Abstract: A system that concurrently provides multiple user interface (UI) mechanisms that facilitate control of an application state machine (e.g., unified message system). More particularly, the invention can create two relatively distinct user experiences, one via dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) navigation and another through speech recognition navigation of a unified message system. In accordance therewith, one single underlying state machine can be used. Navigation and flow control (e.g., state transitions) in the state machine can be leveraged by multiple UI mechanisms that actively co-exist. The invention introduces speech recognition features together with other input mechanisms to drive the UI of an application state machine (e.g., unified messaging system). The speech recognition UI can be designed to provide a natural navigation through the application independent of a DTMF UI.

Abstract: A method of visually presenting a message includes detecting that a screen reader application is being used in a computer system having a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI presents messages of a first type by displaying a popup window and presents messages of a second type in a predefined field of the GUI. The screen reader application is configured to detect display of the popup window but not configured to detect presentation of the messages of the second type in the predefined field. The method includes detecting a system event that causes a first message to be presented in the predefined field, the system event resulting from evaluating user input information. The method includes presenting, in response to detecting the system event, a second message in the popup window, the second message being associated with the first message. The predefined field may relate to a message log.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for allowing a user to quickly determine parts of a media item in which the user will be interested. In the methods and systems described, a timeline is provided for the media item and semantic icons are used as media landmarks along the timeline. The semantic icons are related to the content or a description of the content at the location in the media item corresponding to the semantic icon's location on the timeline. The semantic icons, in addition to providing some immediate contextual information at a glance, also allow a user access to annotations of the media item. Semantic icons can represent tags, users who have created or modified annotations for the segment of the media item, or other relevant information. The semantic icons may also be used to determine a relative level of interest in different parts of the media item both with respect to the user and with respect to other users.

Abstract: A large scale multi-user, multi-touch system with a specialized zone-based user interface including methods for space management and spatial apportioning of audio cues. The system comprises a multi-touch display component fabricated in dimensions sufficient for at least a plurality of users and for displaying projected images and for receiving multi-touch input. The apparatus includes a plurality of image projectors, a plurality of cameras for sensing multi-touch input and the apparatus includes interface software for managing user space. The interface software implements techniques for managing multiple users using the same user interface component by allocating physical spaces within the multi-touch display component and coordinating movement of displayed objects between the physical spaces.

Abstract: A music reproducing apparatus stores, in a storage device, playlist data that defines an order in which a plurality of music data sets are reproduced, displays the playlist data on a display unit, and reproduces music items in the order defined by the playlist data. The playlist data is formed of a plurality of item data sets each corresponding to a music data set. If a user defines an item data set corresponding to a music data set as one to be reproduced, the defined item is provided with a reproduction mark of “check” and displayed with the reproduction mark on the display unit. On the display unit there is also displayed a total reproduction time D13 in which the reproduction time of music data sets defined as those to be reproduced is summed. Furthermore, item data sets for music data sets that are defined as those to be reproduced but are not stored in the storage device are provided with an irreproducibility mark of “???” and displayed with the irreproducibility mark on the display unit.

Abstract: A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: receiving one or more conditional directives from a receiving user, the one or more conditional directives delineating one or more conditions for obfuscating identity of a source entity affiliated with one or more communiqués directed to the receiving user; and presenting at least a second communiqué in response to at least a reception of a first communiqué affiliated with the source entity and in accordance with the one or more conditional directives, the second communiqué being presented in lieu of presenting the first communiqué. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for selecting one of several audio clips associated with a text item for playback are provided. The electronic device can determine which audio clip to play back at any point in time using different approaches, including for example receiving a user selection or randomly selecting audio clips. In some embodiments, the electronic device can intelligently select audio clips based on attributes of the media item, the electronic device operations, or the environment of the electronic device. The attributes can include, for example, metadata values of the media item, the type of ongoing operations of the electronic device, and environmental characteristics that can be measured or detected using sensors of or coupled to the electronic device. Different audio clips can be associated with particular attribute values, such that an audio clip corresponding to the detected or received attribute values are played back.

Abstract: A communication terminal using a flat panel speaker outputs a message of warning, in forms of sound or text shown on display, before outputting sound from the flat panel speaker.

Abstract: Vehicle alarm customization systems and methods are disclosed. An exemplary method includes a vehicle alarm customization system providing a user interface configured to facilitate end-user customization of a vehicle alarm, receiving an end-user selection of an audio content instance via the user interface, accessing data representative of the audio content instance, and customizing the vehicle alarm to sound at least part of the audio content instance in response to a vehicle alarm trigger event.

