Abstract: A system for integrating disparate ecosystems including smart home and internet-of-things (IoT) ecosystems. The system including a vehicle assistant that executes within the context of a cloud-based application and that retrieves sensor data and utterances from a vehicle and forwards the sensor data and passenger-spoken utterances to a cloud-based application. Using the sensor data and utterances, the cloud-based application selects and executes a predetermined routine that includes at least one action to be completed in vehicle, on mobile phone or Smart Home/IoT ecosystem. The action is then complete by issuing the command to the vehicle head-unit, specified mobile phone or target ecosystem selected from a group of disparate ecosystems.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of processing a text, gesture, facial expression, and/or behavior description wherein the text, gesture, facial expression, and/or behavior description is synthesized by means of a speech, gesture, facial expression, and/or behavior profile, provided that an authorization code legitimizes the use of the speech, gesture, facial expression, and/or behavior profile for the synthesis.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for introducing interaction pattern and/or functionalities of a plurality of cations (11, 11?, 11?) to the user (13) of an interactive system (1). An application (11, 11?, 11?) provides characteristics (CR) of its interaction pattern and/or functionalities to the interactive system (1). The interactive system (1) then generates a selection (SE) of the interaction pattern and/or functionalities of an application (11, 11?, 11?) which are to be introduced to the user (13), and subsequently invokes the rendering of tutorial elements (6, 7, 14) to the user (13) to introduce the selected interaction pattern and/or functionalities. Moreover, the invention describes an appropriate interactive system (1) supporting the execution of a plurality of applications (11, 11?, 11?), which is providing introductions of interaction pattern and/or functionalities of the applications (11, 11?, 11?).

Abstract: The present invention provides an interactive speech recognition system and a corresponding method for determining a performance level of a speech recognition procedure on the basis of recorded background noise. The inventive system effectively exploits speech pauses that occur before the user enters speech that becomes subject to speech recognition. Preferably, the inventive performance prediction makes effective use of trained noise classification models. Moreover, predicted performance levels are indicated to the user in order to give a reliable feedback of the performance of the speech recognition procedure. In this way the interactive speech recognition system may react to noise conditions that are inappropriate for generating reliable speech recognition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of communication (113) between a user (101) and a system (103) where it is detected whether the user looks at the system or somewhere else, and based thereon adjusting the communication.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a method of verifying the identity of a user and based thereon controlling access to user specific data or actions, said method verifies said identity by receiving an identification key, and based on a comparison with a pre stored reference identification key access to said user specific data or action is controlled, said identification key being obtained by the steps of: visually recording a gesture by recording the trajectory of a hand of said user when the user uses said hand for performing a gesture, extracting gesture characteristics from said visually recorded gesture, performing said verification by comparing an identification key comprising said gesture characteristics with a pre stored reference identification key comprising reference gesture characteristics. An advantage of the gesture signature over “static” approaches like iris scans or face recognition is reliability.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for a system (101) of performing a dialogue communication with a user (105). The user's speech signal (107), which comprises a request of an action to be performed by the system (101), is recorded and analyzed. The result of the analyzing is compared with predefined semantic items (103) defined in the system (101), wherein an action is associated with each of the semantic items. Based on the comparison a candidate list (109), which identifies a limited number of semantic items (111, 113) selected from the predefined semantic items (103) is generated and presented to the user (105). An action associated with one the semantic item in the candidate list (109) is performed based on predefined criteria, unless the user (105) chooses a different semantic item from the candidate list (109).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of authenticating a user (N). In a dialog between the user (N) to be authenticated and a dialog system (1; D), a plurality of security queries is performed by the dialog system (1; D). A security query is taken from one of a plurality of predetermined categories of questions and/or corresponds to one of a plurality of predetermined types of questions. The user (N) supplies answers to the security queries in the form of speech to the dialog system (1; D) and the user's (N) answers are evaluated. A user (N) is authenticated or not authenticated in dependence upon the result of the evaluation.

Abstract: The invention describes a pointing device (1) and a methode for item location and/or selection assistance, which method comprises visually presenting a number of items (M1, M2, M3, M4) in a visual presentation (VIP, VP?, aiming a pointing device (1) comprising a camera (2) and a directable source (12) of a concentrated beam of light (L) at the visual presentation (VP, VP? of the items (M1, M2, M3, M4), generating image data (3) of a target area (A) at which the pointing device (1) is aimed, analysing the image data (3) in order to locate a specific point within the target area (A), generating control signals (9) for controlling the directing arrangement (4), and directing the concentrated beam of light (L) so that the point (P1) coincides with the specific point in the target area (A). The invention describes an interacting device (13) for interacting with a pointing device (1) to carry out I:he method for item location and/or selection assistance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a communication unit to distribute a message (100) via short-range networks by means of relaying said message (100) from one short-range network device (104, 106) to the next (107, 109).

Abstract: There is described a method of providing a personalized broadcast service. The method involves arranging for a content provider (40) to communicate with a user device (30) and a broadcast service (50). The device (30) presents its user (20).

