IP Library Granted Patent US 10,972,799
Granted Patent B2
US 10,972,799 · App. 16/388,078 · Granted Apr 6, 2021

Media presentation device with voice command feature

Inventors: John R. Burbank (New York, NY); Kurt Roman Thielen (Maple Grove, MN)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04N21/47815G10L15/26H04N21/23892H04N21/6581
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,972,799
App. No.
16/388,078
Granted
Apr 6, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A media presentation device determines a voice command associated with media content presented by the media presentation device. The media presentation device then listens for and detects utterance of the determined voice command during presentation of the media content, and the media presentation device responds to the detected utterance by performing an action that facilitates user purchase of the good or service associated with the media content segment.

Claims (47)

1. A method comprising:

presenting, by a media presentation device, media content;

determining, by the media presentation device, a voice command associated with the media content, wherein determining the voice command associated with the media content comprises (i) extracting a watermark from the media content, (ii) transmitting the extracted watermark to a server, and (iii) responsive to transmitting the extracted watermark to the server, receiving from the server, information relating to the media content, wherein the information comprises the voice command associated with the media content;

making a determination, by the media presentation device, that, during the presenting of the media content, a user of the media presentation device uttered the determined voice command; and

responsive to making the determination, performing, by the media presentation device, an action to facilitate the user purchasing of a good or service associated with the media content.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media presentation device comprises at least one of a television or a set-top box.

3. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the media content comprises a media content segment selected from the group consisting of a television advertisement segment and a television program segment,

wherein the media content segment includes or references the good or service, and

wherein making the determination that the user uttered the determined voice command during the presenting of the media content comprises determining that the user uttered the determined voice command during the presenting of the media content segment.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

enabling, by the media presentation device, a listening mode in which the media presentation device listens for utterance of the determined voice command through a microphone during the presenting of the media content segment.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

disabling, by the media presentation device, the listening mode upon completion of the presenting of the media content segment.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

while the listening mode is enabled, presenting, by the media presentation device, a message related to at least one of the voice command or the listening mode.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the action to facilitate the user purchasing the good or service associated with the media content segment comprises at least one of:

(i) presenting information about the good or service;

(ii) prompting the user for input;

(iii) adding the good or service to an electronic shopping cart; or

(iv) processing purchase of the good or service.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the watermark is a psycho-acoustically masked watermark.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein making the determination that the user of the media presentation device uttered the determined voice command during the presenting of the media content comprises:

detecting, via a microphone associated with the media presentation device, that the determined voice command was uttered during the presenting of the media content.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the microphone is in a remote control that is in wireless communication with the media presentation device, and wherein detecting via the microphone that the determined voice command was uttered during the presenting of the media content comprises:

determining that audio received by the microphone represents utterance of the voice command.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

presenting, by the media presentation device, information confirming performance of the action.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

logging, by the media presentation device, a record of the performed action.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a media presentation device to perform operations comprising:

presenting media content;

determining a voice command associated with the media content, wherein determining the voice command associated with the media content comprises (i) extracting a watermark from the media content, (ii) transmitting the extracted watermark to a server, and (iii) responsive to transmitting the extracted watermark to the server, receiving from the server, information relating to the media content, wherein the information comprises the voice command associated with the media content;

making a determination that, during the presenting of the media content, a user of the media presentation device uttered the determined voice command; and

responsive to making the determination, performing an action to facilitate the user purchasing of a good or service associated with the media content.

14. A media presentation device comprising:

a communication interface;

a user interface;

a processing unit;

non-transitory data storage; and

program instructions stored in the non-transitory data storage and executable by the processing unit to cause the media presentation device to carry out operations including:

presenting media content,

determining a voice command associated with the media content, wherein determining the voice command associated with the media content comprises (i) extracting a watermark from the media content, (ii) transmitting the extracted watermark to a server, and (iii) responsive to transmitting the extracted watermark to the server, receiving from the server, information relating to the media content, wherein the information comprises the voice command associated with the media content,

making a determination that, during the presenting of the media content, a user of the media presentation device uttered the determined voice command, and

responsive to making the determination, performing an action to facilitate the user purchasing of a good or service associated with the media content.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the watermark is a psycho-acoustically masked watermark.

16. The media presentation device of claim 14 , wherein the watermark is a psycho-acoustically masked watermark.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063605/0001 →
RELEASE (REEL 053473 / FRAME 0001) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063603/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063574/0632 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063561/0381 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063560/0547 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENTS LISTED ON SCHEDULE 1 RECORDED ON 6-9-2020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053473 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Oct 7, 2020
From: A.C. NIELSEN (ARGENTINA) S.A.; A.C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A
Reel/Frame 054066/0064 →
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 9, 2020
From: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NIELSEN UK FINANCE I, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053473/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 18, 2019
From: BURBANK, JOHN R.; THIELEN, KURT ROMAN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 048930/0868 →