Abstract: A clickless, text-to-speech enabled browser includes a navigation toolbar having a plurality of button graphics and a web page region which allows for the display of web pages. Each button graphic including a predefined active region, an associated text message related to the command function of the button graphic, and an event handler that invokes text-to-speech software code for automatically speaking the associated text message and then executing the command function associated with the button graphic.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for creating a voice response grammar in a voice response server including identifying presentation documents for a presentation, each presentation document having a presentation grammar. Typical embodiments include storing each presentation grammar in a voice response grammar on a voice response server. In typical embodiments, identifying presentation documents for a presentation includes creating a data structure representing a presentation and listing at least one presentation document in the data structure representing a presentation. In typical embodiments listing the at least one presentation document includes storing a location of the presentation document in the data structure representing a presentation and storing each presentation grammar includes retrieving a presentation grammar of the presentation document in dependence upon the location of the presentation document.

Abstract: An electronic equipment is provided that includes access to a playlist, the content of which identifies a plurality of media objects, and a media player section configured to play the plurality of media objects identified in the playlist in an order. In addition, the electronic equipment includes a shuffler section for altering at least one of the order in which the plurality of media objects in the playlist are played by the media player, or the content of the playlist, in response to a shuffle command. The electronic equipment further includes a motion sensor that detects motion of the electronic equipment, the motion sensor producing an output based on detected motion from which the shuffle command is derived.

Abstract: An information terminal device having a user interface high operationality is provided.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable product for positioning a virtual sound capturing device in a graphical user interface (GUI) are disclosed. The method includes displaying a virtual sound capturing device in relation to a virtual sound producing device in a three dimensional interface and in a two dimensional graphical map. Additionally, the method includes adjusting the display of the virtual sound capturing device in relation to the virtual sound producing device in both the three dimensional interface and the two dimensional graphical map in response to commands received from an input device.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method is performed at an electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface while the device is providing content. The device detects a finger contact at a first location on the surface. The first location and an edge of the surface define a first distance. The finger contact at the first location corresponds to a start of a control adjustment gesture for setting an adjustable parameter for providing content. In response to detecting the start of the control adjustment gesture, the device maps a range of positions associated with the adjustable parameter to correspond to at least a portion of the first distance; detects movement of the finger contact in the control adjustment gesture; and modifies the adjustable parameter for providing content in accordance with the movement of the finger contact in the control adjustment gesture and the mapping of the range of positions.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for generating a spatial user interface for an application, system or device. The user interface includes a means of representing user interface functions or commands as audio signals, with the audio signals being perceived by the user in a spatially different location depending on the function or command. A user input device is provided to enable a user to select a function or command, or to navigate through the spatial representations of the audio signals.

Abstract: An exercise and communications system includes an interactive device, a remote device, and an external device, wherein the interactive device is configured to gather data relating to a user of the system and transmit the same to the remote device, and the remote device is configured to provide analyze the data and transmit a response to the interactive device, which in turn communicates the response to the user and additionally communication with an external device for retrieval of instructions, programs, and data, inter alia. An exercise and communications system facilitates communication between a plurality of users, each having an interactive device and a remote device.

Abstract: A system is described which includes a content retriever to retrieve and format data and a media file playlist generated by the content retriever from the data. The media file playlist includes a playlist entry title identifying a title for a media file, a file name identifying the media file, and a metadata tag containing data for performing an action associated with the file. Examples of the actions that may be performed are calling a phone number or sending an email. The system also includes a text file playlist generated by the content retriever from the text data in XML (extensible markup language). The text file play list includes text-to-speech markup tags indentifying the XML-formatted text file as a text-to-speech conversion file. The system further includes a text-to-speech converter configured to generate at least one audio file playlist from the text file playlist and a configuration module associated with the content retriever configured to accept user input instruction that identify the data.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a remote user interface for an application, such as a video game, executing on a computing device. The system includes a computing device configured to execute a software application and at least one remote user interface (UI) communicatively coupled to the computing device via a data communication network. The remote UI includes at least one hardware device such as a video, audio or user input/output (I/O) device. The computing device is further configured to emulate the hardware device locally and to redirect function calls generated by the software application for the emulated local hardware device to the remote UI for processing by the hardware device.

