Speech interface

Abstract

A system ( 100 ) for enabling a user to select media content in an entertainment environment, comprising a remote control device ( 110 ) having a set of user-activated keys and a speech activation circuit adapted to enable a speech signal; a speech engine ( 160 ) comprising a speech recognizer ( 170 ); an application wrapper ( 180 ) configured to recognize substantive meaning in the speech signal; and a media content controller ( 190 ) configured to select media content. Every function that can be executed by activation of the user-activated keys can also be executed by the speech engine ( 160 ) in response to the recognized substantive meaning.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for enabling a user to select media content in an entertainment environment, said system comprising:
 a remote control device comprising:
 a set of user activated keys, 
 a microphone for receiving user speech, and 
 a transmitter configured to transmit a speech signal; 
   a speech engine configured to:
 receive the speech signal, 
 provide feedback information comprising a list of possible matches associated with the speech signal, and 
 output commands for enabling selection of media content; and 
   a media content controller configured to: receive the outputted commands, select media content, and use selected media content.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein every function of the entertainment environment that can be executed by activation of the user activated keys can also be executed by the speech engine. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the speech engine is further configured to transcribe the speech signal into textual information. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the textual information is represented by binary streams. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is configured to forward the speech signal from the remote control device to the speech engine without modifying the speech signal. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the speech engine is further configured to recognize meaning embodied in the speech signal; and   the feedback information denotes whether substantive meaning has been successfully recognized in the speech signal.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein recognizing substantive meaning embodied in the speech signal comprises generating a set of navigation grammars and a vocabulary. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the feedback information comprises an indication of unsuccessful recognition. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a display, and further wherein:
 the system is configured to enable text on the display to be selected by activation of the user activated keys; and   the system is further configured to enable text on the display to be selected by the speech engine in response to the recognized substantive meaning.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the speech engine is further configured to provide the feedback information to a set-top-box for visual display to a user. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the feedback information comprises an indication that:
 a push-to-talk button is pressed down, or   that the system is listening to or processing an utterance.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the feedback information comprises an indication of unsuccessful recognition selected from one of a plurality of levels. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the speech engine is further configured to:
 receive, after receiving a portion of the speech signal but before receiving all of the speech signal, a signal indicating activation of one of the set of user activated keys;   cancel the output of a command associated with the speech signal.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the speech engine is further configured to:
 receive, after receiving the speech signal but before processing the list of possible matches, a signal indicating activation of one of the set of user activated keys;   cancel the output of a command associated with the speech signal.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the speech engine is further configured to:
 receive, after receiving the speech signal but before outputting a command associated with the speech signal, a signal indicating activation of one of the set of user activated keys;   determine, based on a sequence of the speech signal and the activation signal, whether to:
 cancel the output of a command associated with the speech signal; or 
 output the command associated with the speech signal and a command associated with the activation signal. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the speech engine is further configured to:
 receive, after receiving the speech signal but before outputting a command associated with the speech signal, a second speech signal;   determine, based on a sequence of the speech signal and the second speech signal, whether to:
 cancel the output of a command associated with the speech signal; or 
 output the command associated with the speech signal and a command associated with the second speech signal. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback information comprises at least one overlay. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the set of user activated keys are adapted to execute functions of the entertainment environment. 
     
