Audio user interface

摘要

An audio user interface that provides audio prompts that help a user interact with a user interface of an electronic 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. An intelligent path can provide access to different types of audio prompts from a variety of different sources. The different types of audio prompts may be presented based on availability of a particular type of audio prompt. As examples, the audio prompts may include pre-recorded voice audio, such as celebrity voices or cartoon characters, obtained from a dedicate voice server. Absent availability of pre-recorded or synthesized audio data, non-voice audio prompts may be provided.

主权项

1. A method performed by a media player for providing an audio user interface to a user of the media player, the method comprising:
receiving input indicative of an interaction of the user with a user interface associated with the media player; determining that an audio prompt is to be outputted; determining whether a communication channel to a voice prompt server remote from the media player is available to the media player; if the communication channel to the voice prompt server is available, receiving a prepared audio prompt from the voice prompt server; if the communication channel to the voice prompt server is not available, synthesizing a new audio prompt; and outputting at least a portion of one of the prepared audio prompt or the new audio prompt at the media player.