Mobile device having voice user interface, and a methode for testing the compatibility of an application with the mobile device

• US 20060052080A1
• Filed: 07/17/2002
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Vitikainen, Timo, Boda, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/403
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/227 of the speaker; Human-factor methodology
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A mobile device or MS having voice user interface (UI) as part of its multimodal input/output capabilities is provided with a storage area for storing a profile indicating the voice UI capabilities. The profile indicates the automatic speech recognition, text-to-speech, vocabulary and grammar capabilities, amongst others. An application, such as a diary program or one allowing entry into a lotto, is initialized on the MS with reference to the profile. When the application is run, the profile is referred to such that parts of the application which are appropriate to the profile are run whilst those which are inappropriate to the profile are not run. Alternatively, the application may be run on a voice UI application server forming part of a base station. An emulator for testing an application using a profile of a target device is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

maintaining a profile of voice user interface capabilities associated with the device;

storing an application having voice user interface features on the device or on a server in communication with the device;

examining at least part of the profile; and

using voice user interface features of the application which are appropriate to the profile and refraining from using inappropriate features.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising prior to the using step:

initialising the application using information included in the profile.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the maintaining step includes maintaining information relating to any combination of vocabulary, dialogue, automatic speech recognition and text-to-speech synthesis capabilities.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the maintaining step includes maintaining information relating to grammar capabilities, for example whether statistical or context free grammar capabilities are associated with the device.

5. A method as claimed in claim in claim 1, in which the using step includes referring to definitions forming part of the application, and using those definitions with at least part of the profile to determine which parts of the application are appropriate to the profile.

6. A mobile device, comprising:

a storage device for maintaining a profile of voice user interface capabilities associated with the device;

a reader for examining at least part of the profile; and

an application runner arranged to run an application using voice user interface features of the application which are appropriate to the profile and to refrain from using inappropriate features.

7. A mobile device as claimed in claim 6, comprising an initialiser, arranged to use information included in the profile to initialise the application.

8. A mobile device as claimed in claim 6, in which the profile includes information relating to any combination or vocabulary, dialogue, automatic speech recognition and text-to-speech synthesis capabilities.

9. A mobile device as claimed in claim 6, in which the profile includes information relating to grammar capabilities, for example whether statistical or context free grammar capabilities are associated with the device.

10. A mobile device as claimed in of claim 6, in which the application runner is arranged to refer to definitions forming part of the application, and to compare these definitions with at least part of the profile to determine which parts of the application are appropriate to the profile.

11. A system comprising:

a mobile device having voice user interface capabilities; and

a server, capable of communicating with the mobile device,

the server being arranged to examine at least part of a profile voice user interface capabilities associated with the mobile device, and to run an application using voice user interface features of the application which are appropriate to the profile and to refrain from using inappropriate features.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11, in which the server comprises an initialiser, arranged to use information included in the profile to initialise the application.

13. A system as claimed in claim 11, in which the profile includes information relating to any combination of vocabulary, dialogue, automatic speech recognition and text-to-speech synthesis capabilities.

14. A system as claimed in claim 11, in which the profile includes information relating to grammar capabilities, for example whether statistical or context free grammar capabilities are associated with the device.

15. A system as claimed in claim 11, in which the server is arranged to refer to definitions forming part of the application, and to use these definitions with at least part of the profile to determine which parts of the application are appropriate to the profile.

16. A method of testing the compatibility of an application with a mobile device, the method comprising:

maintaining a profile of voice user interface capabilities associated with the device;

controlling an emulator to emulate the voice user interface features of the device using at least part of the profile; and

running the application on the emulator.

17. Apparatus for testing the compatibility of an application with a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:

a reader for reading at least part of a profile of voice user interface capabilities associated with the device; and

an emulator for emulating the voice user interface features o£

the device using the at least part of the profile, and for running the application.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, in which the profile is stored on the apparatus.