Device for managing voice data automatically linking marked message segments to corresponding applications

• US 5,742,736 A
• Filed: 04/19/1995
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Haddock, Nicholas John
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smits, Talivaldis Ivars
• Application Number:
  US08/424,204
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 395/2.1, 395/2.2, 395/2.79, 395/2.19, 395/2.6, 379/89
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/301 Management of recordings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/303 Marking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects

Abstract

The present invention concerns a device for managing voice data. The embodiment described comprises apparatus for displaying a visual representation of a voice message and processor circuitry for associating markers with segments of the message. The markers are indicative of particular storage areas, e.g. a telephone number storage area, a calendar storage area etc. Association of a marker with a segment of a voice message automatically causes that segment to be linked with the corresponding storage area so that the segment can later be retrieved in the context of a user interface for that particular storage area.

Claims

1. A device for storing speech input comprising:

means for specifying a marker having a particular connotation;

means for associating the marker with all or part of the speech input;

means for automatically linking the speech input associated with the marker to a storage area such that information enabling retrieval of the speech input associated with the marker is stored in the storage area; and

an application corresponding to the connotation of the marker which, upon execution, provides access through a user interface to the speech input associated with the marker from the information stored in said storage area in accordance with said means for automatically linking.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the means for specifying a marker comprises means for selecting a marker from a set of markers.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein the set of markers comprises iconic representations of the corresponding storage areas.

4. A device according to claim 1 comprising means for displaying a representation of the speech input.

5. A device according to claim 4 comprising means for automatically segmenting the speech input.

6. A device according to claim 5 comprising means for automatically segmenting the speech input into silent and non-silent parts.

7. A device according to claim 1, further comprising means for associating a marker with a part of the speech input by time synchronization.

8. A device according to claim 1, further comprising means for associating a marker with a part of the speech input by user input.

9. A device according to claim 8 comprising means for associating a marker with a part of the speech input by manipulation of an input device.

10. A device according to claim 9 comprising means for associating a marker with a part of the speech input by spoken commands.

11. A device according to claim 1 wherein the linking means comprises means for copying the speech input associated with the marker to the corresponding storage area.

12. A device according to claim 1, wherein the linking means comprises means for moving the speech input associated with the marker to the corresponding storage area.

13. A device according to claim 1 wherein the linking means comprises means for providing a pointer to the speech input associated with the marker in the corresponding storage area.

14. A device according to claim 1 wherein the linking means comprises means for providing an index into the original voice data containing the speech input associated with the marker.

15. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a plurality of applications, each corresponding to one of a plurality of marker connotations.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein the device comprises a plurality of storage areas for automatic linking of speech input, each of said plurality of storage areas being associated with a corresponding one of said plurality of applications.