Method and system for providing an acoustic interface
First Claim
1. A method of providing access to a plurality of data segments, the method comprising the steps of:
- storing a plurality of audio cues in a memory, each audio cue representing a predetermined number of stored audio cues or a data segment;
providing access to a first predetermined number of stored audio cues;
playing one of the first predetermined number of stored audio cues in response to a first user request; and
retrieving one of a data segment or a second predetermined number of stored audio cues in response to a second user request.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed towards a system and process for navigating through a large amount of information (e.g., audio files, text files, video files, device functions, etc.) using audio cues representative of the information. The audio cues are arranged in a multi-level tree data structure such that the user can select general categories (e.g., music classification) and navigate down to a specific data segment (e.g., a particular song or song list). Each audio cue is a brief burst of sound (e.g., a lyric from a particular song) representative of a predetermined number of additional audio cues or a particular data segment. The audio cues are selectable by a user and permit the user to navigate through the information or data segments without having to remember visual or alphanumeric elements (e.g., song title, artist name, or track number). The audio cues are stored in a storage device that can be accessed using a wireless device (e.g., a remote control or wireless mouse) or a wired device (e.g., keyboard, trackball, or touch pad). By manipulating the wireless or wired device, the user can navigate through the multi-level tree data structure of audio cues (generated by speakers) until a desired data segment is found.
202 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of providing access to a plurality of data segments, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing a plurality of audio cues in a memory, each audio cue representing a predetermined number of stored audio cues or a data segment;
providing access to a first predetermined number of stored audio cues;
playing one of the first predetermined number of stored audio cues in response to a first user request; and
retrieving one of a data segment or a second predetermined number of stored audio cues in response to a second user request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A user interface system, comprising:
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a data segment interface communicatively connected to a source of data segments;
a computer readable medium interface communicatively connected to a computer readable medium having a plurality of audio cues stored thereon, each audio cue being associated with a data segment;
a device for transmitting a request in response to a user input;
an audio interface communicatively connected to an audio system; and
a processor for retrieving an audio cue from the computer readable medium and playing the retrieved audio cue on the audio system in response to a received request. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for providing an acoustic interface, the system comprising:
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means for storing a plurality of audio cues in a memory, each audio cue representing a predetermined number of stored audio cues or a data segment;
means for providing access to a first predetermined number of stored audio cues;
means for playing one of the first predetermined number of stored audio cues in response to a first user request; and
means for retrieving one of a data segment or a second predetermined number of stored audio cues in response to a second user request. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. In a computer readable medium, a data structure comprising:
a multi-level data tree structure of audio cues, each level containing a predetermined number of audio cues, each audio cue of a given level being linked to another level in the multi-level data tree structure or to a data segment. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
Specification