Transcoding voice to/from text based on location of a communication device

• US 8,811,574 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2013
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kefalas, Anastasios, Evans, Kenneth W., Mikan, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEZUAYEHU, SOLOMON G
• Application Number:
  US13/872,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20130238331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 455/404, 455/414.02, 455/466, 455/564, 455/404.2, 455/432.02
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• 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: G10L 25/48 specially adapted for particular use
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 device, method, and system for routing communications to an output of a communications device, such as a mobile telephone, based on the format of an incoming communication and an output mode of the communications device is disclosed. An incoming speech communication can be delivered to a speaker output or forwarded to a format converter to create a text communication that can be delivered to a display output. An incoming text communication can be delivered to a display output or forwarded to a format converter to create a speech communication for delivery to a speaker output. The output mode of the communication device can be set according to device settings, application settings, or location of the device, or a combination thereof. The invention provides new delivery options for communications which can be inure appropriate for a location or current use of the communication device than those previously available.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a communication intended for a communication device having a display output and a speaker output; and

routing the communication, in a first format, to destination selected from a group of destinations consisting of a format converter and a device output comprising the speaker output, the selecting being based upon a routing parameter selected from a group of routing parameters consisting of a location of the communication device, and an instant messaging presence established for a user associated with the communication device.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising converting the communication in the first format into a second format if the routing logic routes the communication to the format converter based on the routing parameter.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the instructions further comprise a format converter that converts the communication in the first format into the second format, and wherein the format converter comprises a speech-to-text converter that converts communications in a speech format into a text format.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the format converter further comprises a text-to-speech converter that converts communications in a text format into a speech format.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein routing the communication in a first format comprises routing the communication in a format selected from a group of formats consisting of a text format and a speech format.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the device output comprises the speaker output.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the device output comprises a display output.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein, the instant messaging presence is based on the location of the communications device.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising receiving the location of the communications device from a location-based services server.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising determining the location of the communications device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising receiving the instant messaging presence of the user from a messaging server.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

providing a text-to-speech conversion function and a speech-to-text conversion function;

converting the communication to speech format if the communication is routed to the converter and the first format of the communication is a text format; and

converting the communication to text format if the communication is routed to the converter and the first format of the communication is a speech format.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the storage medium and the processor are components of the communication device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the storage medium and the processor are components of a telecommunications network element.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, by a tangible routing logic, a communication in a first format, the communication intended for a communication device having a display output and a speaker output; and

determining, by the tangible routing logic, whether to route the communication in the first format to a format converter or to a device output based on at least one routing parameter selected from a group of parameters consisting of

a location of the communication device, and

an instant messaging presence established for a user of the communication device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the tangible routing logic comprises a component of the communication device, and wherein receiving the communication and determining whether to route the communication are performed at the communication device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the tangible routing logic comprises a component of a telecommunications network element, and wherein receiving the communication and determining whether to route the communication are performed at the network element.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a communication intended for a communication device comprising a display output and a speaker output;

determining whether to route the communication in a first format to a format converter based on a routing parameter; and

determining whether to route the communication in the first format to a device output based on the routing parameter, wherein the routing parameter is selected from a group of routing parameters consisting of

a location of the communication device, and

an instant messaging presence established for a user associated with the communication device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the storage medium and the processor are components of the communication device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the storage medium and the processor are components of a telecommunications network element.