What is claimed is:
1. A method for speech-based navigation of an electronic multimedia data source, the electronic multimedia data source being located at one or more network servers located remotely to a user, comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a spoken request for desired multimedia information from the user via a portable microphone;
(b) rendering an interpretation ofthe spoken request;
(c) constructing a navigation query in response to the interpretation ofthe spoken request;
(d) utilizing the navigation query to select a portion ofthe electronic multimedia data source; and
(e) transmitting the selected portion ofthe multimedia electronic data source from the network server to a primarily stationary, audiovisual display device located locally with the user.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multimedia data source stores multimedia content including at least one of video content and audio content.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the display device is a television.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source stores information relating to television programming.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source provides streaming video.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a communications link between the portable microphone and the multimedia data source is wireless.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a communications link between the portable microphone and the multimedia data source is the Internet.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of rendering an interpretation further includes deriving linguistic information by using a speech recognition engine and a linguistic parser.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of constructing a navigation query further includes the steps of extracting an input template for an online scripted interface to the data source, and using the input template to construct the navigation query.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of extracting an input template includes dynamically scraping the online scripted interface.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the navigation query is constructed in the format of a database query language.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one ofthe steps of rendering an inteφretation and constructing a navigation query are performed, at least in part, on a computing device located locally with the user.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the computing device is a communications box.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the portable microphone communicates wirelessly with the communications box.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one ofthe steps of rendering an inteφretation and constructing a navigation query are performed, at least in part, on a network computing device located remotely from the user.
16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of soliciting additional input in response to one or more deficiencies encountered during the step of constructing a navigation query.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the deficiencies include unresolved words ofthe spoken request.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the deficiencies include one or more required elements ofthe navigational query not determinable from the inteφretation ofthe spoken request.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of soliciting additional input is performed in response to one or more deficiencies encountered after a first navigation ofthe data source using the navigation query constructed in step (c).
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the deficiencies include existence of more than one data record within the data source responsive to the navigation query.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the deficiencies include failure to identify a single data record within the data source responsive to the navigation query.
22. The method of claim 16, wherein the additional input is solicited from the user in a modality different than the original request.
23. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving the additional input from the user
(b) refining the navigational query based on the additional input;
(c) determining whether the navigational query is deemed adequate;
(d) soliciting additional input if the navigational query is not deemed adequate and repeating steps (a)-(c) until the navigational query is deemed adequate.
24. The method of claim 16, wherein a determination that deficiencies exist in the navigational query is at least partially based on a user-input statement that additional information is required.
25. The method of claim 16, wherein the additional input is solicited by presenting a menu to the user on the client device ofthe user.
26. The method of claim 16, wherein the additional input is solicited by presenting a textual request for the additional input.
27. The method of claim 16, wherein the additional input is solicited by outputting an audible request for the additional input.
28. The method of claim 16, wherein the additional input is solicited by presenting a list of portions ofthe electronic data source that match the navigational query.
29. The method of claim 16, wherein the additional input received from the user is at least partially speech based.
30. The method of claim 16, wherein the additional input received from the user includes no spoken input.
32. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed with respect to a plurality of simultaneous users and corresponding client devices.
33. The method of claim 1, further including the step of selecting the data source from among a plurality of candidate electronic data sources, in response to the inteφretation ofthe spoken request.
34. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source provides access to at least one of audio and video programming.
35. A system for speech-based navigation of an electronic multimedia data source, the electronic multimedia data source being located at one or more network servers located remotely from a user, the system comprising:
(a) a portable microphone operable to receive a spoken request for desired information from the user;
(b) language processing logic, operable to render an inteφretation ofthe spoken request;
(c) query construction logic, operable to construct a navigation query in response to the inteφretation ofthe spoken request;
(d) navigation logic, operable to select a portion ofthe electronic multimedia data source using the navigation query; and
(e) electronic communications infrastructure for transmitting the selected portion ofthe electronic multimedia data source from the network server to a primarily stationary, display device located locally with the user.
36. The system of claim 35, wherein the electronic multimedia data source stores multimedia content including at least one of video content and audio content.
37. The system of claim 35, wherein the display device is a television.
38. The system of claim 37, wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source stores information relating to television programming.
