Portable computer device for audible processing of remotely stored messages
First Claim
1. A portable hand-held computer device for processing messages stored at a remote central message facility accessible via telephonic communications, said portable hand-held computer device comprising:
- processor means;
memory means coupled to said processor means for storing a plurality of messages;
telephonic interface means coupled to said processor means for selectively and temporarily interconnecting said portable hand-held computer device with a telephonic network;
first switch means coupled to said processor means for automatically establishing communications between said remote central message facility and said portable hand-held computer device in response to an actuation thereof while said portable hand-held computer device is interconnected with said telephonic network;
communications means coupled to said processor means for transferring at least one message in a digital data format from said remote central message facility to said memory means in response to said establishing of communication between said remote central message facility and said portable hand-held computer device; and
digital data-to-speech conversion means coupled to said memory means for selectively outputting said at least one message from said memory means and for creating speech signals representative of digital data wherein said at least one message may be audibly discerned.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A battery powered hand-held portable computer device for audible processing of messages stored at one or more remote central message facilities. A telephonic interface is included within the portable computer device. A connection between the portable computer device and the remote central message facility is automatically established in response to a connection to a telephonic network and the operation of a single switch. Thereafter, selected audio and/or digital messages from a remote central message facility are transferred to the portable computer device, digitized if necessary, and stored within random access memory or stored utilizing analog storage systems. The portable computer device preferably utilizes a limited number of tape recorder-like switches. In response to a single operation of a "start" switch, electronic messages stored in a digital format are sequentially coupled to a text-to-speech conversion application and converted to audible speech through a speaker or headphone. In one embodiment of the present invention, the portable computer device includes a microphone and analog-to-digital conversion circuitry which permit a spoken input to be digitized, stored and subsequently transmitted to the remote central message facility. Additionally, a message may be "scanned" or "rewound" at higher than normal speed to access a selected portion thereof.
192 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A portable hand-held computer device for processing messages stored at a remote central message facility accessible via telephonic communications, said portable hand-held computer device comprising:
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processor means; memory means coupled to said processor means for storing a plurality of messages; telephonic interface means coupled to said processor means for selectively and temporarily interconnecting said portable hand-held computer device with a telephonic network; first switch means coupled to said processor means for automatically establishing communications between said remote central message facility and said portable hand-held computer device in response to an actuation thereof while said portable hand-held computer device is interconnected with said telephonic network; communications means coupled to said processor means for transferring at least one message in a digital data format from said remote central message facility to said memory means in response to said establishing of communication between said remote central message facility and said portable hand-held computer device; and digital data-to-speech conversion means coupled to said memory means for selectively outputting said at least one message from said memory means and for creating speech signals representative of digital data wherein said at least one message may be audibly discerned. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A portable hand-held computer device for processing messages stored at a remote central messages facility accessible via telephonic communications, said portable hand-held computer device comprising:
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processor means; memory means coupled to said processor means for storing a plurality of messages; telephonic interface means coupled to said processor means for selectively and temporarily interconnecting said portable hand-held computer device with a telephonic network; first switch means coupled to said processor means for automatically establishing communication between said remote central message facility and said portable hand-held computer device in response to an actuation thereof while said portable hand-held computer device is interconnected with said telephonic network; communications means coupled to said processor means for transferring at least one message from said remote central message facility to said memory means in response to said establishing of communication between said remote central message facility and said portable hand-held computer device; presentation means coupled to said memory means for selectively outputting said at least one message from said memory means in a user discernable format; and audio input means coupled to said processor means for receiving audible speech and generating a plurality of digital signals corresponding thereto; second switch means for causing said plurality of digital signals corresponding to said audible speech to be coupled to said memory means and stored therein in response to a single operation thereof; and means for generating an audible indication of actuation of said second switch means. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A portable hand-held computer device for processing messages stored at a remote central message facility accessible via telephonic communications, said portable hand-held computer device comprising:
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processor means; memory means coupled to said processor means for storing a plurality of messages; telephonic interface means coupled to said processor means for selectively and temporarily interconnecting said portable hand-held computer device with a telephonic network; first switch means coupled to said processor means for automatically establishing communication between said remote central message facility and said portable hand-held computer device in response to an actuation thereof while said portable hand-held computer device is interconnected with said telephone network; communication means coupled to said processor means for transferring a plurality of messages from said remote central message facility to said memory means in response to said establishing of communication between said remote central message facility and said portable hand-held computer device; presentation means coupled to said memory means for selectively outputting said plurality of messages from said memory means in a user discernable format at a predetermined rate; scan switch means coupled to said processor means for sequentially accessing said plurality of messages and for coupling said plurality of messages to said presentation means at a higher rate than said predetermined rate in response to an operation thereof; and audio input means coupled to said processor means for receiving audible speech and generating a plurality of digital signals corresponding thereto; second switch means for causing said plurality of digital signals corresponding to said audible speech to be coupled to said memory means and stored therein in response to a single operation thereof; and means for generating an audible indication of actuation of said second switch means. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A portable hand-held computer device for processing messages stored at a remote central message facility accessible via telephonic communications, said portable hand-held computer device comprising:
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a case having external dimensions suitable sized to permit said case to be held in a human hand; processor means disposed within said case; memory means disposed within said case and coupled to said processor means for storing a plurality of messages; telephonic interface means coupled to said processor means for selectively and temporarily interconnecting said portable hand-held computer device with a telephonic network; first switch means mounted to said case and coupled to said processor means for automatically establishing communication between said remote central message facility and said portable hand-held computer device in response to an actuation thereof while said portable hand-held computer device is interconnected with said telephonic network; communications means coupled to said processor means for transferring a plurality of messages from said remote central message facility to said memory means in response to said establishing of communication between said remote central message facility and said portable hand-held computer device; presentation means coupled to said memory means for selectively outputting said plurality of messages stored within said memory means in a user discernable format; second switch means mounted to said case and coupled to said processor means for causing said plurality of messages to be coupled to said presentation means in a serial fashion in response to a single operation thereof; audio input means coupled to said processor means for receiving audible speech and generating a plurality of digital signals corresponding thereto; third switch means for causing said plurality of digital signals corresponding to said audible speech to be coupled to said memory means and stored therein in response to a single operation thereof; and means for generating an audible indication of actuation of said third switch means. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification