Portable audio database device with icon-based graphical user-interface
First Claim
1. A portable voice database device, comprising:
- a hand-held housing;
a speaker provided on said housing;
a memory configured to support an audio database for storing verbal messages, said audio database including a hierarchical storage location structure having at least two categories;
a display, provided on said housing, to display graphical information, alphanumeric information, and icons that graphically represent distinct categories;
a microphone, provided on said housing, to receive a verbal message from a user;
a user-actuated navigation control panel, provided on said housing;
said user-actuated navigation control panel including, a first input device to navigate a visual feedback indicator around a display area having a plurality of distinct icon categories corresponding to said hierarchical storage location structure and to select one of the displayed distinct icon categories, a second input device, outside the display area, to select directly a first category of said hierarchical storage location structure, and a third input device, outside the display area, to select directly a second category of said hierarchical storage location structure; and
a processor, coupled to said memory, said display, and said user-actuated navigation control panel, to effect displaying of one of the icons on said display when navigating selecting a corresponding one of the categories of said hierarchical storage location structure, and to effect storing of the verbal message received by said microphone in the selected category within said hierarchical storage location structure of the memory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for storing and retrieving information to and from a memory of a hand-held audio database device. The audio database device includes a graphics display provided on a hand-held housing for displaying graphical information. A microphone and a speaker are provided on the housing to receive and broadcast audio information from and to a user, respectively. The audio database device includes a memory configured to store graphical icons and to support a hierarchical memory structure comprising categories, wherein the icons graphically represent the categories. A user-actuated navigation control is provided on the housing and permits a user to navigate the categories in the hierarchical memory structure and to select a desired category. A processor is coupled to the memory, the display, and the navigation control and effects displaying of one of the icons on the display when the user is navigating a corresponding one of the categories, and storing of the audio information in the desired category of the memory.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A portable voice database device, comprising:
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a hand-held housing;
a speaker provided on said housing;
a memory configured to support an audio database for storing verbal messages, said audio database including a hierarchical storage location structure having at least two categories;
a display, provided on said housing, to display graphical information, alphanumeric information, and icons that graphically represent distinct categories;
a microphone, provided on said housing, to receive a verbal message from a user;
a user-actuated navigation control panel, provided on said housing;
said user-actuated navigation control panel including, a first input device to navigate a visual feedback indicator around a display area having a plurality of distinct icon categories corresponding to said hierarchical storage location structure and to select one of the displayed distinct icon categories, a second input device, outside the display area, to select directly a first category of said hierarchical storage location structure, and a third input device, outside the display area, to select directly a second category of said hierarchical storage location structure; and
a processor, coupled to said memory, said display, and said user-actuated navigation control panel, to effect displaying of one of the icons on said display when navigating selecting a corresponding one of the categories of said hierarchical storage location structure, and to effect storing of the verbal message received by said microphone in the selected category within said hierarchical storage location structure of the memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for storing and retrieving voice information to and from a memory of a portable hand-held voice recording device, comprising the steps of:
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providing a memory for storing icons and for storing verbal messages in hierarchically organized storage location structure categories, the icons graphically representing the hierarchically organized storage location structure categories;
displaying graphical information, alphanumeric information, and icons that graphically represent distinct hierarchically organized storage location structure categories;
providing a user-actuated navigation control panel that includes a first input device to navigate a visual feedback indicator around a display area having a plurality of distinct icon hierarchically organized storage location structure categories and to select one of the displayed distinct icon hierarchically organized storage location structure categories, a second input device, outside the display area, to select directly a first hierarchically organized storage location structure category, and a third input device, outside the display area, to select directly a second hierarchically organized storage location structure category;
selecting a hierarchically organized storage location structure category using the provided user-actuated navigation control panel;
receiving a verbal message from a user; and
storing the verbal message in the selected hierarchically organized storage location structure category of the memory. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
storing verbal prompts in the memory, the verbal prompts indicating the categories; and
broadcasting one of the verbal prompts when selectively navigating the corresponding one of the categories.
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10. The method of claim 8, including the further step of editing the verbal message stored in the selected category by any of the steps of deleting the verbal message, deleting a portion of the verbal message, or inserting a verbal message portion into the verbal message.
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11. The method of claim 8, including the further steps of:
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linking a first icon with a first category; and
selectively linking the first icon with a category other than the first category.
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12. The method of claim 8, including the further steps of:
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setting an alarm for the verbal message stored in the selected category; and
broadcasting a verbal alarm message associated with the alarm at a pre-established time of day.
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13. The method of claim 8, including the further steps of:
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selecting a second category; and
moving at least a portion of the verbal message stored in the selected category to the second category.
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14. A method for storing and retrieving information to and from a memory of a portable hand-held audio database device, comprising the steps of:
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providing a memory to store icons and configured to support a hierarchical memory structure having categories, the icons graphically representing the categories;
displaying graphical information, alphanumeric information, and icons that graphically represent distinct categories within the hierarchical memory structure;
providing a user-actuated navigation control panel that includes a first input device to navigate around a display area representing the hierarchical memory structure and to select one of the displayed distinct icon categories, a second input device, outside the display area, to select directly a first category of the hierarchical memory structure, and a third input device, outside the display area, to select directly a second category of the hierarchical memory structure;
selecting a category of the hierarchical memory structure using the provided user-actuated navigation control panel;
receiving audio information; and
storing the audio information in location within the memory associated with the selected category of the hierarchical memory structure. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
receiving text information; and
storing the text information in the selected category.
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18. The method of claim 14, including the further steps of:
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converting the stored audio information into corresponding text information; and
transmitting the text information to a device external to the audio database device.
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19. The method of claim 14, including the further steps of:
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converting the stored audio information into corresponding text information; and
displaying the text information.
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20. The method of claim 14, including the further steps of:
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marking a portion of the audio information; and
storing the marked portion of the audio information in the selected category or in a category other than the selected category.
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21. The method of claim 14, including the further steps of:
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linking a first icon with a first category; and
selectively linking the first icon with a category other than the first category.
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Specification