Dual compression voice recordation non-repudiation system

• US 20050033581A1
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Promptu Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Promptu Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Foster, Mark J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,095,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• 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 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38

Abstract

A dual compression voice recordation non-repudiation system provides a voice recognition system that compresses voice samples for two purposes: voice recognition and human communication. The user navigates through menus displayed to a user through a television set using both voice commands and button presses on a remote control. The invention accepts voice samples from the remote control and compresses the voice sample for voice recognition while a copy of the voice sample is stored on a storage device. Compressed voice samples are sent to a Voice Engine that performs voice recognition on the voice sample to verify if it is from an authorized user from the consumer'"'"'s household and determines the action required. If the command is to form a contractual agreement or make a purchase, the Voice Engine determines the merchant server that is appropriate for the action and sends the action request to the server. The voice sample is compressed for human communication and stored on a storage device along with any additional information. The stored human communication compressed sample and any additional information on the storage device may be later retrieved and the human communication compressed sample decompressed into a form that can be played back when a user attempts to repudiate a contractual agreement or purchase. Alternatively, the invention performs both compressions at the same time.

Claims

1. A process for a dual-compression voice recognition system for the non-repudiation of contractual agreements in a computer environment, comprising the steps of:

providing voice sample reception means for receiving a voice sample from a user;

compressing said voice sample for voice recognition;

providing command execution means for correlating said voice recognition sample with a command and executing said command, if a command is expected;

providing user interface means for displaying menus to a user; and

commanding said user interface means to display the next appropriate menu screen to the user if said command is to navigate through a menu.

2. The process of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a voice recognizer;

wherein said voice recognizer determines if said voice recognition compressed sample is from an authorized user;

determining the action required and forming an action request if said voice recognition compressed sample is from an authorized user; and

sending said action request to the appropriate merchant server if said action request is to form an agreement or make a purchase.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein said user interface means displays a confirmation of the transaction upon completion of said transaction.

4. The process of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

storing said voice sample on a storage device.

5. The process of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving said voice sample from said storage device;

compressing said voice sample for human communication;

storing said human communication compressed sample on a second storage device;

retrieving said human communication compressed sample and any additional information from said second storage device;

decompressing said human communication compressed sample for playback; and

playing back said decompressed playback sample to a user, thereby confirming the identity of the purchaser.

6. The process of claim 4, wherein said human communication compressed sample storing step stores additional information with said human communication compressed sample that includes, but is not limited to:

the user'"'"'s location, ID number, merchant, the last predetermined number of utterances, and/or the last predetermined number of button presses.

7. The process of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

requiring the user to speak a challenge phrase or command phrase to execute said required action;

compressing said challenge phrase or said command phrase for human communication;

storing said human communication compressed sample on a storage device;

retrieving said human communication compressed sample and any additional information from said storage device;

decompressing said human communication compressed sample for playback; and

playing back said decompressed playback sample to a user, thereby confirming the identity of the purchaser.

8. A process for a dual-compression voice recognition system for the non-repudiation of contractual agreements in a computer environment, comprising the steps of:

providing voice sample reception means for receiving a voice sample from a user;

compressing said voice sample for voice recognition;

compressing said voice sample for human communication;

providing a voice recognizer;

wherein said voice recognizer determines if said voice recognition compressed sample is from an authorized user;

determining the action required and forming an action request if said voice recognition compressed sample is from an authorized user;

sending said action request to the appropriate merchant server if said action request is to form an agreement or make a purchase; and

storing said human communication compressed sample on a storage device.

9. The process of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

providing user interface means for displaying menus to a user; and

commanding said user interface means to display the next appropriate menu screen to the user if said action request is to navigate through a menu.

10. The process of claim 8, wherein said user interface means displays a confirmation of the transaction upon completion of said transaction.

11. The process of claim 8, wherein said storing step stores additional information with said human communication compressed sample that includes, but is not limited to:

the user'"'"'s location, ID number, merchant, the last predetermined number of utterances, and/or the last predetermined number of button presses.

12. The process of claim 8, wherein the user is required to speak a challenge phrase or command phrase to execute said required action;

and wherein said storing step stores the human communication compressed sample of said challenge phrase or command phrase on a storage device.

13. The process of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

retrieving said human communication compressed sample and any additional information from said storage device;

decompressing said human communication compressed sample for playback; and

playing back said decompressed playback sample to a user, thereby confirming the identity of the purchaser.

14. An apparatus for a dual-compression voice recognition system for the non-repudiation of contractual agreements in a computer environment, comprising:

voice sample reception means for receiving a voice sample from a user;

a module for compressing said voice sample for voice recognition;

command execution means for correlating said voice recognition sample with a command and executing said command, if a command is expected;

user interface means for displaying menus to a user; and

a module for commanding said user interface means to display the next appropriate menu screen to the user if said command is to navigate through a menu.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a voice recognizer;

wherein said voice recognizer determines if said voice recognition compressed sample is from an authorized user;

a module for determining the action required and forming an action request if said voice recognition compressed sample is from an authorized user; and

a module for sending said action request to the appropriate merchant server if said action request is to form an agreement or make a purchase.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said user interface means displays a confirmation of the transaction upon completion of said transaction.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a module for storing said voice sample on a storage device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a module for retrieving said voice sample from said storage device;

a module for compressing said voice sample for human communication;

a module for storing said human communication compressed sample on a second storage device;

a module for retrieving said human communication compressed sample and any additional information from said second storage device;

a module for decompressing said human communication compressed sample for playback; and

a module for playing back said decompressed playback sample to a user, thereby confirming the identity of the purchaser.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said human communication compressed sample storing module stores additional information with said human communication compressed sample that includes, but is not limited to:

the user'"'"'s location, ID number, merchant, the last predetermined number of utterances, and/or the last predetermined number of button presses.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a module for requiring the user to speak a challenge phrase or command phrase to execute said required action;

a module for compressing said challenge phrase or said command phrase for human communication;

a module for storing said human communication compressed sample on a storage device;

a module for retrieving said human communication compressed sample and any additional information from said storage device;

a module for decompressing said human communication compressed sample for playback; and

a module for playing back said decompressed playback sample to a user, thereby confirming the identity of the purchaser.

21. An apparatus for a dual-compression voice recognition system for the non-repudiation of contractual agreements in a computer environment, comprising:

voice sample reception means for receiving a voice sample from a user;

a module for compressing said voice sample for voice recognition;

a module for compressing said voice sample for human communication;

a voice recognizer;

wherein said voice recognizer determines if said voice recognition compressed sample is from an authorized user;

a module for determining the action required and forming an action request if said voice recognition compressed sample is from an authorized user;

a module for sending said action request to the appropriate merchant server if said action request is to form an agreement or make a purchase; and

a module for storing said human communication compressed sample on a storage device.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

user interface means for displaying menus to a user; and

a module for commanding said user interface means to display the next appropriate menu screen to the user if said action request is to navigate through a menu.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said user interface means displays a confirmation of the transaction upon completion of said transaction.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said storing module stores additional information with said human communication compressed sample that includes, but is not limited to:

the user'"'"'s location, ID number, merchant, the last predetermined number of utterances, and/or the last predetermined number of button presses.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the user is required to speak a challenge phrase or command phrase to execute said required action;

and wherein said storing module stores the human communication compressed sample of said challenge phrase or command phrase on a storage device.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a module for retrieving said human communication compressed sample and any additional information from said storage device;

a module for decompressing said human communication compressed sample for playback; and

a module for playing back said decompressed playback sample to a user, thereby confirming the identity of the purchaser.