Patent ID: 8151300

Claim:
A smart audio guide system for use in conjunction with a content distribution network of a content distributor that includes a distribution head-end to distribute programming available for viewing on a video display device at a viewer subsystem, the viewer subsystem including an audio unit to provide audio for the video display unit, the smart audio guide system comprising: a recommendation system, coupled to the head-end and the viewer subsystem by a communications network, the recommendations system comprising: a customized viewing profile; a customized viewing recommendation list; and a recommendation engine for providing the customized viewing-recommendations list for the viewer subsystem based upon programming data maintained at the distribution head of the content distributor and the customized viewing profile and viewer content selection history associated with a user of the viewer subsystem; an audio generating system, disposed at and coupled to the head-end, the audio generating system comprising: a smart audio guide audio package retrieved from the head end of the content distributor that includes at least a plurality of smart audio guide audio clips corresponding to each program included in the programming data maintained at the distribution head of the content distributor; and a smart guide actuator that is configured and operative in response to one or more predetermined conditions to activate the rendering of the smart audio guide audio clips and the customized viewing-recommendations list, wherein the plurality of smart audio guide audio clips are generated at the head-end of the content distributor by the audio generating system and are stored in a database at the head-end; and an interface device coupled to the viewer subsystem, the interface device implementing an electronic program guide smart audio guide system functions, wherein said interface device is configured and operative to cause the electronic program guide to display a recommended program listing at the viewer subsystem based upon the customized viewing-recommendations list, the interface device further configured to retrieve, from the audio generating system, smart audio guide audio clips corresponding to the programs in the recommended program listing, wherein the retrieved smart audio guide audio clips are uttered in a predetermined mode at the viewer subsystem via the audio unit when activated to identify the programs in the recommended program listing for viewing at the viewer subsystem based upon the customized viewing-recommendations list, and wherein the plurality of smart audio guide audio clips are uttered and a corresponding visual presentation of the information is modified respectively to synchronize the uttering of each of the plurality of smart audio guide audio clips with a corresponding visual presentation of a matching program in the recommended programming list.