Intelligent routing of voice files in voice data management system

• US 7,203,288 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1998
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dictaphone Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Dwyer, John J., Rothschild, Stephen, Godin, David K., Pawlowski, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US09/190,536
• Time in Patent Office: 3,071 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412, 455/412.1, 455/413, 455/517, 704/235, 704/270, 704/500, 704/225, 340/825.52, 369/25, 379/88.19, 379/67.1, 379/68, 379/75, 379/73, 379/80, 379/83, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.03, 379/88.04, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/88.17, 379/875, 364/900
• US Class Current: 379/88.23
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/10 with dictation recording and playback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53366 Message disposing or creating aspects

Abstract

A portable digital voice recorder is interfaced for data communication with a personal computer. The personal computer is connected by a data communication network with other devices such as other personal computers, a central dictation system, and/or a voice mail system. Voice data files previously generated by dictating information into the portable recorder are stored in the portable recorder and then uploaded to the personal computer. The voice data files include header data associated with the voice data files. The personal computer reads the header data and automatically forwards the voice data file to one or more of the other devices on the basis of information contained in the header data.

Claims

1. A voice data management system, comprising:

a portable digital audio recorder which includes memory means for storing a plurality of voice data files;

header data associated with each of said voice data files stored in said memory means, said header data automatically generated by said portable digital audio recorder;

a personal computer;

means for transferring one of said voice data files and the corresponding header data from the portable recorder to the personal computer;

an information processing device other than said portable recorder and said personal computer; and

means, interconnecting said personal computer with said information processing device, for permitting transmission of data from said personal computer to said other information processing device;

wherein said personal computer reads said header data transferred to the personal computer and uses said header data to determine whether to transfer the corresponding voice data file to said other information processing device;

wherein said header data that is used to determine whether to transfer the corresponding voice data file to said other information processing device is indicative of one of (a) an identity of said portable digital audio recorder;

(b) a subject matter of the voice data file corresponding to said header data; and

(c) a work type of the voice data file corresponding to said header data.

2. A voice data management system according to claim 1, wherein said other information processing device is another personal computer.

3. A voice data management system according to claim 1, wherein said other information processing device is a voice mail system.

4. A voice data management system according to claim 1, wherein said header data that is used to determine whether to transfer the corresponding voice data file to said other information processing device is indicative of an identity of said portable digital audio recorder.

5. A voice data management system according to claim 1, wherein said header data that is used to determine whether to transfer the corresponding voice data file to said other information processing device is indicative of a subject matter of the voice data file corresponding to said header data.

6. A voice data management system according to claim 1, wherein said header data that is used to determine whether to transfer the corresponding voice data file to said other information processing device is indicative of a work type of the voice data file corresponding to said header data.

7. A voice data management system according to claim 1, wherein said portable audio recorder automatically generates said header data based on information manually added to said portable audio recorder.

8. A voice data management system, comprising:

a portable digital audio recorder which includes memory means for storing a plurality of voice data files, said memory means storing corresponding header data in association with each of the stored data files;

a personal computer;

means for transferring one of said voice data files and the corresponding header data from the portable recorder to the personal computer;

a central dictation system; and

means, interconnecting said personal computer with said central dictation system, for permitting transmission of data from said personal computer to said central dictation system;

wherein said personal computer reads said header data transferred to the personal computer, and on the basis of said header data, determines whether to transfer the corresponding voice data file to said central dictation system.

9. A method of operating a voice data management system, comprising the steps of:

generating a voice data file in a portable digital audio recorder, said file including voice data and header data, said header data automatically generated by said portable digital audio recorder;

transferring said voice data file from said recorder to a personal computer;

reading the header data in said transferred voice data file; and

using the header data to determine whether to transfer said voice data from said personal computer to an information processing device;

wherein said header data that is used to determine whether to transfer the voice data to said information processing device is indicative of one of (a) an identity of said portable digital audio recorder;

(b) a subject matter of the voice data file; and

(c) a work type of the voice data file.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the information processing device is another personal computer.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the information processing device is a voice mail system.