39. The system of claim 35, wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source provides streaming video.
40. The system of claim 35, wherein the electronic communications infrastructure includes an Internet link.
41. The system of claim 35, wherein the language processing logic includes speech recognition logic and linguistic parsing logic for deriving linguistic information.
42. The system of claim 35, wherein the language processing logic extracts an input template for an online scripted interface to the data source, and uses the input template to construct the navigation query.
43. The system of claim 42, wherein the language processing logic dynamically scrapes the online scripted interface.
44. The system of claim 42, wherein the query construction logic constructs the query in the format of a database query language.
45. The system of claim 35, further comprising a computing device located locally with the user for hosting at least a portion ofthe language processing logic, and wherein the portable microphone is electronically coupled to the local computing device.
46. The system of claim 35, wherein at least a portion ofthe language processing logic is hosted on a computing device located locally with the user, and wherein the portable microphone is electronically coupled to the local computing device.
47. The system of claim 46, wherein the computing device is a communications box.
48. The system of claim 46, wherein portable microphone communicates wirelessly with the communications box.
49. The system of claim 35, wherein at least a portion ofthe language processing logic is hosted on a network computing device located remotely from the user, and wherein the portable microphone sends data to the remote network computing device via the communications infrastructure.
50. The system of claim 35, further comprising user interaction logic for soliciting additional input in response to one or more deficiencies encountered during the constructing the navigation query.
51. The system of claim 50, wherein the deficiencies include unresolved words of the spoken request.
52. The system of claim 50, wherein the deficiencies include one or more required elements ofthe navigational query not determinable from the inteφretation of the spoken request.
53. The system of claim 50, wherein the user interaction logic solicits additional input in response to one or more deficiencies encountered after a first navigation of
the data source using the navigation query constructed by the query construction logic.
54. The system of claim 53, wherein the deficiencies include existence of more than one data record within the data source responsive to the navigation query.
55. The system of claim 53, wherein the deficiencies include failure to identify a single data record within the data source responsive to the navigation query.
56. The system of claim 35, wherein the navigation logic selects the data source from among a plurality of candidate electronic data sources, in response to the inteφretation ofthe spoken request.
57. The system of claim 35, wherein the electronic communication infrastructure is a two-way infrastructure and is selected from among one or more ofthe following group: {coaxial cable, DSL, satellite, wireless/cellular, fiber-optic}.
58. The system of claim 35, wherein the selected portion ofthe electronic multimedia data source provides access to at least one of audio and video programming.
59. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for speech- based navigation of an electronic multimedia data source, the electronic multimedia data source being located at one or more network servers located remotely from a user, comprising:
(a) a code segment that receives a spoken request for desired information from the user;
(b) a code segment that renders an inteφretation ofthe spoken request;
(c) a code segment that constructs a navigation query based upon the inteφretation;
(d) a code segment that uses the refined navigation query to select a portion ofthe electronic multimedia data source; and
(e) a code segment that that transmits the selected portion ofthe electronic multimedia data source from the network server to a primarily stationary, display device located locally with the user..
60. The computer program of claim 59, wherein the multimedia data source stores multimedia content including at least one of video content and audio content.
61. The computer program of claim 59, wherein the display device is a television.
62. The computer program of claim 61, wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source stores information relating to television programming.
63. The computer program of claim 59, wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source provides streaming video.
64. The computer program of claim 59, wherein at least a portion of a communications link between the portable microphone and the multimedia data source is wireless.
65. The computer program of claim 59, wherein at least a portion of a communications link between the portable microphone and the multimedia data source is the Internet.
66. The computer program of claim 59, further comprising a code segment that derives linguistic information by using a speech recognition engine and a linguistic parser.
67. The computer program of claim 59, further comprising a code segment that extracts an input template for an online scripted interface to the data source, and a code segment that uses the input template to construct the navigation query.
68. The computer program of claim 67, wherein code segment that extracts an input template dynamically scrapes the online scripted interface.
69. The computer program of claim 59, wherein the navigation query is constructed in the format of a database query language.
70. The computer program of claim 59, wherein at least one ofthe rendering of the inteφretation and the construction ofthe navigation query are performed, at least in part, on a computing device located locally with the user.
