Apple files voice-recognition patent

New devices from Apple Inc. may soon respond to individual users' voice commands, after the iPhone/iPad maker filed a new patent application for a "user profiling for voice input processing." The application, filed August 25, aims to have an Apple device identify the user providing the voice input, to make the device more responsive to complex voice commands. "In particular, this is directed to receiving a voice input and identifying the user providing the voice input ... For example, the subset can include one or more words related to media items selected by the user for storage on the electronic device, names of the user’s contacts, applications or processes used by the user, or any other words relating to the user’s interactions with the device," said the abstract of the patent application. A separate article on tech site CNET said this may be useful to make a playlist, or call a friend. It said such a technology would allow the user to “find my most played song with a 4-star rating and create a Genius playlist using it as a seed." CNET said Apple’s interest in voice commands is not new, as it bought Siri in April 2010. Siri had created an app that let users operate their iPhone with voice commands. It said Apple is expected to deeply integrate voice navigation technology from Siri into the upcoming iOS 5. — TJD, GMA News