Communication device processing text message to transform it into speech

• US 8,285,548 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2009
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Huh, Ji Young, Kim, Sun Ryang, Kim, Woong Chang
• Primary Examiner(s): Smits, Talivaldis Ivars
• Application Number:
  US12/400,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/02 Methods for producing synthetic speech; Speech synthesisers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

The application discloses a communication device and method of processing a text message in the communication device. An aspect of the present application is a method of processing text message in a communication device, the method including receiving a text message from an external sender, determining whether and how a user desires to transform the text message into voice data according to user control information set by the user, selectively, transforming the received text message into voice data according to the result of the determining step, and transmitting the voice data to an external sound reproduction device through a wireless communication module.

Claims

1. A method of processing a text message in a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving a text message from an external sender;

determining whether a user desires to transform the text message into voice data, according to user control information set by the user;

selectively transforming the received text message into voice data according to a result of the determining step; and

transmitting the voice data to an external sound reproduction device through a wireless communication module.

2. A method of processing a text message in a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving a text message from an external sender;

determining whether a user desires to transform the text message into voice data, according to user control information set by the user;

determining whether a voice sample corresponding to the external sender is present in a storage unit of the communication device, after determining whether to transform the text message into voice data;

selectively transforming the received text message into voice data using the voice sample corresponding to the external sender if the voice sample is present in the storage unit;

transforming the received text message into voice data using a predesignated voice sample if the voice sample corresponding to the external sender is not present in the storage unit; and

transmitting the transformed voice data to an external sound reproduction device through a wireless communication module.

3. A method of processing a text message in a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving a text message from an external sender;

determining whether a user desires to transform the text message into voice data, according to user control information set by the user;

selectively transforming the received text message into voice data according to a result of the determining step;

checking whether an external sound reproduction device is reproducing a sound;

generating volume control information for controlling a playing volume of the sound if the external sound reproduction device is reproducing the sound; and

transmitting the volume control information and the transformed voice data to the external sound reproduction device through a wireless communication module.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the volume control information controls the playing volume of the sound to be reduced.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the volume control information controls the playing volume of the sound to be muted.

6. A method of processing a text message in a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving a text message from an external sender;

determining whether a user desires to transform the text message into voice data, according to user control information set by the user;

selectively transforming the received text message into voice data according to a result of the determining step;

checking whether an external sound reproduction device is reproducing sound data which is transmitted by the communication device itself; and

transmitting the sound data to the external sound reproduction device through a first channel and the transformed voice data to the external sound reproduction device through a second channel, if the external sound reproduction device is reproducing the sound data, wherein the first channel and second channel are physically separated and are used for the external sound reproduction device.

7. A method of processing a text message in a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving at least two text messages from an external sender;

determining whether the received at least two text messages are associated with a concatenate single-message;

reordering the received at least two text messages in an order of reception of the at least two text messages;

determining whether a user desires to transform to reordered text message into voice data, according to user control information set by the user;

selectively transforming the reordered text messages into voice data according to a result of the determining step; and

transmitting the transformed voice data to the external sound reproduction device through a wireless communication module.

8. A communication device having a wireless communication module, the device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a text message from an external sender; and

a controller configured to execute control operations to;

determine whether a user desires to transform the text message into voice data according to user control information set by the user,

selectively transform the received text message into voice data according to a result of the determining, and

transmit the voice data to an external sound reproduction device through the wireless communication module.

9. A communication device having a wireless communication module, the device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a text message from an external sender;

a storage unit configured to store voice samples; and

a controller configured to execute control operations to;

determine whether a user desires to transform the text message into voice data according to user control information set by the user,

determine whether a voice sample corresponding to the external sender is present in the storage unit after determining whether to transform the text message into voice data,

selectively transform the received text message into voice data using the voice sample corresponding to the external sender if the voice sample is present in the storage unit,

selectively transform the received text message into voice data using a predesignated voice sample if the voice sample corresponding to the external sender is not present in the storage unit, and

transmit the transformed voice data to an external sound reproduction device through the wireless communication module.

10. A communication device having a wireless communication module, the device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a text message from an external sender; and

a controller configured to execute control operations to;

determine whether a user desires to transform the text message into voice data according to user control information set by the user,

selectively transform the received text message into voice data according to a result of the determining,

check whether an external sound reproduction device is reproducing a sound,

generate volume control information for controlling a playing volume of the sound when the external sound reproduction device is reproducing the sound, and

transmit the volume control information and the transformed voice data to the external sound reproduction device through the wireless communication module.

11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the volume control information generated from the controller controls the playing volume of the sound to be reduced.

12. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the volume control information generated from the controller controls the playing volume of the sound to be muted.

13. A communication device having a wireless communication module, the device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a text message from an external sender; and

a controller configured to execute control operations to;

determine whether a user desires to transform the text message into voice data according to user control information set by the user,

selectively transform the received text message into voice data according to a result of the determining,

check whether an external sound reproduction device is reproducing sound data which is transmitted by the communication device itself, and

transmit the sound data to the external sound reproduction device through a first channel and the transformed voice data to the external sound reproduction device through a second channel, when the external sound reproduction device is reproducing the sound data,

wherein the first channel and second channel are physically separated and are used for the external sound reproduction device.

14. A communication device having a wireless communication module, the device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive text messages from an external sender; and

a controller configured to execute control operations to;

determine whether at least two of the received text messages are associated with a concatenate single-message,

reorder the at least two text messages in an order of reception of the at least two text messages,

determine whether a user desires to transform the reordered text message into voice data, according to user control information set by the user,

selectively transform the reordered text messages into voice data according to a result of the determining, and

transmit the transformed voice data to the external sound reproduction device through the wireless communication module.