Voice recognition user interface for telephone handsets

• US 6,449,496 B1
• Filed: 02/08/1999
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Kenagy, Jason B., Pan, George, Opalsky, Robert, Beith, Scott D., Chang, Chienchung, DeJaco, Andrew P., Bi, Ning, Chinnaswami, Karthick
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Craver, Charles R
• Application Number:
  US09/246,499
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412, 455/413, 455/460, 455/550, 455/564, 455/565, 455/575, 455/563, 455/414, 455/418, 455/425, 455/458, 455/79, 455/567, 455/569, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.03, 379/88.04, 379/355, 379/88.17, 379/89.19, 704/275, 704/270
• US Class Current: 455/563
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition

Abstract

A method and apparatus providing a user interface within a phone that responds to a limited vocabulary of user trained voice commands. The interface allows users to perform all phone handset dialing functions using voice commands. Additionally, users will be able to create and modify entries within a voice recognition phonebook, whereby a number within the voice recognition phonebook can be called by saying the name associated with the number. The user interface provides a combination of voice and LCD displayed user prompts and responses to voice input. The interface responds to user voice commands and performs the command functions based upon matches to previously user trained voice command vocabulary words stored in memory.

Claims

1. A method for providing a voice recognition user interface for a phone, said method comprising:

providing a top level menu whereby all voice recognition functions can be accessed;

said voice recognition functions comprising;

a Call Function;

a Name Function;

a Voicebook Function, and an Incoming Call Function;

providing the Call Function whereby a phone call can be originated by saying a sequence of digits of a phone number followed by a command word;

providing the Name Function whereby the phone call can be originated by saying a name previously saved in a voice recognition phonebook;

providing the Voicebook Function whereby entries in the voice recognition phonebook will be read back to the user if the user says a corresponding List Function command word;

providing the Incoming Call Function whereby the user is alerted to an incoming call and can answer the incoming call using a voice command; and

providing a hidden menu whereby the voice recognition functions can be accessed prior to a user prompt.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

providing a Redial Function whereby the phone call can be originated by saying a corresponding Redial Function command word, said phone call is made using a phone number that corresponds to the last number called.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 further comprising:

providing an Add Function and a Delete Function within the Voicebook Function whereby;

the user may add entries to the voice recognition phonebook by accessing the Add Function by saying a corresponding Add Function command word while in the Voicebook Function; and

the user may delete entries in the voice recognition phonebook by accessing the Delete Function by saying a corresponding Delete Function command word while in the Voicebook Function.

4. The method as defined in claim 3 further comprising:

providing a Train Function whereby;

the user can train a complete vocabulary set of the voice recognition user interface; and

the user can choose to retrain only portions of the complete vocabulary set of the voice recognition user interface.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the voice recognition functions further comprise a Sleep Function whereby the voice recognition functions are placed in a standby mode by saying a predetermined sleep command.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the voice recognition functions only respond to a predetermined wake-up command when placed in the standby mode.

7. The method as defined in claim 6 wherein the predetermined wake-up command comprises a wake-up voice command.

8. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the predetermined wake-up command further comprises a predetermined sequence of key presses.

9. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising providing an implicit yes/no device whereby an affirmative response is implied in response to a prompt for a ‘

yes’

or ‘

no’

response when no response is detected within a predefined time.