Portable media device with audio prompt menu

• US 20050045373A1
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Neuros Technology International, LLC
• Original Assignee: Neuros Technology International, LLC
• Inventors: Born, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US10/446,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20050045373A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/254
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10 Digital recording or reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/102 Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers access by moving the head G11B3/08, G11B5/54, G11B7/085, G11B21/022; by moving the record carrier G11B15/005, G11B17/005, by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier

Abstract

Once an audio prompt has been stored on the portable media device, the audio prompt menu is played. Subsequently, an input from a user of the portable media device is then received in response to the audio prompt menu. A command is subsequently transmitted to a remote computer. The command requests the remote computer to perform an action based on the user'"'"'s input. The portable media device includes a portable media device housing containing a processor, a power source, a user interface device, communications circuitry, at least one input/output (i/o) port, and a memory. The memory includes an operating system, a media database, communication procedures for communicating with a remote computer, and instructions for performing the above described method.

Claims

1. A method for using an audio prompt menu on a portable media device, comprising:

storing an audio prompt on a portable media device;

playing said audio prompt menu on said portable media device;

receiving in response to said audio prompt menu an input from a user of said portable media device; and

transmitting a command to a remote computer, where said command requests said remote computer to perform an action based on said input.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to said storing, synthesizing a textual description of a menu into said audio prompt.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said synthesizing occurs on said portable media device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said synthesizing occurs at said remote computer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to said storing:

receiving at a portable media device a command for adding an additional menu to a navigation database on said portable audio device; and

invoking said command to update said navigation database, where said audio prompt is an audio description of said additional menu.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, before said receiving, requesting at said portable media device said additional menu from said remote computer.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising, after said receiving, synthesizing a textual description of said additional menu into said audio prompt.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said synthesizing comprises synthesizing said textual description into a compressed audio format.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising, before said receiving:

playing another audio prompt on said portable media device;

receiving at said portable media device an input from a user requesting said an additional menu; and

transmitting a request for said additional menu to a remote server.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein said additional menu contains instructions selected from a group consisting of:

deleting a media file, instructing another remote computer to purchase a media file, instructing another remote computer to recommend media, instructing said remote computer to delete a media file, instructing said remote computer to add a media file, instructing said remote computer to modify a media file, instructing said remote computer to email a media file, and instructing said remote computer to delete an index of a media file from a playlist.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

playing another audio prompt on said portable media device;

receiving at said portable media device an input from said user; and

performing an action on said portable media device based on said input.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising, before said transmitting, synthesizing a textual description of said additional menu into said audio description at said remote computer.

13. A method for updating an audio prompt menu structure on a portable media device, comprising:

receiving at a portable media device a command for adding an additional menu to a navigation database on said portable audio device;

invoking said command to update said navigation database; and

storing an audio description of said additional menu on said portable media device for later use in an audio prompt menu structure.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, before said receiving, requesting at said portable media device said additional menu from said remote computer.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising, after said receiving, synthesizing a textual description of said additional menu into said audio description.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said synthesizing comprises synthesizing said textual description into a compressed audio format.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said compressed audio format is MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3).

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising, before said receiving:

playing an audio prompt on said portable media device;

receiving at said portable media device an input from a user requesting said additional menu; and

transmitting a request for said additional menu to a remote server.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein said additional menu contains instructions selected from a group consisting of:

deleting a media file, instructing another remote computer to purchase a media file, instructing another remote computer to recommend media, instructing said remote computer to delete a media file, instructing said remote computer to add a media file, instructing said remote computer to modify a media file, instructing said remote computer to email a media file, and instructing said remote computer to delete an index of a media file from a playlist.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

playing said audio description on said portable media device;

receiving at said portable media device an input from said user; and

performing an action on said portable media device based on said input.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising, before said receiving:

transmitting a request from said portable audio player for said additional menu to a remote computer;

receiving said request at said remote computer;

locating said action on said remote computer; and

transmitting said action to said portable audio player.

22. A method for dynamically generating an audio prompt menu on a portable media device, comprising:

determining that a menu structure on a portable device requires presenting an description of a media file;

locating a textual description of said media file on said portable media device;

synthesizing said textual description into an audio description on said portable media device;

generating an audio prompt menu that at least partially incorporates said audio description; and

playing said audio prompt menu on said portable media device.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving in response to said audio prompt menu an input from a user of said portable media device;

transmitting a command to a remote computer based on said input, where said command requests said remote computer to perform an action.

24. A portable media device, comprising:

a portable media device housing containing;

a processor;

a power source;

a user interface device;

communications circuitry;

at least one input/output (i/o) port; and

a memory, comprising;

an operating system;

a media database;

communication procedures for communicating with a remote computer;

instructions for storing an audio prompt in said media database;

instructions for playing said audio prompt menu;

instructions for receiving in response to said audio prompt menu an input from a user of said portable media device via said user input interface; and

instructions for transmitting a command to a remote computer via said communications circuitry, where said command requests said remote computer to perform an action based on said input.

25. The portable media device of claim 24, wherein said memory further comprises a text to audio synthesizer.

26. The portable media device of claim 24, wherein said memory further comprises media stored in said media database.