Voice enabled media presentation systems and methods

A method of controlling a media presentation system device, comprising:

• receiving a signal transmitted by a device that is remote from a customer premises on which the media presentation system device is located, the signal indicating a voice enable key of the device being pressed by the user, the signal including signaling information including a flag indicating a beginning of user speech and wherein the signal is generated in response to a voice enable key of the device being pressed by the user;
• wirelessly receiving audio data from the device that is remote from the customer premises on which the media presentation system device is located, the audio data representing a spoken command uttered by a user into an audio input device of the device that is remote from the customer premises, wherein the spoken command includes a command to schedule a recording of a particular program identified by the spoken command;
• determining the spoken command by performing speech recognition upon the received audio data;
• controlling the media presentation system device based on the determined command by scheduling recording by the media presentation system device of the particular program identified by the spoken command;
• in response to receiving the signal, reducing audio output volume provided by the media presentation system device.

A method of controlling a media presentation system device comprising:

• receiving a signal transmitted by a remote-control device, the signal indicating a voice enable key of the remote-control device being pressed by the user, the signal including signaling information including a flag indicating a beginning of user speech and wherein the signal is generated in response to the voice enable key of the remote-control device being pressed by the user;
• in response to the receiving the signal transmitted by the remote-control device generated in response to the voice enable key of the remote-control device being pressed by the user, reducing audio output volume provided by a media presentation system device device, cause audio output of other devices than the media presentation system device device to be muted, play a prompt that indicates that the media presentation system is ready to accept a spoken command;
• and
• after the audio is reduced in response to the voice enable key of the remote-control device being pressed by the user, receiving audio data including data representing speech of the user including a media presentation system device command from the user.

A method in a remote-control device that includes an audio input device and multiple keys, the method comprising:

• under control of the remote-control device:
• transmitting a signal by the remote-control device, the signal indicating a voice enable key of the remote-control device being pressed by the user, the signal including signaling information including a flag indicating a beginning of user speech and wherein the signal is generated in response to the voice enable key of the remote-control device being pressed by the user, the signal transmitted by the remote-control device in response to a voice enable key of the remote-control device being pressed by the user causing:
• audio output volume provided by a media presentation system device to be reduced in response to the voice enable key of the remote-control device being pressed by the user;
• audio output of other devices than the media presentation system device to be muted;
• and
• immediately playing of a prompt that indicates that the media presentation system is ready to accept a spoken command;
• after the audio output volume is reduced in response to the voice enable key of the remote-control device being pressed by the user, receiving audio data including data representing speech of the user including a media presentation system device command from the user;
• and
• causing the media presentation system device to begin speech recognition upon the transmitted audio data.