METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A USER INTERFACE BASED ON THE EMOTIONAL STATE OF A USER

• US 20100037187A1
• Filed: 10/19/2009
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Kondziela, James Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,701,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/866
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/26 Recognition of special voice characteristics, e.g. for use in lie detectors; Recognition of animal voices

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for modifying a user interface as a function of the detected emotional state of a system user are described. In one embodiment, stress analysis is performed on received speech to generate an emotional state indicator value, e.g., a stress level indicator value. The stress level indicator value is compared to one or more thresholds. If a first threshold is exceeded the user interface is modified, e.g., the presentation rate of speech is slowed. If a second threshold is not exceeded, another modification to the user interface is made, e.g., the speech presentation rate is accelerated. If the stress level indicator value is between first and second thresholds, user interface operation continues unchanged. The user interface modification techniques of the present invention may be used in combination with known knowledge or expertise based user interface adaptation features.

Claims

1. A method controlling an apparatus, the method comprising:

modifying a user interface in response to detecting that an emotional state indicator value exceeds a first threshold.