Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and media for providing content upon request are provided. A search request for content is received from a user. A first filter is applied to the search request to modify the search request before a search algorithm searches for the content to return in response to the search request. Items of content are determined based on the search request to which the first filter is applied. A second filter is applied to the items of content to determine search results. The search results are provided to the user.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and media for providing content upon request are provided. A search request for content is received from a user. A first filter is applied to the search request to modify the search request before a search algorithm searches for the content to return in response to the search request. Items of content are determined based on the search request to which the first filter is applied. A second filter is applied to the items of content to determine search results. The search results are provided to the user.

Abstract: A system for exploiting visual information for enhancing audio signals via source separation and beamforming is disclosed. The system may obtain visual content associated with an environment of a user, and may extract, from the visual content, metadata associated with the environment. The system may determine a location of the user based on the extracted metadata. Additionally, the system may load, based on the location, an audio profile corresponding to the location of the user. The system may also load a user profile of the user that includes audio data associated with the user. Furthermore, the system may cancel, based on the audio profile and user profile, noise from the environment of the user. Moreover, the system may include adjusting, based on the audio profile and user profile, an audio signal generated by the user so as to enhance the audio signal during a communications session of the user.

Abstract: A system for exploiting visual information for enhancing audio signals via source separation and beamforming is disclosed. The system may obtain visual content associated with an environment of a user, and may extract, from the visual content, metadata associated with the environment. The system may determine a location of the user based on the extracted metadata. Additionally, the system may load, based on the location, an audio profile corresponding to the location of the user. The system may also load a user profile of the user that includes audio data associated with the user. Furthermore, the system may cancel, based on the audio profile and user profile, noise from the environment of the user. Moreover, the system may include adjusting, based on the audio profile and user profile, an audio signal generated by the user so as to enhance the audio signal during a communications session of the user.

Abstract: A pre-distortion system for improved mobile device communications via cancellation of nonlinear distortion is disclosed. The pre-distortion system may transmit an acoustic signal from a network to a device, wherein the acoustic signal includes a linear signal and a nonlinear cancellation signal that cancels at least a portion of nonlinear distortions created once a loudspeaker in the device emits the linear signal. Thus, when a loudspeaker of a mobile device is operating and nonlinear distortions are generated by the loudspeaker or adjacent components of the mobile device in close proximity to the loudspeaker, the pre-distortion system may create one or more nonlinear cancellation signals in the network. The nonlinear cancellation signal may be combined with the linear signal sent to the loudspeaker to cancel the nonlinear distortion signal created by the loudspeaker emitting acoustic sounds from the linear signal. Thus, the nonlinear cancellation signal becomes a pre-distortion signal.

Abstract: Voice activity in a media signal is detected in an augmented, multi-tier classifier architecture. For instance, a first voice activity indicator, detected in a first modality for a human subject, is received from a first classifier. Then, the system can receive, from a second classifier, a second voice activity indicator detected in a second modality for the human subject, wherein the first voice activity indicator and the second voice activity indicators are based on the human subject at a same time, and wherein the first modality and the second modality are different. The system then concatenates, via a third classifier, the first voice activity indicator and the second voice activity indicator with original features of the human subject, to yield a classifier output, and determine voice activity based on the classifier output.

Abstract: A system for exploiting visual information for enhancing audio signals via source separation and beamforming is disclosed. The system may obtain visual content associated with an environment of a user, and may extract, from the visual content, metadata associated with the environment. The system may determine a location of the user based on the extracted metadata. Additionally, the system may load, based on the location, an audio profile corresponding to the location of the user. The system may also load a user profile of the user that includes audio data associated with the user. Furthermore, the system may cancel, based on the audio profile and user profile, noise from the environment of the user. Moreover, the system may include adjusting, based on the audio profile and user profile, an audio signal generated by the user so as to enhance the audio signal during a communications session of the user.

Abstract: A system for exploiting visual information for enhancing audio signals via source separation and beamforming is disclosed. The system may obtain visual content associated with an environment of a user, and may extract, from the visual content, metadata associated with the environment. The system may determine a location of the user based on the extracted metadata. Additionally, the system may load, based on the location, an audio profile corresponding to the location of the user. The system may also load a user profile of the user that includes audio data associated with the user. Furthermore, the system may cancel, based on the audio profile and user profile, noise from the environment of the user. Moreover, the system may include adjusting, based on the audio profile and user profile, an audio signal generated by the user so as to enhance the audio signal during a communications session of the user.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage devices for processing audio signals. An example system configured to practice the method receives audio at a device to be transmitted to a remote speech processing system. The system analyzes one of noise conditions, need for an enhanced speech quality, and network load to yield an analysis. Based on the analysis, the system determines to bypass user-defined options for enhancing audio for speech processing. Then, based on the analysis, the system can modify an audio transmission parameter used to transmit the audio from the device to the remote speech processing system. The audio transmission parameter can be one of an amount of coding, a chosen codec, or a number of audio channels, for example.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method that identifies first and second gestures of first and second viewers in a proximity of a media center and associates the first and second gestures with first and second command A conflict is determined between the first and second commands and in response a notification is provided via the media center. The notification requests a resolution to the conflict. A cue is detected from a viewer responsive to the presenting of the notification. The cue identifies a selected one of the first viewer or the second viewer and control of the media center is assigned to one of the first viewer or the second viewer responsive to the cue. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage devices for processing audio signals. An example system configured to practice the method receives audio at a device to be transmitted to a remote speech processing system. The system analyzes one of noise conditions, need for an enhanced speech quality, and network load to yield an analysis. Based on the analysis, the system determines to bypass user-defined options for enhancing audio for speech processing. Then, based on the analysis, the system can modify an audio transmission parameter used to transmit the audio from the device to the remote speech processing system. The audio transmission parameter can be one of an amount of coding, a chosen codec, or a number of audio channels, for example.

