Voice activated dialing for wireless headsets

• US 8,112,125 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2006
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bailey, II, William P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIVJI, NIZAR N
• Application Number:
  US11/558,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20080113689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 455/569.1, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/575.6, 455/426.1, 455/556.1, 455/420, 455/41.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 351/158
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection

Abstract

Provided are methods and systems for hands free communication with a wearable telecommunication device configured to recognize a command associated with the audio message and executing the command by communicating wirelessly with at least one communication device or a mobile telecommunication system. The wearable wireless telecommunications headset includes a casing containing a speaker for receiving an audio message, a microphone for sending an audio message, transceiver and a processor programmed for voice recognition. Methods are provided for direct communication with a telecommunication system and also communicating with a telecommunications system via an intermediary local device.

Claims

1. A wireless communication headset comprising:

a microphone for receiving an audio message from a user;

a processor for recognizing a command based on the audio message from the user and executing the command;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver in communication with the processor for directly communicating wirelessly with a mobile communication network based on the executed command;

a local transceiver in communication with the processor for communicating wirelessly with a mobile communication network through a communication device;

wherein the local transceiver automatically communicates with the mobile communication network through the communication device when the communication device receives a stronger signal from the mobile communication network than the RF transceiver and the RF transceiver automatically communicates with the mobile communication network directly when the RF transceiver receives a stronger signal from the mobile communications network than the communication device, the signal strength of each transceiver weighed locally in selecting one of the local transceiver and the RF transceiver for communication; and

wherein the communication with the mobile communication network changes from using the RF transceiver to the communication device when the headset determines that the communication device receives a stronger signal from the mobile communication network than the RF transceiver and from the communication device to the RF transceiver when the RF transceiver receives a stronger signal from the mobile communications network than the communication device;

a speaker in communication with each transceiver, for providing audio to the user; and

a casing upon which to mount each transceiver, the speaker, the microphone, and the processor, the casing being detachably secured to the user'"'"'s head allowing the user to engage in a conversation via the microphone and the speaker.

2. The wireless communication headset of claim 1, further comprising a memory device in communication with the processor, wherein the memory device is capable of recording digital information comprising at least one of ring tones, caller ID information, operating instructions, and a digital phone book.

3. The wireless communication headset of claim 2, wherein the memory device is removable.

4. The wireless communication headset of claim 1, further comprising a transducer in communication with the processor, capable of providing a command to the processor.

5. The wireless communication headset of claim 4, wherein the local transceiver is capable of communicating using a short range radio including one or a combination of Bluetooth®

, Wireless USB (WUSB), Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11), Wimax, WiBro, infrared, near-field magnetics and HiperLAN standards.

6. A method of communicating with a mobile telecommunications system via a wireless communications headset comprising:

receiving an audio signal from a user at a microphone of the wireless communications headset;

deriving an audio command from the received audio signal by a processor for recognizing a command based on the audio message coupled to the headset;

weighing a relative signal strength between a radio frequency (RF) transceiver on the headset and a communications device, the weighing occurring at the headset; and

establishing a communication by the headset with a recipient via the mobile telecommunications system based in part on the audio command, wherein the headset automatically communicates with the mobile telecommunications system using the (RF transceiver on the headset when the RF transceiver receives a stronger signal from the mobile telecommunications system than the communications device and the headset automatically communicates with the mobile telecommunications network through the communications device when the communications device receives a stronger signal from the mobile telecommunications system than the RF transceiver, the headset communicating with the communications device through a local transceiver on the headset;

changing the communication with the mobile communication network from using the RF transceiver to the communication device when the headset determines that the communication device receives a stronger signal from the mobile communication network than the RF transceiver and from using the communication device to the RF transceiver when the headset determines that the RF transceiver receives a stronger signal from the mobile communications network than the communication device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving an incoming communication at the wireless communications headset by the transceiver associated with the wireless communications headset;

in response to the incoming communication, providing an audio alert to the user via a speaker associated with the wireless communications headset;

if the user chooses to answer the incoming communication, receiving a first input from the user enabling the user to participate in the incoming communication via the wireless communications headset;

if the user chooses not to answer the incoming communication, receiving a second input from the user transferring the communication to another destination, and;

if the user chooses not to accept the incoming communication, receiving a third input from the user to terminate the call.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the audio command identifies the recipient of the communication;

and the method further comprising;

retrieving, from a database resident on a memory device associated with the wireless communications headset, a phone number corresponding to the identified recipient.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the audio alert is a tone.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the audio alert is a ring tone stored in a memory device associated with the wireless communications headset.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the ring tone is a spoken alert generated by the wireless communication headset.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving a first input, a second input, or a third input comprises detecting a manipulation of a transducer associated with the wireless communications headset.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein establishing a communication with a recipient includes an audio command instructing the wireless communications headset to communicate with the mobile telecommunications system via a local communications device.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of operating instructions to be executed by a processor for communicating with a mobile telecommunications system via a wireless communications headset, the plurality of instructions comprising instructions to:

receive an audio signal from a user at a microphone of the wireless communications headset;

derive an audio command from the received audio signal by a processor for recognizing a command based on the audio message coupled to the headset;

weigh a relative signal strength between a radio frequency (RF) transceiver on the headset and a communications device, the weighing occurring at the headset;

establish a communication by the headset with a recipient via the mobile telecommunications system based in part on the audio command, wherein the wireless communications headset automatically communicates with the mobile telecommunications system using the RF transceiver on the headset when the RF transceiver receives a stronger signal from the mobile telecommunications system than the communication device, and the headset automatically communicates with the mobile telecommunications network through the communications device when the communications device receives a stronger signal from the mobile telecommunications system than the transceiver, the headset communicating with the communications device through a local transceiver on the headset; and

change the communication with the mobile communication network from using the RF transceiver to the communication device when the headset determines that the communication device receives a stronger signal from the mobile communication network than the RF transceiver and from using the communication device to the RF transceiver when the headset determines that the RF transceiver receives a stronger signal from the mobile communications network than the communication device.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions to:

receive an incoming communication at the wireless communications headset by the transceiver associated with the wireless communications headset;

in response to the incoming communication, providing an audio alert to the user via a speaker associated with the wireless communications headset;

if the user chooses to answer the incoming communication, receive a first input from the user enabling the user to participate in the incoming communication via the wireless communications headset;

if the user chooses not to answer the incoming communication, receive a second input from the user to transfer the communication to another destination, and;

if the user chooses not to accept the communication, receive a third input from the user to terminate the call.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the audio command identifies the recipient of the communication;

and the computer readable medium further comprising instructions to;

retrieve from a database resident on a memory device associated with the wireless communication headset, a phone number corresponding to the identified recipient.