Tellme Networks, Inc.

Other

Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Scott James Bailey

Lisa Joy Stifelman

Hadi Partovi

Angus Macdonald Davis

David Bryan Alpert

Matthew T Marx

Roderick Steven Brathwaite

Eugene Koh

Darby McDonough Bailey

Haleh Partovi

Kyle D Sims

Nikko Strom

Nicholas Christopher Cravotta

A method and system for providing efficient menu services for an information processing system that uses a telephone or other form of audio user interface. In one embodiment, the menu services provide effective support for novice users by providing a full listing of available keywords and rotating house advertisements which inform novice users of potential features and information. For experienced users, cues are rendered so that at any time the user can say a desired keyword to invoke the corresponding application. The menu is flat to facilitate its usage. Full keyword listings are rendered after the user is given a brief cue to say a keyword. Service messages rotate words and word prosody. When listening to receive information from the user, after the user has been cued, soft background music or other audible signals are rendered to inform the user that a response may now be spoken to the service. Other embodiments determine default cities, on which to report information, based on characteristics of the caller or based on cities that were previously selected by the caller. Other embodiments provide speech concatenation processes that have co-articulation and real-time subject-matter-based word selection which generate human sounding speech. Other embodiments reduce the occurrences of falsely triggered barge-ins during content delivery by only allowing interruption for certain special words. Other embodiments offer special services and modes for calls having voice recognition trouble. The special services are entered after predetermined criterion have been met by the call. Other embodiments provide special mechanisms for automatically recovering the address of a caller.

Providing menu and other services for an information processing system using a telephone or other audio interface

Described is a kaleidoscope for attaching with a video monitor. The kaleidoscope includes a housing and a monitor holder. The housing includes an interior, a first end, and a second end. The first end has an image receiving hole for receiving light from a video monitor. The interior includes multiple light surfaces for receiving the light from the video monitor and projecting the light toward the second end. The second end includes a viewing hole to allow a user to view the projected light. Through the monitor holder, the housing can be attached with a hand held video monitor. When the video monitor is in operation, images from the video monitor are received through the first end and projected within the interior of the housing between the light surfaces to provide a kaleidoscopic effect of the images, which can be viewed through the viewing hole in the second end.

Kaliedoscope for attaching with a video monitor

Providing services for an information processing system using an audio interface

Described are methods and systems for reducing the audible gap in concatenated recorded speech, resulting in more natural sounding speech in voice applications. The sound of concatenated, recorded speech is improved by also coarticulating the recorded speech. The resulting message is smooth, natural sounding and lifelike. Existing libraries of regularly recorded bulk prompts can be used by coarticulating the user interface prompt occurring just before the bulk prompt. Applications include phone-based applications as well as non-phone-based applications.

Coarticulated concatenated speech

A gravity-deformable toy is formed by interlocking a plurality of flexible struts with a plurality of nodes. Each strut has a truncated sphere on at least one end thereof and each node has a plurality of spherical cavities defined therein. A truncated sphere of a strut is received in a spherical cavity to lock the strut to the node. Each of the struts has a center uniform cylinder having an outer diameter, and a diameter of the truncated sphere. The diameter of the truncated sphere is larger than the diameter of the center uniform cylinder. Each of the cavities has a circular entrance which has a diameter equal to the diameter of the central uniform cylinder and each of the cavities has a diameter equal to the diameter of the truncated sphere. When assembled, the toy is deformed by gravity when pendently supported.

Ball and socket construction toy

Growing community of inventors

Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America

Scott James Bailey