Personal computer and scanner for generating conversation utterances to a remote listener in response to a quiet selection

• US 7,272,563 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Nelson, Lester D.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCFADDEN, SUSAN IRIS
• Application Number:
  US11/323,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20060111910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/276
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/642 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions

Abstract

A user conducts a telephone conversation without speaking. It does this by moving the participant in the public situation to a quiet mode of communication (e.g., keyboard, buttons, touchscreen). All the other participants are allowed to continue using their usual audible technology (e.g., telephones) over the existing telecommunications infrastructure. The quiet user interface transforms the user'"'"'s silent input selections into equivalent audible signals that may be directly transmitted to the other parties in the conversation.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

(a) a processing device for storing an internal representation of a conversation element; and

,

(b) a scanning device, coupled with a processing device, for reading a code associated with the conversation element, wherein the processing device provides an audible utterance in response to reading the code and the conversation element.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing device comprises:

(a) a personal digital assistant;

(b) a controller coupled to the personal digital assistant; and

,

(c) an impedance matching circuit coupled to the controller.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the code is a barcode on a printed card.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanning device is a barcode scanner.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanning device is a laser scanner.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanning device is a digital camera.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the system includes a touchscreen and wherein the conversation representation associated with the conversation element is in a Graphic User Interface (“

GUI”

) on the touchscreen.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the conversation representation is selected from the group consisting of an icon, a symbol, a figure, a graph, a checkbox, a GUI widget and a graphics button.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the conversation representation is selected from the group consisting of a text and a label.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the conversation element is selected from the group consisting of a phrase, a word, a letter, a number, a symbol, and a sound effect.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the internal conversation representation is in a format selected from the group consisting of a sound file, a record or playback, a text and a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (“

MDI”

) sequence.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein a user alters the conversation representation.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein a user alters the conversation element.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein a user deletes the conversation representation.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein a user deletes the conversation element.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein a user adds a conversation element.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein a user adds a conversation representation.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein a user alters the association between the conversation representation and the conversation element.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein a user records a conversation element.