Identification and selection of a software application via speech

• US 8,019,606 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Etezadi, Cameron Ali, Badger, Eric N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chawan; Vijay
• Application Number:
  US11/824,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 704/235, 704/270.1, 704/275, 704/270, 704/257, 704/243, 704/260, 704/231, 704/9, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.17, 345/161, 345/156, 345/167, 345/159, 345/155, 709/218, 455/563, 455/566
• US Class Current: 704/270.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/63 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/228 of application context
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means

Abstract

An audible indication of a user'"'"'s position within a given speech grammar framework is provided for a speech-enabled software application, and recognition of speech grammars are limited to use only when a software application that has requested a given set of speech grammars is in focus by a user of an associated mobile computing device.

Claims

1. A method of providing an audible indication of a position within one or more software application functionality hierarchies, comprising:

receiving a request for an indication of a presently in focus application functionality;

in response to receiving the request for an indication of a presently in focus application functionality, providing an audible application focus indicator for identifying the presently in focus application functionality, the presently in focus application functionality comprising an application functionality within a hierarchical tree comprising a plurality of available application functionalities;

if a desired application functionality is not identified by the audible application focus indicator, navigating to another application functionality, the desired application functionality comprising a lower level application functionality with respect to the presently in focus application functionality within the hierarchical tree, the another application functionality comprising an application functionality which is at least one level below the presently in focus application functionality within the hierarchical tree; and

providing an audible application focus indicator for the another application functionality.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing an audible application focus indicator for identifying the presently in focus application functionality includes providing an audible application focus indicator that is unique to the in focus application functionality.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request for an indication of a presently in focus application functionality includes receiving the request for an indication of a presently in focus application functionality via a voice command.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request for an indication of a presently in focus application functionality includes receiving the request for an indication of a presently in focus application functionality via a functionality control selection.

5. The method of claim 1, navigating to additional functionalities when the another application functionality is not the desired functionality, and for each additional application functionality navigated to, providing a unique audible application focus indicator to alert a user of a new presently in focus application functionality, the new presently in focus application functionality comprising the each additional application functionality navigated to.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing an audible application focus indicator for identifying the presently in focus application functionality comprises providing an audible application focus identifier for identifying a calendar functionality in an electronic calendaring application.

20. The method of claim 6, wherein navigating to another application functionality comprises navigating to a scheduling functionality available under the calendar functionality in the hierarchical tree.

7. A method of automatically changing a presently in focus application functionality based on a received message, comprising:

receiving a notification of an incoming message directed to a given application functionality;

determining an alert delivery setting for a computing device receiving the notification of an incoming message;

configuring a notification message for presentation in response to receiving the incoming message;

determining a presently in focus application functionality, the presently in focus application functionality comprising an application functionality within a hierarchical tree comprising a plurality of available application functionalities;

if the presently in focus application functionality is different from an application functionality associated with the incoming message, automatically making the application functionality associated with the incoming message a presently in focus application functionality, the application functionality associated with the incoming message comprising at least one of a lower level and a higher level application functionality with respect to the presently in focus application functionality within the hierarchical tree; and

providing an application focus indicator for the application functionality associated with the incoming message.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein providing an application focus indicator for the presently in focus application functionality includes providing an audible application focus indicator.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein providing an application focus indicator for the presently in focus application functionality includes providing a visual application focus indicator.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving a notification of an incoming message directed to a given application functionality includes receiving an incoming electronic mail message.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving a notification of an incoming message directed to a given application functionality includes receiving an incoming calendar reminder notification.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving a notification of an incoming message directed to a given application functionality includes receiving an incoming task reminder notification.

13. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions, which when executed, perform a method of providing an audible indication of a position within one or more software application functionality hierarchies, comprising:

receiving a request for an indication of a presently in focus application functionality;

in response to receiving the request for an indication of a presently in focus application functionality, providing an audible application focus indicator for identifying the presently in focus application functionality;

receiving a notification of an incoming message directed to a given application functionality;

determining a presently in focus application functionality, the presently in focus application functionality comprising an application functionality within a hierarchical tree comprising a plurality of available application functionalities;

if the presently in focus application functionality is different from an application functionality associated with the incoming message, automatically making the application functionality associated with the incoming message a new presently in focus application functionality, the application functionality associated with the incoming message comprising at least one of a lower level and a higher level application functionality with respect to the presently in focus application functionality within the hierarchical tree; and

providing an application focus indicator for the application functionality associated with the incoming message.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, prior to automatically making the application functionality associated with the incoming message a new presently in focus application functionality, further comprising:

determining an alert delivery setting for a computing device receiving the notification of an incoming message; and

configuring an application focus indicator for presentation in response to receiving the incoming message.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

determining whether a desired application functionality is identified by the audible application focus indicator;

if a desired application functionality is not identified by the audible application focus indicator, allowing a navigation to a different application functionality; and

when a navigation to a different application functionality is accomplished, providing an audible application focus indicator for the different application functionality.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein if a desired application functionality is identified, allowing navigation to additional functionalities associated with the desired functionality, and for each additional application functionality associated with the desired functionality navigated to, providing a unique audible application focus indicator to alert a user of a new presently in focus application functionality.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein receiving a request for an indication of a presently in focus application functionality includes receiving the request for an indication of a presently in focus application functionality via a voice command.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein receiving a request for an indication of a presently in focus application functionality includes receiving the request for an indication of a presently in focus application functionality via a functionality control selection.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein providing an application focus indicator for the presently in focus application functionality includes providing an audible application focus indicator.