User speech interfaces for interactive media guidance applications

• US 8,121,846 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2006
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• 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: Reichardt, M. Scott, Berezowski, David M., Ellis, Michael D., DeWeese, Toby
• Primary Examiner(s): Abebe, Daniel D
• Application Number:
  US11/482,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,057 Days
• Field of Search: 704/275, 704/246, 348/14.03
• 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 a customized guide interface, comprising:

receiving explicit information verbally from the user;

receiving a voice command from the user, wherein the voice command initiates an audible scan of information;

determining an identity of the user based on the voice command, wherein the identity of the user is not known when the voice command is received; and

providing the customized guide interface and audible scan to the user in response to receiving the voice command used to determine the identity of the user, wherein the guide interface and audible scan are customized based on the determined identity of the user and the explicit information provided verbally by the identified user, and the audible scan includes information that is not provided in the guide interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the explicit information is at least one of ratings, genre, and favorites.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the guide interface is further customized based on previous information that was provided nonverbally.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the determination of the identity of the user, measuring audience information for a media content by automatically using demographic data for the identified user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the determination of 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.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

8. A system for providing a customized guide interface, comprising:

a microphone;

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

a program guide implemented at least partially on local processing circuitry and programmed to;

receive explicit information from the user through the microphone;

receive a voice command from the microphone, wherein the voice command initiates an audible scan of information;

determine an identity of the user based on the voice command, wherein the identity of the user is not known when the command is received; and

direct the user output device to provide the customized guide interface and audible scan to the user in response to receiving the voice command used to determine the identity of the user, wherein the guide interface and audible scan are customized based on the determined identity of the user and the explicit information provided verbally by the identified user, and the audible scan includes information that is not provided in the guide interface.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the explicit information is at least one of ratings, genre, and favorites.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the program guide is further programmed to customize the guide interface based on previous information that was provided nonverbally.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the program guide is further programmed to measure audience information for a media content based on the identity of the user.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the program guide is further programmed to direct the user output device to provide a targeted advertisement to the user.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the program guide is further programmed to direct the user output device to provide a feature to the user based on a user profile.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the program guide is further programmed to direct the user output device to provide a favorites feature to the user.