12. A method of operating a voice data management system, comprising the steps of:

generating a voice data file in a portable digital audio recorder, said file including voice data and header data;

transferring said voice data file from said recorder to a personal computer;

reading the header data in said transferred voice data file; and

on the basis of the header data that has been read, determining whether to transfer said voice data from said personal computer to a central dictation system.

13. A voice data management system, comprising:

a portable digital audio recorder which includes memory means for storing a plurality of voice data files;

header data associated with each of said voice data files stored in said memory means, said header data automatically generated by said portable digital audio recorder;

a personal computer;

means for transferring said voice data files and the corresponding header data from the portable recorder to the personal computer;

a plurality of information processing devices other than said portable recorder and said personal computer; and

means, interconnecting said personal computer with said plurality of information processing devices, for permitting transmission of data from said personal computer to a selected one of said plurality of data processing devices;

wherein said personal computer reads said header data transferred to the personal computer, and on the basis of said header data, selects one of said plurality of information processing devices to receive a voice data file corresponding to said header data and transmits the corresponding voice data file to the selected data processing device, and wherein one of said plurality of information processing devices selected by said personal computer is a voice mail system.

14. A voice data management system according to claim 13, wherein said header data read by said personal computer includes data which identifies said portable digital audio recorder.

15. A voice data management system according to claim 13, wherein said header data read by said personal computer includes data which identifies an intended recipient for the voice data file corresponding to said header data.

16. A voice data management system according to claim 13, wherein said header data read by said personal computer includes data which identifies a subject matter of the voice data file corresponding to said header data.

17. A voice data management system according to claim 13, wherein said one of said plurality of information processing devices selected by said personal computer is another personal computer.

18. A voice data management system according to claim 13, wherein said one of said plurality of information processing devices selected by said personal computer is a central dictation system.

19. A method of operating a voice data management system, comprising the steps of:

generating a voice data file in a portable digital audio recorder, said file including voice data and header data, said header data automatically generated by said portable digital audio recorder;

transferring said voice data file from said recorder to a personal computer;

reading the header data in said transferred voice data file;

using the header data to select an information processing device separate from said personal computer; and

transferring said voice data from said personal computer to said selected information processing device;

wherein said header data that is used to select said information processing device is indicative of one of (a) an identity of said portable digital audio recorder;

(b) a subject matter of the voice data file; and

(c) a work type of the voice data file.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the selected information processing device is a voice mail system.

21. A method of operating a voice data management system, comprising the steps of:

generating a voice data file in a portable digital audio recorder, said file including voice data and header data;

transferring said voice data file from said recorder to a personal computer;

reading the header data in said transferred voice data file;

on the basis of the header data that has been read, selecting a central dictation system; and

transferring said voice data from said personal computer to said selected central dictation system.

22. A method of operating a voice data management system, comprising the steps of:

dictating voice information into a portable audio recorder;

storing the voice information in the portable audio recorder in the form of digital voice data;

dictating recipient information into the portable audio recorder;

applying a speech recognition algorithm to said recipient information to generate recipient data;

transferring said digital voice data from said recorder to a personal computer;

selecting a data processing device from among a plurality of data processing devices connected to said personal computer, on the basis of said recipient data; and

transferring said digital voice data from said personal computer to said selected data processing device;

wherein said speech recognition algorithm is applied to said recipient information by said portable audio recorder to generate said recipient data.

23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising the step of transferring said recipient data from said recorder to said personal computer.

24. A voice data management system, comprising:

a portable digital audio recorder which includes a microphone for inputting voice information, memory means for storing said voice information in the form of digital voice data, and means for designating a portion of said digital voice data as recipient information;

a personal computer;

a plurality of data processing devices;

means interconnecting said personal computer to said data processing devices for transmission of data from said personal computer to said data processing devices;

means for transferring digital voice data from said recorder to said personal computer; and

means for generating recipient data by applying a speech recognition algorithm to digital voice data designated as recipient information by said means for designating;

said personal computer selecting one of said data processing devices separate from said portable recorder and said personal computer on the basis of said recipient data generated by said means for generating, and said personal computer transferring to said selected data processing device digital voice data transferred from said recorder to said personal computer.

25. A voice data management system according to claim 24, wherein said means for transmission of data from said personal computer to said data processing devices includes a local area network.