Automated digital voice recorder to personal information manager synchronization

• US 20050028212A1
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Laronne, Shai A., Teplansky, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 7,149,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/86
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/102 Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers access by moving the head G11B3/08, G11B5/54, G11B7/085, G11B21/022; by moving the record carrier G11B15/005, G11B17/005, by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are presented for Automated Digital voice recorder to Personal information manager Synchronization. (ADPS) message creation that allow a user to indicate that an ADPS message is to be created, select and ADPS type selection relating the ADPS message to be created to a type of Personal Information Manager (PIM) application, record audio content for the ADPS message, and create an ADPS message by organizing the ADPS type selection and the audio content into the ADPS message and store the ADPS message in the memory. Apparatus and methods are presented for downloading ADPS messages directly to a target PIM application. Apparatus and methods are presented for uploading configuration modifications and informational lists to the DVR. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract without departing from certain embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of Automated Digital voice recorder to Personal information manager Synchronization (ADPS), comprising:

receiving at least one voice file containing audio content and related descriptive information from a digital voice recorder (DVR);

reading information in the voice file that associates audio content within the voice file with a personal information manager (PIM) application; and

processing the voice file by transferring the voice file to at least one PIM application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the audio content through at least one enhancement filter to create at least one of enhanced audio and text content prior to transferring the voice file to a PIM application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the enhancement filter comprises at least one of a transcription filter, an enhanced audio filter, and a transcoding filter.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reformatting the voice file to interface the voice file with a PIM application thereby creating a reformatted voice file;

transferring the reformatted voice file to the PIM application.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising copying the reformatted voice file to a DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA).

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising sending a command to the DVR instructing the DVR to delete the voice file from the DVR.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising creating a log entry to record transferring the reformatted voice file to the PIM application and copying the reformatted voice file to the DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA).

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising copying the voice file to a DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA).

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a command to the DVR instructing the DVR to delete the voice file from the DVR.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing the audio content through at least one enhancement filter to create at least one of enhanced audio content and text;

reformatting the voice file along with the at least one of enhanced audio content and text to interface the voice file with a PIM application thereby creating a reformatted voice file;

transferring the reformatted voice file to a PIM application;

copying the reformatted voice file to a DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA);

deleting the voice file from the DVR; and

creating a log entry to record transferring the reformatted voice file to the PIM application and copying the reformatted voice file to the DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA).

11. A computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a process of:

receiving at least one voice file containing audio content and related information from a digital voice recorder (DVR);

reading information in the voice file that associates audio content within the voice file with a personal information manager (PIM) application; and

processing the voice file by transferring the voice file to at least one PIM application.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, further storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a process of:

processing the audio content through at least one enhancement filter to create enhanced audio content prior to transferring the voice file to a PIM application.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, further storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a process of:

reformatting the voice file along with the enhanced audio content to interface the voice file with a PIM application thereby creating a reformatted voice file.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a process of transferring the reformatted voice file to a PIM application.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a process of copying the reformatted voice file to a DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA).

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a process of sending a command to the DVR instructing the DVR to delete the voice file from the DVR.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further creating a log entry to record transferring the reformatted voice file to the PIM application and copying the reformatted voice file to the DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA).

18. An apparatus for Automated Digital voice recorder to Personal information manager Synchronization (ADPS), comprising:

an interface that receives at least one voice file containing audio content and related information from a digital voice recorder (DVR);

a memory; and

a programmed processor that reads information in the voice file that associates audio content within the voice file with a personal information manager (PIM) application, that processes the voice file by transferring the voice file to at least one PIM application.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the programmed processor further stores the voice file in the memory.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the programmed processor processes the audio content using at least one enhancement filter to create enhanced audio content prior to transferring the voice file to a PIM application.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the enhancement filter comprises at least one of a transcription filter, an enhanced audio filter, and a transcoding filter.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the programmed processor:

reformats the voice file to interface the voice file with a PIM application to create a reformatted voice file; and

transfers the reformatted voice file to the PIM application.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the programmed processor copies the reformatted voice file to a DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA).

