Methods of processing a voice command from a caller

• US 7,822,612 B1
• Filed: 01/03/2003
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Goodheart, Eric Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Sked; Matthew J
• Application Number:
  US10/336,583
• Time in Patent Office: 2,853 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

Schemes for processing a voice command from a caller are disclosed herein. The schemes may allow a caller to manipulate data using a voice command and designate a device to which to provide the manipulated data. The schemes may be accessed over telecommunication networks. According to one exemplary embodiment, a method of processing a voice command from a caller may include receiving from the caller a voice command to manipulate a set of data. The voice command may be processed using a voice-recognition application. The set of data may be manipulated to obtain a different modified set of data, and the modified set of data may be provided to a device designated by the caller.

Claims

1. A method including:

receiving from a caller a voice command to access a first application associated with a first device,

receiving from the caller a voice command to manipulate a set of data stored prior to the caller having accessed a system implementing the method,

using a voice-recognition application, processing the voice command at least in part by converting the voice command to a symbolic command in a voice markup language,

obtaining a modified set of data by performing at least one of adding to, deleting and editing at least a subset of the set of data, wherein obtaining the modified set of data includes executing the symbolic command,

formatting the modified set of data for a second device designated by the caller thereby obtaining a formatted set of data,

providing the formatted set of data to the second device designated by the caller,

providing the formatted set of data to a second application associated with the second device in generally real time, the second application being accessed contemporaneously with the first application, and

providing a user interface to manipulate the formatted set of data using the second application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving includes:

accessing a voice-recognition application based on at least one of a grammar, a natural language, and a voice markup language.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing includes:

directing the formatted set of data to the device designated by the caller based on a protocol including at least one of a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) protocol and an Internet protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing includes:

directing the formatted set of data to at least one of a calling device, a display, an electronic mail account, a personal computer (PC), a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a printer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing includes:

providing the formatted set of data to a device from which the caller originated the voice command.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

formatting includes converting the modified set of data to a voice output, and

providing includes providing the voice output to the device from which the caller originated the voice command.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a voice command from the caller designating the device to receive the formatted set of data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an organizer application that allows the caller to manipulate data therein using the voice-recognition application, wherein the data in the organizer application comprises the set of data stored prior to the caller having accessed the system implementing the method.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an organizer application that allows the caller to manipulate data included in at least one of an account book, an address book, an alarm, a clock, a date book, and a memorandum book using the voice-recognition application, wherein the data comprises the set of data stored prior to the caller having accessed the system implementing the method.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an organizer application that allows the caller to manipulate data included in a calculator, the calculator being capable of performing at least one of a macroinstruction, a unary operation, and a binary operation, wherein the data comprises the set of data stored prior to the caller having accessed the system implementing the method.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

concurrently performing the method of claim 1 for a plurality of callers.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is a first voice server, and the second device is a second voice server.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from a caller a voice command to access the second application,

providing the formatted set of data to the caller,

receiving a voice command from the caller to modify the formatted set of data by performing at least one of adding to, deleting, and editing at least a subset of the formatted set of data, and

modifying the formatted set of data according to the voice command.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the caller to contemporaneously access the second application, wherein the first device is a first voice server, and the second device is a second voice server,

receiving a voice command from the caller to modify the formatted set of data by performing at least one of adding to, deleting, and editing at least a subset of the formatted set of data, and

modifying the formatted set of data utilizing the second voice server according to the voice command.

15. A processor program stored on a processor-readable medium and comprising instructions to cause a processor to:

receive from a caller a voice command to access a first application associated with a first device,

receive from the caller a voice command to manipulate a set of data stored prior to the caller having accessed the program,

using a voice-recognition application, process the voice command at least in part by converting the voice command to a symbolic command in a voice markup language,

obtain a modified set of data by performing at least one of adding to, deleting and editing at least a subset of the set of data, wherein obtaining the modified set of data includes executing the symbolic command,

format the modified set of data for a second device designated by the caller thereby obtaining a formatted set of data,

provide the formatted set of data to the second device designated by the caller in generally real time,

provide the formatted set of data to a second application associated with the second device, the second application being accessed contemporaneously with the first application, and

manipulate the formatted set of data using the second application, the formatted set of data being manipulated based on input from a user.

16. The processor program of claim 15, wherein the instructions to provide include instructions to:

direct the formatted set of data to at least one of a calling device, a display, an electronic mail account, a PC, a PDA, and a printer.

17. A system comprising:

a first voice server comprising;

a plurality of applications,

an interface for receiving from a caller a voice command to select a first application from among the plurality of applications and manipulate a set of data stored prior to the caller having accessed the first voice server using the selected application,

a voice-recognition application for processing the voice command at least in part by converting the voice command to a symbolic command in a voice markup language, and

a voice markup language interpreter for

obtaining a modified set of data by performing at least one of adding to, deleting and editing at least a subset of the data, wherein obtaining the modified set of data includes executing the symbolic command, and

formatting the modified set of data for a device designated by the caller thereby obtaining a formatted set of data,

a router for providing the formatted set of data to the device designated by the caller; and

a second voice server configured to;

receive the formatted set of data from the first voice server in generally real time,

provide the formatted set of data to a second application associated with the second voice server, the second application being accessed contemporaneously with the first application, and

manipulate the formatted set of data using the second application, the formatted set of data being manipulated based on input from a user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the router is designed to direct the formatted set of data to at least one of a calling device, a display, an electronic mail account, a PC, a PDA, and a printer.

19. A method comprising:

prompting a caller to choose a first service from a plurality of available services capable of modifying a set of data stored prior to the caller having accessed a system implementing the method,

accessing a voice-recognition application in response to a service chosen by the caller,

receiving from the caller a voice command to manipulate the set of data,

using the voice-recognition application, processing the voice command at least in part by converting the voice command to a symbolic command in a voice markup language,

obtaining a modified set of data by performing at least one of adding to, deleting and editing at least a subset of the set of data, wherein obtaining the modified set of data includes executing the symbolic command,

formatting the modified set of data for a device designated by the caller thereby obtaining a formatted set of data,

providing the formatted set of data to the device designated by the caller,

providing the formatted set of data to a second service associated with the second device in generally real time, the second service being accessed contemporaneously with the first service, and

manipulating the formatted set of data using the second application based on input from a user.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein providing includes:

directing the formatted set of data to at least one of a calling device, a display, an electronic mail account, a PC, PDA, and a printer.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

concurrently performing the method of claim 19 for a plurality of callers, wherein two callers choose different services.

22. A method including:

receiving from a caller a command to manipulate a set of data stored prior to the caller having accessed a system implementing the method,

using a media platform, processing the command at least in part by converting the voice command to a symbolic command in a voice markup language,

obtaining a modified set of data by performing at least one of adding to, deleting and changing at least a subset of the set of data, wherein obtaining the modified set of data includes executing the symbolic command,

formatting the modified set of data for a device designated by the caller thereby obtaining a formatted set of data,

providing the formatted set of data to the device designated by the caller in generally real time,

providing the formatted set of data to a contemporaneously-accessed application associated with the device designated by the caller, and

manipulating the formatted set of data using the contemporaneously-accessed application based on input from a user.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein receiving includes:

receiving at least one of a voice command, a dial tone modulation frequency (DTMF) tone command, and a text command.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein receiving includes:

receiving a text command from the caller based on an Internet protocol.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein processing includes:

using a media platform including a lexical parser, processing a text command.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein providing includes:

directing the formatted set of data to at least one of a calling device, a display, an electronic mail account, a PC, a PDA, and a printer.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein formatting includes:

based on the modified set of data, generating an output in a medium different than that of the command.