Methods, systems, and storage mediums for implementing voice-commanded computer functions

• US 7,403,898 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Perrella, Ronald, Slemmer, John B., Schaub, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Opsasnick; Michael N
• Application Number:
  US10/923,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20060041433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 704/275, 704/270.1
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments include a method, system, and storage medium for implementing voice-initiated computer functions. The method includes translating a voice command into a machine-readable format. The voice command requests implementation of a function. The method also includes executing the function requested in the voice command, and acknowledging whether the function was successfully completed.

Claims

1. A method for implementing voice-commanded, application-specific functions, comprising:

receiving voice commands at a cordless digital headset, the cordless digital headset including a processor executing a voice recognition application, a text-to-speech engine, and a speech/text interface application, the cordless digital headset in communication with user applications, the user applications including a word processing application, an email application, and a web browser application;

the voice recognition application, text-to-speech engine, and speech/text interface application collectively implementing;

translating the voice commands into a machine-readable format, the voice commands requesting activation of one of the user applications and implementation of an application-specific function with respect to the activated user application;

executing the application-specific function requested in the voice commands; and

providing an acknowledgement message to the text-to-speech engine, the acknowledgement message indicating whether the application-specific function was successfully completed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the acknowledgement message includes converting a digital acknowledgement message into a speech message and presenting the speech message to the cordless digital headset.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user applications further includes at least one of:

an Internet telephony application; and

a messaging application including at least one of;

an instant message application; and

a text messaging application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the speech/text interface application employs communications protocols specific to the activated user application;

wherein the communication protocol employed for the Internet telephony application includes Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the speech/text interface application employs communications protocols specific to the activated user application.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the communication protocol employed for the web browser application includes Speech Application Language Tags (SALT).

7. A system for implementing voice-commanded, application-specific functions, comprising:

a cordless digital headset including a processor, the processor executing a voice recognition application, a text-to-speech engine, and a speech/text interface application, the cordless digital headset in communication with user applications, the user applications including a word processing application, an email application, and a web browser application;

wherein the voice recognition application, text-to-speech engine, and speech/text interface application collectively perform a method, comprising;

translating voice commands received at the cordless digital headset into a machine-readable format, the voice commands requesting activation of one of the user applications and implementation of an application-specific function with respect to the activated user application;

executing the application-specific function requested in the voice commands; and

providing an acknowledgement message to the text-to-speech engine, the acknowledgement message indicating whether the application-specific function was successfully completed.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the speech/text interface application employs communications protocols specific to the activated user application.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the communication protocol employed for the web browser application includes Speech Application Language Tags (SALT).

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the user applications further include at least one of:

an Internet telephony application; and

a messaging application including at least one of;

an instant message application; and

a text messaging application.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the speech/text interface application employs communications protocols specific to the activated user application;

wherein the communication protocol employed for the Internet telephony application includes Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the acknowledgement message is converted to speech and presented to the cordless digital headset.

13. The system of claim 12, the cordless digital headset is in communication with the computer device via a base unit, wherein upon converting the acknowledgement message to speech, the speech/text interface application transmits the acknowledgement message to the cordless digital headset;

wherein, the computer device executes the user applications.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a wireless computer device in communication with the computer device via a local area network, wherein the cordless digital headset sends the voice commands to the computer device via the wireless computer device and the base unit.

15. A storage medium including machine-readable program code for implementing voice-commanded, application-specific functions, the program code including instructions for causing a processor to implement a method, comprising:

receiving voice commands at a cordless digital headset, the cordless digital headset including the processor, the processor executing a voice recognition application, a text-to-speech engine, and a speech/text interface application, the cordless digital headset in communication with user applications, the user applications including a word processing application, an email application, and a web browser application;

the voice recognition application, text-to-speech engine, and speech/text interface application collectively implementing a method, comprising;

translating the voice commands into a machine-readable format, the voice commands requesting activation of one of the user applications and implementation of an application-specific function with respect to the activated user application;

executing the application-specific function requested in the voice commands; and

providing an acknowledgement message to the text-to-speech engine, the acknowledgement message indicating whether the application-specific function was successfully completed.

16. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the user applications further include at least one of:

an Internet telephony application; and

a messaging application including at least one of;

an instant message application; and

a text messaging application.

17. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein the speech/text interface application employs communications protocols specific to the activated user application;

wherein the communication protocol employed for the Internet telephony application includes Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

18. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the speech/text interface application employs communications protocols specific to the activated user application.

19. The storage medium of claim 18, wherein the communication protocol employed for the web browser application includes Speech Application Language Tags (SALT).