System for electrically distributing personalized information
First Claim
1. A personalized electronic information delivery system comprising, in combination,a host subsystem comprising:
- a file storage server for storing a library of program segments, at least some of which include natural language text recorded in digital compressed form,means for storing a category description for each of a plurality of subject matter categories,means for storing a program description of each of said program segments, each of said program descriptions including the identification of one or more of said subject matter categories to which the described program segment belongs,means for storing a subscriber description of each of a plurality of subscribers, each of said subscriber descriptions containing information indicative of particular subject matter categories designated as being of interest to the described subscriber,means for compiling a personalized catalog of suggested program segments for a given one of said subscribers, said personalized catalog consisting of category descriptions and program descriptions selected in accordance with the subscriber description for said given subscriber,means for transmitting said personalized catalog upon request, andmeans for transmitting identified ones of said program segments upon request,a data communications pathway, anda client player device located remotely from said file storage server, said player device comprising, in combination;
means for establishing a bi-directional data transfer connection between said player device and said file storage server,means for transferring information to said host system for inclusion in a subscriber description for a designated subscriber having access to said player device,means for transmitting to said host system a request for a personalized catalog compiled for said designated subscriber,means for receiving the requested catalog from said host subsystem,means for transmitting said to said host system a request for one or more desired program segments selected from the suggested program segments in the requested catalog, andmeans for receiving said desired program segments from said host system, andmeans for reproducing said natural language text in a form comprehensible to a human user from selected ones of said program segments.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An audio program and message distribution system in which a host system organizes and transmits program segments to client subscriber locations. The host organizes the program segments by subject matter and creates scheduled programming in accordance with preferences associated with each subscriber. Program segments are associated with descriptive subject matter segments, and the subject matter segments may be used to generate both text and audio cataloging presentations to enable the user to more easily identify and select desirable programming. A playback unit at the subscriber location reproduces the program segments received from the host and includes mechanisms for interactively navigating among the program segments. A usage log is compiled to record the subscriber'"'"'s use of the provided program materials, to return data to the host for billing, to adaptively modify the subscriber'"'"'s preferences based on actual usage, and to send subscriber-generated comments and requests to the host for processing. Voice input and control mechanisms included in the player allow the user to perform hands-free navigation of the program materials and to dictate comments and messages which are returned to the host for retransmission to other subscribers. The program segments sent to each subscriber may include advertising materials which the user can selectively play to obtain credits against the subscriber fee. Parallel audio and text transcript files for at least selected programming enable subject matter searching and synchronization of the audio and text files. Speech synthesis may be used to convert transcript files into audio format. Image files may also be transmitted from the server for synchronized playback with the audio programming.
2009 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A personalized electronic information delivery system comprising, in combination,
a host subsystem comprising: -
a file storage server for storing a library of program segments, at least some of which include natural language text recorded in digital compressed form, means for storing a category description for each of a plurality of subject matter categories, means for storing a program description of each of said program segments, each of said program descriptions including the identification of one or more of said subject matter categories to which the described program segment belongs, means for storing a subscriber description of each of a plurality of subscribers, each of said subscriber descriptions containing information indicative of particular subject matter categories designated as being of interest to the described subscriber, means for compiling a personalized catalog of suggested program segments for a given one of said subscribers, said personalized catalog consisting of category descriptions and program descriptions selected in accordance with the subscriber description for said given subscriber, means for transmitting said personalized catalog upon request, and means for transmitting identified ones of said program segments upon request, a data communications pathway, and a client player device located remotely from said file storage server, said player device comprising, in combination; means for establishing a bi-directional data transfer connection between said player device and said file storage server, means for transferring information to said host system for inclusion in a subscriber description for a designated subscriber having access to said player device, means for transmitting to said host system a request for a personalized catalog compiled for said designated subscriber, means for receiving the requested catalog from said host subsystem, means for transmitting said to said host system a request for one or more desired program segments selected from the suggested program segments in the requested catalog, and means for receiving said desired program segments from said host system, and means for reproducing said natural language text in a form comprehensible to a human user from selected ones of said program segments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A personalized electronic information delivery system comprising, in combination,
an Internet host subsystem comprising: -
a file storage server for storing a plurality of program segments, at least some of which include natural language text recorded in digital compressed form and stored as named retrievable files, means for storing a category description for each of a plurality of subject matter categories, means for storing a program description of the information content of each of said program segments, each of said program descriptions including the identification of one or more of said subject matter categories to which the described program segment belongs, means for storing a subscriber description of at least one subscriber, said subscriber description containing information indicative of particular subject matter categories designated as being of interest to said subscriber, means for compiling a personalized catalog of suggested program segments for use by said subscriber, said personalized catalog consisting of category descriptions and program descriptions selected in accordance with said subscriber description, a port for establishing a data communications pathway to the Internet, means for transferring said personalized catalog to said subscriber, and means for transmitting identified ones of said program segments to said subscriber upon request, and a client player device accessible to said subscriber at a geographic location remote from said host subsystem, said player device comprising, in combination; means for establishing a data transfer connection via the Internet between said player device and said Internet host subsystem, means for transferring information describing said subscriber to said host system for inclusion in said subscriber description, means for transmitting to said host system a request for a said personalized catalog, means for receiving the requested catalog from said host subsystem, means for transmitting said to said host system a request for one or more desired program segments selected from the suggested program segments in the requested catalog, and means for receiving said desired program segments from said host system, and means for reproducing said natural language text in a form comprehensible to a human user from selected ones of said program segments. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification