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Title: |
US4569026:
TV Movies that talk back
[ Derwent Title ]

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Country: |
US United States of America

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Inventor: |
Best, Robert M.; Seattle, WA 98155

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Assignee: |
None

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Published / Filed: |
1986-02-04
/ 1984-10-31

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Application Number: |
US1984000666921

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IPC Code: |
Advanced:
A63F 13/00;
G09B 7/04;
G10L 21/06;
G11B 27/10;
H04N 5/00;
H04N 5/765;
Core:
G09B 7/00;
G10L 21/00;
more...
IPC-7:
G06F 15/44;
G10L 1/00;
G11B 31/00;

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ECLA Code: |
A63F13/00; G09B7/04; G10L21/06L; G11B27/10; H04N5/00; H04N5/765; K63F300/10V; K63F300/63; K63F300/63B; K63F300/80R; K63F300/60S;

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U.S. Class: |
Current:
715/716;
345/473;
348/097;
348/E05.001;
352/005;
367/198;
381/110;
386/E05.002;
434/323;
463/035;
704/246;
704/258;
704/E21.02;
715/727;
715/810;
715/978;
G9B/027.017;
Original:
364/521;
340/725;
352/005;
358/102;
358/903;
364/410;
434/323;
381/043;
367/198;

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Field of Search: |
364/410,415,521,900
340/148,725
358/093,102,903
360/72.2
381/043,51
367/198

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Priority Number: |
| 1984-10-31 |
US1984000666921 |
| 1979-02-05 |
US1979000009533 |

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Abstract: |
A video entertainment system by which human viewers conduct simulated voice conversations with screen actors or cartoon characters in a branching story game shown on a television screen. The actors and cartoon characters reply responsively with lip-sync sound to words spoken by viewers. Different audio and video frames are generated from a videodisc and data memory to provide one of several alternative replies or alternative actions at each branch point in the game, depending on what the viewer says to a speech-recognition unit. A simple speech-recognition unit can be used because the number of words to be recognized at each branch point is restricted to just a few words. A menu of prompting words is displayed on a hand-held unit to inform viewers of what words they can use at each branch point. The prompting words are programmed to be phonetically distinct to be easily distinguishable from each other. Viewers can input questions or make other remarks by speaking a displayed code word which stands for a whole sentence. Pressing a button next to a sentence displayed on the hand-held unit may cause a recording of the displayed sentence to be played in lieu of a viewer speaking it. Viewers can chat with simulated images of famous people, call the plays in a ball game, make executive decisions as a king or general, and participate in simulated adventures with interesting game characters who respond to each viewer's words and answer back responsively.

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Attorney, Agent or Firm: |
Graybeal & Cullom ;

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Primary / Asst. Examiners: |
Gruber, Felix D.;

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INPADOC Legal Status: |
Show legal status actions
Family Legal Status Report

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Parent Case: |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 571,838 filed Jan. 19, 1984, now abandonded which is a continuation of Ser. No. 377,861 filed May 13, 1982, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,187 which is a continuation of Ser. No. 159,141 filed June 13, 1980 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,152, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 136,100 filed Mar. 31, 1980 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,131, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 009,533 filed Feb. 5, 1979, abandoned.

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Designated Country: |
DE FR GB IT NL SE

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Family: |
Show 8 known family members

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First Claim:
Show all 36 claims |
I claim the following:
1. A video apparatus for simulating a voice conversation between a human viewer of the apparatus and a talking video character, the apparatus comprising:
- first means for controlling reading of video frames from a record carrier means to provide a first video frame sequence associated with a plurality of alternative second video frame sequences, wherein the video frames include representations of the talking character;
- second means for controlling reading of video frames from a record carrier means to provide access to at least one of said alternative second video frame sequences before the end of said first video frame sequence;
- means for generating audio representations of voice sounds during said video frame sequences to provide one side of the simulated voice conversation;
- means for communicating to said human viewer during said first video frame sequence a plurality of alternative words corresponding to said alternative second video frame sequences and for eliciting from said viewer a spoken response that includes one of the alternative words, thereby selecting a second video frame sequence;
- voice recognition means for analyzing said spoken response and determining therefrom which selected second video frame sequence corresponds to said spoken response; and
- means for switching at the end of said first video frame sequence between the video frames from said first reading means to the video frames from said second reading means to provide said selected second video frame sequence accompanied by voice sounds corresponding to said selected second video frame sequence, thereby simulating a voice conversation between the talking character and the human viewer.

