# US 8,571,863 B1 · Apparatus and methods for identifying a media object from an audio play out

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- Number: US 8,571,863 B1
- Document ID: US8571863B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 12/984,581
- Filed: 2011-01-04
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2011-01-04
- Assignees: Intellectual Ventures Fund 79 LLC
- Applicants: Reda Harb; Dan Wu
- Inventors: Reda Harb; Dan Wu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8571863B1

## CPC

- G06Q 30/06: Buying, selling or leasing transactions
- G10L 13/02: Methods for producing synthetic speech; Speech synthesisers
- G10L 15/26: Speech to text systems (G10L15/08 takes precedence)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING

## Abstract

In one example, a device captures a segment of audio played out over an audio source in response to a control signal from a user interface of the device. The device causes any speech of the captured segment to be converted into a text segment using a local or remote speech-to-text component. The device causes the text segment to be provided to a remote network device for analysis. In response to the providing, the device receives back a tag that identifies an electronic media object. The electronic media object may correspond to, for example, an electronic book, and the device may use the tag to purchase and download the book. The device may be configured to convert text of the downloaded electronic book to synthesized speech, and then cause the synthesized speech to be played out over a local or remote speaker.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus, comprising:
an input interface;
a processing device coupled to the input interface, wherein the processing device is configured to:
capture a segment of audio played out over an audio source in response to a control signal from a user interface and, in response to the captured audio segment containing speech, converting the speech into a text segment;
transmit the text segment, wherein the text segment is destined for a remote server; and
in response to the transmission, receive a tag that identifies an electronic media object.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input interface comprises a microphone.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, the segment of audio is provided by a connection extending from the input interface to the audio source.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic media object comprises an electronic book, and the text segment corresponds to a text segment of the electronic book.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processing device is further configured to download the electronic media object in response to confirming payment thereof.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processing device is further configured to:
extract text from the downloaded electronic media object; and
convert the extracted text to speech.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processing device is further configured to provide a result of the text-to-speech conversion to the audio source to cause the audio source to play out the result over a same speaker system that was used to play out the audio segment.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a speaker coupled to the processing device, wherein the processing device is further configured to play out a result of the text-to-speech conversion over the speaker.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a non-volatile memory coupled to the processing device, wherein the processing device is further configured to extract a digital coupon from the tag or from a transmission providing the tag and to store the extracted digital coupon in the non-volatile memory.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an output interface coupled to the processing device, wherein the processing device is further configured to push the stored digital coupon over the output interface in response to detecting coupling of the processing device to a remote device that includes a speech-to-text component.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a packet data radio coupled to the processing device, wherein the processing device is further configured to send the transmission over the packet data radio.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a Short Message Service (SMS) client coupled to the processing device, wherein the processing device is further configured to send the transmission using the SMS client.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an output interface configured coupled to the processing device, where the processing device is further configured to send the transmission over the output interface using the internet-enabled device as a relaying agent to reach the remote server.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic media object is a song or a movie, and a string of words of the text segment corresponds to a portion of lyrics of the song or a quote from the movie.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a packet data radio coupled to the processing device, wherein the processing device is further configured to transmit the captured audio segment over a packet data connection using the packet data radio.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured to record for a preset duration in response to the control signal.

### Claim 17

An apparatus, comprising:
an input interface;
a processing device coupled to the input interface, wherein the processing device is configured to:
capture a segment of audio played out over an audio source in response to a control signal from a user interface;
in response to detecting coupling of the processing device to a remote device that includes a speech-to-text component, pass the audio segment to the remote device for remote speech-to-text conversion;
cause a text segment output from the remote speech-to-text component to be transmitted to a server; and
after the outputting, receive a tag that identifies an electronic media object.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the electronic media object is an electronic book, and wherein the text segment corresponds to a text segment of the electronic book.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processing device is further configured to download the electronic media object in response to confirming payment thereof.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a Short Message Service (SMS) client coupled to the processing device, wherein the processing device is further configured to process the received tag using the SMS client.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising an output interface coupled to the processing device, wherein the tag is received over the output interface using the internet-enabled device as a relaying agent.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the electronic media object is a song or a movie, and wherein a string of words of the text segment corresponds to a portion of lyrics of the song or a quote from the movie.

