Method and system for multi-modal interaction

• US 7,286,651 B1
• Filed: 02/12/2002
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Guesman, Jason, Packingham, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US10/074,513
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: 725/134, 725/38, 725/100, 725/110, 725/133, 725/119, 379/88.17, 379/88.14, 379/202.01, 713/201
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method and system manages content delivery to a multi-modal client device. The system may include a session manager logically connected between a server and the client device. The session manager can maintain a record of the state of a user'"'"'s session, and if the user or the client device switches from an initial presentation mode to a second presentation mode, the session manager can use the record to effect a seamless transfer from the initial presentation mode to the subsequent presentation mode. The session manager may also transcode content delivered to the client device so that the content is compatible with the presentation mode selected by the user.

Claims

1. A method of multi-modal content delivery, the method comprising:

establishing a session between a server and a client device;

while in a state of the session, delivering content in a first presentation mode format to the client device, the content being associated with the state, wherein delivering the content in the first presentation mode format comprises (i) receiving content in an original format from the server, (ii) transcoding the content in the original format to provide the content in the first presentation mode format, and (iii) transmitting the content in the first presentation mode format over an air interface to the client device;

storing a state record associated with the client device, the state record defining the state of the session;

receiving a mode-switching signal from the client device; and

in response to the mode-switching signal, continuing the session in the state by delivering the content in a second presentation mode format to the client device, wherein the second presentation mode format is different from the first presentation mode format.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first presentation mode format is a voice-based format.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second presentation mode format is a screen-based format.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first presentation mode format is a screen-based format.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second presentation mode format is a voice-based format.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the content in the second presentation mode format to the client device comprises:

receiving content from the server in an original format;

transcoding the content in the original format to provide the content in the second presentation mode format; and

transmitting the content in the second presentation mode format over an air interface to the client device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the state record identifies the state of the session by identifying a navigation point, the navigation point identifying a specific resource available from the server.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the navigation point is defined by a uniform resource identifier (URI).

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the state record includes a cache of content associated with the state, and wherein;

continuing the session in the state further comprises transmitting the cache of content to the client device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the client device transmitting the mode-switching signal over an air interface.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode-switching signal includes a service request, the service request identifying the client device and the second presentation mode format.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

in response to the service request, determining whether the client device is authorized to receive content formatted for the second presentation mode format.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

in response to the service request, locating the state record associated with the client device.

14. A method of multi-modal content delivery, the method comprising:

establishing a session between a server and a client device;

while in a state of the session, delivering content in a first presentation mode format to the client device, the content being associated with the state,

storing a state record associated with the client device, the state record defining the state of the session;

receiving a mode-switching signal from the client device, and

in response to the mode-switching signal, continuing the session in the state by delivering the content in a second presentation mode format to the client device, wherein the second presentation mode format is different from the first presentation mode format, and wherein delivering the content in the second presentation mode format comprises (i) receiving content in an original format from the server, (ii) transcoding the content in the original format to provide the content in the second presentation mode format, and (iii) transmitting the content in the second presentation mode format over an air interface to the client device.