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Background / Summary: |
Show background / summary

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Drawing Descriptions: |
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Description: |
Show description

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Forward References: |
Show 148 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one

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U.S. References: |
Go to Result Set:
All U.S. references
| Forward references (148)
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Backward references (24)
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Citation Link

Buy PDF |
Patent |
Pub.Date |
Inventor |
Assignee |
Title |
| |
US3601530 |
1971-08 |
Edson |
Laboratories; Bell Telephone |
VIDEO CONFERENCE SYSTEM USING VOICE-SWITCHED CAMERAS
|
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US3662374 |
1972-05 |
Harrison et al. |
Computer Image Corporation |
AUTOMATIC GENERATION OF A MOUTH DISPLAY AND ANIMATION OF THE MOUTH IN RESPONSE TO SOUND
|
| |
US3721757 |
1973-03 |
Ettlinger |
|
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY EDITING TELEVISION INFORMATION
|
 |
US3742143 |
1973-06 |
Awipi |
Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated |
LIMITED VOCABULARY SPEECH RECOGNITION CIRCUIT FOR MACHINE AND TELEPHONE CONTROL
|
| |
US3747087 |
1973-07 |
Harrison et al. |
Computer Image corporation |
DIGITALLY CONTROLLED COMPUTER ANIMATION GENERATING SYSTEM
|
| |
US3778058 |
1973-12 |
Rausch |
|
METHOD OF EMPLOYING A TELEVISION RECEIVER FOR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
|
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US3825674 |
1974-07 |
Justice |
Westinghouse Electric Corporation |
EDUCATIONAL TV BRANCHING SYSTEM
|
 |
US3878560 |
1975-04 |
Ramage |
Westinghouse Electric Corporation |
Signal processing and reproducing method and apparatus for single video frame reproduction with associated audio
|
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US3883850 |
1975-05 |
Martin et al. |
Threshold Technology, Inc. |
Programmable word recognition apparatus
|
 |
US3928724 |
1975-12 |
Byram et al. |
Andersen, Byram, Kouma, Murphy, Lockard & Carney |
Voice-actuated telephone directory-assistance system
|
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US3939579 |
1976-02 |
Andrews et al. |
International Business Machines Corporation |
Interactive audio-visual instruction device
|
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US3943295 |
1976-03 |
Martin |
Threshold Technology, Inc. |
Apparatus and method for recognizing words from among continuous speech
|
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US3946157 |
1976-03 |
Dreyfus |
|
Speech recognition device for controlling a machine
|
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US3960380 |
1976-06 |
Yokoi |
Nintendo Co., Ltd. |
Light ray gun and target changing projectors
|
 |
US3974482 |
1976-08 |
Balashov et al. |
|
Storage and display apparatus
|
 |
US3987484 |
1976-10 |
Bosche et al. |
Cincinnati Electronics Corporation |
Programmed presentation system
|
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US4016540 |
1977-04 |
Hyatt |
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Apparatus and method for providing interactive audio communication
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US4059841 |
1977-11 |
Bricot et al. |
Thomson-Brandt |
Optical read-out system including asymetrical beam intensity and four detector cells
|
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US4060915 |
1977-12 |
Conway |
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Mental image enhancement apparatus utilizing computer systems
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US4075620 |
1978-02 |
Passavant et al. |
GTE Sylvania Incorporated |
Video display system
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US4116444 |
1978-09 |
Mayer et al. |
Atari, Inc. |
Method for generating a plurality of moving objects on a video display screen
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US4130881 |
1978-12 |
Haessler et al. |
Searle Medidata, Inc. |
System and technique for automated medical history taking
|
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US4158750 |
1979-06 |
Sakoe et al. |
Nippon Electric Co., Ltd. |
Speech recognition system with delayed output
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US4210785 |
1980-07 |
Huber |
Bell & Howell Company |
Tape replay system
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Foreign References: |
None

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Other References: |
Yasaki: Voice Recognition Comes of Age, Datamation, Aug. 1976, pp. 65-68.
(4 pages)
Cited by 6 patents
Martin: One Way to Talk to Computers, IEEE Spectrum, May 1977, pp. 35-39.
(5 pages)
Cited by 7 patents
Cavanagh: Educational Institutional Features of the Optical Videodisc System, Journal of the SMPTE, vol. 86, Apr. 1977, pp. 201-203.
(9 pages)
Cited by 9 patents
Wells: Random Selection and Brouching in the Godison Picture Audio Visual Field, Journal of the SMPTE, Nov. 1970, vol. 79, 983/990.
Cited by 4 patents
Suppes: The Use of Computers in Education, Scientific American, vol. 215, Sep. 1966, pp. 207/220.
Kenney: Special Purpose Application of the Optical Video-Disc System, IEEE Transcription on Consumer Electronics, Nov. 1976, pp. 327-338.
(12 pages)
Cited by 13 patents
Disney: "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", 1979, Viking Press, New York, pp. 11, 18-19, 134 (Magic Mirror sequences).
Finch: "The Art of Walt Disney", Abrams, New York, 1975, pp. 65-68.

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