     
         19 . A method for enabling a user to select media content in an entertainment environment, comprising:
 receiving a speech signal from a remote control device;   providing feedback information comprising a list of possible matches associated with the speech signal;   outputting commands for enabling selection of media content; and   selecting and using media content based on the outputted commands.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising transcribing the speech signal into textual information. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the textual information is represented by binary streams. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising forwarding the speech signal to a speech engine without modifying the speech signal. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising recognizing meaning embodied in the speech signal; and, further wherein the feedback information denotes whether substantive meaning has been successfully recognized in the speech signal. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein recognizing substantive meaning embodied in the speech signal comprises generating a set of navigation grammars and a vocabulary. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the feedback information comprises an indication of unsuccessful recognition. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 enabling displayed text to be selected using the remote control device; and   enabling displayed text to be selected in response to the recognized substantive meaning.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising providing the feedback information to a set-top-box for visual display to a user. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the feedback information comprises an indication that:
 a push-to-talk button is pressed down, or   an utterance is being listened to or processed.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the feedback information comprises an indication of unsuccessful recognition selected from one of a plurality of levels. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receiving, after receiving a portion of the speech signal but before receiving all of the speech signal, a signal indicating activation of a user activated key on the remote control device; and   canceling the output of a command associated with the speech signal.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receiving, after receiving the speech signal but before processing the list of possible matches, a signal indicating activation of a user activated key on the remote control device; and   canceling the output of a command associated with the speech signal.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receiving, after receiving the speech signal but before outputting a command associated with the speech signal, a signal indicating activation of a user activated key on the remote control device;   determining, based on a sequence of the speech signal and the activation signal, whether to:
 cancel the output of a command associated with the speech signal; or 
 output the command associated with the speech signal and a command associated with the activation signal. 
   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receive, after receiving the speech signal but before outputting a command associated with the speech signal, a second speech signal;   determine, based on a sequence of the speech signal and the second speech signal, whether to:
 cancel the output of a command associated with the speech signal; or 
 output the command associated with the speech signal and a command associated with the second speech signal. 
   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the feedback information comprises at least one overlay. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the remote control device comprises a set of user activated keys adapted to execute functions of the entertainment environment. 
     
     
         36 . A system for enabling a user to select media content in an entertainment environment, said system comprising:
 a first means for receiving user speech and transmitting a speech signal;   a second means for:
 receiving the speech signal from the first means, 
 providing feedback information comprising a list of possible matches associated with the speech signal, 
 outputting commands for enabling selection of media content, and 
 selecting and using media content based on the outputted commands. 
   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein every function of the entertainment environment that can be executed by activation of user activated keys on the first means can also be executed by the second means. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the second means is further configured to transcribe the speech signal into textual information. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the textual information is represented by binary streams. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the first means is configured to forward the speech signal to the second means without modifying the speech signal. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein every function that can be executed by activation of user activated keys on the first means can also be executed by the second means. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein:
 the second means is further configured to recognize meaning embodied in the speech signal; and   the feedback information denotes whether substantive meaning has been successfully recognized in the speech signal.   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein recognizing substantive meaning embodied in the speech signal comprises generating a set of navigation grammars and a vocabulary. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the feedback information comprises an indication of unsuccessful recognition. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 42 , further comprising a display, and further wherein:
 the system is configured to enable text on the display to be selected by activation of user activated keys on the first means; and   the system is further configured to enable text on the display to be selected by the second means in response to the recognized substantive meaning.   
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the second means is further configured to provide the feedback information to a set-top-box for visual display to a user. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the feedback information comprises an indication that:
 a push-to-talk button is pressed down, or   that the system is listening to or processing an utterance.   
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the feedback information comprises an indication of unsuccessful recognition selected from one of a plurality of levels. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the second means is further configured to:
 receive, after receiving a portion of the speech signal but before receiving all of the speech signal, a signal indicating activation of a user activated key on the first means; and   cancel the output of a command associated with the speech signal.   
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the second means is further configured to:
 receive, after receiving the speech signal but before processing the list of possible matches, a signal indicating activation of a user activated key on the first means; and   cancel the output of a command associated with the speech signal.   
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the second means is further configured to:
 receive, after receiving the speech signal but before outputting a command associated with the speech signal, a signal indicating activation of a user activated key on the first means; and   determine, based on a sequence of the speech signal and the activation signal, whether to:
 cancel the output of a command associated with the speech signal; or 
 output the command associated with the speech signal and a command associated with the activation signal. 
   
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the second means is further configured to:
 receive, after receiving the speech signal but before outputting a command associated with the speech signal, a second speech signal; and   determine, based on a sequence of the speech signal and the second speech signal, whether to:
 cancel the output of a command associated with the speech signal; or 
 output the command associated with the speech signal and a command associated with the second speech signal. 
   
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the feedback information comprises at least one overlay. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the first means comprises a set of user activated keys adapted to execute functions of the entertainment environment.