71. The computer program of claim 70, wherein the computing device is a communications box.
72. The computer program of claim 71, wherein the portable microphone communicates wirelessly with the communications box.
73. The computer program of claim 59, wherein at least one ofthe rendering of the inteφretation and the constructing ofthe navigation query are performed, at least in part, on a network computing device located remotely from the user.
74. The computer program of claim 59, wherein the code segment that solicits additional input solicits the additional input in response to one or more deficiencies encountered during the construction ofthe navigation query.
75. The computer program of claim 74, wherein the deficiencies include unresolved words ofthe spoken request.
76. The computer program of claim 74, wherein the deficiencies include one or more required elements ofthe navigational query not determinable from the inteφretation ofthe spoken request.
77. The computer program of claim 74, wherein the code segment that solicits the additional input in response to one or more deficiencies encountered after a first navigation ofthe data source using the navigation query.
78. The computer program of claim 77, wherein the deficiencies include existence of more than one data record within the data source responsive to the navigation query.
79. The computer program of claim 77, wherein the deficiencies include failure to identify a single data record within the data source responsive to the navigation query.
80. The computer program of claim 59, wherein the code segments ofthe computer program operate with respect to a plurality of simultaneous users and corresponding client devices.
81. The computer program of claim 59, further comprising a code segment that selects the data source from among a plurality of candidate electronic data sources, in response to the inteφretation ofthe spoken request.
82. The computer program of claim 59, wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source provides access to at least one of audio and video programming.
83. The computer program of claim 59, further comprising:
(a) a code segment that receives the additional input from the user
(b) a code segment that refines the navigational query based on the additional input;
(c) a code segment that determines whether the navigational query is deemed adequate;
(d) a code segment that solicits additional input if the navigational query is not deemed adequate and repeating steps (a)-(c) until the navigational query is deemed adequate.
84. The computer program of claim 59, wherein a determination that deficiencies exist in the navigational query is at least partially based on a user-input statement that additional information is required.
85. The computer program of claim 59, wherein the additional input is solicited by presenting a menu to the user on the client device ofthe user.
86. The computer program of claim 59, wherein the additional input is solicited by presenting a textual request for the additional input.
87. The computer program of claim 59, wherein the additional input is solicited by outputting an audible request for the additional input.
88. The computer program of claim 59, wherein the additional input is solicited by presenting a list of portions ofthe electronic data source that match the navigational query.
89. The computer program of claim 59, wherein the additional input received from the user is at least partially speech based.
90. The computer program of claim 59, wherein the additional input received from the user includes no spoken input.
91. A method for utilizing spoken natural language to navigate an electronic multimedia data source, the electronic multimedia data source being located at one or more network servers located remotely to a user, comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a spoken natural language ("NL") request for desired multimedia information from the user via a portable microphone;
(b) rendering an inteφretation ofthe spoken natural language request;
(c) constructing a navigation query in response to the inteφretation ofthe spoken natural language request;
(d) utilizing the navigation query to select a portion ofthe electronic multimedia data source; and
(e) transmitting the selected portion ofthe multimedia electronic data source from the network server to a primarily stationary, audiovisual display device located locally with the user.
92 The method of claim 91 , wherein the multimedia data source stores multimedia content including at least one of video content and audio content.
93. The method of claim 91 , wherein the display device is a television.
94. The method of claim 93, wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source stores information relating to television programming.
95. The method of claim 91, wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source provides streaming video.
96. The method of claim 91, wherein at least a portion of a communications link between the portable microphone and the multimedia data source is wireless.
97. The method of claim 91, wherein at least a portion of a communications link between the portable microphone and the multimedia data source is the Internet.
98. The method of claim 91, wherein the step of rendering an inteφretation further includes deriving linguistic information by using a speech recognition engine and an NL parser.
99. The method of claim 91, wherein the step of constructing a navigation query further includes the steps of extracting an input template for an online scripted interface to the data source, and using the input template to construct the navigation query.
100. The method of claim 99, wherein the step of extracting an input template includes dynamically scraping the online scripted interface.
