Wireless communications device that records voice messages

• US 20040203627A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Loomis, Robert Courtney
• Application Number:
  US10/347,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203627A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64

Abstract

A method of indicating that a voice message to be transmitted by transmitting device is to be recorded by a receiving device includes receiving a selection that causes the transmitting device to enter a voice-messaging mode. The method also includes receiving a voice message from a user and generating a nonaudible signal that indicates to the receiving device that the voice message is to be recorded by the receiving device.

Claims

1. A method of indicating that a voice message to be transmitted by transmitting device is to be recorded by a receiving device, the method comprising:

receiving a selection that causes the transmitting device to enter a voice-messaging mode;

receiving the voice message from a user; and

generating a nonaudible signal that instructs a receiving device to record the voice message.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising transmitting the voice message along with the nonaudible signal to the receiving device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the transmitting device receiving a signal from a push-to-talk actuator while receiving the voice message from the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the nonaudible signal is at least one tone that is transmitted concurrently with the voice message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the tone includes a frequency outside of the range of frequencies used by the transmitting device to convey the voice message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the nonaudible signal is at least one tone that is transmitted prior to transmitting the voice message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a series of the at least one tone is transmitted prior to transmitting the voice message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the nonaudible signal is a digitally encoded instruction.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a second nonaudible signal is transmitted, the second nonaudible signal instructing the receiving device to perform one or more of the following:

erase a message, replace a first message with a second message, play a second message prior to playing a first message.

10. In a receiving device, a method for recording a voice message, comprising:

receiving a nonaudible signal that instructs the receiving device to record an accompanying voice message;

receiving the voice message over a communications channel;

converting the received voice message to a digital format; and

storing the voice message in a memory.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the nonaudible signal is received concurrently with the voice message.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the nonaudible signal includes at least one tone at a frequency outside of the range of frequencies used by the receiving communications device to reproduce the voice message.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the nonaudible signal is received as a preamble to receiving the voice message.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the nonaudible signal is a series of at least one tone, the series being received prior to receiving the voice signal.

15. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising displaying an annunciation that a voice message has been stored in the memory.

16. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising the step of reproducing the voice message by way of a speaker.

17. A wireless transmitting device, comprising:

a selector that places the wireless transmitting device into a messaging mode; and

a nonaudible signal generator, coupled to the selector that generates a signal that instructs a wireless receiving device to record an accompanying voice signal.

18. The wireless transmitting device of claim 17, wherein the nonaudible signal generator generates at least one tone at a frequency in the 0 to 300 Hertz range.

19. The wireless transmitting device of claim 17, wherein the nonaudible signal generator generates two or more tones that are chorded together.

20. The wireless transmitting device of claim 17, wherein the nonaudible signal generator generates a series of two or more tones that are chorded together.

21. The wireless transmitting device of claim 17, wherein the nonaudible signal generator generates a digitally encoded message.

22. The wireless transmitting device of claim 17, additionally comprising a frequency modulator that converts the nonaudible signal and the accompanying voice signal to a frequency modulated signal.

23. The wireless communications device of claim 17, additionally comprising a code division multiple access (CDMA) modulators that converts the nonaudible signal and the accompanying voice signal to a CDMA signal.

25. The receiving device of claim 23, additionally comprising an annunciator that notifies a user of the receiving device that a voice message has been stored in memory.

26. The receiving device of claim 25, wherein the annunciator is a vibrating device that can be sensed by the user.

24. A receiving device that stores received voice messages, comprising:

a filter that separates a received composite signal into a voice signal and a nonaudible instruction;

a signal processor that converts the nonaudible signal into a computer instruction; and

a computer processor that stores the voice message in a memory in response to receiving the computer instruction.

27. The communications device of claim 24, wherein the signal processor converts a second nonaudible signal into a second computer instruction, the second computer instruction causing the computer processor to perform one or more of the group consisting of:

erasing a first stored voice message, replace a first stored voice message with a second stored voice message, and playing a second stored message prior to playing a first stored message.

28. A transmitting device that transmits voice messages to a receiving device, the transmitting device comprising:

means for accepting a voice message from a user;

means for receiving a selection from the user; and

means for instructing the receiving device to record a voice message transmitted by the transmitting device, the means for instructing being activated by the means for receiving a selection from the user, wherein

the transmitting device and the receiving device communicate without the use of an intervening communications infrastructure.

29. The transmitting device of claim 28, wherein the means for instructing the receiving device to record a voice message includes a means for generating a nonaudible signal for transmission concurrently with the voice message.

30. The transmitting device of claim 28, wherein the means for instructing the receiving device to record a voice message includes a means for generating a preamble for transmission prior to transmitting a voice message

31. The transmitting device of claim 30, further comprising a means for notifying the user that the preamble is transmitting, and that the user should refrain from speaking into the means for accepting a voice message.

32. A receiving device that records voice messages received from a transmitting device, comprising;

means for receiving a composite signal;

means for separating a nonaudible signal from a voice message included in the composite signal, the nonaudible signal instructing the receiving device to record the voice message; and

means for recording the voice message, wherein

the transmitting device and the receiving device communicate without an intervening infrastructure.

33. The receiving device of claim 32, wherein the means for separating a nonaudible signal from a voice message includes an audio filter that separates one or more tones from the voice message.

34. The receiving device of claim 32, wherein the means for separating a nonaudible signal from a voice message includes an audio filter that separates one or more digitally-encoded instructions from the voice message.

35. The receiving device of claim 32, wherein the means for separating a nonaudible signal from a voice message includes a timing element that routes the nonaudible signal to a signal processor during the duration of the preamble.