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the programmed processor sends a command to the DVR instructing the DVR to delete the voice file from the DVR.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the programmed processor creates a log entry to record transferring the reformatted voice file to the PIM application and copying the reformatted voice file to the DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA).

26. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the programmed processor copies the voice file to a DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA).

27. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the programmed processor sends a command to the DVR instructing the DVR to delete the voice file from the DVR.

28. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the programmed processor creates a log entry to record transferring the voice file to the at least one PIM application.

29. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the programmed processor:

stores the voice file in the memory;

processes the audio content through at least one enhancement filter to create enhanced audio content;

reformats the voice file along with the enhanced audio content to interface the voice file with a PIM application to create a reformatted voice file;

transfers the reformatted voice file to a PIM application;

copies the reformatted voice file to a DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA);

sends a command to the DVR instructing the DVR to delete the voice file from the DVR; and

creates a log entry to record transferring the reformatted voice file to the PIM application and copying the reformatted voice file to the DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA).

30. A method of Automated Digital voice recorder to Personal information manager Synchronization (ADPS), comprising:

retrieving at least one voice file from a Personal Information Manager (PIM) application wherein the voice file contains data plus information relating the data to the PIM;

if the data comprises text, processing the text by transforming the text to speech format; and

processing the voice file by transferring the voice file to a Digital Voice Recorder (DVR).

31. The method of claim 30, transforming the text to speech format by processing the text using a text-to-speech filter.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

if the data comprises speech, determining if the data encoding complies with a format used on the DVR; and

converting the data to the format used on the DVR if the data is not encoded in the format used on the DVR prior to transferring the voice file to the DVR.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein converting the data comprises:

processing the audio content through at least one filter to reformat the audio content to comply with a format used on the DVR and to create a reformatted audio content; and

replacing the audio content in the voice file with the reformatted audio content prior to transferring the voice file to the DVR.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the filter comprises a transcoder filter.

35. The method of claim 30 further comprising determining whether the voice file will fit in available memory on the DVR prior to transferring the voice file to the DVR.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising:

transcoding the audio content of the voice file to a lower bit rate to allow it to fit in the available memory on the DVR to create a transcoded audio content prior to transferring the voice file to the DVR; and

replacing the audio content in the voice file with the transcoded audio content prior to transferring the voice file to the DVR.

37. The method of claim 30, further comprising copying the voice file to a DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA).

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising deleting the voice file from the PIM.

40. The method of claim 32, further comprising prior to transferring the voice file to the DVR:

determining whether the data encoding complies with a format used on the DVR;

processing the audio content through at least one filter to reformat the audio content to comply with a format used on the DVR;

determining whether the voice file will fit in available memory on the DVR;

transcoding the audio content of the voice file to a lower bit rate to allow it to fit in the available memory on the DVR;

copying the voice file to a DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA); and

deleting the voice file from the PIM.

41. A computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out the process of:

receiving at least one voice file from a Personal Information Manager (PIM) application wherein the voice file contains audio content plus information relating the audio content to the PIM; and

processing the voice file by transferring the voice file to a Digital Voice Recorder (DVR).

42. The computer readable medium of claim 41, further storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a process of

determining whether the audio content encoding within the voice file complies with a format used on a DVR prior to transferring the voice file to the DVR;

and

if the encoding of the audio content does not comply with a format used on the DVR;

processing the audio content through at least one filter to reformat the audio content to comply with a format used on the DVR and to create a reformatted audio content; and

replacing the audio content in the voice file with the reformatted audio content prior to transferring the voice file to the DVR.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein the filter comprises at least one of a transcoder filter and a text-to-speech filter.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 41, further storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a process of

determining whether the voice file will fit in available memory on the DVR prior to transferring the voice file to the DVR;

and

if the voice file will not fit in available memory on the DVR;

transcoding the audio content of the voice file to a lower bit rate to allow it to fit in the available memory on the DVR and to create a transcoded audio content; and

replacing the audio content in the voice file with the transcoded audio content prior to transferring the voice file to the DVR.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 41, further storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a process of copying the voice file to a DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA).

46. The computer readable medium of claim 45, further storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a process of deleting the voice file from the PIM.

47. An apparatus for Automated Digital voice recorder to Personal information manager Synchronization (ADPS), comprising:

an interface that enables file transfer to a Digital Voice Recorder (DVR); and

a programmed processor that transfers at least one voice file containing audio content and related information from a Personal Information Manager (PIM) application across the interface to the DVR.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the programmed processor further:

determines whether encoding of the audio content within the voice file complies with a format used on the DVR prior to transferring the voice file to the DVR; and

if the encoding of the audio content does not comply with a format used on the DVR;

processes the audio content through at least one filter to reformat the audio content to comply with a format used on the DVR and to create a reformatted audio content; and

replaces the audio content in the voice file with the reformatted audio content prior to transferring the voice file to the DVR.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the filter comprises at least one of a transcoder filter and a text-to-speech filter.

50. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the programmed processor further:

determines whether the voice file will fit in available memory on the DVR prior to transferring the voice file to the DVR; and

if the voice file will not fit in available memory on the DVR;

transcodes the audio content of the voice file to a lower bit rate to allow it to fit in the available memory on the DVR to create a transcoded audio content; and

replaces the audio content in the voice file with the transcoded audio content prior to transferring the voice file to the DVR.

51. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the programmed processor further copies the voice file to a DVR Dedicated Software Application (DSA).

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the programmed processor further deletes the voice file from the PIM.

53. A method of Automated Digital voice recorder to Personal information manager Synchronization (ADPS) message creation comprising:

receiving a signal from a user interface that an ADPS message is to be created;

receiving an ADPS type selection relating the ADPS message to be created to a type of Personal Information Manager (PIM) application;

receiving a start command signal from the user interface to begin recording audio content for the ADPS message to be created;

receiving a stop command signal from the user interface to stop recording the audio content for the ADPS message to be created; and

creating an ADPS message by organizing the ADPS type selection and the audio content into the ADPS message.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising receiving information related to the ADPS type selection.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the type of PIM application comprises one of an email PIM application, a schedule PIM application, and a task manager PIM application, a time management PIM application, a responsibility tracking PIM application, an address management PIM application, a to-do list PIM application, and a calendar PIM application.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein an order of presenting the application type to a user is varied according to a command that reorders the list of PIM applications.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein a list of possible addressees for an ADPS message is received.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein if the type of PIM application is the email PIM application, a user is presented with the list of possible addressees to receive the email and can select at least one of the addressees as part of the information related to the ADPS type selection.

59. The method of claim 54 wherein the information related to the ADPS type selection comprises at least one of a date for an event, a time for the event, a date for the event to start, a date for the event to stop, a time for the event to start, a time for the event to stop, a priority for the event, and an addressee for the ADPS message.

60. The method of claim 54, further comprising organizing the information related to the ADPS type selection with the ADPS type selection and the audio content to create an ADPS message.

61. The method of claim 53, wherein creating the ADPS message comprises:

storing the ADPS type selection to form an ADPS header; and

storing the audio content with the ADPS header to form the ADPS message.

62. The method of claim 54, wherein creating the ADPS message comprises:

storing an indicating of an ADPS message;

storing the ADPS type selection;

storing the information related to the ADPS type selection with the indication of the ADPS message and the ADPS type selection to form an ADPS header; and

storing the audio content with the ADPS header to form the ADPS message.

