Apparatus and method for outputting message alerts

• US 10,171,402 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2013
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Song, Myeong-Seok, Hwang, Mi-A
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Application Number:
  US14/079,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20140310360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,875 Days
• Field of Search: 709202-207, 455466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages

Abstract

An apparatus for outputting a message alert is provided, comprising a processor configured to: receive a message; determine whether the message includes an attachment file; and responsive to determining that the message includes the attachment file, output sound contained in the attachment file as a message alert for the message.

Claims

1. An apparatus for outputting a message alert, comprising:

a memory storing an alert sound, a contact and a keyword;

an audio processor for processing audio information; and

a processor configured to;

in response to receiving a message including an attached alert sound, determine whether to output the stored alert sound or an attached alert sound as an alert for the received message, by;

comparing a sender of the message to the stored contact to determine whether the sender and the stored contact match,

in response to determining that the sender matches the stored contact, parsing the message including the attached alert sound using a speech-to-text recognition to extract text from at least the attched alert sound, and detecting whether the extracted text includes the stored keyword, and

in response to determining that the extracted text does not include the stored keyword, outputting the attached alert sound as the alert for the received message using the audio processor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stored alert sound is selected as the alert for the received message in response to one or more of:

detecting that the received message does not include any attached alert sound;

detecting that the sender does not match the stored contact; and

detecting that the extracted text matches the stored keyword.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein determining whether to output the stored alert sound or the attached alert sound further comprises:

detecting whether the received message includes an indication that the attached alert sound is to be used as the alert for the received message,

wherein the stored alert sound is selected when the received message does not include any indication, and the attached alert sound is selected when the received message does include the indication.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores a predetermined location, the processor is further configured to:

detect a current location of the apparatus; and

detect whether the current location is within a threshold distance from the predetermined location,

wherein the attached alert sound is selected when the current location is within the threshold distance, and the stored alert sound is selected when the current location is out of the threshold distance.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein memory further stores a predetermined time period, the processor further configured to:

detect a current time when the message is received; and

detecting whether the current time is disposed within the predetermined time period,

wherein the attached alert sound is selected when the current time is disposed within the predetermined time period, and the stored alert sound is selected when the current time is disposed out of the predetermined time period.

6. A method for outputting a message alert, comprising:

storing in a memory an alert sound, a contact and a keyword;

processing audio information by an audio processor; and

in response to receiving a message including and attached alert sound, determining whether to output the stored alert sound or an attached alert sound as an alert for the received message, by;

comparing a sender of the message to the stored contact to determine whether the sender and the stored contact match,

in response to determining that the sender matches the stored contact, parsing the message including the attached alert sound using a speech-to-text recognition to extract text from at least the attached alert sound, and detecting whether the extracted text includes the stored keyword, and

in response to determining that the extracted text does not include the stored keyword, outputting the attached alert sound as the alert for the received message using the audio processor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the stored alert sound is selected as the alert for the received message in response to one or more of:

detecting that the received message does not include any attached alert sound;

detecting that the sender does not match the stored contact; and

detecting that the extracted text matches the stored keyword.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein determining whether to output the stored alert sound or the attached alert sound further comprises:

detecting whether the message includes an indication that the attached alert sound is to be used as the alert for the received message,

wherein the stored alert sound is selected when the received message does not include any indication, and the attached alert sound is selected when the received message does include the indication.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing a predetermined location in the memory,

detecting a current location of an electronic device; and

detecting whether the current location is within a threshold distance from the predetermined location,

wherein the attached alert sound is selected when the current location is within the threshold distance, and the stored alert sound is selected when the current location is out of the threshold distance.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing a predetermined time period;

detecting a current time when the message is received; and

detecting whether the current time is disposed within the predetermined time period,

wherein the attached alert sound is selected when the current time is disposed within the predetermined time period, and the stored alert sound is selected when the current time is disposed out of the predetermined time period.