Audio message exchange system
First Claim
1. A communications system for distributing audio recordings among a plurality of system subscriber stations located remotely from one another, said system comprising:
- a communications network interconnecting said system subscribers,a subscriber access device connected to said network at each of said subscriber stations, said access device comprising;
playback means for reproducing a selected audio recording received from said network for a listener,input means for accepting a spoken message from said listener concurrently with the reproduction of said selected audio recording,means for recording said spoken message and identification data associating said spoken message with said selected audio recording to form a subscriber generated recording, andmeans for transmitting said subscriber generated recording over said network, androuting means coupled to said network and responsive to said identification data for transferring said subscriber generated recording to one or more of said subscribers.
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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 hose 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.
1384 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A communications system for distributing audio recordings among a plurality of system subscriber stations located remotely from one another, said system comprising:
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a communications network interconnecting said system subscribers, a subscriber access device connected to said network at each of said subscriber stations, said access device comprising; playback means for reproducing a selected audio recording received from said network for a listener, input means for accepting a spoken message from said listener concurrently with the reproduction of said selected audio recording, means for recording said spoken message and identification data associating said spoken message with said selected audio recording to form a subscriber generated recording, and means for transmitting said subscriber generated recording over said network, and routing means coupled to said network and responsive to said identification data for transferring said subscriber generated recording to one or more of said subscribers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for exchanging information relating to a plurality of subject matter topics between a plurality of participants located remotely from one another, said apparatus comprising, in combination:
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an electronic data communications network interconnecting said participants, one or more audio recording units coupled to said network for recording audio messages spoken by each of said participants, means for persistently storing each given one of said audio messages with identification data designating one or more of said subject matter topics to which said given audio message relates, means for providing to a requesting participant an identification of previously stored messages relating to a subject matter topic specified in a request for information, and an audio playback unit for reproducing stored messages specified in said identification. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. Apparatus for obtaining information responsive to request for information request which comprises, in combination,
means for recording said request for information as an audio recording containing a spoken request prompt and a recorded request marker specifying a position in said audio recording subsequent to said request prompt, playback means for reproducing said spoken request prompt for a listener, input means initiated by said recorded request marker for temporarily suspending the operation of said playback means while accepting a spoken response from said listener, and recording means for storing said spoken response together with identification data designating said request.
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17. A method for producing and processing an audio questionnaire comprising, in combination, the steps of:
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storing an electronically readable file of text characters consisting of natural language text and at least one response request marker indicating a position relative to said natural language text where a response is to be inserted by a human listener, using speech synthesis processing to convert said electronically readable file of text characters into a corresponding audio file of spoken natural language, converting said response request marker in said file of text characters into timing data indicating said position in said audio file, reproducing said audio file for said human listener, temporarily suspending the reproduction of said audio file at said position in said audio file indicated by said timing data, and accepting and recording a spoken response from said listener while said reproduction is temporarily suspended. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification