System and method for sending text messages converted into speech through an internet connection

• US 7,706,511 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2007
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Braintexter Incorporated
• Inventors: Vieri, Flavio, Vieri, Riccardo
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US11/858,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20080010355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.16, 379/88.17, 379 8822- 8826, 379/207.08, 379/207.1, 379/209.01, 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 455/414.4, 455/466
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• 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 disclosure includes a system to send text messages by the Internet and deliver messages in the form of speech directly on an addressee'"'"'s phone. This system includes a central server where software is installed. The server receives a written text message, converts it into speech and processes it, so that the message can be sent in vocal form over a telephone line. The user receiving the message in vocal form can also answer it, sending a reply message to the sender using the telephone.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

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

an area to receive at least one message from the data input device associated with a sender;

an area to receive a sender telephone number;

an area to receive at least one addressee telephone number to which the vocal message is to be sent;

an area to designate a language to be used when sending the vocal message to the at least one addressee telephone number;

an area to select a pre-recorded message; and

an area to select an option to automatically repeat sending of the vocal message to an addressee device associated with the at least one addressee telephone number in the event that the addressee device does not answer, wherein the area to select the option includes a selectable number of call attempts,

wherein the server is further adapted to receive a reply to the vocal message from the addressee device and to send an acknowledgment related to the reply via an audio message to the sender.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is adapted to store data related to the table and to store associated reply messages.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the server is adapted to provide an interface accessible to the sender enabling the sender to view a text message history, associated reply messages, and other data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the table further comprises an area to insert a time and date to send with the vocal message, an area to select a tone of voice of the vocal message, and an area to identify a voice recording option.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein data transmission for outbound calls is performed via an Internet Protocol (IP) connection.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the table further comprises an area to insert a time and date to schedule transmission of the vocal message.

7. A user interface accessible to transmit a vocal message, the user interface comprising:

an area to receive a text message associated with a sender, the text message to be converted to a vocal message at a server;

an area to receive a sender telephone number;

an area to receive at least one addressee telephone number to which the vocal message will be sent;

an area to receive a date and time for transmittal of the vocal message to the at least one addressee telephone number; and

an area to select an option to automatically repeat sending of the vocal message to an addressee device associated with the at least one addressee telephone number in the event that the addressee device does not answer, wherein the area to select the option includes a selectable number of call attempts,

wherein when the server receives a reply to the vocal message from the addressee device, the server sends an acknowledgment related to the reply via an audio message to the sender.

8. The user interface of claim 7, further comprising an area to display a list of one or more pre-recorded messages and a corresponding area to receive a selection related to a selected one of the one or more pre-recorded messages.

9. The user interface of claim 7, wherein the sender is unable to communicate vocally, wherein the text message is related to an emergency and wherein the vocal message comprises an audio version that can be transmitted to an emergency responder.

10. A method of communicating a vocal message, the method comprising:

receiving data at a server from a sender device, the data comprising a message, a sender number, and at least one addressee number;

determining whether the message is in a text format;

when the message is determined to be in the text format, converting the message from the text format into a vocal message;

attempting a first transmission of the vocal message from the server to an addressee device associated with the at least one addressee number;

automatically attempting at least one additional transmission of the vocal message from the server to the addressee device in the event that the addressee device does not answer; and

when the server receives a reply message from the addressee device, sending an acknowledgment related to the reply message via an audio message to the sender device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

in response to receiving the reply message from the addressee device, storing the reply message at the server.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the reply message comprises a job-related message.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the data further comprises a date and time to schedule transmission of the vocal message and wherein the vocal message is transmitted according to the date and time.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the message comprises a pre-recorded message.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a Text to Speech (TTS) server, a short message service (SMS) message and a destination telephone number from a mobile communication device, the SMS message including text input received at the mobile communication device;

converting the text input into a vocal message;

attempting a first transmission of the vocal message via a first telephone call from the TTS server to a destination device associated with the destination telephone number via the Internet;

automatically attempting at least one additional transmission of the vocal message from the TTS server to the destination device in the event that the destination device does not answer; and

when the TTS server receives a reply to the vocal message, sending an acknowledgment related to the reply via an audio message to the mobile communication device, wherein the audio message indicates that the reply to the vocal message has been received at the TTS server.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, at the TTS server, a request from the mobile communication device to receive the reply; and

transmitting the reply from the TTS server to the mobile communication device in response to the request.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the reply includes a reply voice message.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the reply voice message is received at the TTS server in a first language and wherein the TTS server converts the reply voice message from the first language to a second language before transmission to the mobile communication device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the reply is transmitted from the TTS server to the mobile communication device via an email message.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the reply includes a reply voice message and wherein the reply voice message is attached to the email message.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the SMS message further comprises a language identifier specifying a language to which the text input is to be translated, and wherein the method further comprises translating the text input from a first language to the specified language before the text input is converted into the vocal message.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the SMS message specifies a number of additional transmission attempts in the event that the destination device does not answer.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the SMS message specifies when to attempt the first transmission of the vocal message.