String matching of locally stored information for voice dialing on a cellular telephone

• US 7,269,563 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Douros, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): McFadden; Susan
• Application Number:
  US10/435,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20040230435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 704/275, 379/88.03
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

The invention provides a method of operating a voice-activated communication device. A voice input that includes a plurality of spoken numbers is received, a sequence of digits based on the plurality of spoken numbers is determined, and the sequence of digits is compared to a list of stored phone numbers. At least one proposed dialing number is presented based on the comparison. The invention also provides a system and computer usable medium including a program to operate a voice-activated communication device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a voice-activated communication device, comprising:

receiving a voice input to the voice-activated communication device, the voice input including a plurality of spoken numbers;

determining a sequence of digits based on the plurality of spoken numbers;

comparing the sequence of digits to a list of stored phone numbers; and

outputting at least one proposed number which can be dialed by the voice activate communication device based on the comparison, wherein the at least one proposed dialing number comprises a listed phone number from the list of stored phone numbers when a portion of the determined sequence of digits matches at least a portion of the listed phone number that is less than all the digits of the listed phone number.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the voice-activated communication device comprises a cellular phone or a mobile handset.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of spoken numbers comprises a ten-digit calling number.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the list of stored phone numbers comprises a set of recently called phone numbers.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the list of stored phone numbers comprises a set of phone numbers corresponding to recently received phone calls.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one proposed dialing number comprises a listed phone number from the list of stored phone numbers when the determined sequence of digits matches the listed phone number.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one proposed dialing number comprises a listed phone number from the list of stored phone numbers when the voice input excludes an area code and a portion of the determined sequence of digits matches at least a portion of the listed phone number.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one proposed dialing number is presented using one of an audio interface or a visual display.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

ranking the proposed dialing numbers based on an ordinal number; and

presenting the proposed dialing numbers based on the ordinal number ranking.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a verification of the proposed dialing number; and

dialing the verified proposed dialing number.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a target dialing number selected from the proposed dialing numbers; and

dialing the selected target dialing number.

12. A computer usable medium including a program to operate a voice-activated communication device, comprising:

computer program code to receive a voice input to the voice-activated communication device, the voice input including a plurality of spoken numbers;

computer program code to determine a sequence of digits based on the plurality of spoken numbers;

computer program code to compare the sequence of digits to a list of stored phone numbers to identify at least one proposed match for dialing; and

computer program code to output at least one proposed dialing number to the voice-activated communication device based on the comparison, wherein the at least one proposed dialing number comprises a listed phone number from the list of stored phone numbers when a portion of the determined sequence of digits matches at least a portion of the listed phone number that is less than all the digits of the listed phone number.

13. The computer usable medium of claim 12 further comprising:

computer program code to rank the proposed dialing numbers based on an ordinal number; and

computer program code to present the proposed dialing numbers based on the ordinal number ranking.

14. The computer usable medium of claim 12 further comprising:

computer program code to receive a verification of the proposed dialing number; and

computer program code to dial the verified proposed dialing number.

15. The computer usable medium of claim 12 further comprising:

computer program code to receive a target dialing number selected from the proposed dialing numbers; and

computer program code to dial the selected target dialing number.

16. A system for operating a voice-activated communication device, comprising:

means for receiving a voice input, the voice input including a plurality of spoken numbers;

means for determining a sequence of digits based on the plurality of spoken numbers;

means for comparing the sequence of digits to a list of stored phone numbers to identify at least one proposed match for dialing; and

means for outputting at least one proposed dialing number based on the comparison, wherein the at least one proposed dialing number comprises a listed phone number from the list of stored phone numbers when a portion of the determined sequence of digits matches at least a portion of the listed phone number that is less than all the digits of the listed phone number.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for ranking the proposed dialing numbers based on an ordinal number; and

means for presenting the proposed dialing numbers based on the ordinal number ranking.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for receiving a verification of the proposed dialing number; and

means for dialing the verified proposed dialing number.

19. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for receiving a target dialing number selected from the proposed dialing numbers; and

means for dialing the selected target dialing number.