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a packet data radio coupled to the processing device, wherein the processing device is further configured to transmit the captured segment over a packet data connection using the packet data radio.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a non-volatile memory coupled to the processing device, wherein the processing device is further configured to extract a digital coupon from the tag or from a transmission providing the tag and to store the extracted digital coupon in the non-volatile memory.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising an output interface coupled to the processing device, wherein the processing device is further configured to push the stored digital coupon over the output interface in response to detecting coupling of the processing device to a computer.

### Claim 26 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processing device is further configured to record for a preset duration in response to the control signal.

### Claim 27

A method, comprising:
receiving a control signal from a user interface of a mobile device;
in response to receiving the control signal, capturing, using an input interface of the mobile device, a segment of audio played out over an audio source;
causing a text segment generated by a speech-to-text conversion of the captured audio segment to be transmitted to a server; and
receiving, at the mobile device, a tag from the server, the tag identifying an electronic media object.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein the input interface comprises a microphone.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein the segment of audio is provided by a connection extending from the input interface to the audio source.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the electronic media object is an electronic book, and wherein the text segment corresponds to a text segment of the electronic book.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, downloading the electronic media object to the mobile device in response to a purchase transaction.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, further comprising:
extracting text from the downloaded electronic media object;
converting the extracted text to speech; and
outputting a result of the text-to-speech conversion from the mobile device.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, providing the result of the text-to-speech conversion to the audio source to cause the audio source to play out the result over a same speaker system that was used to play out the audio segment.

### Claim 34 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, further comprising playing out the result of the text-to-speech conversion over speakers of the mobile device.

### Claim 35 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, further comprising extracting a digital coupon from the tag or from a transmission providing the tag and storing the extracted digital coupon in a non-volatile memory.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35, further comprising pushing the stored digital coupon over an output interface of the mobile device in response to detecting coupling of the mobile device to a separate device that includes a speech-to-text component.

### Claim 37 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, further comprising sending the transmission over a packet data radio of the mobile device.

### Claim 38 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, further comprising sending the transmission using a Short Message Service (SMS) client of the mobile device.

### Claim 39 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, further comprising sending the transmission from the mobile device to a relaying agent for relay to the server using a wireless transmitter of the relaying agent.

### Claim 40 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the electronic media object is a song or a movie, and wherein a string of words of the text segment corresponds to a portion of lyrics of the song or a quote from the movie.

### Claim 41 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, further comprising recording for a preset duration in response to the control signal.

### Claim 42

An apparatus, comprising:
means for capturing a segment of audio played out over an audio source in response to receiving a control signal from a user interface of a mobile device;
means for converting speech of the captured audio segment into a text segment;
means for transmitting the text segment destined for a server; and
means for extracting a tag from a transmission originating from the server, wherein the extracted tag identifies an electronic media object.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the electronic media object is an electronic book, and wherein the text segment corresponds to a text segment of the electronic book.

### Claim 44 (depends on 43)

The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising means for downloading the electronic media object.

### Claim 45 (depends on 44)

The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising
means for extracting text from the downloaded electronic media object; and
means for converting the extracted text to speech.

### Claim 46 (depends on 45)

The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising means for providing a result of the text-to-speech conversion to the audio source to cause the audio source to play out the result over a same speaker system that was used to play out the audio segment.

### Claim 47 (depends on 45)

The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising means for playing out a result of the text-to-speech conversion independently of the audio source.

### Claim 48 (depends on 42)

The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising:
means for extracting a digital coupon from the tag or from the transmission originating from the server; and
means for storing the extracted digital coupon in a non-volatile memory.

### Claim 49 (depends on 48)

The apparatus of claim 48, further comprising means for pushing the stored digital coupon over an output interface in response to detecting coupling of the output interface to a remote device that includes a speech-to-text component.

### Claim 50 (depends on 42)

The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the electronic media object is a song or a movie, and wherein a string of words of the text segment corresponds to a portion of lyrics of the song or a quote from the movie.

### Claim 51 (depends on 42)

The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising means for recording for a preset duration in response to the control signal.