Patents by Inventor Thomas Portele

Thomas Portele has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8689135
    Abstract: The invention describes a method of driving an interactive system (1) comprising a user interface system (2) with an inherently sequential input/output modality (12) and comprising a plurality of applications (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An). In this method a first application (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An) is currently controlling the input/output modality (12) for performing an interaction with the user (U), wherein, at least for a certain period of time, a focus level is assigned to the first application (A1, A2, A3, An). The current interaction process of the first application (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An) is only terminated or paused and the control of the input/output modality (12) for performing an interaction is only transferred to a second application (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An) when an application-switching command (ASC) is received from the user (U) and according to the focus level of the first application (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Portele, Christian Benien, Jens Friedemann Marschner
  • Publication number: 20100223548
    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?).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Portele, Holger Scholl
  • Publication number: 20100138779
    Abstract: The invention describes a method of driving an interactive system (1) comprising a user interface system (2) with an inherently sequential input/output modality (12) and comprising a plurality of applications (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An). In this method a first application (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An) is currently controlling the input/output modality (12) for performing an interaction with the user (U), wherein, at least for a certain period of time, a focus level is assigned to the first application (A1, A2, A3, An). The current interaction process of the first application (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An) is only terminated or paused and the control of the input/output modality (12) for performing an interaction is only transferred to a second application (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An) when an application-switching command (ASC) is received from the user (U) and according to the focus level of the first application (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Portele, Christian Benien, Jens Friedemann Marschiner
  • Publication number: 20080289002
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: Koninklijke Philips Electronics, N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Portele, Vasanth Philomin, Christian Benien, Holger Scholl, Frank Sasschenscheidt, Jens Friedmann Marschner, Reinhard Kneser
  • Publication number: 20080275704
    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).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Portele, Holger Scholl, Frank Sassenscheidt, Jens Friedemann Marschner
  • Publication number: 20080263164
    Abstract: The invention describes a method of sending a message (M) from a sender to a recipient in which a record content (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7) of the message (M) is recorded and supplemented with motion control content (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7). The message (M) is transmitted from a transmitting device (10) of the sender to a message rendering device (40) of the recipient, which message rendering device (40) is capable of performing motion. The message rendering device (40) is controlled according to the motion control content (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7) to perform defined motion synchronised to a presentation of the record content (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7) of the message (M). Furthermore, an appropriate message transmitting device (10), an appropriate message rendering device (40) and an message transmission system (1) are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Portele, Peter Joseph Leonardus Antonius Swillens
  • Publication number: 20080263451
    Abstract: The invention describes a method for driving multiple applications (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An) by a common dialog management system (1). Therein, a unique set of auditory icons (S1, S2, S3, . . . , Sn) is assigned to each application (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An). The common dialog management system (1) informs a user of the status of an application (A1, A2, A3, . . . , An) by playback, at a specific point in a dialog flow, of a relevant auditory icon (I1, I2, I3, . . . , In) selected from the unique set of auditory icons (S1, S2, S3, . . . , Sn) of the respective application (A1, A2, A3, . . .
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONIC, N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Portele, Barbertje Streefkerk, Jurgen Te Vrugt
  • Publication number: 20080235037
    Abstract: This invention relates to method and a system for collecting and managing bonus points in order to generate a personal profile based on said bonus points, wherein the bonus points are related to activities performed by a person. Therefore, the personal profile is obtained by accessing a manager server where the bonus points are stored and viewing the number of points in a certain activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONIC, N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Portele, Jan Kneissler, Holger R. Scholl, Georg Kurz-Bauer
  • Publication number: 20080228497
    Abstract: The invention describes a method for communication by means of a communication device (DS), in which synthesized speech (ss) is output from the communication device (DS), and in which light signals (ls) are output simultaneously with the synthesized speech (ss) in accordance with the semantic content of the synthesized speech (ss). Furthermore, an appropriate communication device (DS) is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Portele, Holger R. Scholl
  • Publication number: 20080209086
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of remotely controlling target devices via an interface device, based on an input from a user comprising information identifying at least one target device and an action to be performed on said at least one target device, wherein the interface device is adapted for directly transmitting a control signal based on said input in a direction towards said least one of said target device, wherein the transmission direction is controllable using setup data stored at said interface device, wherein the setup data is obtained during setup phase of the interface device and comprises: identification data for uniquely identifying said target devices, and direction data associated to each of said identification data for identifying said transmission direction, wherein based on the user's input to perform said action on said at least one target device, using the direction data associated to the identification data of said at least one target device for controlling the transmission directio
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Portele, Peter Joseph Leonardus Antonius Swillens, Henricus Joseph Cornelus Kuijpers
  • Publication number: 20080126491
    Abstract: The invention describes a method for transmitting messages from a sender (5) to a recipient (6). A message is inputted in an input representation form on the sender (5) side, converted into a message in a defined transmitting representation form depending on the semantic content of the message, converted into a message in output representation form, and output in output representation form on the recipient (6) side. A semantic analysis of the message is performed within at least one of the steps converting the message in input representation form into a message in transmitting representation form and converting the message in transmitting representation form into a message in output representation form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Portele, David Eves, Martin Oerder
  • Publication number: 20080094170
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method and a system for introducing and converting a new user (103) to a known user of a system (109), where a known user is a user whose characteristics are pre-stored in said system (109) and who, based on a match between detected characteristics and said pre-stored characteristics, is identified as a known user. This is done by initializing the introduction of the new user when receiving an introduction action by a known user (101), detecting characteristics of the new user and converting the new user (103) to a known user by adding the detected characteristics to the pre-stored characteristics in the system (109).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2005
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Portele, Vasanth Philomin
  • Publication number: 20070150287
    Abstract: The invention describes a method for driving a dialog system (1) comprising an audio interface (11) for processing audio signals (3,6). The method deduces characteristics (2) of an expected audio input signal (3) and generates audio interface control parameters (4) according to these characteristics (2). The behaviour of the audio interface (11) is optimised based on the audio interface control parameters (4). Moreover the invention describes a dialog system (1) comprising an audio interface (11), a dialog control unit (12), a predictor module (13) for deducing characteristics (2) of an expected audio input signal (3), and an audio optimiser (14) for optimising the behaviour of the audio interface (11) by generating audio input control parameters (4) based on the characteristics (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2004
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Inventors: Thomas Portele, Frank Thiele
  • Patent number: 6510924
    Abstract: Conventional elevators have a console for entering control information, via key depression. To make the known control arrangements simpler and more flexible to use by the user, the invention provides audio recording equipment and a speech analysis unit, while a control unit controls the elevator in accordance with entered speech commands. According to a further embodiment of the invention, speech commands also include indirect location descriptions which are assigned to floors via the database of the building. Also, a dialogue facility may be provided, for example, for commands that are not understood or are not unambiguous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Georg Bauer, Thomas Portele, Lars Pralle
  • Publication number: 20020065651
    Abstract: The invention relates to a dialog system (1) which has a most comfortable and effective dialog structure for a user, comprising processing units for
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Inventors: Andreas Kellner, Bernd Souvignier, Thomas Portele, Petra Philips
  • Publication number: 20020020586
    Abstract: Conventional elevators comprise a console for entering control information, more particularly, via key depression. To make the known control arrangements simpler and more flexible to use by the user, the invention provides means for audio recording and a speech analysis unit, while a control unit controls the elevator in accordance with entered speech commands. According to a further embodiment of the invention, speech commands also include indirect location descriptions which are assigned to floors via the database of the building. Also a dialogue facility may be provided, for example, for commands that are not understood or are not unambiguous.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventors: Georg Bauer, Thomas Portele, Lars Pralle