Abstract: An audio dialog system and a voice browsing method are described. An audio input unit (12) acquires an audio input signal. Speech recognition means (20) convert the audio input signal into text input data (21). Content data (D1) comprises text content and at least one reference (LN1). The reference comprises a reference aim and an activation phrase. Browsing means (22) process the content data (D1), controlling speech synthesis means (26) to output the text content. The browsing means (22) compare acquired input text data (21) to the activation phrase (28). If the input text data (21) is not identical to activation phrase (28), a match is still indicated if the input text data and the activation phrase have a similar meaning. In case of a match, content data corresponding to the reference aim is accessed.

Abstract: A method of controlling a dialoging process is described in which a current situation parameter (sysp, mi, si) is automatically determined and in which the control of the dialoging process takes place as a function of the situation parameter (sysp, mi, si) in such a way that the dialoging process is adapted to the current situation.

Abstract: A system and a method for program recommendation are described. In order to present a user a recommendation for a choice of audio or video content pieces broadcast consecutively at a plurality of different channels, (a) piece scores of content pieces are calculated, indicating a match of a corresponding content description with a profile, (b) and sequence scores are calculated for a plurality of sequences of content pieces, said sequence scores being based at least on said piece scores and on a correlation of content descriptions of at least two pieces contained in the sequence. A recommended sequence is chosen according to the sequence score. Preferably, one or, more preferred sequences are shown to the user in a lattice representation.

Abstract: A method of searching for media objects is described, in which, in order to establish degrees of correspondence (UG) between a search request (SA) and selectable media objects, at least one feature (i1, d1, d11, d12) of the search request is compared with at least one feature of the selectable media objects, in which the search request comprises at least one representation-describing feature (d1), and in which a search result based on the degrees of correspondence (UG) is organized. In addition, a corresponding system of searching for media objects is described.

Abstract: A method for remote control of an audio device (1) is described, which receives an audio data stream (A) from a transmission system. A control command in the form of an audio data sample (AM) within the audio data stream (A) is sent to the audio device (1). The received audio data stream (A) is analyzed by means of an audio sample recognition system (2) in or on the audio device (1). A recognized audio data sample (AM) is converted into control data (SD, ST) and depending on the control data (SD, ST), certain components (7, 8) of the audio device (1) are activated in a certain manner.

Abstract: A method for transmitting a user-specific program to the user of a program content transmission system (1) is described, in which first a part of the program contents (P) of the program is transmitted to a first terminal unit (A) of the user and the program transmission to the fist terminal unit (A) is stopped when a first defined event occurs in accordance with a pre-determined procedural sequence. Subsequently, when a second defined event occurs, for the continuation of the program transmission, there is then a further transmission of program contents (P?) of the program to a second terminal unit (B) of the user in accordance with a pre-determined procedural sequence. Moreover, a respective program content transmission system (1) and an terminal unit (A, B) for use in this type of transmission method are described.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for the transcription of spoken and written utterances. To this end, the utterances undergo speech or text recognition, and the recognition result (ME) is combined with a manually created transcription (MT) of the utterances in order to obtain the transcription. The additional information rendered usable by the combination as a result of the recognition result (ME) enables the transcriber to work relatively roughly and therefore quickly on the manual transcription. When using a keyboard (25), he can, for example, restrict himself to hitting the keys of only one row and/or can omit some keystrokes completely. In addition, the manual transcribing can also be accelerated by the suggestion of continuations (31) to the text input so far (30), which continuations are anticipated by virtue of the recognition result (ME).

Abstract: A method is described for the operation of a broadcasting system (1) in which various program contents are sent to the users of the broadcasting system and the users of the broadcasting system are at the same time assigned to user communities. Community-specific program contents (PIG) are automatically selected and/or generated from a plurality of available program contents (PI) for the users of each of the different user communities. A user is assigned to a user community on the basis of a community assignment signal (SGZ) sent by the user. In addition user-specific program contents (PIN) are automatically generated and/or selected in order to compile an individual user-specific program (NSP) for each of the individual users, and the community-specific program contents (PIG) of a user community of the user are integrated into the user-specific program (NSP). In addition a corresponding broadcasting system (1) is described.

Abstract: A system and a method are described for generating sequences of audio or video contents (A . . . I). Contents (A . . . I) are available in a stored or otherwise readable form. Additional data (for example, genre, type, time, date, play time, costs, etc.) are provided together with the contents (A . . . I). While taking a user profile (P) into account, a play sequence (S) is composed from the contents (A . . . I), using selection means (20). By matching the additional data with selection criteria of the user profile (P), a content evaluation number is determined first. For play sequences of a plurality of contents (A . . . I), a sequence evaluation number is then determined, in which the content evaluation numbers of the contents (A . . . I) arranged therein and preferably also correlation values between the contents and/or costs for requesting the contents are taken into account. A sequence (S) is selected in accordance with its sequence evaluation number.