TEXT-TO-SPEECH ASSIST FOR PORTABLE COMMUNICATION DEVICES

• US 20090012793A1
• Filed: 07/03/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Raimondi, Gerard R., Reeves, William D., Dao, Quyen C., Snyder, Paul L.
• Application Number:
  US11/773,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20090012793A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

The present invention provides a text-to-speech assist for portable communication devices. A method for communicating text data using a portable communication device in accordance with the present invention includes: displaying text data on a display of the portable communication device while communicating with a party; selecting at least a portion of the displayed text data; converting the selected text data into synthesized speech; and providing the synthesized speech to the party using the portable communication device.

Claims

1. A method for communicating text data using a portable communication device, comprising:

displaying text data on a display of the portable communication device while communicating with a party;

selecting at least a portion of the displayed text data;

converting the selected text data into synthesized speech; and

providing the synthesized speech to the party using the portable communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a conversion of the selected text data into synthesized speech.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the synthesized speech to the party using the portable communication device further comprises:

outputting the synthesized speech from the portable communication system through a speaker; and

inputting the synthesized speech output by the speaker into the portable communication system through a microphone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the text data comprises contact information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the contact information comprises a telephone number.

6. A system for communicating text data using a portable communication device, comprising:

a system for displaying text data on a display of the portable communication device while communicating with a party;

a system for selecting at least a portion of the displayed text data;

a text-to-speech system for converting the selected text data into synthesized speech; and

a system for providing the synthesized speech to the party using the portable communication device.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a system for initiating a conversion of the selected text data into synthesized speech.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the system for providing the synthesized speech to the party using the portable communication device further comprises:

a speaker for outputting the synthesized speech from the portable communication system; and

a microphone for inputting the synthesized speech output by the speaker into the portable communication system.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the text data comprises contact information.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the contact information comprises a telephone number.

11. A program product stored on a computer readable medium for communicating text data using a portable communication device, the computer readable medium comprising program code for:

displaying text data on a display of the portable communication device while communicating with a party;

selecting at least a portion of the displayed text data;

converting the selected text data into synthesized speech; and

providing the synthesized speech to the party using the portable communication device.

12. The program product of claim 11, further comprising program code for:

initiating a conversion of the selected text data into synthesized speech.

13. The program product of claim 11, wherein the program code for providing the synthesized speech to the party using the portable communication device further comprises program code for:

outputting the synthesized speech from the portable communication system through a speaker; and

inputting the synthesized speech output by the speaker into the portable communication system through a microphone.

14. The program product of claim 11, wherein the text data comprises contact information.

15. The program product of claim 14, wherein the contact information comprises a telephone number.