Communications system providing automatic text-to-speech conversion features and related methods

• US 7,937,125 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2009
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: May, Darrell Reginald, Gagne, Alain R.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US12/632,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20100081465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/563, 455/575.2, 455/575.9, 455/420, 37942001-42004, 704/270.1
• US Class Current: 455/575.2
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/047 Architecture of speech synthesisers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• 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 communications system may include at least one mobile wireless communications device, and a wireless communications network for sending text messages thereto. More particularly, the at least one mobile wireless communications device may include a wireless transceiver and a controller for cooperating therewith for receiving text messages from the wireless communications network. It may further include a headset output connected to the controller. The controller may be for switching between a normal message mode and an audio message mode based upon a connection between the headset output and a headset. Moreover, when in the audio message mode, the controller may output at least one audio message including speech generated from at least one of the received text messages via the headset output.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless cellular communications device comprising:

a portable housing;

a headset;

a headset output carried by said portable housing and configured to establish a connection with said headset;

a wireless cellular transceiver carried by said portable housing; and

a controller carried by said portable housing and coupled to said wireless cellular transceiver and said headset output, said controller configured to

receive text messages from a wireless communications network,

switch between a normal message mode and a hands-free audio message mode based upon determining establishment of the connection between said headset output and said headset, and

when in the hands-free audio message mode, output at least one audio message comprising speech generated from at least one of the received text messages via said headset output to said headset.

2. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said headset comprises a wireless headset and said headset output comprises a wireless headset output.

3. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said headset comprises a wired headset and said headset output comprises a headset jack.

4. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 further comprising a user interface device carried by said portable housing and coupled to said controller;

and wherein said controller is further configured to switch to the hands-free audio message mode based upon an audio message mode command provided via said user interface device.

5. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 4 wherein said user interface device comprises a keypad.

6. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 further comprising a text-to-speech module configured to convert the at least one text message to the at least one audio message.

7. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 further comprising a display carried by said portable housing and coupled to said controller for displaying the text messages.

8. A cellular communications system comprising:

at least one mobile wireless communications device comprising

a portable housing,

a headset,

a headset output carried by said portable housing and configured to establish a connection with said headset,

a wireless cellular transceiver carried by said portable housing, and

a controller carried by said portable housing and coupled to said wireless cellular transceiver and said headset output, said controller configured to

receive text messages from a wireless communications network,

switch between a normal message mode and a hands-free audio message mode based upon determining establishment of the connection between said headset output and said headset, and

when in the hands-free audio message mode, output at least one audio message comprising speech generated from at least one of the received text messages via said headset output to said headset; and

a wireless cellular communications network configured to send the text messages to said at least one mobile wireless communications device.

9. The communications system of claim 8 wherein said headset comprises a wireless headset and said headset output comprises a wireless headset output.

10. The communications system of claim 8 wherein said headset comprises a wired headset and said headset output comprises a headset jack.

11. The communications system of claim 8 further comprising a user interface device carried by said portable housing and coupled to said controller;

and wherein said controller is further configured to switch to the hands-free audio message mode based upon an audio message mode command provided via said user interface device.

12. The communications system of claim 8 further comprising a text-to-speech module configured to convert the at least one text message to the at least one audio message.

13. The communications system of claim 8 wherein said controller is also configured to generate a conversion request for the at least one text message and to cooperate with said wireless cellular transceiver to forward the conversion request to said wireless communications network;

and wherein said wireless communications network is configured to receive the conversion request and further comprises a text-to-speech module for converting the at least one text message to the at least one audio message, and wherein said wireless communications network is also configured to send the at least one audio message to said at least one wireless communications device.

14. The communications system of claim 8 further comprising a display carried by said portable housing and coupled to said controller for displaying the text messages.

15. A method for using a mobile wireless cellular communications device comprising a headset output, the method comprising:

receiving text messages from a wireless cellular communications network using the mobile wireless communications device;

switching the mobile wireless cellular communications device between a normal message mode and a hands-free audio message mode based upon determining establishment of a connection between the headset output and a headset; and

when the mobile wireless cellular communications device is in the hands-free audio message mode, outputting at least one audio message comprising speech generated from at least one received text message via the headset output to the headset.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the headset output comprises a wireless headset output for establishing a wireless connection with the headset.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the mobile wireless cellular communications device further comprises a user interface device connected to the controller;

and further comprising switching to the hands-free audio message mode based upon an audio message mode command provided via the user interface device.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising converting the at least one text message to the at least one audio message prior to outputting.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for use with a mobile wireless cellular communications device comprising a headset output, the computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing the mobile wireless communications cellular device to perform steps comprising:

receiving text messages from a wireless cellular communications network;

switching between a normal message mode and a hands-free audio message mode based upon determining establishment of a connection between the headset output and a headset; and

when in the hands-free audio message mode, outputting at least one audio message comprising speech generated from at least one received text message via the headset output to the headset.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the headset output comprises a wireless headset output for establishing a wireless connection with the headset.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the mobile wireless cellular communications device further comprises a user interface device connected to the controller;

and further comprising computer-executable instructions for causing the mobile wireless communications device to perform a step comprising switching to the hands-free audio message mode based upon an audio message mode command provided via the user interface device.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 further comprising computer-executable instructions for causing the mobile wireless cellular communications device to perform a step of converting the at least one text message to the at least one audio message prior to outputting.