System for sending text messages converted into speech through an internet connection to a telephone and method for running it

• US 7,310,329 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2002
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Braintexter Incorporated
• Inventors: Tomasso, Cristiano, Vieri, Flavio, Vieri, Riccardo
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US10/491,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20050117564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,884 Days
• Field of Search: 370352-360, 379/52, 379/67.1, 379/88.16, 379/88.17, 379/88.14, 379/100.09, 455/417, 455/425, 455/456.6, 455/414.4, 455/466
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0024 Services and arrangements where telephone services are combined with data services arrangements which combine a telephonic equipment and a computer H04M7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0048 where the text-based messaging service is a Short Message Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

This invention consists of a system permitting to send text messages by Internet and let them arrive in the form of speech directly on the addressee'"'"'s phone. This system works by means of a central server, where at least one software is installed, which receives the written message, converts it into speech and processes it, so that it can be sent in vocal form on a telephone line. The user receiving the message can also answer it, sending another message to the sender, always using the telephone.

Claims

1. A system for sending text messages converted into speech on a telephone by a data input device, connected with a server, said system comprising:

a data input device being adapted to connect to the internet, said data input device having a hardware showing a table where users can write a text message and/or order the transmission of a pre-recorded message, indicate the telephone number (s) of the addressee or a database where addressees'"'"' telephone numbers can be found, and send it to another hardware working as server; and

a server adapted to connect to the internet and to receive and transmit data to and from said data input device, wherein said server being adapted to process said text message via a program installed on said serve which is able to convert said text message into a vocal message and set it up for transmission on a telephone system, said server being adapted to create said table comprising;

an area to write at least one message;

an area for inputting a sender'"'"'s telephone number;

an area for inputting at least one addressee'"'"'s telephone number to which said vocal message will be sent to;

an area for inputting the language to be used to send said vocal message to said addressee'"'"'s telephone number; and

an area for selecting of a pre-recorded message loaded on said server.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the messages are sent, no matter the length of the text, in real time to another hardware working as server where a program is installed able to convert the text message into vocal message, compressed if wider, set it up for the transmission on the phone and received on a common phone anywhere, no matter the country of destination.

3. The system according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it'"'"'s possible to reply to the vocal messages received, by means of a suitable keyboard connected to the phone using dtmf keys and tones, so that that the message is then filed on the server.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said table further comprising an area for inserting the time and data to send said vocal message;

an area for selecting the tone of voice of said vocal message;

an area for selecting an automatic repeat of said telephone; and

an area permitting to decide that in case there is an answering machine and/or a call transfer, said vocal message can be transmitted anyway.

5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that it allows the user to have acknowledge of the receiving message by e-mail or a message on the phone.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that it permits to monitor every call made by the user, and the relative results are filed, so that the user can later verify and check the history of the message.

7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the data transmission for the outbound calls is performed via an analogue or digital telephone line.

8. A method to convert text messages into vocal messages and send them by telephone line, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

providing a system comprising;

a data input device having a means to connect said data input device to the internet and send text, and a hardware to display a table; and

a server connected to the internet and adapted to receive and transmit text to and from said data input device, process text into vocal messages and vocal messages into text, and receive and transmit vocal messages to at least one telephone number, said server having software which creates said table displayed on said hardware of said data input device;

creating said table using software on said server and transmitting said table to said data input device;

displaying said table on said data input device, wherein said table having an area to write at least one text message, an area for inrutting a sender'"'"'s telephone number, an area for inputting at least one addressee'"'"'s telephone number;

an area for inputting the language to be used to send said vocal message, an area for selecting of a pre-recorded message loaded on said server, an area for inserting the time and data to send said vocal message, an area for selecting the tone of voice of said vocal message, an area for selecting an automatic repeat of said telephone, and an area permitting to decide that in case there is an answering machine and/or a call transfer, said vocal message can be transmitted anyway;

entering, using said data input device, at least said text message in said text message area, and said addressee'"'"'s telephone number in said addressee'"'"'s telephone number area in said table;

transmitting said text message from said data input device to said server through the internet;

decoding of said text message by said server;

conversion of said text message into speech by said server using a text-to-speech means whereby words and text from said text message are fragmented into phonemes, analyzed by characters, figures, sums, inflections and punctuation to create a vocal file;

extension of the size of the vocal file created;

adjustment of the vocal message in such a form that can be read by a data transmitting card in said server;

interaction with the transmitting card;

dialing of the number(s) indicated said addressee'"'"'s telephone number entered in said addressee'"'"'s telephone number area of said table;

transmitting of said vocal file to a telephone associated with said addressee'"'"'s telephone number;

determining if a telephone connection between said server and said addressee'"'"'s telephone is made;

transmitting said vocal file from said server to said addressee'"'"'s telephone when said telephone connection is determined;

transmitting an acknowledgment message to said data input device;

recording of data of the telephone call; and

filing of the data on a server database.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, during saving, it compresses the file if wider and not suitable for a perfect transmission.

10. A message sending and receiving system comprising:

a data input device having a means to connect said data input device to the internet and send text data, and a hardware to display a table;

a server connected to the internet and adapted to receive and transmit text data to and from said data input device, process text data into vocal messages and vocal messages into text data, and receive and transmit vocal messages to at least one telephone number, said server having software which creates said table displayed on said hardware of said data input device, said table comprising;

an interface used to write at least one message and send it to said server;

an area for inputting a sender'"'"'s telephone number;

an area for inputting at least one addressee'"'"'s telephone number to which said vocal message will be sent to;

an area for inputting the language to be used to send said vocal message to said addressee'"'"'s telephone number;

an area for selecting of a pre-recorded message loaded on said server;

an area for inserting the time and data to send said vocal message;

an area for selecting the tone of voice of said vocal message;

an area for selecting an automatic repeat of said telephone; and

an area permitting to decide that in case there is an answering machine and/or a call transfer, said vocal message can be transmitted anyway; and

a telephone associated with said telephone number and having a keyboard connectable to said telephone using DTMF keys and tones;

said telephone being adapted to send a reply message to said data input device via said server,

wherein said server is adapted to send acknowledgment of the receiving of said vocal message or said text data, to monitor every call made by a user and the relative results are filed so that the user can later verify and check the history of said text data and vocal message, and to transmit said vocal message when a telephone connection with said addressee'"'"'s telephone is determined to avoid any possible immediate disconnection in case of a brief waiting before the transmission of the communication.

11. The message sending and receiving system according to claim 10, wherein said server transmits said vocal message to said addressee'"'"'s telephone through an outbound telephone call via an analogue or digital telephone line.

12. The message sending and receiving system according to claim 11, wherein said server requires a password in order to send and/or receive said text data and to send and/or receive said vocal message.

13. The message sending and receiving system according to claim 12, wherein said acknowledgment is an e-mail.

14. The message sending and receiving system according to claim 12, wherein said acknowledgment is a phone message.

15. The message sending and receiving system according to claim 10, wherein said server uses a text-to-speech means whereby words and text from said text date are fragmented into phonemes, analyzed by characters, figures, sums, inflections and punctuation to create said vocal message.

16. The message sending and receiving system according to claim 10, wherein said area for inputting a sender'"'"'s telephone number on said table is an area for inputting an “

alias”

or nickname associated with said sender'"'"'s telephone number, and said area for inputting at least one addressee'"'"'s telephone number is an area for inputting an “

alias”

or nickname associated with said addressee'"'"'s telephone number.