Voice-controlled wireless communications system and method

• US 20030045279A1
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vocera Communications, Inc. (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Vocera Communications, Inc. (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Shostak, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 6,901,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/387 using subscriber identification cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42204 Arrangements at the exchange for service or number selection by voice at the terminal H04M1/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks

Abstract

A wireless communication system has a central computer, one or more wireless access points and one or more personal badges that communicate wirelessly with the one or more wireless access points. The badges provide the user with a communications device that permits the user to initiate telephone calls and conferences, receive telephone calls, receive pages and be located within a particular environment.

Claims

1. A wireless communications system, comprising:

a central computer;

one or more wireless access points connected to the central computer by a computer network, each access point having a coverage area;

a badge that communicate using a wireless protocol with one of the wireless access points that the badge is within the coverage area of, the badge further comprising a microphone that receives voice commands and spoken words from a user and a speaker that generates audible signals heard by the user; and

wherein a telephone call is initiated by a voice command from the user into the microphone of the badge and the telephone call is carried out using the microphone and speaker of the badge.

2. The wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein the badge further comprises a pager receiver that permits the user to receive communication signals while the badge is not within any of the coverage areas of any of the access points.

3. The wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein the server further comprises a computer network interface for communicating with the access points, a telephone interface for communicating with a telephone system and a central processing unit that executes software code that implements the communications system.

4. The wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein the server further comprises a computer network interface for communicating with the access points, a telephone interface for communicating with a telephone system and a communications unit wherein the communications unit further comprises a voice command interpreter that interprets the voice commands from the user of a badge to generate commands, a call manager, responsive to the commands from the voice command interpreter, that manages the incoming and outgoing telephone calls over the telephone system over the telephone interface, and a connection manager, responsive to the commands from the voice command interpreter, that manages the wireless communications with the access points.

5. The wireless communications system of claim 1+3, wherein the server further comprises an administrator that permits a user to access the communications system and alter one or more configuration settings of the system.

6. The wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein the badge further comprises a wireless transceiver that communicates with the access point, a display unit for capable of displaying text messages and menus to the user of the badge, a user input device for entering commands into the badge.

7. The wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein the wireless protocol comprises Bluetooth, wherein the badge further comprises a Bluetooth transceiver and wherein each access point comprises a Bluetooth transceiver.

8. The wireless communications system of claim 1, wherein the wireless protocol comprises a IEEE 802.11 compliant standard, wherein the badge further comprises an IEEE 802.11 transceiver and wherein each access point comprises an IEEE 802.11 transceiver.

9. A wireless communications system, comprising:

computer means for controlling the operation of the wireless communications system;

wireless access point means connected to the computer means by a computer network having one or more access points, each access point having a coverage area;

hands-free communications means that communicates using a wireless protocol with one of the wireless access points that the hands-free communications means is within the coverage area of, the hands-free communications means further comprising means for receiving voice commands from the user and means for generating audible signals heard by the user; and

wherein a telephone call is initiated by a voice command from the user into the receiver means of the hands-free communications means and the telephone call is carried out using the receiver means and generator means of the hands-free communications means.

10. The wireless communications system of claim 9, wherein the hands-free communications means further comprises a pager receiver that permits the user to receive communication signals while the badge is not within any of the coverage areas of any of the access points.

11. The wireless communications system of claim 9, wherein the computer means further comprises means for communicating with the access points, means for communicating with a telephone system and a processor means for executing software code that implements the communications system.

12. The wireless communications system of claim 9, wherein the computer means further comprises means for communication with a computer network for communicating with the access points, means for communicating with a telephone system and a communications unit wherein the communications unit further comprises means for interpreting the voice commands from the user of a hands-free communications means to generate commands, means, responsive to the commands from the interpreter means, for managing the incoming and outgoing telephone calls over the telephone system, and means, responsive to the commands from the interpreter means, for managing the wireless communications with the access points.

14. The wireless communications system of claim 9, wherein the hands-free communications means further comprises a wireless transceiver that communicates with the access point, a display unit for capable of displaying text messages and menus to the user of the badge, a user input device for entering commands into the badge.

15. The wireless communications system of claim 9, wherein the wireless protocol comprises Bluetooth, wherein the badge further comprises a Bluetooth transceiver and wherein each access point comprises a Bluetooth transceiver.

16. The wireless communications system of claim 9, wherein the wireless protocol comprises a IEEE 802.11 compliant standard, wherein the badge further comprises an IEEE 802.11 transceiver and wherein each access point comprises an IEEE 802.11 transceiver.

13. The wireless communications system of claim B+3, wherein the computer means further comprises means for permitting a user to access the communications system and alter one or more configuration settings of the system.

17. A wireless communications unit for hands-free communication with a wireless communications system, the unit comprising:

a central processing unit that controls the operations of the unit;

a microphone connected to the central processing unit that receives voice commands and spoken words from a user;

a speaker connected to the central processing unit that generates audible signals heard by the user;

a wireless transceiver connected to the central processing unit that communicates with the wireless communication system using a wireless protocol; and

wherein a telephone call is initiated by a voice command from the user into the microphone of the unit and the telephone call is carried out using the microphone and speaker of the unit.

18. The unit of claim 17 further comprising a display unit for capable of displaying text messages and menus to the user of the unit and a user input device for entering commands into the unit.

20. The unit of claim 17, wherein the wireless protocol comprises Bluetooth.

21. The unit of claim 17, wherein the wireless protocol comprises a IEEE 802.11 compliant standard.

19. The unit of claim D+1 further comprising a pager receiver that permits the user to receive communication signals while the badge is not within any of the coverage areas of any of the access points.

22. A wireless communications unit for hands-free communication with a wireless communications system, the unit comprising:

means for receiving voice commands and spoken words from a user;

means for generating audible signals heard by the user;

wireless communications means that communicates with the wireless communication system using a wireless protocol;

means for controlling the operation of the receiving means, the generating means and the wireless communications means; and

wherein a telephone call is initiated by a voice command from the user into the microphone of the unit and the telephone call is carried out using the microphone and speaker of the unit.

23. The unit of claim E further comprising means for displaying text messages and menus to the user of the unit and means for entering commands into the unit.

24. The unit of claim E+1 further comprising means for permitting the user to receive communication signals while the badge is not within any of the coverage areas of any of the access points.

25. The unit of claim E, wherein the wireless protocol comprises Bluetooth.

26. The unit of claim E, wherein the wireless protocol comprises a IEEE 802.11 compliant standard

27. A method for locating a user of a wireless communications system wherein the wireless communications system has a central computer connected to one or more access points which communicate wirelessly with one or more badges associated with a user, the method comprising:

receiving a request to locate a particular user of the wireless communications system;

determining the access point currently being used for communications by the badge of the particular user; and

generating a location indicator for the particular user wherein the location indicator is the name and location of the access point being used by the particular user.