63. The method of claim 54, wherein creating the ADPS message comprises:

storing the ADPS type selection;

storing the information related to the ADPS type selection with the ADPS type selection to form-an ADPS header; and

storing the audio content with the ADPS header to form the ADPS message.

64. The method of claim 53, further comprising receiving a computer identifier selection to identify a computer to synchronize with.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the computer identifier selection comprises at least one of a business computer and a personal computer.

66. The method of claim 53, wherein a list of possible computers to synchronize with is received.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein a user is presented with the list of possible computers to synchronize with and can select at least one of the computers as the computer to synchronize with.

68. A computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out the process of:

receiving a signal from a user interface that an ADPS message is to be created;

receiving an ADPS type selection relating the ADPS message to be created to a type of Personal Information Manager (PIM) application;

receiving a start command signal from the user interface to begin recording audio content for the ADPS message to be created;

receiving a stop command signal from the user interface to stop recording the audio content for the ADPS message to be created; and

creating an ADPS message by organizing the ADPS type selection and the audio content into the ADPS message.

69. An apparatus for Automated Digital voice recorder to Personal information manager Synchronization (ADPS) message creation comprising:

a microphone;

an analog to digital converter that converts analog microphone input signals to audio content in a digital format;

a memory;

a user interface; and

a programmed processor that receives an indication that an ADPS message is to be created, an ADPS type selection relating the ADPS message to be created to a type of Personal Information Manager (PIM) application, a start signal to begin recording audio content for the ADPS message to be created, and a stop signal to stop recording the audio content for the ADPS message to be created from the user interface; and

that creates an ADPS message by organizing the ADPS type selection and the audio content into the ADPS message and storing the ADPS message in the memory.

70. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the type of PIM application comprises one of an email PIM application, a schedule PIM application, and a task manager PIM application, a time management PIM application, a responsibility tracking PIM application, an address management PIM application, a to-do list PIM application, and a calendar PIM application.

71. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the programmed processor further receives information related to the ADPS type selection.

72. The apparatus of claim 71 wherein the information related to the ADPS type selection comprises at least one of a date for an event, and a time for the event, a date for the event to start, a date for the event to stop, a time for the event to start, a time for the event to stop, a priority for the event, and an addressee for the ADPS message.

73. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the programmed processor further organizes the information related to the ADPS type selection with the ADPS type selection and the audio content to create an ADPS message.

74. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein to create the ADPS message, the programmed processor further:

stores the ADPS type selection in the memory to form an ADPS header; and

stores the audio content with the ADPS header in the memory to form the ADPS message.

75. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein to create the ADPS message, the programmed processor further:

stores the indicating of the ADPS message received from the user interface in the memory;

stores the ADPS type selection in the memory;

stores the information related to the ADPS type selection with the indication of the ADPS message and the ADPS type selection in the memory to form an ADPS header; and

stores the audio content with the ADPS header in the memory to form the ADPS message.

76. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein to create the ADPS message, the programmed processor further:

stores the ADPS type selection in the memory;

stores the information related to the ADPS type selection with the ADPS type selection in the memory to form an ADPS header; and

stores the audio content with the ADPS header in the memory to form the ADPS message.

77. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the analog to digital converter further converts spoken commands into a digital format as part of the user interface and wherein the apparatus further comprises a voice recognition unit that can interpret the spoken commands and generate the indications, selections, and signals received by the programmed processor during ADPS message creation.

78. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the analog to digital converter further converts spoken commands into a digital format as part of the user interface and wherein the apparatus further comprises a voice recognition unit that can interpret the spoken commands and generate the indications, selections, signals, and information related to the ADPS type selection received by the programmed processor during ADPS message creation.

79. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the programmed processor receives a computer identifier selection to identify a computer to synchronize with.

80. The apparatus of claim 79, wherein the computer identifier selection comprises at least one of a business computer and a personal computer.

81. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the programmed processor receives a list of possible computers to synchronize with.

82. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein a user is presented with the list of possible computers to synchronize with and can select at least one of the computers as the computer to synchronize with.

83. A computer data signal embodied in a bit stream communicated between a Digital Voice Recorder (DVR) and a host computer, comprising:

a segment of data representing a digital voice message; and

a header containing information that defines an association between the digital voice message and a personal information manager (PIM).

84. The computer data signal according to claim 83, wherein the header contains a message type field that determines if the digital voice message is an ADPS (Automated Digital voice recorder to Personal information manager Synchronization) message or a non-ADPS message, wherein ADPS messages have an association with a PIM program.

85. The computer data signal according to claim 84, wherein, if the digital voice message is designated as an ADPS message, the header contains an ADPS type field that defines a specific PIM program associated with the digital voice message.

86. The computer data signal according to claim 85, wherein the specific PIM program comprises at least one of an email program, a schedule program, a task manager program, time management, responsibility tracking, address management, to-do list, and a calendar program.

87. The computer data signal according to claim 85, further comprising at least one parameter field containing parameters associated with the specific PIM program.

88. The computer data signal according to claim 83, wherein the header contains a log field that identifies logged events associated with the digital voice message.

89. The computer data signal according to claim 83, wherein the data signal is carried from the DVR to the host over a communication interface.

90. The computer data signal according to claim 89, wherein the communication interface comprises one of a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a serial interface, a parallel interface, an IEEE-1394 compliant interface, an infrared interface, an Ethernet interface, and a wireless interface.

91. The computer data signal according to claim 83, wherein information representing the data signal resides on a computer readable storage medium.

92. An apparatus for Automated Digital voice recorder to Personal information manager Synchronization (ADPS), comprising:

means for receiving at least one voice file containing audio content and related information from a digital voice recorder (DVR);

means for reading information in the voice file that associates audio content within the voice file with a personal information manager (PIM) application; and

means for processing the voice file by transferring the voice file to at least one PIM application.

93. The apparatus of claim 92, further comprising means for storing the voice file in a memory.

94. The apparatus of claim 92, further comprising means for processing the audio content using at least one enhancement filter to create enhanced audio content prior to transferring the voice file to a PIM application and wherein the enhancement filter comprises at least one of a transcription filter, an enhanced audio filter, and a transcoding filter.

95. The apparatus of claim 92, further comprising means for creating a log entry to record transferring the voice file to the PIM application.

96. An apparatus for Automated Digital voice recorder to Personal information manager Synchronization (ADPS) message creation comprising:

means for receiving an analog audio signal;

means for converting the analog audio signal into audio content in a digital format;

means for receiving an indication that an ADPS message is to be created;

means for receiving an ADPS type selection relating the ADPS message to be created to a type of Personal Information Manager (PIM) application;

means for receiving a start signal to begin recording audio content for the ADPS message to be created;

means for receiving a stop signal to stop recording the audio content for the ADPS message to be created; and

means for creating an ADPS message by organizing the ADPS type selection and the audio content into the ADPS message and storing the ADPS message in a memory.

97. The apparatus of claim 96, wherein the type of PIM application comprises one of an email PIM application, a schedule PIM application, and a task manager PIM application, a time management PIM application, a responsibility tracking PIM application, an address management PIM application, a to-do list PIM application, and a calendar PIM application.

98. The apparatus of claim 96, wherein the programmed processor further receives information related to the ADPS type selection and wherein the information related to the ADPS type selection comprises at least one of a date for an event, and a time for the event, a date for the event to start, a date for the event to stop, a time for the event to start, a time for the event to stop, a priority for the event, and an addressee for the ADPS message.

99. The apparatus of claim 96, further comprising means for voice recognition that can interpret spoken commands and generate the indications, selections, and signals during ADPS message creation.

100. The apparatus of claim 96, further comprising means for voice recognition that can interpret spoken commands and generate the indications, selections, signals, and information related to the ADPS type selection received during ADPS message creation.