101. The method of claim 91 , wherein the navigation query is constructed in the format of a database query language.
102. The method of claim 91, wherein at least one ofthe steps of rendering an inteφretation and constructing a navigation query are performed, at least in part, on a computing device located locally with the user.
103. The method of claim 102, wherein the computing device is a communications box.
104. The method of claim 103, wherein the portable microphone communicates wirelessly with the communications box.
105. The method of claim 91, wherein at least one ofthe steps of rendering an inteφretation and constructing a navigation query are performed, at least in part, on a network computing device located remotely from the user.
106. The method of claim 91 , further comprising the step of soliciting additional input in response to one or more deficiencies encountered during the step of constructing a navigation query.
107. The method of claim 106, wherein the deficiencies include unresolved words ofthe spoken NL request.
108. The method of claim 106, wherein the deficiencies include one or more required elements ofthe navigational query not determinable from the inteφretation ofthe spoken NL request
109. The method of claim 106, wherein the step of soliciting additional input is performed in response to one or more deficiencies encountered after a first navigation ofthe data source using the navigation query constructed in step (c).
110. The method of claim 109, wherein the deficiencies include existence of more than one data record within the data source responsive to the navigation query.
111. The method of claim 109, wherein the deficiencies include failure to identify a single data record within the data source responsive to the navigation query.
112. The method of claim 91, wherein the method is performed with respect to a plurality of simultaneous users and corresponding client devices.
113. The method of claim 91 , further including the step of selecting the data source from among a plurality of candidate electronic data sources, in response to the inteφretation ofthe spoken NL request.
114. The method of claim 91 , wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source provides access to at least one of audio and video programming.
115. A system for utilizing spoken natural language to navigate an electronic multimedia data source, the electronic multimedia data source being located at one or more network servers located remotely from a user, the system comprising:
(a) a portable microphone operable to receive a spoken natural language ("NL") request for desired information from the user;
(b) spoken language processing logic, operable to render an inteφretation ofthe spoken natural language request;
(c) query construction logic, operable to construct a navigation query in response to the inteφretation ofthe spoken natural language request;
(d) navigation logic, operable to select a portion of the electronic multimedia data source using the navigation query; and
(e) electronic communications infrastructure for transmitting the selected portion ofthe electronic multimedia data source from the network server to a primarily stationary, display device located locally with the user.
116. The system of claim 115, wherein the electronic multimedia data source stores multimedia content including at least one of video content and audio content.
117. The system of claim 115, wherein the display device is a television.
118. The system of claim 117, wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source stores information relating to television programming.
119. The system of claim 115, wherein the selected portion of the multimedia data source provides streaming video.
120. The system of claim 115, wherein the electronic communications infrastructure includes an internet link.
121. The system of claim 115, wherein the spoken language processing logic includes speech recognition logic and an NL parsing logic for deriving linguistic information.
122. The system of claim 115, wherein the spoken language processing logic extracts an input template for an online scripted interface to the data source, and uses the input template to construct the navigation query.
123. The system of claim 122, wherein the spoken language processing logic dynamically scrapes the online scripted interface.
124. The system of claim 122, wherein the query construction logic constructs the query in the format of a database query language.
125. The system of claim 115, further comprising a computing device located locally with the user for hosting at least a portion ofthe spoken language processing logic, and wherein the portable microphone is electronically coupled to the local computing device.
126. The system of claim 115, wherein at least a portion ofthe spoken language processing logic is hosted on a computing device located locally with the user, and wherein the portable microphone is electronically coupled to the local computing device.
127. The system of claim 126, wherein the computing device is a communications box
128. The system of claim 126, wherein portable microphone communicates wirelessly with the communications box.
129. The system of claim 115, wherein at least a portion ofthe spoken language processing logic is hosted on a network computing device located remotely from the user, and wherein the portable microphone sends data to the remote network computing device via the communications infrastructure.
130. The system of claim 115, further comprising user interaction logic for soliciting additional input in response to one or more deficiencies encountered during the constructing the navigation query.
131. The system of claim 130, wherein the deficiencies include unresolved words ofthe spoken NL request.
132. The system of claim 130, wherein the deficiencies include one or more required elements ofthe navigational query not determinable from the inteφretation ofthe spoken NL request
133. The system of claim 130, wherein the user interaction logic solicits additional input in response to one or more deficiencies encountered after a first navigation of
the data source using the navigation query constructed by the query construction logic.
