System and method for controlling voicemail transcription from a communication device

• US 8,184,780 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2008
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ditech Networks, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ditech Networks, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Siminoff, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Sing, Simon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohammed, Assad
• Application Number:
  US12/055,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20080240380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8814- 8827, 379/289, 455/414.4
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/10 Logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis speech synthesis per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message

Abstract

Systems, methods and software product control voicemail transcription from a communication device. An audio mode is monitored within the communication device to determine a change in status between a sound-on mode and a sound-off mode. Automatic transcription of voicemail messages is enabled if the audio mode status transitions from sound-on to sound-off and automatic transcription of voicemail messages is disabled if the audio mode status transitions from sound-off to sound-on.

Claims

1. A method for controlling voicemail transcription service remote from a user communication device, comprising:

monitoring, within the communication device, an audio mode to determine a change in status between a sound-on mode and a sound-off mode;

enabling automatic transcription of voicemail messages in response to receiving the status of the audio mode transitioning from sound-on to sound-off; and

disabling automatic transcription of voicemail messages in response to

receiving the status of the audio mode

transitioning from sound-off to sound-on.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transcribing the voicemail through a voicemail transcription service.

3. The method of claim 2, the step of enabling comprising sending a transcribe-on command to the voicemail transcription service.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising relaying, from a communication provider associated with the communication device, the transcribe-on command to the voicemail transcription service.

5. The method of claim 2, the step of disabling comprising sending a transcribe-off command to the voicemail transcription service.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising relaying, from the communication provider, the transcribe-off command to the voicemail transcription service.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transcribing the voicemail within a communication provider associated with the communication device.

8. The method of claim 7, the step of enabling comprising sending a transcribe-on command to the communication provider.

9. The method of claim 7, the step of disabling comprising sending a transcribe-off command to the communication provider.

10. The method of claim 1, the step of enabling comprising enabling automatic transcription of voicemail messages if the audio mode status transitions from sound-on to sound-off and an auto control flag indicates that automatic control of transcription is enabled.

11. The method of claim 1, the step of disabling comprising disabling automatic transcription of voicemail messages if the audio mode status transitions from sound-off to sound-on and an auto control flag indicates that automatic control of transcription is disabled.

12. A method for controlling a voicemail transcription service remote from a user communication device, comprising:

monitoring, within the communication device, an audio mode to determine a change in status between a sound-on mode and a sound-off mode;

sending a transcribe-on command to the voicemail transcription service if the audio mode status transitions from sound-on to sound-off;

sending a transcribe-off command to the voicemail transcription service if the audio mode status transitions from sound-off to sound-on;

enabling automatic transcription of voicemail messages received by the voicemail transcription service upon receiving the transcribe-on command; and

disabling automatic transcription of voicemail messages received by the voicemail transcription service upon receiving the transcribe-off command.

13. A system for controlling voicemail transcription service remote from a user communication device, comprising:

the communication device having an audio mode selectable between sound-on and sound-off; and

a mode detector, within the communication device, for detecting a transition in the audio mode between sound-on and sound-off, the mode detector remotely activating and deactivating automatic transcription of voicemail messages into text based on the detected transition.

14. The system of claim 13, the mode detector activating the automatic transcription when the audio mode transitions to sound-off.

15. The system of claim 13, the mode detector deactivating the automatic transcription when the audio mode transitions to sound-on.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising an auto control flag for indicating whether control of automatic transcription of voicemail messages into text is enabled or not, the mode detector not detecting, activating and deactivating automatic transcription if the auto control flag indicates control of automatic transcription is not enabled.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising a transcriber for translating voicemail messages into text.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising one or more sensors for determining the audio mode of the device based upon a physical status of the device.

19. A system for controlling a voicemail transcription service remote from a user communication device, comprising:

the communication device having an audio mode variable between a sound-on status and a sound-off status;

a communication provider in communication with the communication device and the voicemail transcription service;

a mode detector, within the communication device, for detecting a transition in the audio mode between sound-on status and sound-off status, the mode detector sending a status message indicating the audio mode status to the communication provider;

a status relay within the communication provider for sending the status message to the voicemail transcription service; and

a voicemail transcription controller, within the voicemail transcription service, for activating and deactivating automatic transcription of voicemail messages into text, based on the audio mode status based on the audio mode status.

20. A software product comprising instructions, stored on non-transitory computer-readable media, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, perform steps for controlling a voicemail transcription service remote from a user communication device, comprising:

instructions for monitoring, within the communication device, an audio mode to determine a change in status between a sound-on mode and a sound-off mode;

instructions for enabling automatic transcription of voicemail messages in response to receiving the status of the audio mode transitioning from sound-on to sound-off; and

instructions for disabling automatic transcription of voicemail messages in response to receiving the status of the audio mode transitioning from sound-off to sound-on.

21. The software product of claim 20, further comprising instructions for transcribing the voicemail through a voicemail transcription service.

22. The software product of claim 21, the instructions for enabling comprising instructions for sending a transcribe-on command to the voicemail transcription service.

23. The software product of claim 22, further comprising instructions for relaying, from a communication provider associated with the communication device, the transcribe-on command to the voicemail transcription service.

24. The software product of claim 21, the instructions for disabling comprising instructions for sending a transcribe-off command to the voicemail transcription service.

25. The software product of claim 24, further comprising instructions for relaying, from the communication provider, the transcribe-off command to the voicemail transcription service.

26. The software product of claim 20, further comprising instructions for transcribing the voicemail within the communication device.

27. The software product of claim 20, further comprising instructions for transcribing the voicemail within a communication provider associated with the communication device.

28. The software product of claim 27, the instructions for enabling comprising sending a transcribe-on command to the communication provider.

29. The software product of claim 27, the instructions for disabling comprising instructions for sending a transcribe-off command to the communication provider.

30. The software product of claim 20, the instructions for enabling comprising instructions for enabling automatic transcription of voicemail messages if the audio mode status transitions from sound-on to sound-off and an auto control flag indicates that automatic control of transcription is enabled.

31. The software product of claim 20, the instructions for disabling comprising instructions for disabling automatic transcription of voicemail messages if the audio mode status transitions from sound-off to sound-on and an auto control flag indicates that automatic control of transcription is disabled.