IVR to SMS text messenger

• US 20070025529A1
• Filed: 07/01/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Romeo, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,526,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.140
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13336 Store & forward, messaging systems email H04Q2213/13375
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13378 Speech recognition, speech analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

Wireless service providers use SMS to notify users of text messages from other wireless users using text-based communications. SMS is used in conjunction with an Interactive Voice Response system and a text-to-speech (TTS) translator to provide enhanced text messaging. Users access the SMS menu on their wireless phone. Instead of typing a text message on the wireless phone keypad, users select an IVR option that connects to the wireless service provider'"'"'s IVR system. After entering or speaking the telephone number (name or nickname) for the “To:” field, the user speaks the message to be sent via SMS. The IVR reads back the spoken message for user confirmation. Once confirmed, the message is translated to text using a Text-to-Speech translator, or a speech recognition dictation feature, and forwarded to the SMS Messaging Gateway. Alternative embodiments are adapted for use with traditional wireline phones, so that the caller calls the wireless service provider'"'"'s IVR system, enters the destination number and speaks the message to be sent. Further embodiments provide for the recipient of the message to optionally have the text message spoken via a TTS feature.

Claims

1. A machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform one or more steps of a method for communicating a text message from a first telecommunications terminal to a second telecommunications terminal in a telecommunications network, the method comprising:

opening an SMS menu selected by the user of the first terminal;

activating an IVR option selected from the SMS menu by the user, wherein the IVR prompts the user to supply spoken input, the input comprising a spoken message;

translating the spoken message to text with a translator; and

transmitting the text to the second terminal over the network.

2. The medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the IVR speaking the text message for the user to confirm the content of the message prior to transmission.

3. The medium of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a wireless network.

4. The medium of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a PSTN.

5. The medium of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a wireline network.

6. The medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises activating a text-to-speech translator selected by the user of the second terminal whereby the translator speaks the text message to the user of the second terminal.

7. The medium of claim 1, wherein the input comprises the telephone number of the second terminal.

8. The medium of claim 1, wherein the input comprises the name of the subscriber of the second terminal.

9. The medium of claim 1, wherein at least one of the terminals is a cell phone.

10. The medium of claim 1, wherein the first terminal is a wireline telephone and the second terminal is a wireless terminal.

11. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium comprises a solid state medium.

12. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium comprises a magnetic medium.

13. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium comprises a propagated signal.

14. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium comprises a CD-ROM.

15. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium comprises a floppy disk.

16. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium comprises a hard drive.

17. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium comprises an email attachment.

18. A method for communicating a text message from a first telecommunications terminal to a second telecommunications terminal in a telecommunications network, the method comprising:

opening an SMS menu selected by the user of the first terminal;

activating an IVR option selected from the SMS menu by the user, wherein the IVR prompts the user to supply spoken input, the input comprising a spoken message;

translating the spoken message to text with a translator; and

transmitting the text to the second terminal over the network.

19. A system for communicating a text message from a first telecommunications terminal to a second telecommunications terminal in a telecommunications network, the system comprising:

an SMS messaging gateway accessible by the first terminal;

an IVR option, selectable from the SMS menu, to prompt for spoken input;

a translator to translate speech to text from the spoken input; and

a wireless network connecting the first terminal to the second terminal.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a PSTN and wherein the first terminal is a wireline terminal.