Methods and systems for resolving the incompatibility of media items playable from a vehicle

• US 8,352,278 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ostrowski, Jeffrey Raymond, Marchwicki, Julius, Shelcusky, Darren Peter, Bourdua, Matthew Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): MCFADDEN, SUSAN IRIS
• Application Number:
  US12/476,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20100305951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 704/275, 455/569.2
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1078 Logging; Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect

Abstract

A system for monitoring hands-free accessibility of media items for play at a vehicle includes a vehicle entertainment computing system (VECS) configured to receive predetermined rules for voice-activated access of the media items. Violations of the rules are detected based on media item metadata. If a violation is detected, a prompt is outputted. Media items are retrieved and played based on voice-activated requests. One embodiment includes a method for monitoring hands-free accessibility of media items for play at a vehicle. A system for formatting media items for accessibility at a VECS includes a media item incompatibility resolution system (MIIRS) configured to resolve violations of the predetermined rules by receiving additional rules relating to formatting violating media items. The media items are searched and the violations addressed by reformatting the media items for voice-activated access. The media items are outputted to the MIIRS.

Claims

1. A computer implemented system for monitoring in a vehicle the hands-free accessibility of a plurality of media items from a media item repository for play at the vehicle, the computer implemented system comprising:

a memory;

a processor; and

an audio output controlled by the processor, wherein the processor is configured to;

receive a first plurality of predetermined rules relating to voice-activated access of one or more media items playable at a vehicle entertainment computing system, wherein requests for access to the one or more media items are received by a voice-recognition engine;

detect violations of one or more of the first plurality of predetermined rules in relation to the accessibility of the one or more media items based on metadata associated with the one or more media items;

if one or more violations are detected, output a prompt at the vehicle entertainment computing system regarding the presence of one or more violations in relation to the accessibility of the one or more media items;

retrieve one or more requested media items based on a voice-activated request for the one or more media items;

output the one or more requested media items through the audio output; and

receive a link connecting a media item repository to the processor, wherein the connecting link facilitates the transmission of a plurality of media items between the media item repository and the processor.

2. The computer implemented system of claim 1 wherein the prompt further includes instructions for addressing the one or more violations.

3. The computer implemented system of claim 1 wherein the one or more media items are associated with one or more identifying characteristics and wherein the processor is further configured to access the one or more media items by receiving a spoken request for the one or more media items using the one or more identifying characteristics.

4. The computer implemented system of claim 3 wherein the one or more identifying characteristics includes at least one of a genre, album, artist, or song.

5. The computer implemented system of claim 1 further comprising:

a media item incompatibility resolution system configured to resolve the one or more violations of the first plurality of predetermined rules by;

receiving a second plurality of predetermined rules relating to formatting the one or more media items violating the first plurality of predetermined rules in order to enable voice-activated access of the one or more violating media items;

addressing the one or more violations of the first plurality of predetermined rules by reformatting the one or more violating media items based on the second plurality of predetermined rules to enable voice-activated access of the one or more reformatted media items at the processor; and

outputting the one or more reformatted media items to the media incompatibility resolution system.

6. The computer implemented system of claim 4 wherein the one or more media items are associated with one or more identifying characteristics, the one or more identifying characteristics having a maximum number of media item associations, wherein addressing the one or more violations further includes incrementing the identifying characteristic upon reaching the maximum number.

7. The computer implemented system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to receive access to all media items not violating the first plurality of predetermined rules and, upon receiving access, play at least one of the plurality of non-violative media items at the processor.

8. The computer implemented system of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of predetermined rules relate to the format of the media items.

9. The computer implemented system of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of predetermined rules relate to the content of the media items.

10. The computer implemented system of claim 1 wherein the prompt is outputted in a spoken language.

11. A computer implemented method for monitoring in a vehicle the hands-free accessibility of a plurality of media items from a media item repository for play at the vehicle, the computer implemented method comprising:

receiving a first plurality of predetermined rules relating to voice-activated access of one or more media items playable at a vehicle entertainment computing system, wherein requests for access to the one or more media items are received by a voice-recognition engine;

detecting violations of one or more of the first plurality of predetermined rules in relation to the accessibility of the one or more media items based on metadata associated with the one or more media items;

if one or more violations are detected, outputting a prompt at the vehicle entertainment computing system regarding the presence of one or more violations in relation to the accessibility of the one or more media items;

retrieving one or more requested media items based on a voice-activated request for the one or more media items;

playing the one or more requested media items through an audio output;

receiving a connection between a media item repository and the vehicle entertainment computing system; and

facilitating the transmission of a plurality of media items between the media item repository and the vehicle entertainment computing system.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 11 wherein the one or more media items are associated with one or more identifying characteristics and wherein the computer implemented method further comprises accessing the one or more media items by receiving a spoken request for the one or more media items using the one or more identifying characteristics.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12 wherein the one or more identifying characteristics includes at least one of a genre, album, artist, or song.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 11 further comprising:

resolving the one or more violations of the first plurality of predetermined rules by;

receiving a second plurality of predetermined rules relating to formatting the one or more media items violating the first plurality of predetermined rules in order to enable voice-activated access of the of the one or more violating media items;

addressing the one or more violations of the first plurality of predetermined rules by reformatting the one or more violating media items based on the second plurality of predetermined rules to enable voice-activated access of the one or more reformatted media items at the vehicle entertainment computing device; and

outputting the one or more reformatted media items to a media incompatibility resolution system.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 14 wherein the one or more media items are associated with one or more identifying characteristics, the one or more identifying characteristics having a maximum number of media item associations, wherein the addressing step further includes incrementing the identifying characteristic upon reaching the maximum number.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 11 further comprising receiving access to all media items not violating the first plurality of predetermined rules and, upon receiving access, playing at least one of the plurality of non-violative media items.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 11 wherein the prompt further includes instructions for addressing the one or more violations.

18. A computer implemented system for formatting a plurality of media items for accessibility at a vehicle entertainment computing system from a media item repository, the computer implemented system comprising:

a memory;

a processor; and

an audio output controlled by the processor, wherein the processor is configured to;

resolve one or more violations of a first plurality of predetermined rules with respect to accessing media items at a vehicle entertainment computing system, wherein the first plurality of predetermined rules are stored in a vehicle entertainment computing system, by;

receive a second plurality of predetermined rules relating to formatting the one or more media items violating the first plurality of predetermined rules;

based on the second plurality of predetermined rules, searching a plurality of media items stored in a media item repository for the one or more violating media items requiring formatting;

address the one or more violations of the first plurality of predetermined rules by reformatting the one or more violating media items based on the second plurality of predetermined rules to enable voice-activated access of the one or more reformatted media items;

output the one or more reformatted media items to the media incompatibility resolution system.