Method and system for embedding voice notes

• US 20040181413A1
• Filed: 03/02/2004
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Blum, Jeff, Lui, Charlton E., Parks, Michael Jay, Paulson, Kevin Phillip
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,343 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/32 on separate auxiliary tracks of the same or an auxiliary record carrier

Abstract

A method of embedding voice data in a computing system includes detecting a record event and detecting if a software application currently running on the computing system is voice-aware. The method also includes embedding the voice data within associated data in the software application, if the software application is voice-aware. If the software application is not voice-aware, the method also includes triggering a voice note application to record and store the voice data. A method in a computing system for modifying a user interface displayed on a display device includes receiving an indication from the computing device to modify the user interface. The method further includes displaying an identification block, a record toolbar, a note pad, and a note tab.

Claims

1. A method of embedding voice data in a computing system, the method comprising:

detecting a record event;

detecting if a software application currently running on the computing system is voice-aware;

if the software application is voice-aware, embedding the voice data within associated data in the software application; and

if the application is not voice-aware, triggering a voice note application to record and store the voice data.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein detecting a record event comprises detecting activation of a hardware record button.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein detecting a record event comprises detecting activation of a software record button.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein detecting if a software application comprises detecting if a top-level software application is voice-aware.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

after said act of detecting a record event, recording voice data.

6. A method according to claim 5 further comprising:

after said act of recording, buffering voice data.

7. A method according to claim 5 further comprising:

after said act of recording voice data, detecting whether a memory size of the voice data exceeds a maximum memory size.

8. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

before said act of detecting if a software application, detecting whether the record event was a power-up event;

if the event was a power-up event, triggering a voice note application to record and store the voice data; and

if the event was not a power-up event detecting if a software application currently running on the computing system is voice-aware.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein said act of embedding comprises

providing an indication to the user that a voice note is embedded.

10. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

after said act of embedding, locking a connection to the software application.

11. A method according to claim 10 further comprising:

after said act of locking, communicating a status to the software application.

12. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

before said act of embedding, receiving recording specifications from the software application.

13. A method according to claim 12 further comprising:

after said act of receiving recording specifications, modifying a user interface of the software application.

14. A computer program product readable by a computing system and encoding instructions for a computer process for embedding a voice note in a computing system, the computer process comprising:

detecting a user activating a record button;

detecting if a software application currently active on the computing system is voice-aware;

if the software application is voice-aware, embedding the voice note within associated data in the software application; and

if the application is not voice-aware, triggering a voice note application to record and store the voice note.

15. A computer process according to claim 14 wherein detecting a user comprises

detecting activation of a hardware record button.

16. A computer process according to claim 14 wherein detecting a user comprises

detecting activation of a software record button.

17. A computer process according to claim 14 wherein detecting if a software application comprises detecting if a top-level software application is voice-aware.

18. A computer process according to claim 14 further comprising:

after said act of detecting a user, recording voice data.

19. A computer process according to claim 18 further comprising:

after said act of recording, buffering the voice data.

20. A computer process according to claim 18 further comprising:

after said act of recording voice data, detecting whether a memory size of the voice data exceeds a maximum memory size.

21. A computer process according to claim 14 further comprising:

before said act of detecting if a software application, detecting whether the activating of a record button was a power-up event;

if the event was a power-up event, triggering a voice note application to record and store the voice note; and

if the event was not a power-up event detecting if a software application currently active on the computing system is voice-aware.

22. A computer process according to claim 14 wherein said act of embedding comprises providing an indication to the user that the voice note is embedded.

23. A computer process according to claim 14 further comprising:

after said act of embedding, locking a connection to the software application.

24. A computer process according to claim 23 further comprising:

after said act of locking, communicating a status to the software application.

25. A computer process according to claim 14 further comprising:

before said act of embedding, receiving recording specifications from the software application.

26. A computer process according to claim 25 further comprising:

after said act of receiving recording specifications, modifying a user interface of the software application.

27. A system for embedding voice data in a computing system, the system comprising:

a detect module that detects a record event;

a top-level module that detects if a software application currently running on the computing system is voice-aware;

an embed module that embeds the voice data within associated data in the software application, if the software application is voice-aware; and

a trigger module that triggers a voice note application to record and store the voice data, if the application is not voice-aware.

28. A system according to claim 27 wherein the detect module detects activation of a hardware record button.

29. A system according to claim 27 wherein the detect module detects activation of a software record button.

30. A system according to claim 27 wherein the top-level module detects if a top-level software application is voice-aware.

31. A system according to claim 27 further comprising:

a record module that records voice data.

32. A system according to claim 27 further comprising:

a buffer module that buffers voice data.

33. A system according to claim 27 further comprising:

a size module that detects whether a memory size of the voice data exceeds a maximum memory size.

34. A system according to claim 27 further comprising:

a power-up module that detects whether the record event was a power-up event;

if the event was a power-up event, the power-up module triggers a voice note application to record and store the voice data.

35. A system according to claim 27 further comprising:

an icon module that provides an indication to the user that a voice note is embedded.

36. A system according to claim 27 further comprising:

a lock module that locks a connection to the software application.

37. A system according to claim 27 further comprising:

a communication module that communicates a status to the software application.

38. A system according to claim 27 further comprising:

a specifications module that receives recording specifications from the software application.

39. A system according to claim 27 further comprising:

a modify module that modifies a user interface of the software application.

40. A method in a computing system for modifying a user interface displayed on a display device, the method comprising:

receiving an indication from the computing device to modify the user interface;

displaying an identification block;

displaying a record toolbar;

displaying a note pad; and

displaying a note tab.

41. A method according to claim 40, wherein the step of displaying an identification block includes displaying information regarding a currently running application in the identification block.

42. A method according to claim 40, wherein the step of displaying a record toolbar includes displaying a record button, a stop button, a play button, a fast forward button, and a rewind button.

43. A method according to claim 42, wherein the step of displaying a record toolbar further includes displaying a status bar indicating a relative length of a recording.

44. A method according to claim 41, wherein the step of displaying a note pad includes displaying both text data and an icon referring to an embedded voice note.

45. A method according to claim 41, wherein the step of displaying a note tab includes displaying a note tab to provide an indication to a user that the user is in a record portion of a currently running application.

46. A display device having rendered thereon a user interface for displaying an embedded voice note, comprising:

an identification block;

a record tool bar;

a note pad; and

a note tab.

47. A display device according to claim 46, wherein the identification block includes information regarding a currently running application.

48. A display device according to claim 46, the record tool bar includes a record button, a stop button, a play button, a fast forward button, and a rewind button.

49. A display device according to claim 48, wherein the record toolbar further includes a status bar indicating a relative length of a recording.

50. A display device according to claim 46, wherein the note pad includes both text data and an icon referring to an embedded voice note.

51. A display device according to claim 46, wherein the note tab includes an indication to a user that the user is in a record portion of a currently running application.