Smart audio guide system and method

An apparatus adapted for use in an interactive content distribution system, the apparatus comprising:

• a distribution head-end of a content distributor, comprising:
• a programs database for maintaining programs for distribution;
• a recommendation subsystem configured to access the programs database at the head-end of the content distributor over a communications network of the content distributor and to generate a customized viewing-recommendations list of programs from available programs maintained by the programs database at the head-end based upon a customized viewing profile and viewer content selection history associated with a user and maintained at the recommendation subsystem;
• and
• an audio generating system, disposed at and coupled to the head-end, the audio generating system maintaining a smart audio guide audio package at the head end of the content distributor, the smart audio guide audio package includes at least a plurality of smart audio guide audio clips corresponding to each program included in programming data maintained at the distribution head of the content distributor, the audio generating system rendering the smart audio guide audio clips and the customized viewing-recommendations list;
• an interface device coupled to the viewer subsystem, the interface device implementing an electronic program guide smart audio guide system functions;
• and
• a viewer subsystem, coupled to the interface device, the viewer subsystem configured to retrieve the customized viewing-recommendations list from the recommendation subsystem at the distribution head-end and to render audiovisual signals associated with a program selection mechanism through a display and speakers,
• wherein said interface device is configured and operative to cause the electronic program guide to display the customized viewing-recommendations list at the viewer subsystem based upon the customized viewing-recommendations list, the interface device further configured to retrieve, from the audio generating system, the smart audio guide audio clips corresponding to the programs in the customized viewing-recommendations list, wherein the retrieved smart audio guide audio clips are uttered in a predetermined mode at the viewer subsystem via the rendered audiovisual signals to identify the programs in the customized viewing-recommendations list for viewing at the viewer subsystem, and wherein the plurality of smart audio guide audio clips and a corresponding visual presentation of the programs in the customized viewing-recommendations list are synchronized.

A method adapted for use in an interactive content distribution system, the method comprising:

• maintaining programs, programming data, customized viewing profiles, customized viewing recommendation lists and a smart audio guide package at a distribution head-end of a distributor;
• providing a viewer subsystem having an audio unit for presenting programming recommendations to a user;
• retrieving, from a recommendation subsystem at the distribution head-end, a customized viewing-recommendations list for provisioning at the viewer subsystem based upon the programming data, the customized viewing profile and viewer content selection history associated with a user of the viewer subsystem;
• generating, from the smart audio guide audio package, a plurality of smart audio guide audio clips corresponding to each program identified in the programming data at the distribution head-end;
• and
• implementing, at an interface device coupled to the viewer subsystem, electronic program guide smart audio guide system functions, the electronic program guide smart audio guide system functions including an electronic program guide displaying the customized viewing- recommendations list at the viewer subsystem based upon the customized viewing-recommendations list retrieved from the recommendation subsystem,
• retrieving, from the head-end of the distribution head-end, the smart audio guide audio clips corresponding to programs in the customized viewing-recommendations list;
• and
• uttering each of the retrieved smart audio guide audio clips at the viewer subsystem in synchronization with a corresponding visual presentation of a matching program in the customized viewing-recommendations list via the audio unit when activated to audibly identify programs in the customized viewing-recommendations list for viewing at the viewer subsystem.