Mobile communication device with silent conversation capability

• US 7,986,941 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2005
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Luo, Hui
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US11/146,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20060274682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,240 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/252, 370/259, 370/465, 455/412.1, 455/413, 455/414.4
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/642 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/645 with speech synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A system and method for providing silent conversation capability in a mobile communication device. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise establishing a wireless communication link between the mobile communication device and a second communication device. A user input may be received at the mobile communication device. A voice message may be determined from a plurality of voice messages based, at least in part, on the user input. Such determination may, for example, comprise selecting a voice message from a plurality of prerecorded voice messages and/or determining a voice message to be synthesized. The determined voice message may then be communicated to the second communication device. For example, the determined voice message may be communicated to the second communication device in such a way that people in the proximity of the mobile communication device might not hear the determined voice message.

Claims

1. In a mobile communication device, a method for conducting a voice communication, the method comprising:

establishing a wireless communication link with a second communication device; and

after the wireless communication link is established;

receiving a mode input;

enabling a silent communication mode based at least in part on the received mode input, wherein enabling the silent communication mode comprises switching from a non-silent communication mode and providing a visual output indicating a plurality of voice messages for selection;

receiving a user input responsive to the visual output indicating the plurality of voice messages for selection;

selecting, based at least in part on the received user input, a voice message from the plurality of voice messages; and

communicating the selected voice message to the second communication device over the established communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the mobile communication device comprises a cellular telephone; and

establishing a communication link with the second communication device comprises establishing a cellular communication link between the mobile communication device and the second communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a user input comprises receiving a key press input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a voice message comprises selecting, based at least in part on the user input, a voice message from a plurality of prerecorded voice messages.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of prerecorded voice messages comprises prerecorded voice messages of the user'"'"'s voice.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of prerecorded voice messages comprises a fundamental set of statements with which one side of a two-sided conversation may be conducted.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the selected voice message comprises synthesizing the selected voice message based, at least in part, on the user input.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an audio output indicative of the selected voice message prior to communicating the selected voice message to the second communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating one of a plurality of sets of prerecorded voice messages with a particular communication.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second mode input; and

switching from the silent communication mode to the non-silent communication mode based, at least in part, on the second mode input.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the mode input and the second mode input comprise a signal from the second communication device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second user input; and

in response to the second user input, aborting communicating the selected voice message to the second communication device.

13. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a communication interface module adapted to establish a wireless communication link with a second communication device;

a user interface module adapted to receive at least;

a mode input adapted to enable a silent communication mode, and

a user input; and

at least one module, communicatively coupled to the communication interface module and the user interface module, that is adapted to;

utilize the communication interface module to establish a communication link with a second communication device;

switch from a non-silent communication mode to the silent communication mode and provide a visual output indicating a plurality of voice messages for selection based, at least in part, on the mode input received by the user interface module after the communication link is established;

select a voice message from a plurality of voice messages based, at least in part, on the user input received by the user interface module responsive to the visual output indicating the plurality of voice messages for selection after the communication link is established; and

utilize the communication interface module to communicate the selected voice message to the second communication device over the established communication link.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein:

the communication interface module comprises a cellular telephone transceiver module; and

the communication link comprises a cellular telephone communication link.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the user input received by the user interface module comprises a key press input.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 13, further comprising a memory that stores a plurality of prerecorded voice messages, and wherein the at least one module is adapted to determine a voice message by selecting a voice message from the stored plurality of prerecorded voice messages based, at least in part, on the user input.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of prerecorded voice messages comprises prerecorded voice messages of the user'"'"'s voice.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of prerecorded voice message comprises a fundamental set of statements with which one side of a two-sided conversation may be conducted.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the at least one module is further adapted to synthesize the selected voice message based, at least in part, on the user input.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the at least one module is further adapted to utilize the user interface module to generate an audio output indicative of the selected voice message prior to utilizing the communication interface module to communicate the selected voice message to the second communication device.

21. The mobile communication device of claim 13, further comprising a memory that stores a plurality of sets of prerecorded voice messages, and wherein the at least one module is adapted to associate one of a plurality of sets of prerecorded voice messages with a particular communication.

22. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein:

the user interface module is adapted to receive a second mode input; and

the at least one module is adapted to switch from the silent communication mode to the non-silent communication mode based, at least in part, on the received second mode input.

23. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein:

the communication interface module is adapted to receive an operating mode signal; and

the at least one module is adapted to switch between a silent and non-silent communication mode based, at least in part, on a received operating mode signal.

24. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the at least one module comprises a switch circuit that is adapted to:

receive as input at least a first audio signal associated with a microphone of the mobile communication device and a second audio signal associated with the selected voice message;

generate a selected signal by, at least in part, selecting between the at least a first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

output the selected signal.

25. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the at least one module comprises a mixer circuit that is adapted to:

receive as input at least a first audio signal associated with a microphone of the mobile communication device and a second audio signal associated with the selected voice message;

generate a mixed signal by, at least in part, mixing the at least a first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

output the mixed signal.

26. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the at least one module comprises a mixer circuit that is adapted to:

receive as input at least a first audio signal associated with a voice message received by the mobile communication device and a second audio signal associated with the selected voice message;

generate a mixed signal by, at least in part, mixing the at least a first audio signal and the second audio signal; and

output the mixed signal.

27. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the at least one module is adapted to, in response to a second user input, abort communicating the selected voice message to the second communication device.