Using environment and user data to deliver advertisements targeted to user interests, e.g. based on a single command

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10643235-B2
Application number	US-201414447414-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2014
Priority date	Jun 26, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

A system and an associated method for responding to a user's voice inquiry are disclosed. The system accepts the voice inquiry and obtains personal data regarding the user. The system then identifies potential subjects of interest in the voice inquiry from media content currently provided to the user through a device which has captured the voice inquiry, media content present in or capturing the user's surroundings, or media content previously provided to the user as responses to previous voice inquiries by the user. Next, the system determines at least one subject of interest based on at least one of the personal data and the user's previous voice inquiries. The system then presents a response related to the determined subject of interest to the user's voice inquiry.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one computing device, cause the computing device to respond to a user's spoken request for information, comprising:
receiving a spoken request for information from a user;
in response to the received spoken request, identifying the user using speech recognition and accessing stored user data associated with the user;
obtaining environmental data associated with a current time and current location of the user;
determining media content to which the user is exposed at the current location and at the current time;
analyzing the spoken request using natural language processing, the environmental data, and at least one of the determined media content and the data associated with the user to interpret the user's request;
identifying information responsive to the user's request based on the analysis; and
providing a communication to the user, wherein the communication includes the identified information or data permitting the user to access the identified information.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1 ,
wherein interpreting the user's request comprises analyzing the environmental data, analyzing the determined media content, and analyzing the data associated with the user;
wherein identifying information responsive to the user's request comprises selecting information having the highest likelihood of being responsive, based upon the interpretation of the user's request;
wherein the environmental data includes GPS coordinates and a velocity of travel, and
wherein determining the media content includes:
identifying an advertisement displayed on a billboard near to the GPS coordinates and at the current time, and
identifying a radio station and a current radio ad provided to the user at the current time.

3. A method of responding to a user's spoken request for information, comprising:
receiving the spoken request for information;
in response to the received spoken request, identifying the user using speech recognition and accessing stored data associated with the user;
obtaining environmental data including information associated with a current time and a current location of the user;
determining media content to which the user is exposed based on the obtained environmental data;
analyzing the spoken request using natural language processing, the environmental data, and at least one of the determined media content and the stored data associated with the user to interpret the user's request;
identifying information responsive to the user's spoken request based on the analysis; and
providing a communication to the user, wherein the communication includes the identified information or data permitting the user to access the identified information.

4. The method of claim 3 ,
wherein interpreting the user's request comprises analyzing the spoken request, analyzing the environmental data, analyzing the determined media content and analyzing the stored data associated with the user;
wherein identifying information responsive to the user's spoken request includes selecting information having the highest likelihood of being responsive, based upon the interpretation of the user's request;
wherein the environmental data includes GPS coordinates, and
wherein determining the media content includes identifying an advertisement displayed on a billboard close to the GPS coordinates at the current time or identifying a radio station broadcasting to the GPS coordinates and an ad on the radio station provided to the user at the current time.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the stored data associated with the user indicates an identity, habits, preferences, or moods of the user.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the communication includes one or more of an email message, a text message, a voice message, a telephone call, a television presentation, and a radio presentation.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the user's spoken request does not specify a subject of interest to the user, and wherein the identified information includes information regarding a potential subject of interest to the user.

8. A computer-implemented method for responding to a user's request for information, the method carried out by one or more processors executing a set of computer instructions, and comprising:
receiving a spoken request for information from a user via a user device;
obtaining environmental data associated with a current time and current location of the user;
determining media content to which the user is exposed at the current location and at the current time;
analyzing the spoken request using natural language processing, including applying at least one grammar associated with the media content to the spoken request to determine an interest element from the media content;
identifying information associated with the interest element that is responsive to the user's request based on the analysis; and
providing a communication to the user device, wherein the communication includes the identified information or data permitting the user to access the identified information.

9. The method of claim 8 ,
wherein interpreting the user's request comprises analyzing the environmental data, analyzing the determined media content, and analyzing the data associated with the user;
wherein identifying information responsive to the user's request comprises selecting information having the highest likelihood of being responsive, based upon the interpretation of the user's request;
wherein the environmental data includes GPS coordinates and a velocity of travel, and
wherein determining the media content includes:
identifying an advertisement displayed on a billboard near to the GPS coordinates and at the current time, and
identifying a radio station and a current radio ad provided to the user at the current time.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the stored data associated with the user indicates an identity, habits, preferences, or moods of the user.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the communication includes one or more of an email message, a text message, a voice message, a telephone call, a television presentation, and a radio presentation.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the user's spoken request does not specify a subject of interest to the user, and wherein the identified information includes information regarding a potential subject of interest to the user.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the user device is a television, a radio, a gaming console, a laptop, a tablet, a convertible laptop, a cellular phone, a wearable device, or a kiosk, and wherein providing the communication includes presenting the response on the user device.

14. A computer-implemented method for responding to a user's request for information, the method carried out by one or more processors executing a set of computer instructions, and comprising:
receiving a spoken request for information from a user;
in response to the received spoken request, obtaining personal data associated with the user;
obtaining environmental data associated with a current time and current location of the user;
determining media content to which the user is exposed at the current location and at the current time;
analyzing the spoken request using natural language processing, the environmental data, and at least one of the determined media content and the personal data associated with the user to interpret the user's request;
identifying information responsive to the user's request based on the analysis; and
providing a communication to

Assignees

• Nuance Communications Inc

Inventors

• Balasubramanian Sundar
• Mcsherry Michael
• Fu Eric Jun
• Hendrick Daniel
• Katyal Deepankar
• Kay David J

Classifications

• G10L15/20

  Speech recognition techniques specially adapted for robustness in adverse environments, e.g. in noise, of stress induced speech (G10L21/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06Q30/0267

  Wireless devices · CPC title

• G06Q30/0257

  User requested · CPC title

• G10L13/033

  Voice editing, e.g. manipulating the voice of the synthesiser · CPC title

• G06Q30/0261

  based on user location · CPC title