Interactive Audio Playback Using User Signals for Content Enrichment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing interactive digital services lack the ability to easily provide users with more or less enriched audio content based on their needs, leading to inefficient use of server resources and telecommunications network time.

Innovation Solution

A method for reproducing audio content within an interactive digital service that detects user interactions to generate discrete instructions for determining context parameters, allowing for the adaptation of audio content to a higher or lower level of information based on a finite set of predetermined instructions, independent of the digital service type.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If voice-controlled media player is used to analyze user's explicit verbal expressions, then user needs can be determined, but the solution becomes excessively complex and computationally intensive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to determine user needsVSAvoidcomplexity of voice analysis system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential interaction signals from user behavior (play/pause, forward/backward navigation) and uses these simplified signals to determine content enrichment needs, rather than analyzing complete verbal expressions. This extraction approach reduces complexity while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of analyzing user verbal expressions to determine needs (complex approach), the patent inverts the approach by having the system propose content variations and observing user interaction patterns with these proposals (simple approach). This inversion simplifies the determination mechanism while preserving adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of operation

If enriched audio content is provided to meet user needs, then user experience is improved, but server resources and network usage time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser experience qualityVSAvoidserver resources and network usage
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by providing enriched content only when user interaction signals indicate a need for more information, rather than providing enriched content universally. This selective approach improves user experience for those who need it while conserving server and network resources for others.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from user interaction signals (play/pause actions, navigation patterns) to dynamically determine when enriched content should be provided. This feedback mechanism ensures content enrichment occurs only when beneficial, optimizing the balance between user experience and resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4348985B1Apparatus and method for rendering audio content as part of an interactive digital service
Publication Date: 2025.12.17 ORANGE SA
  • EP4348985B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4348985B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4348985B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for rendering audio content as part of an interactive digital service, implemented by an electronic audio content-rendering device embedded in an audio content-rendering apparatus, the method comprising, following obtainment and rendition of an item of audio content, detection (E412) of an interaction between a user and the rendering apparatus; and, in response to the detection, generation (E413) and transmission (E414) of an instruction (ins) to an electronic audio content-providing device (130, 110D) so that it determines at least one parameter for obtaining a following item of audio content (F2) expected by the user as part of the digital service; and transmission of the instruction triggering the rendition (E416) of the following item of audio content (F2).