SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR A TELEPHONE-ACCESSIBLE MESSAGE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20090172108A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Surogo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Surgo
• Inventors: Singh, Gurcharan
• Application Number:
  US11/965,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20090172108A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for providing voice access to an electronic-mail system. A voice command is received from a call-center user to compose an electronic-mail message. The call-center user is prompted to begin vocally recording an electronic-mail message. The electronic-mail system records the vocal message recited by the call center and translates the recorded vocal message to a text message. The electronic-mail system sends an electronic-mail message to an electronic-mail address containing the translated text message.

Claims

1. A method for providing voice access to an electronic-mail system comprising:

receiving a voice command from a call-center user to compose an electronic-mail message;

prompting the call-center user to begin vocally recording an electronic-mail message;

recording the vocal message recited by the call-center user;

translating the recorded vocal message to a text message; and

sending an electronic-mail message to an electronic-mail address containing the translated text message.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

playing received electronic-mail messages to the call-center user; and

translating received text electronic-mail messages to audio representations of the text electronic-mail messages prior to playing received electronic-mail messages to the user.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prompting the call-center user to vocally recite electronic-mail destination information;

recording the recited electronic-mail destination information; and

translating the recorded electronic-mail destination information into a text electronic-mail address,

wherein the electronic-mail message is sent to the translated text electronic-mail address.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the electronic-mail destination information is an address-book record identifier associated with an electronic-mail address or an electronic-mail address.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising attaching a copy of the recorded vocal message to the electronic-mail message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the received voice command to compose an electronic-mail message is in reply to a previously received electronic-mail message.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the following steps prior to receiving a command to compose and electronic-mail message:

receiving a voice communication from the call-center user; and

verifying identity of the call-center user.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising prompting the call-center user with an audio menu navigated by voice commands from the call-center user detailing menu options available to the user, said menu options including navigation to sub-audio-menus where further menu options are described to the user and action options, said action options including reading electronic-mail messages and composing electronic-mail messages.

9. A method of updating a web log using an electronic call-center comprising:

receiving a voice command from a call-center user to update a web log;

prompting the call-center user to begin vocally recording a web log update message;

recording the vocal web log update message recited by the call-center user;

translating the recorded vocal web log update message to a text message; and

updating the web log by appending the text message to the web log.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the text message updating the web log is a comment to a web log entry.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the text message updating the web log is a web log entry.

12. A social networking system configured to facilitate networking among a plurality of network users utilizing a voice dial-in call center comprising:

a data storage medium;

a profile entry and edit application configured to create and edit a network profile to be stored on the data storage medium;

a search application configured to search records stored on the data storage medium for other network users based on a set of search criteria; and

a voice-text messaging interface application configured to record a vocal message to another network user and translating the recorded vocal message to a text message to be stored on the data storage medium,

the voice-text messaging interface being further configured to access a received message. translate the received message to an audio representation of the received message, and play the translated received message.

13. The social networking system of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of voice navigated menus for accessing the profile entry and edit application, the search application, the message sending application, and the message receiving application.

14. The social networking system of claim 12 further comprising an online application configured to enable a network user to read and write text messages stored on the storage medium over the Internet without utilizing a voice phone.

15. The social networking system of claim 12, wherein the set of search criteria include one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of network-identifier, name, location, group membership, age, sex, and interests.

16. A method of sending electronic-mail from within a motor vehicle utilizing an embedded access console comprising:

receiving a call from a call-center user, initiated by a button-press or voice command, through the embedded access console;

receiving a voice command from the call-center user to compose an electronic-mail message through the embedded access console;

prompting the call-center user to begin vocally recording an electronic-mail message through the embedded access console;

recording the vocal message recited by the call-center user through the embedded access console;

translating the recorded vocal message to a text message; and

sending an electronic-mail message to an electronic-mail address containing the translated text message.

17. A method of facilitating interaction with web content by voice over the phone comprising:

receiving a request from a call-center user to access a web page;

accessing the requested webpage;

translating the accessed web page to a audio representation; and

playing the audio representation of the accessed web page to the call-center user.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

reading the text portion of links contained in the webpage to the call-center user;

receiving a voice command from the call-center user to access an identified link;

accessing a web page associated with a target web address associated with the identified link requested by the call-center user.

19. A system for providing voice access to an electronic-mail system comprising:

a voice-recognition module configured to receive a voice command from a call-center user to compose an electronic-mail message;

a synthesizer configured to prompt the call-center user to begin dictating a body of the electronic-mail message;

a recording device configured to record the body of the electronic-mail message dictated by the call-center user;

a voice to text converter configured to translate the recorded body of the electronic-mail message into a text message; and

a mail-handler configured to send the electronic-mail message to an electronic-mail address containing the translated text message.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a text to voice converter configured to translate received text electronic-mail messages to audio representations of the text electronic-mail messages,

wherein the synthesizer is further configured to play received electronic-mail messages to the call-center user.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the voice synthesizer is further configured to prompt the call-center user to recite electronic-mail destination information,

wherein the recording device is further configured to record the recited electronic-mail destination information;

wherein the voice to text converter is further configured to translate the recorded electronic-mail destination information into a text electronic-mail address,

wherein the mail-handler is configured to send the electronic-mail message to the text electronic-mail address.

22. A system for updating a web log utilizing an electronic-call-center comprising:

a voice-recognition module configured to receive a voice command from a call-center user to update a web log;

a synthesizer configured to prompt the call-center user to begin dictating a web log update message;

a recording device configured to record the web log update message dictated by the call-center user;

a voice to text converter configured to translate the web log update message into a text message; and

a publisher module configured to update the web log by appending the text message to the web log.

23. A method of editing a network profile utilizing an electronic call-center comprising:

receiving a voice command from a call-center user to edit a network profile;

prompting the call-center user to begin vocally recording a network profile update;

recording the vocal network profile update recited by the call-center user;

translating the recorded network profile update to a text message; and

storing the translated network profile text message and the recorded network profile update.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the editing a network profile creates an initial profile for the call-center user.

25. A method of searching a plurality of network profiles comprising:

receiving a voice command from a call-center user search a plurality of network profiles;

prompting the call-center user to begin vocally recording a search string;

recording the vocal search string recited by the call-center user;

translating the recorded search string to a text message;

searching the plurality of network profiles based on the text search string; and

reciting a list of matching network profiles to the call-center user.

26. A method of sending a message to a network user comprising:

receiving a voice command from a call-center user to send a message to a network user;

prompting the call-center user to begin vocally recording the message to a network user;

recording the message to a network user recited by the call-center user;

translating the message to a network user to a text message; and

storing the text message and the recorded message to a network user.

27. A system for sending electronic-mail from within a motor vehicle comprising:

an embedded control having an activation button configured to connect to a call center;

a voice-recognition module configured to receive a voice command through the embedded control to compose an electronic-mail message;

a synthesizer configured to issue a prompt through the embedded control to begin dictating a body of the electronic-mail message;

a recording device configured to record the body of the electronic-mail message dictated through the embedded control;

a voice to text converter configured to translate the recorded body of the electronic-mail message into a text message; and

a mail-handler configured to send the electronic-mail message to an electronic-mail address containing the translated text message.

28. A system for interacting with web content by voice over a phone comprising:

a text to voice converter configured to translate a web page into an audio representation of the web page; and

a synthesizer configured to play the audio representation of the web page to a user;

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

a voice-recognition module configured to receive a link selection command from the user,

wherein the synthesizer is further configured to list for a set of links contained in the translated web page to the user for selection.