Searching for content using voice search queries

• US 7,672,931 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Farago, Julia, Hurst-Hiller, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): XUE, BIN
• Application Number:
  US11/170,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20070005570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,706 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A system, method and computer-readable media are disclosed for searching for content from a device. The system, method, and computer-readable media are adapted to transmit a voice search query from a device and can in return allow the device to receive corresponding non-voice search result data. Once non-voice search result data is received it can be displayed to the user on a display of the device.

Claims

1. A system for searching for content, the system including a processor and being embodied on one or more computer storage media, comprising:

an input unit for inputting at least one voice search query, wherein at least one search-query-relevant geographic location can be derived from the at least one voice search query;

a GPS (Global Position Sensor) device for automatically determining a geographical location of the system;

a communication interface for establishing a connection with a search engine, for transmitting the at least one voice search query, the geographical location and a user profile, for receiving a Short Message Service (SMS) message including non-voice search result data from the search engine, and for receiving a confirmation voice search query of a converted text search query, wherein the converted text search query is based on the at least one voice search query, wherein the confirmation voice search query serves to confirm the at least one voice search query; and

a display device that presents the non-voice search result data, wherein the non-voice search result data includes a first header for displaying where the non-voice search result data originated from, a second header for displaying the voice search query in text form, and one or more non-voice search result listings.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the non-voice search result data is derived from at least one of the search-query-relevant geographical location, the geographical location of the system, or the user profile.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the voice search query is derived from a predetermined lexicon of words.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the connection with the search engine is established utilizing an E.164 compatible number associated with the search engine.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the non-voice search result data includes at least one of a web page, a resource locator, text data, or geographic data.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the communication interface maintains the connection with the search engine for transmitting a response to the non-voice search result data, the response including at least one of a reformulated search query or an input of a result identifier.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the communication interface disables the connection with the search engine and creates a new connection with the search engine for transmitting a response to the non-voice search result data, the response including at least one of a reformulated search query or an input of a result identifier with the at least one voice search query.

8. system according to claims 6, wherein the response is executed by at least one of a voice command or a button command.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein the non-voice search result data is automatically shown on the display device without requiring a response.

10. One or more computer storage media having computer-usable instructions stored thereon for performing a method for transmitting search results, the method comprising:

receiving one or more voice search queries, a geographical location associated with the one or more search queries, a geographic location of the requesting device, and a user profile from a requesting device, wherein the geographical location associated with the one or more search queries is derived from the one or more voice search queries, and the geographic location of the requesting device is automatically provided by a GPS (Global Position Sensor) associated with the requesting device;

processing the one or more voice search queries received from the requesting device by converting the one or more voice search queries into at least one text search query;

processing the at least one text search query by converting the at least one text search query into a confirmation voice search query, wherein the confirmation voice search query is communicated to the requesting device to confirm the processing of the one or more voice search queries;

searching for one or more search results corresponding to the at least one text search query, the one or more search results including non-voice search result data, wherein the non-voice search result data includes a distance and direction relative to the geographical location of the requesting device; and

transmitting the non-voice search result data to the requesting device, wherein the non-voice search result data includes a first header for displaying where the non-voice search result data originated from, a second header for displaying the voice search query in text form, and one or more non-voice search result listings.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising transmitting the non-voice search result data via a non-voice message.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the non-voice search result data includes at least one of a web page, a resource locator, text data, audio data, speech data, image data, geographic data, and video data.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein processing one or more voice search queries further includes parsing for at least one of geographical location or the user profile.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising searching for the non-voice search result data based on the user profile.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the requesting device is a mobile device.

16. A method for transmitting search results, comprising:

receiving one or more voice search queries, a geographical location associated with the one or more search queries, a geographic location of the requesting device, and a user profile from a requesting device, wherein the geographical location associated with the one or more search queries is derived from the one or more voice search queries, and the geographic location of the requesting device is automatically provided by a GPS (Global Position Sensor) associated with the requesting device;

processing the one or more voice search queries received from the requesting device by converting the one or more voice search queries into at least one text search query;

converting the at least one text search query into a confirmation voice search query, wherein the confirmation voice search query serves to confirm the processing of the one or more voice search queries;

processing the geographical location of the requesting device and the user profile;

searching for one or more search results corresponding to the at least one text search query, the one or more search results including non-voice search result data, wherein the non-voice search result data includes a distance and direction relative to the geographical location of the requesting device; and

transmitting the non-voice search result data to the requesting device, wherein the non-voice search result data includes a first header for displaying where the non-voice search result data originated from, a second header for displaying the voice search query in text form, and one or more non-voice search result listings.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the non-voice search result data includes at least one of a web page, a resource locator, text data, audio data, speech data, image data, geographic data, and video data.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein processing one or more voice search queries further includes parsing for at least one of the geographical location associated with the one or more search queries or the user profile.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising searching for the non-voice search result data based on the at least one of the geographic location associated with the one or more search queries and the user profile.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the requesting device is a mobile device.