Ever wanted to buy a record but can’t remember its name? Lawson Wood from Arlington, Virginia, is applying for a patent on a system that enables people to identify and buy music online by humming or singing part of the tune (US 2004/49540).
His music-downloading website stores a library of sample tracks. Speech-recognition software then compares sounds sung into a microphone with these tracks. When the site finds a potential match, it sends a short, low-quality snippet back to the customer. If the match is correct, you can pay to download the track.
