Wireless multimodal voice browser for wireline-based IPTV services

• US 8,635,073 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2005
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chang, Harry
• Primary Examiner(s): COLUCCI, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US11/226,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20070061149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,051 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/270.1, 704/275, 386/83, 386/259, 345/1.3, 709/218, 709/217, 709/203, 709/202, 370/352, 455/445, 455/575.1, 455/556.1, 455/12.1, 348/725, 725/88, 725/58, 725/48, 725/29, 725/133, 725/131, 715/866, 707/2, 211/26.1
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/08 Speech classification or search
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739

Abstract

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method selects a program from a library of programs. A user selection is determined based upon a voice command, and the program is presented at a display device in accordance with the voice command. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a system selects a program from a library of programs. The system includes a processor that determines a user selection based upon a voice command, and also includes a display device that presents the program in accordance with the voice command. In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a computer-readable medium contains a set of instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to determine a user selection based upon a voice command and to command a display device to present the program, in accordance with the voice command.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a mobile telephony device via a wireless telephone network, a user selection signal indicative of a multimedia content program;

accessing a multimedia content library including a small screen version of the multimedia content program indicated by the user selection signal and a large screen version of the multimedia content program; and

delivering, by a provider network server, the large screen version of the multimedia content program to a set top box in an IP television network and the small screen version of the multimedia content program to the mobile telephony device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless telephone network is a cellular telephone network.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

presenting at least one portion of the multimedia program on the mobile telephony device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a visual list of categories of multimedia programs; and

receiving the user selection signal in response to the visual list of categories.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein providing the visual list of categories includes:

adaptively determining the visual list of categories based upon at least one of;

a previously received user selection signal; and

a user profile corresponding to the user.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the IP television network comprises a broadband wireline network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

charging an account associated with a device selected from;

the mobile telephony device and the set top box.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile telephony device comprises a smart phone.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving, from the mobile telephony device, a user search for a desired multimedia program, marking the desired multimedia program as one for later viewing.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing later viewing data indicative of the desired multimedia program to the set top box, wherein the set top box responds to a remote control signal associated with a set top box search, by accessing the later viewing data to list the desired multimedia program in a selection screen.

11. A multimedia content system, comprising:

a processor;

a computer readable storage device, including processor executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a mobile telephony device via a wireless telephone network, a user selection signal indicative of a multimedia content program;

accessing a multimedia content library including a small screen version of the multimedia content program indicated by the user selection signal and a large screen version of the multimedia content program; and

delivering, by a provider network server, the large screen version of the multimedia content program to a set top box in an IP television network and the small screen version of the multimedia content program to the mobile telephony device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless telephone network is a 3G cellular network.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations include:

providing a visual list of multimedia content categories; and

receiving the user selection signal in response to the visual list of categories.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations include:

determining a visual list of multimedia content categories based upon an indicator selected from;

a previously received user selection signal and a user profile corresponding to the user.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations include:

providing the visual list of multimedia content categories by generating a database query operative to retrieve the visual list of multimedia content categories from the multimedia content library.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations include:

charging an account corresponding to the user.

17. A computer-readable storage device including processor executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a mobile telephony device via a wireless telephone network, a user selection signal indicative of a multimedia content program;

accessing a multimedia content library including a small screen version of the multimedia content program indicated by the user selection signal and a large screen version of the multimedia content program; and

delivering, by a provider network server, the large screen version of the multimedia content program to a set top box in an IP television network and the small screen version of the multimedia content program to the mobile telephony device.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the user selection signal comprises a 3G cellular signal.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the operations:

identifying the multimedia content program, including;

providing a visual list of multimedia content categories; and

receiving the user selection signal based on the visual list of multimedia content categories.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the operations include:

determining the visual list of multimedia content categories based upon a previously received user selection signal and a user profile corresponding to the user.

21. The computer-readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the operations include:

providing the visual list of multimedia content categories by generating a database query operative to retrieve the visual list of multimedia content categories from the multimedia content library.

22. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the operations include:

charging an account corresponding to a device selected from;

the wireless telephony device and the display device.

23. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the target display device is selectable as the wireless telephony device accessible via the wireless telephone network.