RULES-BASED AUDIO INTERFACE
An apparatus includes an input interface receives information corresponding to content of audio information received via one or more audio transducers and a control circuit that operably couples to that input interface. The control circuit automatically analyzes the information to identify at least one action cue contained in the information and then obtains a first set of rules that define a plurality of at least four different automated order placement actions as a function of action cues contained in the information and preselected user permissions. The control circuit then generates a specific automated order placement action by evaluating the at least one action cue contained in the information against the first set of rules. The control circuit then applies the specific automated order placement action.
1 . An apparatus for use with one or more audio transducers, the apparatus comprising:
an input interface configured to receive information corresponding to content of audio information received via the one or more audio transducers;
a control circuit operably coupled to the input interface and configured to: automatically analyze the information to identify at least one action cue contained in the information;
obtain a first set of rules that define a plurality of at least four different automated order placement actions as a function of action cues contained in the information and preselected user permissions;
generate a specific automated order placement action by evaluating the at least one action cue contained in the information against the first set of rules;
apply the specific automated order placement action.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least four different automated order placement actions include:
automatically ordering a particular product for a particular user without any order-specific user permission;
automatically presenting a prepared order for the particular product to the particular user for user acceptance;
automatically alerting the particular user regarding availability of the particular product via a non-order fulfillment context.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the action cue that prompts selection of one of the four different automated order placement actions set forth in claim 2 comprises verbal content other than order-placing content.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the action cue comprises order-placement content corresponding to a third party order-placement service.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the at least four different automated order placement actions include:
automatically presenting a counter offer corresponding to the order-placement content.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate the specific automated order placement action by also evaluating partiality vectors for a consumer who comprises a party to the audio information.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further configured to automatically delete at least part of the information subsequent to analyzing the information to identify the at least one action cue contained in the information.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured to automatically analyze the information to identify at least one action cue contained in the information by, at least in part, comparing verbal content in the information with verbal content previously correlated with corresponding ordering actions.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the automated order placement actions includes presenting visual information pertaining to a particular offered product.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the visual information constitutes an image of the particular offered product as that product appears in a customer-accessible area of a particular retail shopping facility.
11 . A method for use with an input interface configured to receive information corresponding to content of audio information received via one or more audio transducers, the method comprising:
via a control circuit operably coupled to the input interface:
automatically analyzing the information to identify at least one action cue contained in the information;
obtaining a first set of rules that define a plurality of at least four different automated order placement actions as a function of action cues contained in the information and preselected user permissions, wherein the at least four different automated order placement actions include:
automatically ordering a particular product for a particular user without any order-specific user permission;
automatically presenting a prepared order for the particular product to the particular user for user acceptance;
automatically alerting the particular user regarding availability of the particular product via a non-order fulfillment context;
automatically presenting a counter offer corresponding to order-placement content that corresponds to a third party order-placement service;
generating a specific automated order placement action by evaluating the at least one action cue contained in the information against the first set of rules;
applying the specific automated order placement action.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein automatically analyzing the information to identify at least one action cue contained in the information comprises detecting an identifier for the third party order-placement service.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the action cue that prompts selection of one of the four different automated order placement actions set forth in claim 12 comprises verbal content other than order-placing content.
14 . The method of claim 11 wherein the first set of rules provide for presenting the counter offer only when the counter offer is more favorable than the order that comprises the order-placement content that corresponds to the third party order-placement service.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein automatically presenting the counter offer comprises presenting the counter offer in a manner that interrupts a user's completion of the order placement with the third party order-placement service.
16 . The method of claim 11 wherein generating the specific automated order placement action further comprises evaluating partiality vectors for a consumer who comprises a party to the audio information.
17 . The method of claim 11 further comprising:
automatically deleting at least part of the information subsequent to analyzing the information to identify the at least one action cue contained in the information.
18 . The method of claim 11 wherein automatically analyzing the information to identify at least one action cue contained in the information comprises, at least in part, comparing verbal content in the information with verbal content previously correlated with corresponding ordering actions.
19 . The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of the automated order placement actions includes presenting visual information pertaining to a particular offered product.
20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the visual information constitutes an image of the particular offered product as that product appears in a customer-accessible area of a particular retail shopping facility.