Audio support system for controlling an e-mail system in a remote computer

• US 6,944,591 B1
• Filed: 07/27/2000
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Raghunandan, Hulikunta Prahlad
• Primary Examiner(s): Lerner, Martin
• Application Number:
  US09/626,945
• Time in Patent Office: 1,874 Days
• Field of Search: 704/235, 704/260, 704/270, 704/270.1, 704/275, 379/88.01, 379/88.03, 379/88.04, 379/88.16, 379/88.22, 379/88.23
• US Class Current: 704/235
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/08 Text analysis or generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text, e.g. grapheme to phoneme translation, prosody generation or stress or intonation determination
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus, program product and a method for controlling an email system in a remote computer using a remote control device having an audio support, speech-to-text and text-to-speech facilities.

Claims

1. A computing system comprising a central processing unit, associated memory, input/output devices and containing an e-mail system, characterized in that the computer system includes a remote control device comprising:

means to convert speech to text;

means to transmit the text to the e-mail system;

means to receive text from the e-mail system;

means to convert the received text into speech; and

means to select and access the received e-mail in the e-mail system,

wherein said remote control device (RCD) further includes means to display the received email messages, and

wherein the remote control device is customized by a user to speak aloud sender, date, subject, e-mail content and attachment for incoming mail.

2. A computing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the remote control device includes means for selecting an email message or folder.

3. A computing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote control device is linked to the computer through infra-red or ultrasonic or radio frequency waves.

4. A computing system comprising a central processing unit, associated memory, input/output devices and containing an e-mail system, characterized in that it includes a remote control device comprising:

means to convert speech to text;

means to transmit the text to the e-mail system;

means to receive text from the e-mail system;

means to convert the received text into speech; and

means to select and access the received e-mail in the e-mail system,

wherein the remote control device includes means for selecting email message or folder,

wherein the remote control device includes means for speaking aloud a summary of an e-mail folder.

5. A computing system comprising a central processing unit, associated memory, input/output devices and containing an e-mail system, characterized in that it includes a remote control device comprising:

means to convert speech to text;

means to transmit the text to the e-mail system;

means to receive text from the e-mail system;

means to convert the received text into speech; and

means to select and access the received e-mail in the e-mail system,

wherein the remote control device is linked to the computer through infra-red or ultrasonic or radio frequency waves,

wherein the e-mail system provides a audio announcement whenever new messages are received.

6. A computing system comprising a central processing unit, associated memory, input/output devices, an e-mail system and a remote control device, wherein the remote control device comprises:

a microphone connected to an input of a microphone amplifier,

an output of said microphone connected to an input of an analog to digital converter (ADC),

an output of the ADC connected to one input of a processor,

a second input of said processor connected to a ROM (Read Only Memory) containing text-to-speech conversion software and speech-to-text-conversion software,

a first input-output of said processor connected to Random Access Memory (RAM) which contains speech-to-text data, text-to-speech-data, and command and status data,

one output of said processor connected to a transmitter for transmitting the data in RAM to the e-mail system,

another input of the processor connected to a receiver, wherein the receiver receives data from the e-mail system,

another input/output of the processor connected to a control panel containing switches and display elements, and

another output of the processor connected to a digital to analogue converter, wherein the digital to analogue converter converts data received from the text-to-speech conversion software into an analogue electrical signal, the analogue electrical signal being fed to an input of an audio amplifier which drives a loud speaker to generate audible sound.

7. A computing system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the processor is a digital signal processor.

8. A computing system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the processor is a micro controller.

9. A computing system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the processor is an ASIC.

10. A computing system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the ASIC includes the entire circuit except the microphone, speaker, computer containing e-mail system and control panel.

11. A computing system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the ASIC contains ROM, RAM, transmitter and receiver.

12. A computer programme product residing on computer storage media, the computer programme product comprising:

instructions for sending e-mail by;

receiving speech input by a remote control device from a user,

converting the speech input by the remote control device into an analog electrical signal,

amplifying the electrical signal and converting the electrical signal to digital form by the remote control device,

converting the digitized signal to text by the remote control device, and

transmitting the text by the remote control device to an e-mail system of a computing system, instructions for receiving e-mail by;

transmission of data to the remote control device,

receiving data from the computing system'"'"'s e-mail system by the remote control device,

converting said received data from text to digitized speech by the remote control device,

converting the digitized speech to analog form by the remote control device, and

amplifying the analog signal and converting the analog signal to speech by the remote control device for the user.

13. In a computing system comprising a central processing unit, associated memory, input/output devices and an e-mail system, a method for remotely controlling the e-mail system using a remote control device, the method comprising the steps of:

sending e-mail by;

receiving speech input by the remote control device from a user,

converting the speech input by the remote control device into an analog electrical signal,

amplifying the electrical signal and converting the electrical signal to digital form by the remote control device,

converting the digitized signal to text by the remote control device,

transmitting the text by the remote control device to the computing system'"'"'s e-mail system, and

receiving the transmitted text in the computing system'"'"'s e-mail system, and

receiving e-mail by;

transmission of data from the computing system'"'"'s e-mail system to the remote control device,

receiving transmitted data at the remote control device,

converting said received data from text to digitized speech by the remote control device,

converting the digitized speech to analog form by the remote control device, and

amplifying the analog signal and converting the analog signal to speech by the remote control device for the user.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the email is selected through speech or through a control panel.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the received mail message is displayed on the remote control device.