Communication devices, methods, and computer program products for transmitting information using voice activated signaling to perform in-call functions

• US 6,370,506 B1
• Filed: 10/04/1999
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Ahluwalia, Inderpreet Singh
• Primary Examiner(s): Knepper, David D.
• Application Number:
  US09/411,964
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 704/275, 704/270, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.03, 379/220
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/45 using multi-frequency signalling H04Q1/46 takes precedence

Abstract

Communication devices, methods, and computer program products may be used to transmit information to a destination by associating a voice command with the destination and associating a signaling message with the voice command and with the destination. After establishing communication with the destination, speech input that is received from a user is compared with the voice command to determine if there is a match. If the speech input matches the voice command, then the signaling message associated with the voice command is transmitted to the destination. A user may therefore be relieved of the burden of having to remember the keystrokes to perform a specific operation or function by embedding the signal(s) corresponding to the operation in the signaling message. Moreover, because the signaling message is associated with both the voice command and the destination, the same voice command may be used to perform an operation on more than one destination. For example, a user may have multiple bank accounts such that when a first bank is called, speaking the command “balance” results in a first signaling message (e.g., a specific key sequence) being transmitted to the first bank'"'"'s automated account information system. Likewise, when a second bank is called, speaking the command “balance” results in a second signaling message, different from the first signaling message, being transmitted to the second bank'"'"'s automated account information system.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

means for associating a voice command with a destination communication device;

means for associating a first signaling message with the voice command and the destination communication device;

means for establishing communication with the destination communication device;

means for receiving speech input corresponding to the voice command that is responsive to the means for establishing; and

means for transmitting the first signaling message to the destination communication device that is responsive to the speech input corresponding to the voice command.

2. The communication device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

means for defining a second signaling message for accessing the destination communication device; and

wherein the means for establishing comprises;

means for transmitting the second signaling message.

3. The communication device as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

means for associating a name with the second signaling message.

4. The communication device as recited in claim 2, wherein the second signaling message is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

5. The communication device as recited in claim 2, wherein the second signaling message is a plurality of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals.

6. The communication device as recited in claim 2, wherein the means for associating a voice command with the destination communication device comprises:

means for recording a voice command label; and

wherein the means for associating the first signaling message with the voice command and the destination communication device comprises;

means for receiving the first signaling message; and

means for associating the first signaling message with the voice command label and the destination communication device.

7. The communication device as recited in claim 6, wherein the means for receiving speech input corresponding to the voice command comprises:

means for interpreting the speech input; and

means for comparing the interpreted speech Input with the voice command label.

8. The communication device as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

means for setting a voice recognition flag that indicates voice recognition is allowed for the destination communication device that is responsive to the means for associating the voice command with the destination communication device and the means for associating the first signaling message with the voice command and the destination communication device.

9. The communication device as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

means for receiving a request for voice recognition; and

means for activating voice recognition that is responsive to the means for setting the voice recognition flag.

10. The communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first signaling message is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

11. The communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first signaling message is a plurality of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals.

12. The communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for associating the voice command with the destination communication device comprises:

means for associating a plurality of voice commands with the destination communication device.

13. The communication device as recited in claim 12, wherein the means for associating the first signaling message with the voice command and the destination communication device comprises:

means for associating a plurality of signaling messages with the plurality of voice commands, respectively, and with the destination communication device.

14. The communication device as recited in claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of signaling messages comprises a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

15. The communication device as recited in claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of signaling messages comprises a plurality of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals.

16. A communication device, comprising:

means for establishing communication with a destination communication device, and

means for transmitting a predefined signaling message that is associated with both a voice command and the destination communication device and is responsive to the means for establishing communication.

17. The communication device as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

means for receiving speech input corresponding to the voice command; and

wherein the means for transmitting a predefined signaling message is responsive to the means for establishing communication and the means for receiving speech input.

18. The communication device as recited in claim 16, wherein the predefined signaling message is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

19. The communication device as recited in claim 16, wherein the predefined signaling message is a plurality of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals.

20. A communication device, comprising:

a circuit that establishes communication with a destination communication device; and

a processor that transmits a predefined signaling message that is associated with both a voice command and the destination communication device and is responsive to the circuit.

21. The communication device as recited in claim 20, wherein the predefined signaling message is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

22. The communication device as recited in claim 20, wherein the predefined signaling message is a plurality of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals.

23. A method of transmitting information from a communication device to a destination communication device, comprising the steps of:

associating a voice command with the destination communication device;

associating a first signaling message with the voice command and the destination communication device;

establishing communication with the destination communication device;

receiving, responsive to the establishing step, speech input corresponding to the voice command; and

transmitting, responsive to the receiving step, the first signaling message to the destination communication device.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, further comprising the step of:

defining a second signaling message for accessing the destination communication device; and

wherein the establishing step further comprises the step of;

transmitting the second signaling message.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising the step of:

setting, responsive to the associating the voice command and associating the first signaling message steps, a voice recognition flag that indicates voice recognition is allowed for the destination communication device.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for voice recognition; and

activating voice recognition if the voice recognition flag has been set.

27. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising the step of:

associating a name with the second signaling message.

28. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the second signaling message is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

29. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the second signaling message is a plurality of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals.

30. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the associating the voice command with the destination communication device step comprises the steps of:

recording a voice command label; and

wherein the associating the first signaling message step comprises the steps of;

receiving the first signaling message; and

associating the first signaling message with the voice command label and the destination communication device.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein the receiving speech input step comprises the steps of:

interpreting the speech input; and

comparing the interpreted speech input with the voice command label.

32. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the first signaling message is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

33. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the first signaling message is a plurality of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals.

34. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the associating the voice command step comprises the step of:

associating a plurality of voice commands with the destination communication device.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the associating the first signaling message step comprises the step of:

associating a plurality of signaling messages with the plurality of voice commands, respectively, and with the destination communication device.

36. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein each of the plurality of signaling messages comprises a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

37. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein at least one of the plurality of signaling messages comprises a plurality of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals.

38. A method of transmitting information from a communication device to a destination communication device, comprising the steps of:

establishing communication with the destination communication device; and

transmitting, responsive to the establishing step, a predefined signaling message that is associated with both a voice command and the destination communication device.

39. The method as recited in claim 38, further comprising the step of:

receiving, responsive to the establishing step, speech input corresponding to the voice command, the transmitting step being responsive to the establishing step and the receiving step.

40. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein the predefined signaling message is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

41. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein the predefined signaling message is a plurality of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals.

42. A computer program product for transmitting information from a communication device to a destination communication device, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code that associates a voice command with the destination communication device;

computer readable program code that associates a first signaling message with the voice command and the destination communication device;

computer readable program code that establishes communication with the destination communication device;

computer readable program code that receives speech input corresponding to the voice command and is responsive to the computer readable program code that establishes communication with the destination communication device; and

computer readable program code that transmits the first signaling message to the destination communication device and is responsive to the speech input corresponding to the voice command.

43. The computer program product as recited in claim 42, further comprising:

computer readable program code that defines a second signaling message for accessing the destination communication device; and

wherein the computer readable program code that establishes communication with the destination communication device comprises;

computer readable program code that transmits the second signaling message.

44. The computer program product as recited in claim 43, further comprising:

computer readable program code that associates a name with the second signaling message.

45. The computer program product as recited in claim 43, wherein the second signaling message is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

46. The computer program product as recited in claim 43, wherein the second signaling message is a plurality of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals.

47. The computer program product as recited in claim 43, wherein the computer readable program code that associates the voice command with the destination communication device comprises:

computer readable program code that records a voice command label; and

wherein the computer readable program code that associates the first signaling message with the voice command and the destination communication device comprises;

computer readable program code that receives the first signaling message; and

computer readable program code that associates the first signaling message with the voice command label and the destination communication device.

48. The computer program product as recited in claim 47, wherein the computer readable program code that receives speech input corresponding to the voice command comprises:

computer readable program code that interprets the speech input; and

computer readable program code that compares the speech input with the voice command label.

49. The computer program product as recited in claim 43, further comprising:

computer readable program code that sets a voice recognition flag that indicates voice recognition is allowed for the destination communication device and is responsive to the computer readable program code that associates the voice command with the destination communication device and the computer readable program code that associates the first signaling message with the voice command and the destination communication device.

50. The computer program product as recited in claim 49, further comprising:

computer readable program code that receives a request for voice recognition; and

computer readable program code that activates voice recognition that is responsive to the computer readable program code that sets the voice recognition flag.

51. The computer program product as recited in claim 42, wherein the first signaling message is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

52. The computer program product as recited in claim 42, wherein the first signaling message is a plurality of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals.

53. The computer program product as recited in claim 42, wherein the computer readable program code that associates the voice command with the destination communication device comprises:

computer readable program code that associates a plurality of voice commands with the destination communication device.

54. The computer program product as recited in claim 53, wherein the computer readable program code that associates the first signaling message with the voice command and the destination communication device comprises:

computer readable program code that associates a plurality of signaling messages with the plurality of voice commands, respectively, and with the destination communication device.

55. The computer program product as recited in claim 54, wherein each of the plurality of signaling messages comprises a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

56. The computer program product as recited in claim 54, wherein at least one of the plurality of signaling messages comprises a plurality of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals.

57. A computer program product for transmitting information from a communication device to a destination communication device, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code that establishes communication with the destination communication device; and

computer readable program code that transmits a predefined signaling message that is associated with both a voice command and the destination communication device and is responsive to the computer readable program code that establishes communication.

58. The computer program product as recited in claim 57, further comprising:

computer readable program code that receives speech input corresponding to the voice command; and

wherein the computer readable program code that transmits a predefined signaling message is responsive to the computer readable program code that establishes communication and the computer readable program code that receives speech input.

59. The computer program product as recited in claim 57, wherein the predefined signaling message is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

60. The computer program product as recited in claim 57, wherein the predefined signaling message is a plurality of dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals.

61. A method of transmitting information from a communication device to a destination communication device, comprising the steps of:

associating a voice command with a plurality of destination communication devices; and

associating a first signaling message with the voice command and one of the plurality of destination communication devices.

62. The method as recited in claim 61, further comprising the steps of:

establishing communication with the one of the plurality of destination communication devices;

receiving speech input corresponding to the voice command; and

transmitting, responsive to the receiving step, the first signaling message to the one of the plurality of destination communication devices.

63. A method of transmitting information from a communication device to a destination communication device, comprising the steps of:

associating a voice command with a destination communication device; and

associating a first signaling message with the voice command and the destination communication device.

64. The method as recited in claim 63, further comprising the steps of:

establishing communication with the destination communication device;

receiving speech input corresponding to the voice command; and

transmitting, responsive to the receiving step, the first signaling message to the destination communication device.