134. The system of claim 133, wherein the deficiencies include existence of more than one data record within the data source responsive to the navigation query.
135. The system of claim 133, wherein the deficiencies include failure to identify a single data record within the data source responsive to the navigation query.
136. The system of claim 115, wherein the navigation logic selects the data source from among a plurality of candidate electronic data sources, in response to the inteφretation ofthe spoken NL request.
137. The system of claim 115, wherein the electronic communication infrastructure is a two-way infrastructure and is selected from among one or more of the following group: {coaxial cable, DSL, satellite, wireless/cellular, fiber-optic}.
138. The system of claim 115, wherein the selected portion ofthe electronic multimedia data source provides access to at least one of audio and video programming.
139. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for utilizing spoken natural language for navigating an electronic multimedia data source, the electronic multimedia data source being located at one or more network servers located remotely from a user, comprising:
(a) a code segment that receives a spoken natural language ("NL") request for desired information from the user;
(b) a code segment that renders an inteφretation ofthe spoken natural language request;
(c) a code segment that constructs a navigation query based upon the inteφretation;
(d) a code segment that uses the refined navigation query to select a portion ofthe electronic multimedia data source; and
(e) a code segment that that transmits the selected portion ofthe electronic multimedia data source from the network server to a primarily stationary, display device located locally with the user..
140. The computer program of claim 139, wherein the multimedia data source stores multimedia content including at least one of video content and audio content.
141. The computer program of claim 139, wherein the display device is a television.
142. The computer program of claim 141 , wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source stores information relating to television programming.
143. The computer program of claim 139, wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source provides streaming video.
144. The computer program of claim 139, wherein at least a portion of a communications link between the portable microphone and the multimedia data source is wireless.
145. The computer program of claim 139, wherein at least a portion of a communications link between the portable microphone and the multimedia data source is the Internet.
146. The computer program of claim 139, further comprising a code segment that derives linguistic information by using a speech recognition engine and an NL parser.
147. The computer program of claim 139, further comprising a code segment that extracts an input template for an online scripted interface to the data source, and a code segment that uses the input template to construct the navigation query.
148. The computer program of claim 147, wherein code segment that extracts an input template dynamically scrapes the online scripted interface.
149. The computer program of claim 139, wherein the navigation query is constructed in the format of a database query language.
150. The computer program of claim 139, wherein at least one ofthe rendering of the inteφretation and the construction ofthe navigation query are performed, at least in part, on a computing device located locally with the user.
151. The computer program of claim 150, wherein the computing device is a communications box.
152. The computer program of claim 151, wherein the portable microphone communicates wirelessly with the communications box.
153. The computer program of claim 139, wherein at least one ofthe rendering of the inteφretation and the constructing ofthe navigation query are performed, at least in part, on a network computing device located remotely from the user.
154. The computer program of claim 139, wherein the code segment that solicits additional input solicits the additional input in response to one or more deficiencies encountered during the construction ofthe navigation query.
155. The computer program of claim 154, wherein the deficiencies include unresolved words ofthe spoken NL request.
156. The computer program of claim 154, wherein the deficiencies include one or more required elements ofthe navigational query not determinable from the inteφretation ofthe spoken NL request.
157. The computer program of claim 154, wherein the code segment that solicits the additional input in response to one or more deficiencies encountered after a first navigation ofthe data source using the navigation query.
158. The computer program of claim 157, wherein the deficiencies include existence of more than one data record within the data source responsive to the navigation query.
159. The computer program of claim 157, wherein the deficiencies include failure to identify a single data record within the data source responsive to the navigation query.
160. The computer program of claim 139, wherein the code segments ofthe computer program operate with respect to a plurality of simultaneous users and corresponding client devices.
161. The computer program of claim 139, further comprising a code segment that selects the data source from among a plurality of candidate electronic data sources, in response to the inteφretation ofthe spoken NL request.
162. The computer program of claim 139, wherein the selected portion ofthe multimedia data source provides access to at least one of audio and video programming.