Abstract: A mobile media device user interface is described. In one or more implementations, output of a plurality of audio content is monitored by a mobile media device. Each of the audio content was received via a respective one of a plurality of broadcast channels by the mobile media device. A user interface is displayed on a display device of the mobile media device, the user interface describing each of the plurality of audio content and the respective broadcast channel from which the audio content was received.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for receiving a PDL File that describes a print job, processing the PDL commands in the file, identifying print settings and printer factors that may affect the entire print job, and reporting such print settings and printer factors. Methods and apparatus are also provided for receiving a PDL File that describes a print job, processing the PDL commands in the file, identifying any objects in the print job that have associated predetermined attributes, and reporting the print objects that have any such predetermined attributes.

Abstract: The system of the present invention includes a media-printing interface that allows users to interact with a multimedia transformation process and format multimedia data to generate a representation of multimedia data. The present invention provides a user interface that permits users to interact with media content analysis and media representation generation. A media analysis software module receives media content analysis instructions from the user through the user interface, and the media analysis software module analyzes and recognizes features of the media content, such as faces, speech, text, etc. The media representation can be generated in a paper-based format, in digital format, and in any other representation formats. The user interface includes a number of fields through which the user can view media content and modify the media representation being generated.

Abstract: An electronic book reader and e-book reading program for a device having network connectivity capability, the program including a voice annotation feature that enables a user reading an electronic book to highlight selected text and to record a voice annotation related to that highlighted material. The highlighted text and related (linked) voice annotation are saved as a “Voice Note” file, which the user can review, sort, or delete as desired.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text in multiple different voices. In some aspects, systems and methods described herein can include receiving a user-based selection of a first portion of words in a document where the document has a pre-associated first voice model and overwriting the association of the first voice model, by the one or more computers, with a second voice model for the first portion of words.

Abstract: Modular auxiliary processor circuitry, capable of performing telematics services, including wireless communications, diagnostic assessment and reporting, location based services, and internetworking, couples with a vehicle head unit through an auxiliary processing module interface. When so coupled, the auxiliary processing module circuitry can perform tasks, services, functions, and aspect that a lower-capability processor of the head unit cannot perform as quickly or as efficiently, if at all. When the auxiliary processor module is coupled and active, its display output can couple to a display device either permanently fixed in the vehicle, or portable and mobile with respect to the vehicle, through conductors or a wireless link.

Abstract: A system for providing auditory feedback to visually impaired users when defining visual models. As the visually impaired user creates a visual model, the system detects when an object is placed in such a way that it overlaps with at least one previously placed object. In response to detection of an overlap, the system causes an auditory warning signal to be produced, indicating to the visually impaired user that object is overlapping a previously placed object. The disclosed system operates to create an invisible object within the user interface to cause a warning to be output, or modifies the object whose placement caused the object overlap to include the overlap warning. The user interface focus is then changed or reset to be on the invisible object or the object that caused the overlap to occur, enabling the user to conveniently fix the overlap condition.

Abstract: A system for assisting an end user to develop a musical composition comprising a data storage medium, a plurality of musical assets stored in the data storage medium, a user interface, and an audio converter module. Each of the plurality of musical assets are associated with a functional attribute and a visual attribute, where the visual attribute provides a visual suggestion to an end user regarding the functional attribute of the musical asset. The user interface is coupled to an audio interface, a display driver and a user input handler; and is capable of rendering a graphical display that enables the end user to select between one or more visual attributes. The audio converter module captures audio recorded by the end-user through the audio interface, processes the audio; and produces a multi-track musical compilation comprised of a plurality of audio tracks mixed together in a manner where the multiple tracks are substantially musically harmonious with one another.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to, but are not limited to, browsing a displayed listing of stored audio content such as music in a music player, PC, or portable electronic device, including MP3 players and mobile phones. Various embodiments of the present invention recognize that to improve the user's browsing experience, the user's selections from the listing should be accompanied by audio effects specifically configured to facilitate the corresponding content navigation. For example, the effects could be that as the currently selected item in the listing changes, an excerpt of the music track (or of a member of the group of music tracks) in the new item (i.e., “new currently-selected” item) in the listing is played with 3D audio effects such that the position from which the music track appears to be playing is in symphony with the new item's movement on the user interface.

Abstract: A speech recognition apparatus that enables efficient multimodal input in setting a plurality of items by one utterance is provided. An input unit inputs a setting instruction by speech. A speech interpretation unit recognizes and interprets the contents of the setting instruction by speech to generate first structured data containing candidates of the interpretation result. An instruction input detecting unit detects a setting instruction input by a user. An instruction input interpretation unit interprets the contents of the setting instruction input to generate second structured data. A selection unit selects one of the interpretation candidates contained in the first structured data based on the second structured data.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a computer system executing a computer program is coupled to multiple secure network domains configured in a multi-level security architecture. The computer program simultaneously establishes a voice connection with a first terminal configured on a first secure network domain and a second terminal configured on a second secure network domain. The computer program may then selectively couple an electroacoustical transducer to the first terminal or the second terminal, and generate an indicator on a user interface indicating the security level of the selected terminal.

