Global speech user interface

• US 9,848,243 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2014
• Issued: 12/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Promptu Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Promptu Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Jordan, Adam, Maddux, Scott Lynn, Plowman, Tim, Stanbach, Victoria, Williams, Jody
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Qi
• Application Number:
  US14/572,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20150106836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 704231, 704235, 704251, 704246, 704270, 7042701
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0271 Personalized advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/221 Announcement of recognition results
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/06 Transformation of speech into a non-audible representation, e.g. speech visualisation or speech processing for tactile aids G10L15/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 21/47202 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 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/475 End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 : using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 : for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 : for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 : End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game

Abstract

A global speech user interface (GSUI) comprises an input system to receive a user'"'"'s spoken command, a feedback system along with a set of feedback overlays to give the user information on the progress of his spoken requests, a set of visual cues on the television screen to help the user understand what he can say, a help system, and a model for navigation among applications. The interface is extensible to make it easy to add new applications.

Claims

1. A global speech user interface (GSUI) device, comprising:

a processor device configured for performing speech recognition to transcribe spoken commands for use in navigating among one or more applications hosted on a communications system;

said processor device configured for displaying a set of visual cues to guide a user in issuing spoken commands, said visual cues comprising an overlay that shows a list of services available to the user;

wherein said overlay comprises;

a first sub-menu overlay specifically for access, by spoken command, to an interactive program guide system;

a second sub-menu overlay specifically for access, by spoken command, to a content on demand system; and

a third sub-menu overlay specifically for access, by spoken command, to a browser-based service;

wherein each of said sub-menus provides a set of speech-activated virtual buttons; and

a speaker personalization and identification mechanism for training said communications system to identify respective users by voice;

wherein said speaker personalization and identification mechanism presents different custom interfaces and personalized content for different respective speakers.

2. The interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

said processor device configured for initiating, via spoken command, an automatic scan search for content comprising one or more programs pursuant to a search category.

3. The interface device of claim 2, wherein each matching program remains on screen for a predetermined period of time before advancing to next matching program.

4. The interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

said processor device configured for, via spoken command, performing any of;

adding content to categories;

editing content in categories; and

deleting content from categories.

5. The interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

said processor device configured for, via spoken command, filtering groups of content by specific attributes.

6. The interface device of claim 1, said interactive program guide comprising:

responsive to a spoken command, sorting content by category;

responsive to a spoken command, setting parental controls, wherein children are blocked from accessing controlled channels or content;

responsive to a spoken command, setting reminders for content to play in the future;

responsive to a spoken command, searching content based on a specific criteria;

processing pay per view purchases;

responsive to a spoken command, any of accessing and upgrading premium content services;

or

a combination thereof.

7. The interface device of claim 1, further comprising, based upon voice identification, any of:

targeting one or more advertisements contained in an application screen to the user;

targeting content recommendations to the user;

delivering personalized information to the user; and

automatically configuring the user'"'"'s interface preferences.

8. The interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

varying display of content comprising any of;

displaying advertisements personalized to the specific speaker;

displaying programming recommendations personalized to the specific speaker;

displaying video-on-demand purchase recommendations personalized to the specific speaker;

expediting an on-screen purchase transaction based upon recognition of the specific speaker;

displaying an interface and content personalized to the specific speaker;

automatically configuring the display or user interface according to preferences of the specific speaker; and

implementing a designated scheme for parental control of content by automatically blocking or allowing content according to identity of the specific speaker.

9. The interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to using the transcribed spoken commands to navigate among one or more applications, initiating instant messaging communication.

10. The interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing utterances of different speakers to facilitate voiceprint identification of the different speakers; and

responsive to voiceprint recognition of a specific speaker, initiating instant messaging communication.

11. The interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to using the transcribed spoken commands to navigate among one or more applications, accessing one or more games and allowing said specific speaker to engage in game play.

12. The interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing utterances of different speakers to facilitate voiceprint identification of the different speakers; and

responsive to voiceprint recognition of a specific speaker, accessing one or more games and allowing said specific speaker to engage in said game play.

13. The interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

using the transcribed spoken commands to navigate among predetermined applications concerning operation of a content presentation device; and

responsive thereto, varying display of the content presentation device according to identity of the specific speaker.

14. The interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing utterances of different speakers to facilitate voiceprint identification of the different speakers; and

responsive to voiceprint recognition of a specific speaker, varying display of the content presentation device according to identity of the specific speaker.