Method and system for on-demand narration of a customized story

• US 8,332,741 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2008
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qurio Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Qurio Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Evans, Gregory M., Amidon, Christopher M., Islam, Farhad Fuad
• Primary Examiner(s): Pesin, Boris
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ell, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US12/330,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20100146398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 715/744
• US Class Current: 715/202
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B

Abstract

A method and apparatus for on-demand narration of a customized story. A user indicates a desire via a user device to listen to a narrated customized story. A story service receives personalization information relating to the user associated with the user device, and obtains localization information relating to information associated with a location of the user device. A customized story is generated based on the personalization information and the localization information, and is narrated to the user device.

Claims

1. A method for providing an on-demand narration of a story comprising:

receiving, by a server via a network, a request for a customized story from a user device;

receiving personalization information relating to a user associated with the user device;

receiving localization information relating to a current location of the user device;

generating, by the server, the customized story based on the personalization information and the localization information, the customized story comprising a plot and at least one character; and

effecting an audible narration of the customized story over the network to the user device by;

selecting, by the server, a human reader from a plurality of human readers; and

sending, by the server, the customized story to a computer associated with the human reader, wherein the human reader audibly narrates the customized story in real-time over the network to the user device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein effecting the audible narration of the customized story over the network to the user device further comprises providing, by a plurality of preselected human readers, a spoken reproduction of the customized story over the network to the user device, each of the plurality of preselected human readers providing a portion of the spoken reproduction associated with a respective character in the customized story.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein effecting the audible narration of the customized story over the network to the user device further comprises providing, by the plurality of human readers, a spoken reproduction of the customized story over the network to a plurality of user devices, each of the plurality of human readers providing a portion of the spoken reproduction associated with a respective character in the customized story, and wherein at least one of the plurality of human readers is a user associated with one of the plurality of user devices.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying a first advertiser associated with the customized story, and wherein generating the customized story based on the personalization information and the localization information further comprises generating the customized story based on the personalization information, the localization information, and information associated with the first advertiser.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the information associated with the first advertiser includes an identification of the first advertiser, and wherein the identification of the first advertiser is mentioned in the customized story.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein identifying the first advertiser associated with the customized story comprises providing a plurality of advertisers at least a portion of the localization information, and receiving a request from at least one advertiser based on the at least the portion of the localization information indicating a desire to be the first advertiser, and wherein the at least one advertiser is selected as the first advertiser.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the localization information relating to the current location of the user device and generating the customized story based on the personalization information and the localization information further comprises receiving localization information at a plurality of different times, the localization information changing each of the plurality of different times, and generating the customized story based on localization information received at least two of the plurality of different times.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the customized story based on the personalization information and the localization information further comprises generating the customized story based on the personalization information, the localization information, and information associated with the human reader.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein effecting the audible narration of the customized story over the network to the user device further comprises effecting the audible narration of the customized story over the network to a plurality of user devices.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the customized story based on the personalization information and the localization information further comprises including in the customized story a character identified by a name that is a same name as the user.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the localization information comprises at least one of a physical location of the user device, a weather condition at the physical location of the user device, a time of day at the physical location of the user device, and an ambient noise level about the user device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the personalization information comprises at least one of a sex of the user, an age of the user, a race of the user, and a religion of the user.

13. An apparatus for providing a story comprising:

a communications interface adapted to communicate over a network; and

a control system coupled to the communications interface and adapted to;

receive, via the network, a request for a customized story from a user device;

receive personalization information relating to a user associated with the user device;

receive localization information relating to a current location of the user device;

generate the customized story based on the personalization information and the localization information, the customized story comprising a plot and at least one character; and

effect an audible narration of the customized story over the network to the user device by;

selecting, by the control system, a human reader from a plurality of human readers; and

sending, by the control system, the customized story to a computer associated with the human reader, wherein the human reader audibly narrates the customized story in real-time over the network to the user device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein to effect the audible narration of the customized story over the network to the user device, the control system is further adapted to effect, by the plurality of human readers, a spoken reproduction of the customized story over the network to a plurality of user devices, wherein one of the plurality of human readers is a user of one of the plurality of user devices.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the control system is further adapted to identify a first advertiser associated with the customized story, and wherein to generate the customized story based on the personalization information and the localization information the control system is further adapted to generate the customized story based on the personalization information, the localization information, and information associated with the first advertiser.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein to generate the customized story based on the personalization information and the localization information the control system is further adapted to generate the customized story based on the personalization information, the localization information, and information associated with the human reader.

17. A user device for receiving a story comprising:

a communications interface adapted to communicate over a network; and

a control system coupled to the communications interface and adapted to;

initiate, via the network, a request for a customized story from a story provider;

effect communication of personalization information relating to a user associated with the user device to the story provider;

effect communication of localization information relating to a current location of the user device to the story provider; and

receive an audible narration of the customized story over the network that is based on the personalization information and the localization information from a human reader selected by the story provider from a plurality of human readers, the story provider sending the customized story to a computer associated with the human reader, wherein the human reader audibly narrates the customized story in real-time over the network to the user device, and wherein the customized story is generated based on the personalization information and the localization information and comprises a plot and at least one character.

18. The user device of claim 17 wherein to receive the audible narration of the customized story over the network that is based on the personalization information and the localization information the control system is further adapted to receive the audible narration of the customized story over the network that is based on the personalization information, the localization information, and a first advertiser associated with the customized story.

19. The user device of claim 17 wherein to receive the audible narration of the customized story over the network that is based on the personalization information and the localization information the control system is further adapted to receive the audible narration of the customized story over the network that is based on the personalization information, the localization information, and information associated with the human reader of the customized story.