Method and system for enhancing verbal communication sessions

• US 8,412,529 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2008
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: McKee, Martin W., Schultz, Paul T., Sartini, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chawan, Vijay B
• Application Number:
  US12/260,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 704/275, 704/260, 704/266, 704/267, 704/258, 704/270, 379/93.21, 379/93.17, 434/319, 434/112, 715/151, 709/219, 706/45
• US Class Current: 704/270
• 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

Abstract

An approach is provided for enhancing verbal communication sessions. A verbal component of a communication session is converted into textual information. The converted textual information is scanned for a text string to trigger an application. The application is invoked to provide supplemental information about the textual information or to perform an action in response to the textual information for or on behalf of a party of the communication session. The supplemental information or a confirmation of the action is transmitted to the party.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

converting a verbal component of a communication session into textual information;

scanning the converted textual information for a text string to trigger an application;

invoking the application to perform an action in response to the textual information, for or on behalf of a party of the communication session, to provide supplemental information about the textual information; and

transmitting the supplemental information or a confirmation of the action to the party.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the application transmits the supplemental information or performs the action for or on behalf of the party without the knowledge of another party of the session.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted supplemental information or confirmation includes an audio clip or transcript of the point in the communication that triggered the application.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental information is provided from one or more network information resources or services including:

a calendar service;

a weather forecast service;

a business information service; and

a navigation service.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the action performed includes:

checking calendar availability;

committing to a calendar event;

committing to a task;

adding contacts;

looking up contact information;

providing a weather forecast;

retrieving business information;

obtaining an address, map, or directions; and

establishing a communication session with a party who is not currently a session participant.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental information or the confirmation of the action is transmitted as an audio hint, haptic hint, or a visual hint.

7. A method of claim 6, wherein the audio hint is a text-to-speech overlay on the communication session, and the visual hint is a textual pop-up, video overlay, closed captioning, or any combination thereof.

8. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input, from the party, specifying an environmental condition; and

providing the information or feedback of an action in an audio hint, haptic hint, or visual hint format corresponding to the environmental condition.

9. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input, from the party, specifying an information resource;

adding the information resource to a list of available information resources; and

providing supplemental information from the additional information resource based on the converted textual information.

10. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input, from the party, specifying an action;

adding the action to a list of available actions; and

performing the action based on the converted textual information.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to convert a verbal component of a communication session into textual information, and to scan the converted textual information for a text string to trigger an application,

wherein the processor is further configured to invoke the application to perform an action in response to the textual information, for or on behalf of a party of the communication session, to provide supplemental information about the textual information,

wherein the supplemental information or a confirmation of the action is transmitted to the party.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the application transmits the supplemental information or performs the action for or on behalf of the party without the knowledge of another party of the session.

13. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the transmitted supplemental information or confirmation includes an audio clip or transcript of the point in the communication that triggered the application.

14. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the supplemental information is provided from one or more network information resources or services including:

a calendar service;

a weather forecast service;

a business information service; and

a navigation service.

15. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the action performed includes:

checking calendar availability;

committing to a calendar event;

committing to a task;

adding contacts;

looking up contact information;

providing a weather forecast;

retrieving business information;

obtaining an address, map, or directions; and

establishing a communication session with a party who is not currently a session participant.

16. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the supplemental information or the confirmation of the action is transmitted as an audio hint, haptic hint, or a visual hint.

17. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the audio hint is a text-to-speech overlay on the communication session, and the visual hint is a textual pop-up, video overlay, closed captioning, or any combination thereof.

18. An apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive input, from the party, specifying an environmental condition,

wherein the information or feedback of an action is provided in an audio hint, haptic hint, or visual hint format corresponding to the environmental condition.

19. An apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive input, from the party, specifying an information resource, to add the information resource to a list of available information resources, and to provide supplemental information from the additional information resource based on the converted textual information.

20. An apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive input, from the party, specifying an action, to add the action to a list of available actions, and to perform the action based on the converted textual information.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform:

convert a verbal component of a communication session into textual information,

scan the converted textual information for a string to trigger an application,

invoke the application to perform an action in response to the textual information, for or on behalf of a party of the communication session, to provide supplemental information about the textual information, and

transmit the supplemental information a party of the communication session.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 21, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to perform:

receive input, from the party, specifying an environmental condition, and

provide the supplemental information in a format suitable for the environmental condition.