System and method for answering a communication notification

• US 8,655,662 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schroeter, Horst
• Primary Examiner(s): Guerra-Erazo, Edgar
• Application Number:
  US13/688,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20130090100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 704/260, 704/261, 704/246, 704/258, 704/276, 704/270, 704/270.1, 704/275, 704/235, 704/243
• US Class Current: 704/260
• 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 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for answering a communication notification. The method for answering a communication notification comprises receiving a notification of communication from a user, converting information related to the notification to speech, outputting the information as speech to the user, and receiving from the user an instruction to accept or ignore the incoming communication associated with the notification. In one embodiment, information related to the notification comprises one or more of a telephone number, an area code, a geographic origin of the request, caller id, a voice message, address book information, a text message, an email, a subject line, an importance level, a photograph, a video clip, metadata, an IP address, or a domain name. Another embodiment involves notification assigned an importance level and repeat attempts at notification if it is of high importance.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating speech associated with an incoming communication;

determining, via a processor, an importance level of the incoming communication;

identifying a threshold, via the processor, wherein the threshold is one of static and dynamic; and

when the importance level is above the threshold;

presenting the speech; and

identifying a response to the speech, the response comprising one of accepting the incoming communication and ignoring the incoming communication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the importance level is based on one of a telephone number, an area code, a geographic origin of the incoming communication, a caller identification, a voice message, a text message, an email, a subject line, a photograph, a video clip, metadata, an Internet Protocol address, and a domain name.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the response is to ignore the incoming communication and the incoming communication has a level of importance above a second threshold, presenting the speech a second time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein when the speech is presented the second time, the speech further comprises a reason for the level of importance.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the speech is presented via a hand-free device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the response is based on an input from a user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the importance level changes based on a user activity.

8. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

generating speech associated with an incoming communication;

determining an importance level of the incoming communication;

identifying a threshold, wherein the threshold is one of static and dynamic; and

when the importance level is above the threshold;

presenting the speech; and

identifying a response to the speech, the response comprising one of accepting the incoming communication and ignoring the incoming communication.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the importance level is determined based on one of a telephone number, an area code, a geographic origin of the incoming communication, a caller identification, a voice message, a text message, an email, a subject line, a photograph, a video clip, metadata, an Internet Protocol address, and a domain name.

10. The system of claim 8, the computer-readable storage device having additional instructions stored which result in the operations further comprising:

when the response is to ignore the incoming communication and the incoming communication has a level of importance above a second threshold, presenting the speech a second time.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein when the speech is presented the second time, the speech further comprises a reason for the level of importance.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the speech is presented via a hand-free device.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the identifying of the response is based on an input from a user.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the importance level changes based on a user activity.

15. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

generating speech associated with an incoming communication;

determining an importance level of the incoming communication;

identifying a threshold, wherein the threshold is one of static and dynamic; and

when the importance level is above the threshold;

presenting the speech; and

identifying a response to the speech, the response comprising one of accepting the incoming communication and ignoring the incoming communication.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the importance level is determined based on one of a telephone number, an area code, a geographic origin of the incoming communication, a caller identification, a voice message, a text message, an email, a subject line, a photograph, a video clip, metadata, an Internet Protocol address, and a domain name.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, the computer-readable storage device having additional instructions stored which result in the operations further comprising:

when the response is to ignore the incoming communication and the incoming communication has a level of importance above a second threshold, presenting the speech a second time.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein when the speech is presented the second time, the speech further comprises a reason for the level of importance.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the speech is presented via a hand-free device.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the identifying of the response is based on an input from a user.