Electronic mail replies with speech recognition

• US 7,146,320 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2002
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mau, Peter K. L., Ju, Yun-cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): {hacek over (S)}mits, Talivaldis Ivars
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ng, Eunice
• Application Number:
  US10/159,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20030223556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 704/257, 704/270.1, 704/270, 704/235, 704/260, 704/9, 704/255
• US Class Current: 704/257
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression

Abstract

A method for responding to an electronic mail message with a limited input device such as a phone includes audibly rendering the question and a set of proposed answers typically provided in the electronic mail message by the sender of the electronic mail message. A language model indicative of the proposed answers is provided to a speech recognizer. The response from the user is obtained and converted to a textual response using the speech recognizer and language model. A second electronic e-mail message is then sent back to the sender. The second electronic mail message includes the textual response.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for accessing and responding to an electronic mail message, the method comprising:

accessing a first electronic mail message with a question portion indicative of a question and a proposed answer portion having proposed answers to the question;

parsing the first electronic mail message to identify the proposed answers;

converting the question portion and the answer portion to speech and audibly rendering the question and each of the proposed answers to a user;

generating a context free grammar as a function of the proposed answers and providing the context free grammar to a speech recognizer;

receiving a response from the user;

associating the response with one of the proposed answers using the speech recognizer and the context free grammar;

converting the response to a textual response based on said one of the proposed answers; and

sending a second electronic mail message to a sender of the first electronic mail message, the second electronic mail message including the textual response.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the step of generating the context free grammar follows the step of accessing the first electronic mail message.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein indicators denote the question portion and the proposed answer portion.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein indicators comprise tags indicating a beginning and an end of the question portion and a beginning and an end of the proposed answer portion.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 wherein the tags associate the question portion with the proposed answer portion.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein indicators denote the portion indicative of the question and the textual response.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the second electronic message includes a portion indicative of the question associated with the textual response.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 wherein indicators comprise tags indicating a beginning and an end of the portion indicative of the question and the textual response.

9. A computer readable media including instructions readable by a computer which, when implemented, cause the computer to handle information by performing steps comprising:

receiving information related to an electronic mail message having a question portion indicative of a question and a proposed answer portion with proposed answers to the question;

parsing the information to identify the proposed answers;

converting the question portion and the answer portion to a signal suitable for rendering audibly;

generating a context free grammar as a function of the proposed answers;

receiving information indicative of a user'"'"'s response to an audibly rendered question;

associating the response with one of the proposed answers using the context free grammar; and

converting the user'"'"'s response to text based on said one of the proposed answers and sending the text.

10. A computer readable media including instructions readable by a computer which, when implemented, cause the computer to handle an electronic mail, message having a question portion and a proposed answer portion having proposed answers, the computer readable media comprising:

a first module to access the electronic mail message and convert the question portion and the answer portion to signals suitable for audible rendering;

a second module to parse the electronic mail message to identify the proposed answers;

a third module to generate a context free grammar as a function of the proposed answers;

a fourth module receiving a response from the user and associating the response to one of the proposed answers using the context free grammar;

a fifth module converting the response to a textual response based on said one of the proposed answers; and

a sixth module to send an electronic mail message to a sender of the first-mentioned electronic mail mesBage, the second electronic mail message including the textual response.

11. The computer readable media of claim 10 and further comprising a phone interface module adapted to receive a phone call.

12. The computer readable media of claim 10 wherein the second electronic message includes a portion indicative of the question associated with the textual response.

13. The computer readable media of claim 12 wherein indicators denote the portion indicative of the question and the textual response.

14. The computer readable media of claim 13 wherein indicators comprise tags indicating a beginning and an end of the portion indicative of the question and the textual response.