System and method for creating a digit string for use by a portable phone

• US 6,526,292 B1
• Filed: 03/26/1999
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Optis Wireless Technology, LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Henry, Raymond C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh Cong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Pablo N
• Application Number:
  US09/277,498
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550, 455/563, 455/569, 455/575, 455/403, 455/426, 455/462, 455/564, 455/90, 455/518, 455/525, 455/552, 455/553, 455/556, 455/557, 455/422, 704/200, 704/221, 704/246, 704/251, 704/252, 704/275, 379/354, 379/355, 379/356, 379/357, 379/88, 379/89, 379/67, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.13
• US Class Current: 455/563
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A system and method of creating a digit string for use by a phone includes the steps of collecting speech data having numerical digits and/or alphabetical characters, parsing the speech data, converting each alphabetical character of the speech data into a numerical digit associated therewith, and assembling the speech data chronologically to form a digit string consisting of numerical digits and/or converted alphabetical characters. The converting step further includes comparing each alphabetical character of the speech data to a mapping table stored in memory and determining a numerical digit corresponding to each alphabetical character of the speech data from the mapping table.

Claims

1. A method of creating a digit string for use by a phone, comprising the following steps:

(a) collecting speech data in the phone, said data comprising numerical digits and/or alphabetical characters;

(b) parsing said speech data in the phone;

(c) converting each alphabetical character of said speech data into a numerical digit associated therewith; and

(d) assembling, in the phone, said speech data chronologically to form a digit string consisting of numerical digits and/or converted alphabetical characters.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining whether each numerical digit of said speech data is recognized.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of determining whether each alphabetical character of said speech data is recognized.

4. The method of claim 1, said speech data further including designated commands related to operational features of said phone.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of determining whether each designated command of said speech data is recognized.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing each numerical digit and converted alphabetical character of said digit string in a temporary memory location.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of editing said digit string.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of displaying each numerical digit and converted alphabetical character of said digit string.

9. The method of claim 1, said converting step further comprising:

(a) comparing each alphabetical character of said speech data to a mapping table stored in memory; and

(b) determining a numerical digit corresponding to each alphabetical character of said speech data from said mapping table.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of initiating said phone for receipt of said speech data.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein said designated commands relate to a group of functions consisting essentially of dial, save, pause, wait for key input, clear, volume control, and display.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of dialing said digit string by said phone for connection to a third party.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing said digit string in a speed dial location of said phone.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of entering said digit string into said phone as a password.

15. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of reporting any unrecognized numerical digits and/or alphabetical characters of said speech data.

16. A method of dialing a telephone via voice activation, comprising the following steps:

(a) enabling a mode of a processing circuit in said telephone for receiving a dial string;

(b) speaking a plurality of numerical digits and/or alphabetical characters into said telephone;

(c) converting each spoken alphabetical character into a numerical digit associated therewith;

(d) assembling each spoken numerical digit and each converted alphabetical character chronologically as said dial string; and

(e) initiating a call on said telephone representative of said dial string.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of determining whether each spoken numerical digit and alphabetical character is recognized.

18. The method of claim 16, said converting step further comprising said processing circuit looking up a corresponding numerical digit in a mapping table for each said spoken alphabetical character.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of displaying each spoken numerical digit and each converted alphabetical character constituting said dial string on a display of said telephone.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of storing each spoken numerical digit and each converted alphabetical character constituting said dial string in a temporary storage location prior to initiating said call.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of editing said dial string prior to initiating said call.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein said call is initiated on said telephone by pressing a designated key.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein said call is initiated on said telephone by a spoken command.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein said spoken numerical digits and said converted alphabetical characters of said dial string represent a party number for said call.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein said dial string further includes other telephone function indications.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of reporting an error when said processing circuit is unable to recognize any spoken numerical digit or alphabetical character of said dial string.

27. A mobile telephone, comprising:

(a) circuitry for performing telephony operations;

(b) a microphone for receiving speech information, said speech information including numerical digits and/or alphabetical characters; and

(c) a processing circuit for receiving said speech information, converting each alphabetical character into a numerical digit associated therewith, and assembling said speech information chronologically into a corresponding digit string.

28. The mobile telephone of claim 27, further comprising a non-volatile memory for storing a look-up table containing a corresponding numerical digit for each alphabetical character.

29. The mobile telephone of claim 28, wherein said processing circuit converts each alphabetical character of said speech data to a corresponding numerical digit by means of said look-up table.

30. The mobile telephone of claim 27, said mobile telephone further comprising a display for depicting each numerical digit and each converted alphabetical character of said dial string.

31. The mobile telephone of claim 27, further comprising a volatile memory for temporarily storing said dial string to enable editing.

32. The mobile telephone of claim 27, wherein said processing circuit causes an error to be reported by said mobile telephone when any of the numerical digits and alphabetical characters of said speech data is not recognized.

33. The mobile telephone of claim 28, wherein said look-up table corresponds to a mapping table of a keypad for said mobile telephone.

34. The mobile telephone of claim 27, wherein said processing circuit provides said digit string to said telephony circuitry to initiate a call.

35. The mobile telephone of claim 27, wherein said processing circuit provides said digit string to a speed dial location of said mobile telephone.

36. The mobile telephone of claim 27, wherein said processing circuit provides said digit string to said telephony circuitry as a password.

37. The mobile telephone of claim 27, wherein said processing circuit converts said digit string back to said speech information and audibly repeats it for verification.

38. A system for creating a digit string from speech data received by a telephone, said speech data including numerical digits and/or alphabetical characters, comprising:

(a) a non-volatile memory for storing a look-up table of corresponding numerical digits for each alphabetical character; and

(b) a processing circuit for receiving said speech data, converting each alphabetical character into a numerical digit associated therewith, and assembling said speech data into a digit string having a plurality of numerical digits in chronological order.

39. The system of claim 38, further comprising a volatile memory for temporarily storing said digit string.

40. The system of claim 38, further comprising a display connected to said processing circuit for depicting each numerical digit and converted alphabetical character of said digit string.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein said look-up table corresponds to a mapping table of a keypad for a telephone.