US 6,643,620 B1 · Voice activated controller for recording and retrieving audio/video programs

Abstract

The system includes a database of program records representing A/V programs which are available for recording. The system also includes an A/V recording device for receiving a recording command and recording the A/V program. A speech recognizer is provided for receiving the spoken request and translating the spoken request into a text stream having a plurality of words. A natural language processor receives the text stream and processes the words for resolving a semantic content of the spoken request. The natural language processor places the meaning of the words into a task frame having a plurality of key word slots. A dialogue system analyzes the task frame for determining if a sufficient number of key word slots have been filled and prompts the user for additional information for filling empty slots. The dialogue system searches the database of program records using the key words placed within the task frame for selecting the A/V program and generating the recording command for use by the A/V recording device.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A method of managing the storing and retrieving of an A/V program stored at an identified location, comprising:

obtaining first information about an A/V program from a user;
obtaining second information about said A/V program automatically from a source of electronic program guide information;
using said first and second information to define text information;
associating in a database said text information with an identified location of said A/V program;
using said text information to dynamically generate a vocabulary;
receiving a spoken request utterance from the user;
processing said utterance using an automatic speech recognition system which utilizes said dynamically generated vocabulary to generate request text;
processing said request text using a natural language parser to extract at least one keyword from said request text;
using said at least one extracted keyword to query said database and to thereby identify for storing or retrieving an A/V program having associated text information that corresponds to said extracted keyword.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Voice activated controller for recording and retrieving audio/video programs

Life of this patent

Voice activated controller for recording and retrieving audio/video programs

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11