SYSTEM FOR INSTANT MESSAGE TO TELEPHONE SPEECH AND BACK

• US 20080056283A1
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerence Operating Company (Cerence Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Zurko, Mary Ellen, Stephen, Razeyah
• Granted Patent: US 7,697,551 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis speech synthesis per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service

Abstract

A system for converting instant messaging (IM) text to telephone speech and back. The system includes a first electronic device configured to transmit and receive IM text. A translation module is housed inside the first electronic device. The translation module is configured to perform (i) translate the outgoing IM text into speech, and (ii) translate incoming speech into IM text. The system further includes a second electronic device communicatively coupled by way of a network to the first electronic device such that the second electronic device may receive the IM text as translated speech from the first electronic device via a call.

Claims

1. A system for converting instant messaging (IM) text to telephone speech and back, comprising:

a first electronic device configured to transmit and receive IM text;

a translation module housed inside the first electronic device, the translation module configured to (i) translate the outgoing IM text into speech, and (ii) translate incoming speech into IM text; and

a second electronic device communicatively coupled by way of a network to the first electronic device such that the second electronic device may receive the IM text as translated speech from the first electronic device via a call.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device includes a selection member that allows a user to select at least one, (i) transmitting the IM text to a recipient without translating the text to speech and receiving the corresponding reply from the recipient as IM text and (ii) transmitting the IM text to the recipient by translating the text to speech and receiving the corresponding speech reply from the recipient and translating the speech reply to IM text.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first electronic device is further configured to play an announcement for the recipient once the recipient receives the call, the announcement being at least one of, (i) a standardized greeting pre-programmed into the first electronic device, and (ii) a personalized greeting programmed into the first electronic device by the user of the first electronic device, the announcement indicating that the speech has been translated from IM text.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first electronic device is further configured to provide a signal to the user of the first electronic device that the recipient has answered the call.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first electronic device includes an input member for inputting characters into the first electronic device that form the IM text.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first electronic device is further configured to initiate a call to the recipient when the user of the first electronic device selects a telephone number to contact from a contact list programmed into the first electronic device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first electronic device includes a display module for displaying text and data.

8. A system for converting instant messaging (IM) text to telephone speech and back, comprising:

a first electronic device configured to transmit and receive IM text;

a translation module housed in a network element communicatively coupled by way of a network to the first electronic device, the translation module configured to (i) translate the outgoing IM text into speech, and (ii) translate incoming speech into IM text; and

a second electronic device communicatively coupled by way of the network to the first electronic device such that the second electronic device may receive the IM text as translated speech from the first electronic device via a call.