Abstract: A method includes displaying a window associated with an application, providing audio content associated with the application, receiving a user input, determining whether the user input corresponds to a window manipulation of the window, where the window manipulation is other than a closing of the window, determining an audio setting that corresponds to a window setting associated with the window manipulation, when it is determined that the user input corresponds to the window manipulation, and outputting the audio content in correspondence to the audio setting.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described that allows edited media to be recorded to a sequential storage device. An edited time based stream of information of a source media is displayed. The edited time based stream is transferred to a sequential storage device to be recorded using an icon where the icon represents a function to be performed on the storage device.

Abstract: Enabling grammars in web page frames, including receiving, in a multimodal application on a multimodal device, a frameset document, where the frameset document includes markup defining web page frames; obtaining by the multimodal application content documents for display in each of the web page frames, where the content documents include navigable markup elements; generating by the multimodal application, for each navigable markup element in each content document, a segment of markup defining a speech recognition grammar, including inserting in each such grammar markup identifying content to be displayed when words in the grammar are matched and markup identifying a frame where the content is to be displayed; and enabling by the multimodal application all the generated grammars for speech recognition.

Abstract: A method for express execution of internet service accessing with a touch-control interface for a computer system is provided. A computer system is installed with a first operating system in a data storage therein. The method includes the following steps: the computer system executing the BIOS of the computer system; before loading and executing the first operating system, the computer system detecting and activating a touch-control display device; the touch-control display device displaying executive item icons representing internet service accessing programs; detecting the executive item icon selection by the user; based on the selection, loading and executing the first operating system; and executing the internet service accessing program corresponding to the selected executive item icon.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for navigation within a set of audiovisual documents in an audiovisual apparatus. At least one document is recorded previously in the apparatus. Next, the apparatus receives a command of association of at least one identifier with the recorded document. Finally, the apparatus receives navigation commands for navigating around the list of recorded documents, the identifier or identifiers associated with the document is automatically reproduced when this document is selected. The invention also relates to an apparatus able to execute a software navigation module for using the process. According to improvements, the identifier is a video sequence, an audio sequence, a text or a still image.

Abstract: Menus within an application may be virtually navigated. While a user is virtually navigating the menus and exploring the user interface (UI) elements using the virtual menus, the system's current focus is maintained. Virtual navigating menus assist a user in learning the commands that are associated with an application. Instead of having to physically navigate to the menus that change the system focus, a user may virtually navigate to a menu to learn what commands or features an application supports. The virtual menus behave just as the regular menu items behave within the application without the state of the application changing.

Abstract: A method and system for marshaling resources needed to search for a missing child, declaring a missing child incident, coordinating a search for the missing child, tracking the progress of the search, locating the missing child, and recovering the missing child.

Abstract: Methods of and apparatuses for providing human interaction with a computer, including human control of three dimensional input devices, force feedback, and force input.

Abstract: A graphical user interface is provided for dynamic gain control that allows a user to view and adjust multiple frequency bands and multiple controllers using a single screen in a simple and visually appealing way. Each controller within each particular frequency band may be easily modified to allow thresholds to begin at different amplitude levels for an input signal. Additionally, textual areas may be provided where the user may enter ratios, attack, and release parameters for each controller.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention involves word recognition that uses scrollable choice lists in which choices are listed in character-order. Another aspect relates to a scrollable, visually-displayed word recognition choice list, where the recognition candidates on the choice list are each associated with a choice-selecting symbol the user can use to select a desired recognition candidate by pressing an associated button, and where the same choice-selecting symbol is used for different choices displayed on the display at different times as a result of scrolling. Another aspect of the invention relates to providing a choice list of best scoring characters for a particular character position in the spelling of a filter that is used to filter word recognition. Another aspect of the invention relates to a choice list used in word recognition in which the choice list can be scrolled horizontally.

