User speech interfaces for interactive media guidance applications

• US 9,349,369 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2013
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Reichardt, M. Scott, Berezowski, David M., Ellis, Michael D., DeWeese, Toby
• Primary Examiner(s): ABEBE, DANIEL DEMELASH
• Application Number:
  US14/140,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20140108012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 704/275
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 system for providing customized features based on voice controls, comprising processing circuitry configured to:

receive a voice command from a user, via a microphone of a first device, for performing a guidance operation on a second device, wherein the first device includes a voice recognition system;

identify a user profile associated with the user based on an association of the user with the first device;

retrieve, from the user profile, information provided by the user;

determine the guidance operation to be performed on the second device based on the received voice command and the information provided by the user retrieved from the user profile; and

transmit an instruction to perform the guidance operation on the second device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the guidance operation comprises a request for a favorite media source or media content of the user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the information provided by the user comprises a favorites list that includes media content or media sources that are preferred by the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive a targeted advertisement selected based on the information provided by the user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

receive a request to play media content; and

in response to receiving the request;

retrieve, from the information provided by the user, an association between the user and a program;

select the program based on the association between the user and the program; and

generate a presentation of the program to the user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a display and speaker.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the voice command comprises a request for information identifying media content that is available on the second device, and

the second device is configured to present the information in response to receiving the instruction to perform the guidance operation.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the instruction to perform the guidance operation is executed by the second device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first device comprises a microphone that receives the voice command.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the association of the user with the first device is based on a sound of a voice of the user in the voice command or the user profile being associated with the first device.

11. A method for providing customized features based on voice controls, comprising:

receiving a voice command from a user, via a microphone of a first device, for performing a guidance operation on a second device, wherein the first device includes a voice recognition system;

identifying a user profile associated with the user based on an association of the user with the first device;

retrieving, from the user profile, information provided by the user;

determining the guidance operation to be performed on the second device based on the received voice command and the information provided by the user retrieved from the user profile; and

transmitting an instruction to perform the guidance operation on the second device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the guidance operation comprises a request for a favorite media source or media content of the user.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the information provided by the user comprises a favorites list that includes media content or media sources that are preferred by the user.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving a targeted advertisement selected based on the information provided by the user.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a request to play media content; and

in response to receiving the request;

retrieving, from the information provided by the user, an association between the user and a program;

selecting the program based on the association between the user and the program; and

generating a presentation of the program to the user.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first device comprises a display and speaker.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the voice command comprises a request for information identifying media content that is available on the second device, and

the second device is configured to present the information in response to receiving the instruction to perform the guidance operation.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising executing the instruction to perform the guidance operation on a second device.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving the voice command on a microphone; and

associating the user with the microphone.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein association of the user with the first device is based on a sound of a voice of the user in the voice command or the user profile being associated with the first device.