Intelligent text message-to-speech system and method for visual voice mail

• US 8,355,703 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaw, Venson M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG-HURST, KATHY W
• Application Number:
  US12/796,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20110300833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/418, 455/414.4, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/413
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/10 with dictation recording and playback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5335 Message type or catagory, e.g. priority, indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

A visual voicemail system can convert visual voicemail message content to an alternate format based on the location of the recipient device, whether and how the recipient device is in motion, a priority of the message content, user preferences, or other criteria. Alternately, a recipient wireless device may also convert content to an alternate format based on the similar criteria. Content may be presented automatically to a user on recipient device based on such criteria. Content may be converted from audio to text, text to audio, or from any format to any other format. Location, motion data, user preferences, etc. may be obtained from a location based service system, a recipient wireless device, or any other source.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a speed of motion of a recipient wireless device;

determining that the speed of motion of the recipient wireless device exceeds a threshold;

responsive to determining that the speed of motion of the recipient wireless device exceeds the threshold;

determining a priority of first visual voicemail message content in a first format;

determining a second format based on the priority of the first visual voicemail message content; and

converting the first visual voicemail message content in the first format to second visual voicemail message content in the second format; and

transmitting the second visual voicemail message content to the recipient wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the of motion of the recipient wireless device comprises obtaining motion data from a motion detection component configured on the recipient wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting an instruction to immediately present the second visual voicemail message content on the recipient wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a user preference, wherein determining the second format based on the priority of the first visual voicemail message content comprises determining the second format based on the user preference and the priority of the first visual voicemail message content.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a location of the recipient wireless device, wherein determining the second format based on the priority of the first visual voicemail message content comprises determining the second format based on the location and the priority of the first visual voicemail message content voicemail message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first format is a text format and the second format is an audio format.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the speed of motion of the recipient wireless device comprises receiving at least two sets of location data for the recipient wireless device and comparing the at least two sets of location data.

8. A network device comprising:

a memory comprising instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory that, when executing the instructions, performs operation comprising;

determining a speed of motion of a wireless device,

determining that the speed of motion of the wireless device exceeds a threshold;

responsive to determining that the speed of motion of the wireless device exceeds the threshold;

determining a priority of first visual voicemail message content in a first format;

determining a second format based on the priority of the first visual voicemail message content; and

converting the first visual voicemail message content in the first format to second visual voicemail message content in the second format; and

transmitting the second visual voicemail message content to the wireless device.

9. The network device of claim 8, wherein the operation of determining the speed of motion of the wireless device comprises obtaining motion data from the wireless device.

10. The network device of claim 8, wherein the operation of determining the speed of motion of the wireless device comprises obtaining motion data from a location based services system.

11. The network device of claim 8, wherein the operation of determining the speed of motion of the wireless device comprises obtaining global positioning system data from the wireless device.

12. The network device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise determining a location of the wireless device, wherein the operation of determining the second format based on the priority of the first visual voicemail message content comprises determining the second format based on the location and the priority of the first visual voicemail message content.

13. The network device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise determining a user preference, and wherein the operation of determining the second format based on the priority of the first visual voicemail message content comprises determining the second format based on based on the user preference and the priority of the first visual voicemail message content.

14. The network device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting an instruction to the wireless device to immediately present the second visual voicemail message content on the wireless device based on a priority of the first visual voicemail message content.

15. A computer-readable storage medium that is not a transient signal, the computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining a speed of motion of a recipient wireless device;

determining that the speed of motion of the recipient wireless device exceeds a threshold;

responsive to determining that the speed of motion of the recipient wireless device exceeds the threshold;

determining a priority of first visual voicemail message content in a first format;

determining a second format based on the priority of the first visual voicemail message content; and

converting the first visual voicemail content in the first format to second visual voicemail content in the second format; and

transmitting the second visual voicemail content to the recipient wireless device.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise determining a location of the recipient wireless device, wherein the operation of determining the second format based on the priority of the first visual voicemail message content comprises determining the second format based on the location and the priority of the first visual voicemail message content.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operation of determining the speed of motion of the recipient wireless device comprises obtaining at least two sets of location data for the recipient wireless device and comparing the at least two sets of location data.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise determining a user preference, and wherein determining the second format based on the priority of the first visual voicemail message content comprises determining the second format based on the user preference and the priority of the first visual voicemail message content.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise immediately presenting the second visual voicemail content on the wireless device.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the operation of determining the speed of motion of the recipient wireless device comprises receiving at least two sets of location data for the recipient wireless device and comparing the at least two sets of location data.