Interactive voice browsing for mobile devices on wireless networks

• US 20070136072A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Sampath, Hari
• Application Number:
  US11/304,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136072A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/053 remote terminal provisioning, e.g. of applets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages

Abstract

The wireless data communication system described herein generally includes a wireless mobile computing device, a WLAN infrastructure, a server, and a database. The mobile computing device includes voice interface functionality that enables the device to receive voice signals and generate voice commands for wireless transmission to the WLAN infrastructure. The server includes a voice command interpreter that processes received voice commands to identify the data requested by the user of the wireless mobile computing device. Once the requested data is identified, the server obtains the requested data from the database and generates a reply for the wireless mobile computing device. The reply is formatted such that it initiates a response at the wireless mobile computing device, where the response conveys at least a portion of the requested data.

Claims

1. A method for retrieving data for wireless mobile computing devices, said method comprising:

acquiring an audio signal at a wireless mobile computing device;

converting said audio signal into a voice command formatted in compliance with a wireless data communication protocol, said voice command representing a request for data;

transmitting said voice command in accordance with said wireless data communication protocol;

receiving, at said wireless mobile computing device, a reply to said voice command, said reply initiating a response by said wireless mobile computing device, said response conveying at least a portion of said data.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said reply is received in accordance with said wireless data communication protocol.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein acquiring an audio signal comprises acquiring a voice prompt in real-time.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising rendering a display output at said wireless mobile computing device, said display output conveying said at least a portion of said data.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising generating an audio reply signal at said wireless mobile computing device, said audio reply signal conveying said at least a portion of said data.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said reply comprises a video file formatted for playback at said wireless mobile computing device, said video file conveying said at least a portion of said data.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said reply comprises an audio file formatted for playback at said wireless mobile computing device, said audio file conveying said at least a portion of said data.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said reply comprises an applet; and

said method further comprises executing said applet at said wireless mobile computing device to convey said at least a portion of said data.

9. A wireless mobile computing device comprising:

a microphone configured to acquire an audio signal;

a voice interface coupled to said microphone, said voice interface being configured to convert said audio signal into a voice command formatted in compliance with a wireless data communication protocol, said voice command representing a request for data;

a transmitter coupled to said voice interface, said transmitter being configured to transmit said voice command in accordance with said wireless data communication protocol; and

a receiver configured to receive a reply to said voice command, said reply initiating a response by said wireless mobile computing device, said response conveying at least a portion of said data.

10. A wireless mobile computing device according to claim 9, wherein said receiver is configured to receive said reply in accordance with said wireless data communication protocol.

11. A wireless mobile computing device according to claim 9, further comprising a display element coupled to said voice interface, said voice interface being further configured to initiate rendering of graphics on said display element, said graphics conveying said at least a portion of said data.

12. A wireless mobile computing device according to claim 9, further comprising a speaker coupled to said voice interface, said voice interface being further configured to initiate generation of an audio reply signal at said speaker, said audio reply signal conveying said at least a portion of said data.

13. A wireless mobile computing device according to claim 9, wherein said reply comprises a video file formatted for playback at the wireless mobile computing device, said video file conveying said at least a portion of said data.

14. A wireless mobile computing device according to claim 9, wherein said reply comprises an audio file formatted for playback at the wireless mobile computing device, said audio file conveying said at least a portion of said data.