System and method for providing multi-modal bookmarks

• US 20030032456A1
• Filed: 08/02/2002
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mind Fusion, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Kirusa Inc.
• Inventors: Sibal, Sandeep, Mumick, Inderpal Singh
• Granted Patent: US 8,238,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/36 Memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

A system for enabling multi-modal bookmarks comprises a bookmark repository coupled to two browsers. A user bookmarks content using a first browser, and a bookmark is stored in the bookmark repository. The user subsequently uses a second browser and requests that the bookmark be de-referenced to point the second browser to the bookmarked content. The second browser accesses the bookmark in the content repository and is directed to the bookmarked content. The first and second browsers may be visual and voice browsers that render Wireless Markup Language (WML) and Voice Extensible Markup Language (VXML) content, respectively, wherein a mapping is provided that links a given piece of visual content to an equivalent piece of voice content.

Claims

1. A system for accessing a plurality of content items available in two modes, the system comprising:

a bookmark repository which receives, from a first browser, data indicative of a first of the content items and an identifier, which stores said data and said identifier, which receives from a second browser a request to access content associated with said identifier, and which communicates said data to said second browser, wherein said first browser enables the browsing of said content items in a first of the two modes, and wherein said second browser enables the browsing of said content items in a second of said two modes different from said first of said two modes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first of the two modes comprises a visual mode, and wherein said second of the two modes comprises a voice mode.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the bookmark repository further stores annotative data descriptive of said first of the content items.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the bookmark repository further stores information indicative of a preferred mode in which to access said first of the content items.

5. A method of accessing content comprising:

accessing a first content item in a first mode;

saving a bookmark to said first content item; and

using the bookmark to access a second content item in a second mode different from the first mode, wherein the second content item contains information in the second mode that corresponds to information in the first mode contained by the first content item.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a one of the first and second modes comprises a voice mode, and wherein the other one of the first and second modes comprises a visual mode.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

specifying a preferred mode to access the information represented by the first content item.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

providing a textual annotation describing the bookmark.

9. A method of providing content comprising:

receiving a request to save a bookmark for a content item;

storing an indication of the content item;

receiving a request for content pointed to by the bookmark, the request indicating a mode of interaction;

identifying a pointer that corresponds to the content item in the indicated mode; and

providing the pointer to a browser.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the mode comprises either a visual mode or a voice mode.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the bookmark indicates a preferred mode.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

overriding the preferred mode in accordance with the request.