User speech interfaces for interactive media guidance applications

• US 7,783,490 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Reichardt, M. Scott, Berezowski, David M., DeWeese, Toby
• Primary Examiner(s): ABEBE, DANIEL DEMELASH
• Application Number:
  US11/894,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/275, 348/474, 725/39, 725/45, 725/46
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/02 Preprocessing operations, e.g. segment selection; Pattern representation or modelling, e.g. based on linear discriminant analysis [LDA] or principal components; Feature selection or extraction
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/227 of the speaker; Human-factor methodology
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8047 using transform coding

Abstract

A user speech interface for interactive media guidance applications, such as television program guides, guides for audio services, guides for video-on-demand (VOD) services, guides for personal video recorders (PVRs), or other suitable guidance applications is provided. Voice commands may be received from a user and guidance activities may be performed in response to the voice commands.

Claims

1. A method for providing user-specific features in an interactive media guidance application, the method comprising:

receiving a voice command from a user;

determining an identity of the user based on the voice command;

determining media content to present to the user in response to the voice command;

presenting the media content to the user; and

in response to determining the identity of the user and determining the media content, measuring audience information based on the media content by automatically using demographic data for the identified user and at least one other user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the demographic data for the identified user includes at least one of:

age, gender, nationality, profession, income, and location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the demographic data is maintained in a user profile associated with the user, and

measuring audience information for the media content comprises obtaining the demographic data from the user profile of the identified user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content corresponds to content from a media source that is currently being provided to the identified user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content comprises a television program that is being presented to the identified user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining the identity of the user, providing a user interface that is customized to the user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining the identity of the user, providing an advertisement that is targeted to the user based on at least one of;

the user'"'"'s characteristics and the user'"'"'s previous actions.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining the identity of the user, providing a feature to the user based on a user profile associated with the user.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining the identity of the user, providing a favorites feature that is based on the identity of the user.

10. A system for providing user-specific features in an interactive media guidance application, comprising:

a microphone;

a user output device comprising a display device and a speaker; and

an interactive media guidance application implemented at least partially on local processing circuitry and configured to;

receive a voice command from the microphone;

determine an identity of the user based on the voice command;

determine media content to present to the user in response to the voice command;

present the media content to the user; and

in response to determining the identity of the user and determining the media content, measure audience information based on the media content by automatically using demographic data for the identified user and at least one other user.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the demographic data used by the interactive media guidance application includes at least one of:

age, gender, nationality, profession, income, and location.

12. The system of claim 10 further comprising a storage device for maintaining a user profile for the identified user, wherein the interactive media guidance application is further configured to obtain the demographic data from the user profile of the identified user.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the interactive media guidance application is further configured to direct the display device to display the media content.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the media content displayed by the display device comprises a television program.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the interactive media guidance application is further configured to direct the user output device to provide a customized user interface to the user.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the interactive media guidance application is further configured to direct the user output device to provide a targeted advertisement to the user.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the interactive media guidance application is further configured to direct the user output device to provide a feature to the user based on a user profile.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the interactive media guidance application is further configured to direct the user output device to provide a favorites feature to the user.