HOSTED VOICE RECOGNITION SYSTEM FOR WIRELESS DEVICES

• US 20070239837A1
• Filed: 04/05/2007
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: YAP INC. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jablokov, Victor R., White, Marc, Jablokov, Igor R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,117,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

Methods, systems, and software for converting the audio input of a user of a hand-held client device or mobile phone into a textual representation by means of a backend server accessed by the device through a communications network. The text is then inserted into or used by an application of the client device to send a text message, instant message, email, or to insert a request into a web-based application or service. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of initializing or launching the application on the device; recording and transmitting the recorded audio message from the client device to the backend server through a client-server communication protocol; converting the transmitted audio message into the textual representation in the backend server; and sending the converted text message back to the client device or forwarding it on to an alternate destination directly from the server.

Claims

1. A method for converting an audio message into a text message, comprising the steps of:

a. initializing a client device so that the client device is capable of communicating with a backend server;

b. recording an audio message in the client device;

c. transmitting the recorded audio message from the client device to a backend server through a client-server communication protocol;

d. converting the transmitted audio message into the text message in the backend server; and

e. sending the converted text message back to the client device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of forwarding the converted text message to one or more recipients.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the converted text message on the client device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying advertising messages and/or icons on the client device according to keywords containing in the converted text message, wherein the keywords are associated with the advertising messages and/or icons.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of locating the position of the client device through a global positioning system (GPS).

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of listing locations, proximate to the position of the client device, of a target of interest presented in the converted text message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the client device comprises a microphone, a speaker and a display.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the client device comprises a mobile phone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the backend server comprises a plurality of applications.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the client device comprises a keypad having a plurality of buttons configured such that each button is associated with one of the plurality of applications.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the client device comprises a user interface (UI) having a plurality of tabs configured such that each tab is associated with a plurality of user preferences.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of initializing the client device comprises the steps of:

a. initializing a desired application from the client device; and

b. logging into a client account in the backend server from the client device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the backend server comprises an ad filter, SMS filter, obscenity filter, number filter, date filter, and currency filter.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the converting step is performed with a speech recognition algorithm.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the speech recognition algorithm comprises a grammar algorithm and/or a transcription algorithm.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the backend server comprises a text-to-speech engine (TTS) for generating an audio message from a text message.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the client-server communication protocol comprises an HTTP and/or HTTPS.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the client-server communication is through a communication service provider of the client device and/or the Internet.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the text message comprises an SMS text message.

20. A method for converting an audio message into a text message, comprising the steps of:

a. initializing a client device so that the client device is capable of communicating with a backend server;

b. speaking to the client device to create a stream of an audio message;

c. simultaneously transmitting the audio message from the client device to a backend server through a client-server communication protocol;

d. converting the transmitted audio message into the text message in the backend server; and

e. sending the converted text message back to the client device.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of forwarding the converted text message to one or more recipients.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of displaying the converted text message on the client device.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of displaying advertising messages and/or icons on the client device according to keywords containing in the converted text message, wherein the keywords are associated with the advertising messages and/or icons.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of locating the position of the client device through a global positioning system (GPS).

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of listing locations, proximate to the position of the client device, of a target of interest presented in the converted text message.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the client device comprises a microphone, a speaker and a display.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the backend server comprises a plurality of applications.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of initializing the client device comprises the steps of:

a. initializing a desired application from the client device; and

b. logging into a client account in the backend server from the client device.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the converting step is performed with a speech recognition algorithm.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the speech recognition algorithm comprises a grammar algorithm and/or a transcription algorithm.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the client-server communication protocol comprises an HTTP and/or HTTPS.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the client-server communication is through a communication service provider of the client device and/or the Internet.

33. A method for converting an audio message into a text message, comprising the steps of:

a. transmitting an audio message from a client device to a backend server through a client-server communication protocol; and

b. converting the audio message into a text message in the backend server.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

a. initializing the client device so that the client device is capable of communicating with the backend server; and

b. creating the audio message in the client device.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of sending the converted text message back to the client device.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of forwarding the converted text message to one or more recipients.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of displaying the converted text message on the client device.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the converting step is performed with a speech recognition algorithm.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the speech recognition algorithm comprises a grammar algorithm and/or a transcription algorithm.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein the client-server communication protocol comprises an HTTP and/or HTTPS.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the client-server communication is through a communication service provider of the client device and/or the Internet.

42. Software stored on a computer readable medium for causing a client device and/or a backend server to perform functions comprising:

a. establishing communication between the client device and the backend server;

b. dictating an audio message in the client device;

c. transmitting the audio message from the client device to the backend server through the established communication;

d. converting the audio message into the text message in the backend server; and

e. sending the converted text message back to the client device.

43. The software of claim 42, wherein the functions further comprise directing the converted text message to one or more recipients.

44. The software of claim 42, wherein the functions further comprise displaying the converted text message on the client device.

45. The software of claim 42, wherein the functions further comprise displaying advertising messages and/or icons on the client device according to keywords containing in the converted text message, wherein the keywords are associated with the advertising messages and/or icons.

46. The software of claim 42, wherein the functions further comprise listing locations, proximate to the position of the client device, of a target of interest presented in the converted text message.

47. The software of claim 42, comprising a plurality of web applications.

48. The software of claim 47, wherein each of the plurality of web applications is a J2EE application.

49. The software of claim 42, wherein the communication between the client device and the backend server is performed through an HTTP and/or HTTPS.

50. The software of claim 42, wherein the converting step is performed with a speech recognition algorithm.

51. The software of claim 50, wherein the speech recognition algorithm comprises a grammar algorithm and/or a transcription algorithm.

52. A system for converting an audio message into a text message, comprising:

a. a client device;

b. a backend server; and

c. software installed in the client device and the backend server for causing the client device and/or the backend server to perform functions comprising;

(i). establishing communication between the client device and the backend server;

(ii). dictating an audio message in the client device;

(iii). transmitting the audio message from the client device to the backend server through the established communication;

(iv). converting the audio message into the text message in the backend server; and

(v). sending the converted text message back to the client device.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the client device comprises a microphone, a speaker and a display.

54. The system of claim 52, wherein the client device comprises a mobile phone.

55. The system of claim 52, wherein the backend server comprises a database.