Integrating a Cellular Phone with a Speech-Enabled Softphone

• US 20090082062A1
• Filed: 09/09/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Krishnakumar, Anjur Sundaresan, Yajnik, Shalini, Krishnan, Parameshwaran, Boyaci, Omer
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,237 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00

Abstract

A method is disclosed that enables access to the paired combination of a personal computer and cellular telephone, the access being provided through voice commands from a Bluetooth headset or other type of wireless headset. Through the headset, a user is able to invoke a speech-recognition engine during a call in progress that involves the cell phone with which the personal computer has been paired. The set of phrases that can be recognized by the engine, which is resident at the personal computer, are based on the current call-processing state of the call that is being handled by the paired cell phone. Some of the phrases correspond to commands to retrieve one or more entries from a database, such as one stored at the cell phone. One or more of the commands can be for controlling the cell phone or a softphone application that executes at the personal computer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing i) a first connection via a personal area network between a first telecommunications device and a headset device and ii) a second connection between the first telecommunications device and a second telecommunications device;

receiving, at the first telecommunications device, an indication that the second telecommunications device is handling a first telephone call;

receiving, at the first telecommunications device from the headset device, i) a control signal generated by the headset device as the result of an actuation of an answer/end-call button at the headset device, followed by ii) a voice signal that conveys an utterance made by a user of the headset device; and

invoking, at the first telecommunications device, a speech-recognition function on the utterance received, based on the receiving of i) the indication and ii) the control signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first telecommunications device communicates with the headset device and with the second telecommunications device through the personal area network, in accordance with the Bluetooth specification.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first telecommunications device is a personal computer and the second telecommunications device is a cellular telephone.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the indication signifies that the first telephone call has been answered.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

recognizing the utterance as a command to retrieve at least one entry in a database stored at the second telecommunications device;

transmitting, to the second telecommunications device from the first telecommunications device, a first message that conveys the command; and

receiving, at the first telecommunications device, a second message that conveys the at least one entry.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the database is that of a call log.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the database is that of a phone book.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the transmitting of the first message occurs by using one or more AT commands.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising executing a softphone application at the first telecommunications device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

determining a party to be called, based on the at least one entry; and

placing a second telephone call from the first telecommunications device to the party to be called, via the softphone application.

11. A method comprising:

establishing a first Bluetooth connection between a first telecommunications device and a headset device, the first telecommunications device being capable of telephony;

receiving, at the first telecommunications device;

i) a control signal from the headset device, wherein the control signal is generated by the headset device as the result of an actuation of an answer/end-call button at the headset device,

ii) a call that is incoming, and

iii) a voice signal from the headset device, wherein the voice signal conveys an utterance made by a user of the headset device; and

interpreting, at the first telecommunications device, the receiving of the control signal as being one of a plurality of possible interpretations that includes i) a stimulus to answer the call and ii) a stimulus to invoke a speech-recognition function on the utterance received, the particular interpretation being based on the call-processing state of the call at the time that the control signal is received.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising invoking the speech-recognition function, the speech-recognition function recognizing the utterance as a command.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first telecommunications device is a cellular telephone.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising executing a softphone application at the first telecommunications device.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

establishing a second Bluetooth connection between the first telecommunications device and a cellular telephone;

transmitting, to the cell phone from the first telecommunications device, a first message that conveys the command recognized, wherein the command is for retrieving at least one entry in a first database stored at the cell phone;

receiving, at the first telecommunications device, a second message that conveys the at least one entry; and

storing the at least one entry into a second database that is accessible by the softphone application.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first database is that of a call log.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the first database is that of a phone book.

18. A method comprising:

establishing a connection via a personal area network between a first telecommunications device and a headset device;

receiving a series of control signals, at the first telecommunications device from the headset device, each control signal in the series being generated by the headset device as the result of an actuation of a volume-control button or an answer/end-call button at the headset device by a user; and

performing a predetermined function at the first telecommunications device, based on the series of control signals received matching a predetermined combination of actuations that corresponds to the predetermined function.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the headset device communicates with the first telecommunications device through the personal area network, in accordance with the Bluetooth specification.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the predetermined function comprises authenticating the user with respect to allowing access to a softphone application that the first telecommunications device executes.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

receiving, at the first telecommunications device from the headset device, i) a control signal generated by the headset device as the result of an actuation of the answer/end-call button at the headset device, followed by ii) a voice signal that conveys an utterance made by a user of the headset device; and

invoking a speech-recognition function on the utterance received, based on receiving the control signal after the predetermined function has been performed, wherein the speech-recognition function recognizes the utterance as a command for controlling at least one of i) the softphone application and ii) a cellular telephone.