Providing data service options in push-to-talk using voice recognition

• US 8,700,008 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Reddy, Nagareddy S., Khandpur, Vikram
• Primary Examiner(s): Sobutka, Philip
• Application Number:
  US12/163,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20090325546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,118 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Voice enabling mobile services leverage existing PTT infrastructure. Initiation of a service request and navigation through PTT service functions is accomplished by voice direction, rather than by reading choices and texting or clicking through options. A mobile phone includes a dedicated push-to-talk service button for generating a signal for initiating a voice enabled service session, a speaker and microphone for transducing sounds and electrical signals, a display for displaying visual information to a user, memory for storing data, a transceiver for receiving and transmitting data and a processor. The processor receives a signal generated by the PTT service button for initiating a voice enabled service session, communicates a prompt to a user to begin speaking, stores voice data from a user and transmits the stored voice data to a service server for transforming the voice data to a result satisfying the spoken voice service request.

Claims

1. A method for providing voice services on a mobile phone comprising:

receiving a signal from the mobile phone requesting an PTT application on the mobile phone;

sending the signal from the PTT application indicating consent to a voice service session;

receiving, at the PTT application, voice data from the mobile phone including a voice enabled service request;

transforming the voice data to text data; and

processing the text data to identify service request data for satisfying the voice enabled service request.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the identified service request data at the mobile phone and presenting the identified service request data to a user of the mobile phone.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the presenting the identified service request data to the user further comprises presenting an audible response to the user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the presenting the audible response to the user further comprises presenting a search result.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the presenting the audible response to the user further comprises presenting a menu for allowing the user to verbally select one of a plurality menu items based on the identified service request data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the signal from the mobile phone requesting a session with the PTT application further comprises receiving the signal from the mobile phone triggered by a dedicated push-to-talk service button of the mobile phone.

7. A method for providing voice services on a mobile device by:

providing an application for enabling voice services on the mobile device;

receiving a signal for initiating a voice enabled service session;

communicating a prompt to receive a service request;

recording voice data comprising the service request;

transforming the voice data to text data; and

processing, at the application on the mobile device, the text data to determine a response to the service request.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising presenting the response relating to the processing of the text data by the application.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein presenting the response further comprises presenting an audible response.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the presenting the audible response further comprises presenting a search result.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the presenting the audible response further comprises presenting a menu for verbally selecting one of a plurality menu items based on the response.

12. A mobile device comprising:

a microphone to receive voice data from a user;

a display to display visual information to a user;

a memory for storing data; and

a processor, coupled to the button, display and the memory, the processor being configured to;

provide an application for enabling voice services on the mobile device;

receive a signal for initiate a voice enabled service session;

communicate a prompt to receive a service request;

record voice data comprising the service request;

transforming the voice data to text data; and

process the text data to determine a response to the service request.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising a button to initiate the voice enabled service session.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the display is a touch sensitive screen having the button displayed thereon.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

present the response to the service request via the display.

16. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising a speaker.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

present the response to the service request to the user by an audible response via the speaker.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the audible response comprises a menu for verbally selecting one of a plurality menu items.

19. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

present the response to the service request to the user visually on the display and audibly via the speaker.

20. A mobile device comprising:

a microphone to receive voice data from a user;

a display to display visual information to a user;

a memory for storing data; and

a processor, coupled to the button, display and the memory, the processor being configured to;

provide an application for enabling voice services on the mobile device;

receive a signal for initiate a voice enabled service session;

communicate a prompt to receive a service request;

record voice data comprising the service request;

transforming the voice data to text data;

process the text data to determine a response to the service request; and

present the response to the service request via a second application on the mobile device.