Method and apparatus for voice control of a television control device
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A method for providing voice recognition processing at a cable television head-end unit for a plurality of voice controlled television cable set-top boxes in a cable television network, comprising the steps of:
- a television remote control receiving user-activated indication of a voice command;
receiving said voice command through a microphone associated with said television remote control;
said television remote control wirelessly transmitting a signal representing said voice command to a cable set-top box;
said cable set-top box transmitting a signal representing said voice command via cable television link to a remotely located head-end unit;
processing said voice command at said head-end unit;
the head-end unit deriving a set-top-box-compatible command function corresponding to said voice command;
the head-end unit transmitting said command function to said cable set-top box via the cable television link;
performing said command function at said cable set-top box.
4 Assignments
Litigations
2 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is disclosed for remotely processing voice commands for controlling a television. A voice command is uttered by a user into a microphone contained in a remote control. The voice command is digitized, modulated, compressed, and wirelessly transmitted to a wireless receiver connected to a set-top box. The voice command is then transmitted to a cable head-end unit for voice and word recognition processing. Once the command function is determined, the function is transmitted back to the set-top box where the set-top box performs the command. The microphone is activated and deactivated by pressing and releasing a push-to-talk (PTT) switch. The PTT activates other functions by being turned, double-clicked and toggled up and down, left and right.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method for providing voice recognition processing at a cable television head-end unit for a plurality of voice controlled television cable set-top boxes in a cable television network, comprising the steps of:
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a television remote control receiving user-activated indication of a voice command; receiving said voice command through a microphone associated with said television remote control; said television remote control wirelessly transmitting a signal representing said voice command to a cable set-top box; said cable set-top box transmitting a signal representing said voice command via cable television link to a remotely located head-end unit; processing said voice command at said head-end unit; the head-end unit deriving a set-top-box-compatible command function corresponding to said voice command; the head-end unit transmitting said command function to said cable set-top box via the cable television link; performing said command function at said cable set-top box.
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2. A method for providing voice recognition processing at a cable television head-end unit for a plurality of television controllers in a cable television network, comprising the steps of:
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a television remote control receiving indication of a voice command by user operation of an activation feature associated with the television remote control; receiving said voice command through a microphone associated with said television remote control; said television remote control wirelessly transmitting a signal representing said voice command to a television controller; said television controller transmitting a signal representing said voice command via cable television link to a remotely located cable head-end unit; the head-end unit deriving a controller-compatible command function corresponding to said voice command; the head-end unit transmitting said command function to said controller via the cable television link; and the controller performing said command function. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for providing voice recognition processing at a cable television head-end unit for a plurality of voice controlled television cable set-top boxes in a cable television network, comprising:
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a television remote control including;
activation means for receiving user-activated indication of a voice command, microphone means for receiving the voice command, and transmission means for wirelessly transmitting a signal representing the voice command to a cable television controller;a cable television controller including receiver means for receiving the signal representing the voice command from the television remote control and transmitter means for transmitting a signal representing the voice command via cable television link to a remotely located head-end unit; a head-end unit including processing means for deriving cable-television-controller-compatible command functions corresponding to signals representing the voice commands received from the cable television controllers, and transmission means for transmitting signals representing the command functions back to respective cable television controllers; where the cable television controller additionally includes second receiver means for receiving the signals representing the command functions from the head-end unit via the cable television link, and where the cable television controller includes means responsive to receipt of the command functions for executing the command functions.
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19. An apparatus for providing voice recognition processing at a cable television head-end unit for a plurality of television controllers in a cable television network, comprising:
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a television remote control including;
activation feature to receive user indication of a voice command, a microphone to receive the voice command, and a transmitter to wirelessly transmit a signal representing the voice command to a cable set-top box;a cable set-too box including a receiver to receive the signal representing the voice command from the television remote control and a transmitter to transmit a signal representing the voice command via cable television link to a remotely located head-end unit; a head-end unit to derive set-top-box-compatible command functions corresponding to signals representing voice commands received from the cable set-top-boxes and transmit signals representing the command functions back to respective cable set-too boxes; where the cable set-top box additionally includes a second receiver to receive signals representing the command functions from the head-end unit via the cable television link, the cable set-top box responsive to receipt of the signals representing the command functions to execute the command functions. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A centralized multi-user voice operated television control system, comprising:
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television remote controls configured to directly and wirelessly control television sets and additionally to receive user voice input and wirelessly transmit first output representative of the voice input to television set-top boxes; television set top boxes configured to receive television input signals via cable television link and provide television output signals compatible with television sets, the set top boxes additionally responsive to receiving the first output from the television remote controls to transmit representative second output to a central processing station via the cable television link; a centralized processing station configured to receive and process second output from a multitude of television set top boxes by applying voice recognition to the second output to identify user-intended voice commands, to derive set-top-box-compatible instructions to carry out the identified voice commands, and returning signals representing the instructions to respective top boxes via the cable television link; where the set top boxes are further responsive to receiving the signals representing the instructions from the central processing station to execute the instructions. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A centralized multi-user voice operated television control system, comprising:
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a plurality of television remote control means each for directly and wirelessly controlling television sets and additionally receiving user voice input and wirelessly transmitting first output representative of the voice input to a television set-top box means; a plurality of television set top box means each for receiving television input signals via cable television link and providing television output signals compatible with television sets, and responsive to receiving the first output from one of the television remote control means to transmit representative second output to a central processing station via the cable television link; a centralized processing station configured to receive and process second output from a multitude of television set top box means by applying voice recognition to the second output to identify user-intended voice commands, to derive set-top-box-means-compatible instructions to carry out the identified voice commands, and returning signals representing the instructions to respective set top box means via the cable television link; where each set top box means is further responsive to receiving the signals representing the instructions from the central processing station to execute the instructions.
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41. A method for operating a centralized multi-user voice operated television control system that includes a multitude of television remote controls situated at various television viewing sites, a multitude of set top boxes situated at the television sites to receive television input signals via cable television link and provide television output signals compatible with television sets at the television viewing sites, and a centralized processing station remote from the television viewing sites and coupled to the set top boxes via the cable television link, the method comprising operations of:
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operating the television remote controls to perform additional operations including receiving user voice input and wirelessly transmitting first output representative of the voice input to set-top boxes; operating the set top boxes to perform additional operations including, responsive to receiving the first output from the television remote controls, transmitting representative second output to a central processing station via the cable television link; operating the centralized processing station to receive and process second output from a multitude of set top boxes by applying voice recognition to the second outputs to identify user-intended voice commands, to derive set-top-box compatible instructions to carry out the identified voice commands, and to return signals representing the instructions to the set top boxes via the cable television link; operating the set top boxes to perform further operations including, responsive to receiving the signals representing the instructions from the central processing station, executing the instructions.
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Specification