SELECTION OF A LINK IN A RECEIVED MESSAGE FOR SPEAKING REPLY, WHICH IS CONVERTED INTO TEXT FORM FOR DELIVERY

• US 20130165086A1
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Doulton, Daniel Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,989,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/10 Metering calls from calling party , i.e. A-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8221 Message based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/844 Message, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53316 Messaging centre selected by message originator
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A link, called an X-Link™ and is placed in a message (SMS, MMS, email etc.) that is sent to a user and displayed on their device (e.g. mobile telephone). When the link is selected by the user, it connects the user'"'"'s device to a conversion system, enabling the user to speak a reply which is then converted to a text based reply message; the reply message is then sent to the original message sender (and/or another appropriate recipient). This approach enables a text message to be responded to by voice: it is an example of an asymmetric communication. There are many circumstances where this approach is very useful—for example if the message is a SMS and the recipient does not know how to respond using SMS, or is in an environment where it is difficult (perhaps when walking or driving).

Claims

1. A method of replying to an electronically-received message which has been sent from an original message sender to a user who receives the message using electrical hardware, the method including the steps of:

(a) displaying a link in the received message;

(b) the user selecting the link;

(c) the user being connected to a conversion system;

(d) the user speaking a reply which is then converted to a text based reply message by the conversion system; and

(e) the original message sender, or another destination associated with the link receiving the text based reply message.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the electronically-received message contains a text message in any one or more of the formats. SMS, MMS, IM, e-mail.

3. The method of claim 2 in which the electronically-received message is generated by conversion from a voice message using a conversion system.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the electronically-received message contains a sound message.

5. The method of claim 4, in which the user is notified that a voice mail has been received, and the electrical hardware displays a link to listen to it.

6. The method of claim 1 in which the electronically-received message contains an image file.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the electronically-received message contains a document file.

8. The method of claim 1 in which the reply message which is sent to the original sender, or to another party, is in a text format specified by the original message sender.

9. The method of claim 1, in which the formats of the original message, such as SMS, MMS, IM or email, and of the reply message are the same.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the formats of the original message, such as SMS, MMS, IM or email, and of the reply message are different.

11. The method of claim 1, in which the reply message appears to come from the user when displayed on hardware operated by the original message sender.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the link is to an electronic address.

13. The method of claim 1, in which the original sender has a setting which can be used to specify that the reply should be sent to more than one electronic address.

14. The method of claim 13, in which one electronic address is used for the purpose of backing up all received messages.

15. The method of claim 12, in which the electronic address is a telephone number, email address, IP address, IM address, or VoIP address.

16. The method of claim 12, in which the electronic address is a service number, for accessing the conversion system, and a unique identifier, which acts to identify the intended recipient.

17. The method of claim 12, in which the electronic address includes an element which can be stored in an address book of the electrical hardware.

18. The method of claim 12, in which the link as displayed is clickable text that, when clicked, opens a voice channel to enable the reply to be stored for use by the conversion system.

19. The method of claim 1, in which the link is a virtual number, i.e. a full number that terminates in a communications network that links the electrical hardware to other communications devices and is then mapped by the network to real numbers associated with end user equipment.

20. The method of claim 1, in which the user has his own list of links, each link being associated with the unique MSISDN of a person that has sent a text to that user.

21. The method of claim 20, in which individual links may be deleted by the user.

22. The method of claim 1, in which the link can be saved to an address book.

23. The method of claim 1, in which selecting a link causes a communications application to launch.

24. The method of claim 1, in which the method is network based and uses conventional network services/technologies.

25. The method of claim 1, in which users who are not subscribers to the conversion system can reply to a message by selecting the link and then speaking a message which is then converted.

26. The method of claim 1, in which any voice-enabled device is capable of being used to cause a reply message to be displayed on a display screen of a device operated by the reply message recipient.

27. The method of claim 1, which enables a voicemail system to be turned into full two-way push messaging system.

28. The method of claim 1, in which new, incremental revenues are generated by the performance of the method.

29. The method of claim 1, in which the user is given an option for a spoken text message to be saved to an intermediary device, for sending on later at a specific time.

30. The method of claim 1, in which the presence of the link may be de-selected by the original message sender.

31. The method of claim 1, in which a link is included to enable the user to subscribe to the conversion system.

32. The method of claim 1, in which the link is present in a blog.

33. The method of claim 1, in which the link is present in a closed user group.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein said electrical hardware is a mobile telephone.

35. A system for providing a reply to an electronically-received message which has been sent from an original message sender to a user who receives the message using electrical hardware, the system adapted to:

(a) place a link in the received message,

(b) make the link selectable by the user,

(c) upon link selection, connect the user to a conversion system,

(d) convert a spoken reply by the user to a text based reply message using the conversion system, and

(e) send the reply message from the conversion system to the original message sender, or another destination associated with the link.

36. The system of claim 35 adapted to enable the method of the steps:

(a) displaying a link in the received message;

(b) the user selecting the link;

(c) the user being connected to a conversion system;

(d) the user speaking a reply which is then converted to a text based reply message by the conversion system; and

(e) the original message sender, or another destination associated with the link receiving the text based reply message to be performed.

37. A system as in claim 35 wherein said electrical hardware is a mobile telephone.

38. An electronic message sent from an original message sender to a user who receives the electronic message using electrical hardware, the electronic message enabling a method including the steps of:

(a) displaying a link in the electronic message;

(b) the user selecting the link;

(c) the user being connected to a conversion system;

(d) the user speaking a reply which is then converted to a text based reply message by the conversion system; and

(e) the original message sender, or another destination associated with the link receiving the text based reply message.