Abstract: A pre-distortion system for improved mobile device communications via cancellation of nonlinear distortion is disclosed. The pre-distortion system may transmit an acoustic signal from a network to a device, wherein the acoustic signal includes a linear signal and a nonlinear cancellation signal that cancels at least a portion of nonlinear distortions created once a loudspeaker in the device emits the linear signal. Thus, when a loudspeaker of a mobile device is operating and nonlinear distortions are generated by the loudspeaker or adjacent components of the mobile device in close proximity to the loudspeaker, the pre-distortion system may create one or more nonlinear cancellation signals in the network. The nonlinear cancellation signal may be combined with the linear signal sent to the loudspeaker to cancel the nonlinear distortion signal created by the loudspeaker emitting acoustic sounds from the linear signal. Thus, the nonlinear cancellation signal becomes a pre-distortion signal.

Abstract: A system for exploiting visual information for enhancing audio signals via source separation and beamforming is disclosed. The system may obtain visual content associated with an environment of a user, and may extract, from the visual content, metadata associated with the environment. The system may determine a location of the user based on the extracted metadata. Additionally, the system may load, based on the location, an audio profile corresponding to the location of the user. The system may also load a user profile of the user that includes audio data associated with the user. Furthermore, the system may cancel, based on the audio profile and user profile, noise from the environment of the user. Moreover, the system may include adjusting, based on the audio profile and user profile, an audio signal generated by the user so as to enhance the audio signal during a communications session of the user.

Abstract: A pre-distortion system for improved mobile device communications via cancellation of nonlinear distortion is disclosed. The pre-distortion system may transmit an acoustic signal from a network to a device, wherein the acoustic signal includes a linear signal and a nonlinear cancellation signal that cancels at least a portion of nonlinear distortions created once a loudspeaker in the device emits the linear signal. Thus, when a loudspeaker of a mobile device is operating and nonlinear distortions are generated by the loudspeaker or adjacent components of the mobile device in close proximity to the loudspeaker, the pre-distortion system may create one or more nonlinear cancellation signals in the network. The nonlinear cancellation signal may be combined with the linear signal sent to the loudspeaker to cancel the nonlinear distortion signal created by the loudspeaker emitting acoustic sounds from the linear signal. Thus, the nonlinear cancellation signal becomes a pre-distortion signal.

Abstract: A system for exploiting visual information for enhancing audio signals via source separation and beamforming is disclosed. The system may obtain visual content associated with an environment of a user, and may extract, from the visual content, metadata associated with the environment. The system may determine a location of the user based on the extracted metadata. Additionally, the system may load, based on the location, an audio profile corresponding to the location of the user. The system may also load a user profile of the user that includes audio data associated with the user. Furthermore, the system may cancel, based on the audio profile and user profile, noise from the environment of the user. Moreover, the system may include adjusting, based on the audio profile and user profile, an audio signal generated by the user so as to enhance the audio signal during a communications session of the user.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method that identifies first and second gestures of first and second viewers in a proximity of a media center and associates the first and second gestures with first and second command A conflict is determined between the first and second commands and in response a notification is provided via the media center. The notification requests a resolution to the conflict. A cue is detected from a viewer responsive to the presenting of the notification. The cue identifies a selected one of the first viewer or the second viewer and control of the media center is assigned to one of the first viewer or the second viewer responsive to the cue. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for controlling a steering of a plurality of cameras to identify a plurality of potential sources, identifying the plurality of potential sources according to image data provided by the plurality of cameras, assigning a beam of a plurality of beams of a plurality of microphones to each of the plurality of potential sources, detecting a first command comprising one of a first audible cue based on signals from a portion of the plurality of microphones, a first visual cue based on image data from one of the plurality of cameras, or both for controlling a media center, and configuring the media center according to the first command. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and media for providing content upon request are provided. A search request for content is received from a user. A first filter is applied to the search request to modify the search request before a search algorithm searches for the content to return in response to the search request. Items of content are determined based on the search request to which the first filter is applied. A second filter is applied to the items of content to determine search results. The search results are provided to the user.

Abstract: A system and method for processing speech includes receiving a first information stream associated with speech, the first information stream comprising micro-modulation features and receiving a second information stream associated with the speech, the second information stream comprising features. The method includes combining, via a non-linear multilayer perceptron, the first information stream and the second information stream to yield a third information stream. The system performs automatic speech recognition on the third information stream. The third information stream can also be used for training HMMs.

Abstract: Television content is provided upon request. A search request for television content is received from a user on a user device. Listings for television content that meet the search request are determined based on the search request. Text describing the listings is converted to corresponding speech describing the listings. Speech describing the listings is provided audibly.