Audio request interaction system

• US 7,257,536 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2000
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: Radiant Systems Incorporated (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Griffin, David, Wade, John, Finley, Michael C., Fortuna, James Lee, Dudgeon, Michael, McCaw, David Edward Jr., Smith, Lehman Zellosis IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Knepper; David D.
• Application Number:
  US09/712,788
• Time in Patent Office: 2,464 Days
• Field of Search: 704/331, 704/270, 704/270.1, 705/26, 705/27, 379/101.01, 348/473, 455/154.1, 455/158.2
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/63 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/634 Query by example, e.g. query by humming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/638 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/683 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/685 using automatically derived transcript of audio data, e.g. lyrics speech recognition G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/48 specially adapted for particular use
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/71 Wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/88 Stereophonic broadcast systems multiplex system in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/372 Programme
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/375 Commercial
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/88 which are wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/08 Mouthpieces; Microphones; Attachments therefor

Abstract

A person can use a portable electronic device to electronically purchase or otherwise request a product, service or other deliverable related to audio programming to which the person is listening at the time they initiate the request. The request is fulfilled by a service that analyzes the audio content to identify the deliverable the person desires.

Claims

1. A system for conducting a transaction between a person and a remote service, comprising:

an electronic device operable by said person, comprising;

a housing;

a microphone for recording audio;

a request input accessible to said person on said housing;

a wireless modem circuit integral to said housing for communicating with a network;

a processor programmed to include;

a sampling task continuously directing recording of the audio on a first-in-first-out (FIFO) basis, providing a continually updated fixed interval of audio recording;

a request handling task ascertaining a readiness state for a purchase request by interacting with said sampling task in response to activation of said request input, said request handling task moving sampling data into a transaction queue to transmit a consumer request; and

a buy task continuously awaiting creation of a transaction queue record and, finding said record, initiating a remote connection to said processor host service and creating a communication record including request data and said recorded signal sample; and

said remote service at a location remote from said person comprising;

a detector detecting said request;

a matcher matching said content to said deliverable to identify said deliverable in response to said request; and

a deliverable controller controlling delivery of said deliverable to said person.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said service comprises:

a tracking module storing, searching and retrieving profile information about said person and said device, pending and completed request transactions and sources for said requests;

an identification module identifying said request;

a shopping module obtaining a deliverable fulfilling said request for said person; and

a delivery module controlling delivery of said deliverable to said person.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said service maintains a database for storing, searching and retrieving profile information about said person and said device, broadcast station programming, pending and completed request transactions and sources for said requests.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said service has a notification module that initiates transmission of an indication of a status of said request to said person.

5. A system for conducting a transaction between a person and a remote service, comprising:

an electronic device operable by said person, comprising;

a housing;

a microphone for recording audio;

a request input accessible to said person on said housing;

a wireless modem circuit integral to said housing for communicating with a network;

a clock circuit;

a radio receiver;

a processor programmed to include;

a sampling task continuously directing recording of the audio on a first-in-first-out (FIFO) basis, providing a continually updated fixed interval of audio recording;

a request handling task ascertaining a readiness state for a purchase request by interacting with said sampling task in response to activation of said request input, said request handling task moving sampling data into a transaction queue to transmit a consumer request; and

a buy task continuously awaiting creation of a transaction queue record and, finding said record, initiating a remote connection to said processor host service and creating a communication record including request data and said recorded signal sample; and

wherein said processor scans a predetermined range of broadcast frequencies and compares said signals from sampling task to signals received by said radio receiver to determine and fix a match between them; and

said remote service at a location remote from said person comprising;

a detector detecting said request;

a matcher matching said content to said deliverable to identify said deliverable in response to said request; and

a deliverable controller controlling delivery of said deliverable to said person.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said device further comprises:

a battery-operated power supply;

a visible indicator indicating a state of readiness of said device to accept said request;

a speaker integral to said housing for emitting tones indicating the status of said consumer'"'"'s request; and

said tuning task adjusts said indicator to indicate a status of said match.