Abstract: A method for displaying a gain control interface having a gain level display with non-linear gain levels. The gain level display has a first end having an associated first pixel offset value and a second end having an associated second pixel offset value. A range of pixel offset values span from the first pixel offset value through the second pixel offset value. The method includes receiving a plurality of pixel offset values in the range of pixel offset values, calculating a gain level value for each of the plurality of pixel offset values (whereby a difference between two pixel offset values of two gain level values having a gain level difference is not equal to a difference of two pixel offset values of any other two gain level values having the same gain level difference), and mapping a gain level value to a pixel offset value.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for generating, customizing, distributing, and presenting an interactive audio publication to a user are provided. A plurality of text-based and/or speech-based content items is converted into voice-navigable interactive audio content items that include segmented audio data, embedded visual content, and accompanying metadata. An audio publication is generated by associating one or more audio content items with one or more audio publication sections, and generating metadata that defines the audio publication structure. Assembled audio publications may be used to generate one or more new custom audio publications for a user by utilizing one or more user-defined custom audio publication templates. Audio publications are delivered to a user for presentation on an enabled presentation system. The user is enabled to navigate and interact with the audio publication, using voice commands and/or a button interface, in a manner similar to browsing visually-oriented content.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer program products are described for document session replay for multimodal applications. including identifying, by a multimodal browser in dependence upon a log produced by a Form Interpretation Algorithm (‘FIA’) during a previous document session with a user, a speech prompt provided by a multimodal application in the previous document session; identifying, by a multimodal browser in replay mode in dependence upon the log, a response to the prompt provided by a user of the multimodal application in the previous document session; retrieving, by the multimodal browser in dependence upon the log, an X+V page of the multimodal application associated with the speech prompt and the response; rendering, by the multimodal browser, the visual elements of the retrieved X+V page; replaying, by the multimodal browser, the speech prompt; and replaying, by a multimodal browser, the response.

Abstract: A method for adjusting parameters of an audio device is provided and applied to an adjusting system operated by a user to adjust the audio device. The method includes steps of: executing an application program with the adjusting system; the application program providing a graphical user interface for receiving data wherein the graphical user interface at least includes a plurality of options to be selected; and adjusting a plurality of parameters of the audio device associated with a first option when the first option of the plurality options is selected and outputting a sound by the audio device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that allow for multiple pluggable user interactive system (UIS) applications to be added or removed from a UIS system while maintaining controlled access by users to each currently available application. Users can access the system using multimedia connections, such as voice, text, video, web, etc., and users have access to certain subsets of the available applications depending on their identity. In addition, users can define their own preferences, which places restrictions on which applications they can access from which media. In operation, the system provides the access restrictions and navigation for the applications outside of the application structure.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are disclosed for providing an audio preview of songs and other audio elements. In some embodiments, the electronic device can provide a user-controllable pointer scrollable through various categories, such as different genres or artists. Responsive to each movement of the pointer, the electronic device can select a song from the pointed-to category and can play a portion of the selected song. In other embodiments, music groups can be defined, where each music group includes songs that go well together. The electronic device can play, in succession, a portion of one song from each of the music groups. Responsive to a user selection of a playing portion, the electronic device can create a playlist based on the music group of the selected playing portion.

Abstract: An automated method and system configured to pseudo-shuffle a pool of electronic content items in accordance with various criteria so that playback of all or a subset of the items in the user's collection occur in a pseudo-random order. The shuffled content items may be output to a user or transferred to a device. A list of the shuffled content items is built and may be saved for later use for playback on a PC or portable device. In some instances the list is built without output or download of the content items.

Abstract: Improved techniques and graphical user interfaces that assist users in searching through a group of media items are disclosed. According to one aspect, a search assistant (e.g., search bar) can be graphically presented to a user to assist the user in selecting search criteria. In one embodiment, the search assistant can be automatically presented when a search process is being considered by a user. In another embodiment, the search assistant can be context sensitive so as to adapt to different types of media items.

Abstract: A system for natural language communication with a computer, comprising a database configures to store at least one table the table configured to store associations between concepts in a text string and associated concept identifiers; and a builder interfaced with the database, the builder configured to construct a concept defined by a text string by performing a process comprising the following steps: assigning a unique identifier to the concept, breaking the concept into sub-concepts, assigning a unique identifier to each sub-concept, using legal joins to join sub-concepts into higher order sub-concepts, assigning a unique identifier to the higher-order concepts, and repeating the steps until the higher order sub-concepts join to form the concept, and storing the concept, sub-concepts, higher order sub-concepts and unique identifiers in a table in the database.

Abstract: An audio user interface that generates audio prompts that help a user interact with a user interface of a computing device is disclosed. The audio prompts can provide audio indicators that allow a user to focus his or her visual attention upon other tasks such as driving an automobile, exercising, or crossing a street, yet still enable the user to interact with the user interface. As examples, the audio prompts provided can audiblize the spoken version of a user interface selection, such as a selected function or a selected (e.g., highlighted) menu item of a display menu. The computing device can be, for example, a media player such as an MP3 player, a mobile phone, or a personal digital assistant.