Voice interface for finding and selecting an option, in particular for a mobile telephone on board a vehicle

• US 20070152800A1
• Filed: 01/04/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Parrot Societe Anonyme
• Original Assignee: Parrot Societe Anonyme
• Inventors: Seydoux, Henri
• Application Number:
  US10/585,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20070152800A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.160
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

The device (10) comprises, in association with a mobile telephone (30) on board a vehicle, a memory (22) containing a plurality of options ordered in a sequential list, selector means (24) comprising a two-directional rotary knob (14) that can be manipulated (26) by the user in order to increment or decrement a pointer for selecting options, and processor means suitable for executing predetermined actions as a function of the options in the memory. The device is also provided with acoustic means (20) suitable for generating an audible message constituting a voiced representation of the option selected as a response to the pointer being incremented or decremented. Confirmation means (24) such as a transient contact actuated by pressing (28) on the rotary knob serve to trigger execution of the corresponding action.

Claims

1. A device (10) forming an interface for finding and selecting an option in a hierarchical directory, in particular for searching for and selecting a number in a directory of a mobile telephone (30) on board a vehicle, the device comprising:

a data memory (22) containing a plurality of said options ordered as a sequential list;

a pointer for selecting one of the options of the list;

selector means (24) suitable for incrementing or decrementing the pointer in response to controlled manipulation by the user; and

processor means suitable for executing a set of predetermined actions as a function of the options in the data memory;

the device being characterized in that it further comprises;

acoustic means (20) suitable for sending to the user an audible message constituting a voiced representation of the option selected by the pointer in response to said pointer being incremented or decremented; and

confirmation means (24) that can be manipulated by the user, suitable for reading the option selected by the pointer and transferring said option to the processor means for executing the corresponding action;

and in that said selector means comprise a two-directional rotary knob (14) that can be manipulated (26) by the user, said confirmation means comprising a transient contact that can be actuated by pressing (28) on said rotary knob.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising display means (12) for displaying the option selected by the pointer.

3. The device of claim 2, in which the display means (12) also display at least one of the preceding and/or following options in the list.

4. The device of claim 1, in which:

said options contain names;

a telephone number is associated with each option; and

the action executed by the processor means is dialing the corresponding telephone number.

5. The device of claim 4, in which:

said options contain letters of the alphabet; and

the action executed by the processor means is positioning the pointer on the first name beginning by the selected letter.

6. The device of claim 1, in which:

said options contain command menu titles, or the titles of lower-level menus; and

the action executed by the processor means is to execute the corresponding command or to select the corresponding lower-level menu.