Apparatus and Method for Providing Hands-Free Operation of a Device

• US 20090215503A1
• Filed: 04/27/2009
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Lan, Kreiner, Barrett M., Page, Joseph E. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 7,945,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/569.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for providing hands-free operation of a device. A hands-free adapter is provided that communicates with a device and a headset. The hands-free adapter allows a user to use voice commands so that the user does not have to handle the device. The hands-free adapter receives voice commands from the headset and translates the voice commands to commands recognized by the device. The hands-free adapter also monitors the device to detect device events and provides notice of the events to the user via the headset.

Claims

1. A method for providing hands-free operation of a communications device, comprising:

detecting a command prefix and a subsequently spoken voicemail command;

generating a device command that emulates a user'"'"'s interaction with the communication device to answer an incoming call;

providing the device command to the communication device; and

playing an outgoing announcement to a caller.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising recording a message from the caller in response to the spoken voicemail command.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising interfacing with a headset device.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising processing audio signals from the headset device.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising passing conversational audio signals to the communications device.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising interfacing with a mobile phone.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising playing a tone when the incoming call is received.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting an event.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising generating an event indicator.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising overlaying the vent indicator onto an audio signal.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising providing the event indicator to a headset interface.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising interfacing with a computer.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising wirelessly interfacing with the communications device.

14. A system providing hands-free operation of a communications device, comprising:

a processor executing code stored in memory that causes the processor to;

detect a command prefix and a subsequently spoken voicemail command;

generate a device command that emulates a user'"'"'s interaction with the communication device to answer an incoming call;

provide the device command to the communication device; and

play an outgoing announcement to a caller.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the code further causes the processor to record a message from the caller in response to the spoken voicemail command.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the code further causes the processor to interface with a headset device.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the code further causes the processor to process audio signals from the headset device.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the code further causes the processor to pass conversational audio signals to the communications device.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein the code further causes the processor to interface with a mobile phone.

20. A storage medium encoded with instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

detecting a command prefix and a subsequently spoken voicemail command;

generating a device command that emulates a user'"'"'s interaction with the communication device to answer an incoming call;

providing the device command to the communication device; and

playing an outgoing announcement to a caller.