a menu choice, the voiced name can be played. The user then has the option of selecting the menu choice or scrolling to a new menu choice. In this way, a user could navigate the menu without having to actually see a visual display of the menu, which may be especially useful for users unable to see the visual display or users with visual disabilities.

Claims

1. A method for providing an audio menu, comprising:

providing text strings on a server, each text string capable of representing a menu choice;

generating audio files, each audio file representing a voiced name of one of the text strings;

associating each of the audio files with the text string corresponding thereto;

delivering the audio files to a client from the server;

presenting a menu on the client that includes menu choices represented by the text strings, the menu choices being capable of being highlighted or selected;

playing the audio file on the client when the associated menu choice is highlighted.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a remote control that can navigate through the menu on the client.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the voiced names are in a language other than English.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the client is capable of playing music; and

playing the audio file when music is playing does not stop the music from playing.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the client produces audio output in at least two channels; and

the audio file is output through only one channel.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

exactly two channels are used for the client'"'"'s audio output, the two channels being a left channel and a right channel.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the audio file is mixed with the music when the music is playing.

8. A method for creating audio menu components, comprising:

providing a text string that represents a menu component, whereby the menu component is one of several options that can be selected from a displayed menu on a client device;

generating an audio file that is an audio representation of the menu component;

delivering the audio file to a client device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

playing the audio file; and

requesting approval of the played audio file prior to delivering the audio file to a client device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

generating the audio file is accomplished via a text-to-speech algorithm.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

if approval is not given, providing an opportunity to modify the text string; and

if the text string is modified,

replacing the audio file with a new audio file generated from the modified text string,

playing the audio file, and

requesting approval of the played audio file.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

if the text string is not modified, providing an opportunity to replace the audio file with a new audio file generated from an audio recording.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the audio file generation includes at least compression of the audio file.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the delivery of the audio files includes embedding the audio files in metadata.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining whether the audio file is present on the client device;

wherein, delivering the audio files is performed only if the audio file is not present on the client device.

16. A server comprising:

a processor; and

memory, operably connected with the processor;

wherein the processor is operable to perform instructions including

providing a text string that represents a menu component, whereby the menu component is one of several options that can be selected from a menu on a client device;

generating an audio file that is an audio representation of the menu component;

delivering the audio files to a client device.

17. A method of using audio files in a menu comprising:

receiving an audio file from a server that is an audio representation of a menu component, whereby the menu component is one of several options that is selectable from the menu;

updating the menu to include the menu component; and

playing the audio file when the menu component is highlighted.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the menu includes menu components that have not been received by the server; and

pre-packaged audio files are associated with the menu components that have not been received by the server.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the audio file is played only after the menu component has been highlighted for a predetermined period of time.

20. A client device comprising:

a processor; and

memory, operably connected with the processor;

wherein the processor is operable to perform instructions including

receiving an audio file from a server that is an audio representation of a menu component, whereby the menu component is one of several options that can be selected from a menu;

updating the menu to include the menu component

playing the audio file when the menu component is highlighted.

21. A media management system comprising:

a media database that stores media files;

media collection records that include data relating to groupings of the media files;

media records that include metadata relating to the media files;

a voiced names database that stores audio files; and

string association records that associate the audio files with data from the media collection records and metadata from the media records.

22. The media management system of claim 21, wherein:

the media management system is executed on a portable digital music player.